Adjusting minute hand collets
The British Horological Institute has archived and edited the following from e-mails sent to the Clock/Clockers mailing lists on the Internet. The information here does not necessarily indicate a method approved by the BHI, we are only publishing this digest so that others can decide for themselves whether the methods listed below will suit them.
From:
Tony Harrison-Smith, Norm Schreck
Adjusting minute hands on their collets so the strike at the right time.
Method 1.
Find a broach where the 'Tang' of the broach fits the square of the hand collet. Hold the broach in the bench vice with the tang sticking upwards. Put the hand collet on the tang and you will then find that the minute hand is only a friction fit (usually!). with gentle pressure, the minute hand can be turned to one side or the other. This works 99% of the time.
A word about safety: immediately you have finished, remove the broach from the vice!! This stops you taking an eye out if you bend over the vice forgetting that the broach is there.
Method 2
In the US, the tool you want is a "BUSHING ADJUSTER", #061555, @ $7.95 as listed in LaRose's 1995-96 Keep Book on page 121. The other half of this tool is a "HAND REMOVING PLIERS", #450-37-042, @ $35.45 (as of 3/27/95) as listed in the Empire Clock Co. catalogue. The Bushing Adapter is a pointed, tapered (1.5-5.5mm over its 190mm length), hardened 4-sided tool that can also be used for starting screw holes in wood, and also lining-up holes. The pliers have a radial slot cut in them to hold the hand very tightly while the bushing is turned in it. The pliers are an integral part of adjusting the minute hand bushing, saving many of the flimsy aluminium and/or steel minute hands from being destroyed while turning the bushing.
