I have not worked on a meter movement in many years due to lower costs
replacements and better personal finances. When I did work on them I
recall being pretty successful.
If you spend enough time preparing, it almost always works out. The
safest way to verify an open movement is to take it in your hand and
see how much you can shake it around. If the needle shows a difference
in damping with and without the terminals shorted it is not open.

Bearing problems due to mechanical shock are common.

Broken pointers can be repaired with a tiny droplet of black paint.
Use a single hair from a paint brush to apply.

Be innovative, if you are motivated, it will work!

de W8CCW John

On 26 May 2006 08:01:20 -0700, "dick on the langwang"
wrote:

Has anyone experience of repairing moving coil meters and/or able give
me to any useful pointers. One of my (many !!) restoration projects is
being held up by an u/s meter & from inspection I suspect although the
coil/pointer move freely one of the fine wire connections to the coil
has gone open circuit, due to corrosion. I'm happy stripping down &
repairing clocks but have no experience of doing the same to meters. In
the end I'll probably have to find a replacement but it would be nice
to try & get the original meter working again.
John Ferrell W8CCW