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OIL SINKS

What are oil sinks used for?

Oil sinks refer to a set of specialized tools intended for the preservation and precise application of lubricants used in movements. The diversity of lubrication operations — which involve several different oils and greases, whose deposited volumes are measured in microliters — has led the industry to develop tooling entirely dedicated to this purpose, with no equivalent in general mechanics.

The term “Oil sink” applies first to the receptacle intended to receive and keep Oil within reach. In its classic form, it is a well hollowed out of a material inert with respect to the Lubricant — Glass (crystal) or synthetic Material — and set into a support made of Wood, Metal, or synthetic material. Several wells are generally combined within the same Oil sink Case, each assigned to a given Lubricant and topped with a lid that protects it from dust, Light, and evaporation. Control over the cleanliness and traceability of Lubricants, fundamental to the quality of the Assembly, relies largely on this equipment.

The application itself is entrusted to a second tool, the oil pick. It consists of a thin rod ofSteel whose tip is flattened into a flat surface and cut in such a way as to present a capillary hollow. When this tip is dipped into the oil sink, a tiny amount of lubricant remains there by capillarity, and can then be deposited with great precision directly above the application point. Oilers are calibrated in several sizes, traditionally numbered from 1 to 4 and beyond, corresponding to increasing drop volumes. The handles are frequently colored to identify their size.

Oil sinks and their oilers are used during the final stages of the Assembly. Lubrication precisely targets the stone bearings of the train wheels, the pallets of the Pallets (lever) and the teeth of the escape wheel, as well as certain cam surfaces and levers of the Winding mechanism and the setting mechanism. Successful lubrication relies as much on the choice of oils and greases — suited to the speed and pressures of each contact — as on the geometric precision and dosing consistency afforded by these discreet tools, which are nonetheless decisive for the longevity and stability of the movement’s rate.