Turning a balance staff.
Updated: Jun 5, 2022
To myself, turning a balance staff for a timepiece is an art possessed by few. It is quite tricky to be honest. The shape to someone who is used to turning is the easy part. Getting the dimensions correct at every turn is the stumbling block. Each section has to be meticulously crafted to the correct dimensions. If not? Well, start again.
This top photo is showing the first stages. Not going too badly.
The piece is then turned around to finish.
The bottom pivot.
Old staff at the top. New at the bottom. A few mistakes and misjudgments. But all in all. A tidy effort.
This particular staff is for a ships clock. Which is quite considerably larger than a wristwatch. One step a time though. Not a bad effort. And best of all? It worked!!!
During this I was listening to the No Such Thing as a Fish podcast.