Jump to content

Push button stem release Procedure ??


Recommended Posts

Recently, working on a Molnija 3602, which has a push-button stem release, I couldn't get the winding stem back in. The keyless works were in the neutral or "winding" position. Had to strip the hands, the dial and found the clutch-wheel detached from the clutch lever, or the other way around if you like. After several dry-runs I noticed that in order to get the winding stem back in successfully, the keyless works had to be in the "time-setting-position". In this position the clutch-wheel was pushed firmly, and hold in place against the main plate. In the neutral or winding position, any movement to the clutch-wheel, while inserting the stem, caused the clutch-wheel to disengage from the lever. By having the clutch-wheel pushed firmly against the main plate, inserting of the stem didn't cause this disengagement.

Also some main-plates do have a protruding bushing where the tip of the winding stem sits in, but this bushing also centralizes the clutch-wheel in the time-setting-position;

58bd8cf28067e_Keylessenlarged.jpg.a0766d68335f49423095887b14a9f59e.jpg

Working on another watch and speaking to a fellow enthusiast, I was advised to make sure to engage the keyless works in the time-setting-position before pulling the stem. Failure to do so, and the chances were high that I wouldn't be able to get the winding-stem back in, with the obvious consequences of having to remove the hands, dial etc etc.

My question are; are there any advised procedure what's the best & safest ? Pro's & con's? Are there "One size fit all" procedures ??

Please your thoughts and or comments ?

Thanks on beforehand ;)

 

Edited by Endeavor
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Perhaps my questions were confusing? Taking the above observations in consideration, please allow me to rephrase them;

1) is it better to pull a winding stem with the keyless works in the winding (neutral) position?

or

2) Is it better to pull a winding stem with the keyless work in the time-setting position?

or

3) It depends .....

It would be nice to also receive technical support why one way is preferred above the other, or why it "depends"....

Hope to hear ...... ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not answering this question ... just saying it is a very timely one to ask for me too!

If I have a movement where it's a screw to remove the stem then happy days. If it's a movement where it's a push button things aren't always straightforward. I've just worked on an MSR T43 and, like you, had no choice but to remove the hands and dial in order to figure out why things wouldn't seat properly after a simple mainspring replacement. Don't push the button enough you can't get the stem out; push too much and something becomes displaced. Grrr.

So with the general question being what's the fail safe way to deal with push button stems so they can be removed and put back with confidence by not messing something up in the keyless works ... then it's a second from me for any good advice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yup, it depends. Some movements (esp quartz) have a lever with a dimple. This dimple is only visible and pressable when the stem is in the correct position.

Where the stem and keyless works are in good condition, the stem will only come out in the correct position. When there is wear or damage it can be pot luck.

Have I screwed up the keyless works by getting it wrong? Oh yes.

Neil

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Endeavor said:

@anilv Does your remark suggest we are drifting to the "it depends" answer?

Hi Endeavor,

I've had problems with ETA movements ... removing and installing in the handsetting position helps.

Not sure about other movements. On a related note, Miyota autos sometimes do not handwind after setting the time. This is usually because the intermediate winding wheel does not move freely. Pulling the crown to hand setting position and flicking it with your finger to get it back to the neutral position sometimes works.

Anil

Link to comment
Share on other sites



  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Topics

  • Posts

    • people be honest.... Swatch is evil for the watchmakers and repairers, BUT not everything in watches from Switzerland is from the Swatch-Group. As far as i know, Selitta got sacked by Swatch as a Movement-Assembler for them and they started to produce Movements in their own Name with slight Modifications. As far as i know, they sell Parts to the Market for their Movements. In most cases, if a ETA-Movement fails, it is a valid Option to replace it with a Selitta Movement, which i consider the Solution for this Mess with the Swatch-Group...... I have no Connection to anybody at Selitta, but being a Swiss-Guy, i still like to have Swiss-Made Watches, but not from the Swatch-Group.   ok ? regards, Ernst
    • Just one more greedy act by Swatch. They started a number of years ago here in the US..cutting off supplies to watchmakers that could build complications that many Swatch houses couldn't even touch. Old school masters who had gone through some of the most prestigious houses in the world. Otto Frei has some statements on their page about it. I tell all my customers to avoid new Swiss watches like the plague,..unless they just want an older one in their collection that still has some parts out on the market, or they have really deep pockets and don't mind waiting months and paying through the nose to get it back. Plenty of others to choose from..IE Seiko,..or other non-swiss brands Even a number of Chinese brands are catching up with the Swiss,..and I think that in time, their actions will be their downfall
    • Yes. If that's not what you are experiencing...start looking for something rubbing. A 1st guess is that one of the hands is rubbing against the hole in the center of the dial. Especially if you now have lower amplitude in face up/ face down positions.
    • Once a movement has the dial and hands put back and it is recased, would you expect the assembled watch to have the same amplitude as when the movement is in a movement holder and is without hands and dial? Thanks
    • C07641+ not sure what the "+" is for after the last digit.
×
×
  • Create New...