My Howard Series O 23j has a problem. It winds, sets, runs, and the second hand moves. Problem is the hour and minute hands sometime move but most of the time they do not. Any ideas? Thanks

Larry

IHC Member 25
IHC Life Member (L6)

The thing that first comes to mind is loose hour and minute hands,the second is a loose cannon pinion. Actually,probably the first thing to look at would to make sure the hour and minute hands are not hanging up on each other,that all hands have adequate clearance for each other as they make their rounds.

Oops,forgot to mention that the hands should ALSO be clear of the dial and crystal as they round.

Sam Williamson
NAWCC 154312
IHC Charter Member 14
Member Chapters 96 and 185

Sounds like the cannon pinion is a little too loose.

Mike Miller

Dang, Sam beat me to the punch...

Mike Miller

I think canon pinion might be right. As I said, I can move the hands freely, and they turn perfectly after pulling out the lever and turning the crown.

Larry

IHC Member 25
IHC Life Member (L6)

May just need a new dial washer.

Kenny

Kenny Drafts

Larry,

I can usually tell when a cannon pinion needs tightening by setting the hands. If there is very little to no resistance, the cannon pinion is probably loose. If you feel normal resistance, then your problem could be somewhere else.

John D. Duvall
Vice President, Education

Hmmm? John, I do feel normal resistance. Without looking at it, my watchmaker thought it might be the dial washer. I'll have to take it in next week. Thanks.

Larry

IHC Member 25
IHC Life Member (L6)

Larry,

If the dial washer was bad or missing, then you might also experience some problems with setting the hands too. Especially if the minute wheel is not clamped like some earlier watches.

Try holding the watch upside down (dial down) and turning the hands back and forth. If you have an hour wheel or minute wheel slipping out of position you should see it and feel it. If the hour wheel becomes disengaged from the minute wheel pinion, the hour hand will be out of sync with the minute hand.

John D. Duvall
Vice President, Education

[This message was edited by John D. Duvall on August 18, 2003 at 21:39.]