I have an Elgin grade 96 that I picked up as a practice movement. I am new at this but have been through the Tascione tapes, have one of the Fried books and have cruised this board and every place else I could find for info and I would like to see if I can clean this puppy up and get it running. (It runs for a momment or two and then stops.)

Two weeks ago, I found a web article about disassembling a full plate size 18 movement (possibly Elgin but I am not sure about that.) It was step by step with photos and very detailed. Just what I need at this stage. I bookmarked the page (or thought I did) and now I can't find it. I have revisited and researched to no avail. I am hoping one of the experts here can help with the missing reference.

I do have the following:
http://collomconsulting.home.att.net/assembly.htm
http://www.thewatchguy.homestead.com/repair.html

These are helpful but not the page I remember.

I also found these two threads:
https://ihc185.infopop.cc/eve/forums?a=tpc&s=3206049661&f=3426047761&m=907007866&r=907007866#907007866
https://ihc185.infopop.cc/eve/forums?a=tpc&s=3206049661&f=3426047761&m=8986091833&r=8986091833#8986091833

Also very helpful and maybe sufficient but I'd sure like the handholding of the missing page.

Anyone have an idea of what I was looking at?

Ron Birchall

Hi Ron.I think you have enough information to start.Big thing very important, let down the power on the mainspring.If any doubts ask someone.The full plate movement is a little different to work on, but i do not find it harder to line up the pivots.
The tricky part is holding it upside down and then turn it right side up to finish putting the remainder of the pivots in.You have good
reference material.When i started i bought Bob T,s tapes also and still refer to them.And Fried,s books are great and clearly written.
The best of luck to you and don,t hurry it.If you run into problems walk away and leave the watch for a while.
If you get stuck you can always come here for help.
One more thing i just thought of.Remove the balance first with the balance bridge so it does not get damaged when you dissasemble.Another thing, try to develop the right steps when you dissasemble.I have learned this in the past with parts falling onto the floor and searching for them after.

Thanks for the encouragement Kevin. I will no doubt dive in as soon as I get some more pressing items off my plate.

Ron

Ron,
I am a beginner, too, and I'd be interested to hear of your progress on the 18s. I've tackled 16s, 12s, 10s, 6s, and 0s with varying degrees of success--the advice from the experienced folks here is to concentrate on 16s for a while, and I agree. The last issue of the Bulletin (Dec 2004) shows Doug Sinclair reassemlbing an 18s (full plate). It looks fairly straighforward, but I'll stick to the 3/4 split plates for a while.
I hope it goes well,
Pete Belmonte

Peter, The secret to reassembling the 18S fullplate watches is to put them together upside down. By that, I mean to have the topplate down, assemble in your gear train, and then slip the pillar plate over it. If you try to do it with the pillar plate down, you need a pecial little tool to hold the palate fork in place to reassemble.

Hope this helps.

Tom

Peter i find the 3/4 plates harder to assemeble than the full plate.If you don,t assemble and disasemble the full plate upside down the potance could be damgaed also.

Kevin,
I'm with you the 15 jewel and up full plate watches seem easier. The lower jeweled full plate watches are not bad either but not as easy as when they have the jewels.

Good luck guys and remember, practice makes perfect.

Gents,
This discussion is interesting. I've been told that the full plates are a bit more difficult to assemble. The Elgin 16s, with the barrel bridge, train bridge, and balance bridge, seemed fairly easy to get back together (at least the plates/wheels portions). That's what I was referring to when I said "3/4 plate" or "split plate." Is that correct terminology?
What I’m hearing here is that the full plates are, for some people, easier. I'd be interested in other opinions.
Pete Belmonte, Happy New Year

Peter, Just remember, disassemble and reassemble upside down. It is just easier that way. When you go back together you can probe between the plates with a toothpick to line up the pivots.
Good luck,

Kevin

Thanks to a question posted by you here almost a year ago, I've found the litle hole that provides access to the click. The responder said to use a probe to disengage the click. the hole is too small for a toothpick and I don't want to jam a screwdriver in there and make a mess. What kind of "probe" should I use?

What am I feeling around for? Do I go straight in? Do I apply preasure straight in or to one side or the other to clear the ratchet wheel?

If I turn the winding stem a bit to take preasure off of the click, should I be able to feel the click move with my probe?

Thanks for the help and Happy New Year to everyone here!

Ron

Ronald,

I use a old oiler to push the click. I dull screwdriver will work also. You will have to turn the winding wheel with a bench key to take pressure off the click to disengauge the click. Then let the m/s down easy. It is a straight in push to release the click and should be pretty easy.

Good luck,

Ron,
I used a dental pick, carefully, for that purpose.
Pete B.

Thanks guys

I was a bit timid but I got it.

I had to make a better bench key so that I could control things better with the same hand that was holding the movement.

Ron

Good going Ronald, there are many good people to always help here.

To disengage the click, I use a sewing needle with the point blunted or cut off flat. To add a handle to the needle, I put some tape around the opposite end to give me something to grab onto.

Tom

Next step?

Do I remove the barrel bridge or balance cock first?

Sorry to be so pesty,
Ron

Ronald,

I always remove the balance first. Just to get it out of any harms way. Then go after the barrel bridge then the train bridge screws. Once the train bridge screws are removed hold the movement together and invert it and remove the pilar plate. By this point you have a heap of parts and you get to figure it all out. Have fun, and good luck. They are not too bad and you will find alot of help here.

Its mostly apart. Surprizingly easy!
(I can't yet think about puting humpty-dumpty back together again.)

One problem is the large headed screw holding the winding wheel and some of the setting train. I have not been able to budge this screw. I've gone back to it several times to no avail. Any suggestions?

Ron

Ronald, The screw you are working on is (or should be) left hand thread. It is backwards than all the others.

Thanks Aaron,

I thought that might be the case but didn't want to force it one way or the other until I knew. I was afraid that with that big head, I could torque it right off the screw.

Time for cleaning!

To those above who supplied help and anyone else interested:

I have not abandoned this project but put it aside for the momment. I am concentrating on a 16s, 17j Waltham with a broken mainspring.

I am feeling a bit more comfortable with twisting and turning things to get these wonderous mechanisms apart. I hope that is not pride preceeding a fall! We'll know when I try to put them back together again.

Thanks for the help so far. It has been invaluable.

Ron

Just to close this thread:

It took awhile but both Elgin and Waltham are running fine. The Waltham had a broken ms and a cracked cap jewel. The Elgin needed a ms as well. Both have been cleaned and oiled and to my amazement are actually running!

Thanks again for the help. I am planning on attending the North Coast regional and hope to meet some of you.

Ron

Peter

To answer your question about the 18s Elgin, I did not find it any more difficult than the Waltham. The warnings about doing it upside down was somewhat intimidating but following Doug Sinclair's article in last month's (Dec) Bulletin made it pretty easy.

Ron

Ron,
My congratulations for your succesful repair of these two watches, it is always exciting to know that another one is doing well, nice moment when they came alive again isn't it? ... for the next hunder years..

Congrats Ron, and thanks for the update on the 18s. I think I'll give one of those a try soon. I went the other direction: From 16s/12s/10s down to wristwatches. I just finished a ladies Bulova wristwatch, tiny, I lost two cap jewel screws; then I found one on the table next to my bench and I found the other by scouring the floor, on my hands and knees, with a magnet. The watch is running now. I think I'll go back in the other direction, 16s and 18s for a while.
Take care,
Pete

Nice going Ron. You are on your way. I will be at North Coast also. Will see you there.

Tom

Ronald and Peter good going.I find clocks are good to work on, larger too see.Seriously i started big, 18 sz then went smaller to a 6 sz.The movements you put together upside down, sounded scary at first.Now i find them easier than the others are.
The only way you get better in this hobby is reading up on your subject of interest , then practice alot.