I had been dreading this movement for so long because it needed rebushing of BOTH escape wheel pivot holes. Started back in August 2025 https://kukkunaws.blogspot.com/2025/08/elgin-303-7j-1924-12s-pocket-watch-on.html and mostly just closed up holes with the staking set.
Well I finally built up the courage to tackle it after practicing a lot on tiny women's movements and accepted the fact that if things went sideways it wouldn't be the end of the world (even if I'd probably get depressed about it for a long time). This is a 7j movement that didn't even use bushings - it was not meant to work properly for more than a single lifetime (probably much less).
After hours and hours of work the watch now runs. Both escape wheel pivot holes had become two holes in one with the pivot mostly sitting in the second hole which was pointing 180 degrees opposite of the stem, i.e directly downwards. Makes sense for this to happen given that's the orientation pocket watches were meant to run.
The Seitz master tool saved the day, again. Such an essential bit of kit for these long-forgotten movements and a pity that they have not been manufactured in probably 70 years. Restoration work going forward will become more difficult as these tools fail, get lost or forgotten.
The same procedure as documented here was followed https://kukkunaws.blogspot.com/2025/08/bushing-egg-shaped-hole-without-lathe.html. A pre-made Bergeon bushing was used but the hole was too small (0.14mm but needed 0.22mm). A cutting broach was used to bring the hole up to size and then a smoothing broach to round the hole.
The bushed escape wheel top pivot hole (bridge side).
Beats all of my expectations considering that this is a 7 jewel 101 year-old movement that still needs all of the pivots burnished, both balance pivots need to be rounded rounded, only went through initial IPA cleaning (not the pallet fork or balance, obviously) and the balance cap jewels need replacing because they have been ground down by the staff. Right now, to me, I'm the absolute best hobbyist watchmaker that ever lived.
