Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Please explain, not sure I understand. Can this be done on any watch?
(Right now the amplitude is 276, 12 hours after I wound it last)



Yes, any watch.
Requires to remove the caseback. The click is the spring-finger that locks the barrel preventing it from releasing the energy of the mainspring. When you turn the crown it makes that noise.

Anyway, with the back removed you hold the clock preventing it to lock the barrel and it will spin until the mainspring is unwound.

At that point you start slowly winding until the balance wheel is moving roughly 180 degrees.

Btw, this is the method by which you can determine the lift angle of a movement.

Having said that, unless you're comfortable opening up your new watch which could void the warranty I would let it unwind completely and then do what unmentioned if you can see the balance wheel through the case.

JG



Ps. There's a nice thread somewhere here regarding tourbillons. They are phenomenal mechanisms wonderful to behold but it wouldn't be the best choice if precision is what you're after.

Enjoy your carrousel!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Link to comment
Share on other sites

NEVER unwind a watch by just moving the click out of the way. The recoil through the running train will almost certainly damage something. If you want to unwind it quickly, either hold the winding crown and let it unwind slowly while moving the click out of the way, or use a screwdriver (of the right size) on the mainspring barrel screw to do keep the barrel from turning too fast while holding the click out of the way. Either operation is slightly dangerous though, since if you slip, it will unwind instantly.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, tourbillon said:

I see. Are the these graphs any indication of the general quality of the movement, do you think?

I can listen to the movement through my headphones (I can even hear myself breathing, so the piezo mic is a much better mic than many people may think) and the sound of the beat is very regular and has a pleasant ring/singing sound to it, but when I rotate the watch in my holder I can hear sort of a rattle (which could be caused by the inertia when the tourbillon is forced on the axis jewels? ) A fraction of a second later the rattle stops and the singing sound starts again, as soon as the watch rests in the next position.

I wonder for how long a time a tourbillon will last as compared to a conventional watch? The bearings carrying the Tourbillon must be subjected to relatively high forces.

I don't really know if they indicate a good or bad quality toubillon. My feeling is that they at least indicate "good enough". The noise you hear when moving the watch can be any number of things in the watch hitting each other (perfectly normal things, like gear teeth rattling). I don't know what the longevity of a tourbillon is, especially an inexpensive one, but whatever it is, it will be more costly to service than a plain escapement.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

NEVER unwind a watch by just moving the click out of the way. The recoil through the running train will almost certainly damage something. If you want to unwind it quickly, either hold the winding crown and let it unwind slowly while moving the click out of the way, or use a screwdriver (of the right size) on the mainspring barrel screw to do keep the barrel from turning too fast while holding the click out of the way. Either operation is slightly dangerous though, since if you slip, it will unwind instantly.



Super important point. My miss. Yes, this is all done while letting the power down controlled with a screw driver.

That poor tourbillon would really suffer.






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, jguitron said:



Ps. There's a nice thread somewhere here regarding tourbillons. They are phenomenal mechanisms wonderful to behold but it wouldn't be the best choice if precision is what you're after.

Enjoy your carrousel!

 

 

 

 

I do not dare opening the caseback.

I am just fascinated by carrousels. Would you say it is nerdy listening to it beating (through headphones) while watching Watch O Scope dotting the digital graph? :) 

Are you saying there is another thread about Tourbillons here on watchrepairtalk, or are you referring to this thread within this Watch O Scope Timegrapher thread?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I do not dare opening the caseback.
I am just fascinated by carrousels. Would you say it is nerdy listening to it beating (through headphones) while watching Watch O Scope dotting the digital graph? [emoji4] 
Are you saying there is another thread about Tourbillons here on watchrepairtalk, or are you referring to this thread within this Watch O Scope Timegrapher thread?




I'm sorry to tell you that you are showing all the signs and symptoms of the early stages of the watchmaking sting!!

Unchecked this leads to getting basic tools, buying cheaper movements to fool with and progressively escalate to full on obsession. Good luck!

The thread I believe is in WUS here:

Do you need a tourbillion?

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?share_fid=13788&share_tid=3874922&url=http%3A%2F%2Fforums%2Ewatchuseek%2Ecom%2Fshowthread%2Ephp%3Ft%3D3874922&share_type=t


I hope the link works coming from Tapatalk




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, jguitron said:

That thread was less technical than this. I am a tech guy so I like to discuss technology And design.

After I come back from my trip, march 29, I will contribute more. I spent so much time getting the amplifier and the mic positioning right so I may have some ideas that may be useful to other builders.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, svorkoetter said:

I don't really know if they indicate a good or bad quality toubillon. My feeling is that they at least indicate "good enough". The noise you hear when moving the watch can be any number of things in the watch hitting each other (perfectly normal things, like gear teeth rattling). I don't know what the longevity of a tourbillon is, especially an inexpensive one, but whatever it is, it will be more costly to service than a plain escapement.

Thanks again for all your advice. I have gotten a lot of help and not contributed a lot, sofar. I was just so stressed trying to decide by today on whether to keep the watch or not, because tomorrow I will leave on a trip. After march 29 I will contribute more and post pics of my mic and the watch.

I may have some useful tips on mic positioning, and some other ideas. At least MY piezo mic is supersensitive. It is a japanese brand I bought from a distributor in Stockholm a couple of years ago, I just need to find the info ln the brand and model.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

NEVER unwind a watch by just moving the click out of the way. The recoil through the running train will almost certainly damage something. If you want to unwind it quickly, either hold the winding crown and let it unwind slowly while moving the click out of the way, or use a screwdriver (of the right size) on the mainspring barrel screw to do keep the barrel from turning too fast while holding the click out of the way. Either operation is slightly dangerous though, since if you slip, it will unwind instantly.


Yes guilty as charged. I lost grip on the crown and [emoji95] bam [emoji95] it went off like a firecracker. Be careful, hold tight.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, jguitron said:

Did it break??

Yes it stripped the third or fourth wheel, I can't remember now. It was in watch class, an Elgin pocket watch movement. Fortunately I had plenty of other broken Elgin's to choose from to scavenge parts. That was the same watch I broke pinions off trying to fit the main plate back on. Those poor pocket watch movements took a beating in class.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guys, you are straying way of the ordinal thread content.  Please keep this thread relative to the original DIY timing machine.



You're right. Didn't mean to. So, my update:

I got a Witschi Watch Expert and I'm very pleased with it!! It's a great combo of hardware and software that picks up on even my quietest of watches.

HOWEVER, I have gotten used to the information as presented by WOS including the long term tracing. I find myself missing my custom set up. So I tried connecting the Witschi mic to WOS and like predicted by much smarter people than me, it's a lot of noise, not usable.

As of now I have the Witschi on my workbench to regulate and quick check my movements and then take them to WOS for further testing.

My modified Korg mic is doing a decent job but I will jump to buy a mic that may come up in the future should anyone decide to make that their entrepreneurial effort. [emoji6]

Have a great weekend!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Link to comment
Share on other sites

As a sign of just how crazy this is getting I went out an bought a Windows PC to run WatchOScope. I am a Mac only guy, there are 5 macs in this house and zero Windows PCs.  Yes, I know I could run WINE on a Mac; but the cost of a Windows license is on the order of just buying a new laptop with the license already on it. So I said, what the heck I'll just buy the laptop and get the Windows. 

So now I have a new Windows Laptop and I've installed Watch-O-Scope. Next the microphone setup.

While I have been following this conversation for months it might be beneficial for me and other readers to summarize what has been determined to be best practices. Could somebody please help with this? I think, as I remember, the one transistor amplifier was the best solution per performance vs. simplicity, yes? Did we ever settle on a particular microphone, or just a guitar or condenser mic? Finally, what was the best choice for the watch stand, I know a piece of wood will do; but it seems somebody found a cheap eBay solution for a multi position stand, if I remember? But, maybe I am wrong, that's why the recap would be helpful.

I know many options have been tried in the last 20 pages, but as I was following along, only half paying attention because I didn't have a PC, it seemed that there was consensus building around some best practices?

Could we re-itterate them here to catch up myself, and other readers that might be joining the party late?

Thanks so much for your forbearance in putting up with my elementary questions.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, cuevobat said:

Yes, I know I could run WINE on a Mac; but the cost of a Windows license is on the order of just buying a new laptop with the license already on it.

I'm honoured that you bought a PC just to run my program, but you didn't need to. WINE doesn't need a Windows license. It runs Windows applications, but isn't Windows.

Regarding best practices, I'll let someone else answer that, since I haven't tried anything other than the amplifier and mic stand that I posted on the web site, although I intend to.

Edited by svorkoetter
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow, that's cool to know. I guess too late for me, I probably won't return it; but, others can try WINE first.



Not a bad deal to have a laptop exclusive to run WOS.

I'm not to the point where I can recommend a setup but I sure will be following along to help you avoid mistakes I've made along the way.

Cheers!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, jguitron said:

 

 


Not a bad deal to have a laptop exclusive to run WOS.

I'm not to the point where I can recommend a setup but I sure will be following along to help you avoid mistakes I've made along the way.

Cheers!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

 

I am thinking the same thing; it can be useful for watch timing in the shop and dedicated to shop like tasks.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
1 hour ago, Spook said:

Very nice. I was looking at doing the same thing. Before I found a timing app for my phone I was using a microphone hooked into my oscilloscope.

I had tried that too, but my scope is an older analog one, so it's not accurate enough to do watch timing with (not to mention that the traces fade too fast for something as slow as a watch).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I spoke at length at a club meeting this past week on the Watch-o-scope.  It generated a lot of interest.  One pair of watch enthusiasts approached me with a question as to whether Watch-o-scope could regulate an 8-day clock.  The torsion-spring escapement on such a clock has a 12-15 second interval.   The lowest selectable rate is 3600 bph (1 beat per second).  The 8-day clock is between 240 - 300 bph. Could the software be modified to accommodate such a low rate?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quick preliminary report on he new watch sensor I got is excellent!!! Was able to finally get a tracing that is identical to the Witschi!!

Here are a few quick pics and I'll elaborate soon but I wanted to pass this along.

0767323a6ca8f40f91552a0e23384bf8.jpg

9cd7dfe0a3887abee6aaba17696f2f3e.jpg

74aae6b8a044fe93d190392071b9b11e.jpg

Exciting!!!!

Cheers!






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.




×
×
  • Create New...