Here is one I thought I would post up for the fun of it, this old E Howard came to me I a very poor condition, filthy dirty all gummed up being the least of the problems. It, had been in a local watchmakers shop for three years!, the customer after many visits and numerous excuses retrieved the watch. Now in far worse shape then it went in and still awaiting a new staff. These old Howards have many variants on the staffs so I decided the quickest way was just to make one, (See pictures below of me roughing out the shape) Not something to be undertaken lightly due to cost and time involved in doing so. Well I am happy to say the watch is now running great and will soon be back in his collection, great case to solid 18K 100G

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Here is a picture of roughing out the staff to basic dimensions, I complete one side before starting as much as possible on roller side then cutting and completing reverse side

One nice thing is that you can custom fit the balance wheel taking up and slack from other staff jobs

Chris,
Do you make the staff in one piece,like the one I did recently? You can do the final sizing and polishing in a wax chuck after you get this far. Might save a little time.

I normally rough out the top, remove some from roller side then finish the top completely, remove roller side down close, the cut off, knowing the upper is correct set in shellac chuck and finish lower polish and soak off shellac. Then I grit my teeth and see if I got all the dimensions correct.

Making a staff is usually something you do if a staff can not be found. I once worked for six hours trying to make a staff for an Oris pocket watch. After I finally got one done I found a parts supplier that carried them. I bought six of them for $3.00 each. BTW,nice work on the Howard.

Nice work Chris!
You guys that work in such a small medium amaze me.

Lawrence I know that feeling, I will more than likely have someone here say they have a dozen they are not using! I had been phoning round calling friends, one found it in a book with a interchange list, bought the book, ordered 3 at $11 ea that "maybe the ones" from a supplier, then just gave up and made it. I find this is happening more often on the odd ball watches, and 4th wheels as they run out have you tried to get a 992B 4th recently? had to repivot one the other day another job not to volenteer to quickly for
Hey check this picture out I found it on a write up from a student at watch school with to much time!

Chris, that picture with two staffs on one bar is just ridiculous, but in a totally amazing way.

Just anecdotally, I think most watchmakers will try to modify a staff instead of doing it from scratch. With the old Howard's I recall that some of the NYS staffs are candidates for modification. It's very easy to find NYS staffs, you just have to find the right one.

On the flip-side, it appears to me that making a staff from scratch usually results in a more aesthetically appealing repair.

Chris, great work on the Howard! Thanks for the pictures. I always like to see people posting pictures of their work.

Chris,
I have re-pivoted fourth wheels with some success. It's not as difficult as it sounds. The real trick would be re-pivoting a balance staff. I'll make that my next project,when I get time,and see how it goes. It might be quicker than making the whole staff from scratch. BTW,I believe the double staffs were made by John Davis when he was in watchmakers school. That man has some real patients.

Nice work Chris!! You did the right thing as I've found there to be 'variations of the variations' when it comes to Howard. You could have waited weeks on the so called proper staff, only to find out that it wasn't even the proper variation the supplier thought it was to begin with.

Gene