Leaderboard

I printed this up over the weekend and got a chance to sit & try it out a couple times now. I knew I needed something, but holy cow, it really helps me find what I need easily and keeps me way more organized while I'm working... Duh. Also, behold the dirt cheap collection of (mostly) junky tools this beginner is working with here! The screwdrivers are better than they look. I have some titanium rod and I was thinking of machining my own screwdrivers from some of that, just to be different. I figure just delrin for the heads, which seems common. Anyways, I'm guessing most of these tools will be upgraded over time, but enough about the future. This uses a lot of plastic and of course it fits my tools and maybe not yours, but I uploaded a "step" file in case you know how to customize it for yourself. Yeah, tool blocks baby! We expect them for our screwdrivers, why not everything else? https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5761830

I love these Bulova 23's, I have a few of these myself. If you don't already have it, here is a good tech sheet for these movements. Bulova_10BOAC_10BPAC_10CBAC_TECH_1954.pdf

Those pins just locate the locking plate, and they do have some play (should be oblong holes) with the plate to allow it to slide into position. The plate engages a groove on the axle, are you sliding the plate into position? Normally it would have to be in get the screw in; but the plate can wear where it contacts the axle, and the axle can wear, allowing more movement of the rotor. But also, the axle itself can wear where it bears on the rotor jewels. That's tricky to fix as the axle isn't a simple round part; the axle is (as far as I can see) welded to a semitrangular base screwed to the underside of the auto mechanism. I started to make one a couple of years ago but ended up finding the part (the client found the part). So if you have vertical play it's likely the locking plate or axle groove or both that are worn. If you have lateral play the axle is worn where it contacts the jewels in the rotor. The pins don't do anything except locate the plate.

Hi Dave! So, the escape wheel escapes you. Are you supporting you hand in any way? You need to support your hand by resting your 4th and little finger on the movement holder or tabletop. You can also use your left hand to stabilize your right hand. Another method I use is to put the wheel down close to the jewel, then use my tweezers to nudge the pivot into the hole and stand the wheel upright. Actually, the escape wheel is not that tough. The pallet fork is worse! Good luck, Dave.

I didn't realize it actually used toothpicks... Seems like piano wire would make for an easy upgrade for both accuracy and longevity! I might need to snag one of these to play around with despite not meeting the desktop clock requirements. Great find!

While I'm waiting for cleaning chemicals to arrive, took apart this nice Bulova 10BPAC. I love the fluted bezel, and I really enjoy these Bulova movements. This is a watch I picked up from Facebook Marketplace when I first started, and was too intimidated by the automatic works to take it apart. It's time is now! I also pre-emptively bought a parts watch from eBay (on the right in the photo). It's got a yellowed dial, but otherwise looks nice as well. I'll open that one up next, but I've run out of parts trays I even bought the Bergeon #3 Presto tool to pull that sweep seconds wheel. It's a non-runner. The balance looks good, no cracked jewels, but there's a lot of resistance in the train. The stem had some serious corrosion, and it got all around the watch, so I'm hoping a good cleaning and oiling is all it needs. Now the only question is: do I follow directions, or do I take this spring out and clean & lubricate it? I've never been good at taking orders...

You can get a replacement from Cousins UK using the measurements (120/10/300 I think—I just ordered 2). One thing I’ve found is Cousins has faster shipping and cheaper prices on most everything compared to Otto Frei or Cas-Ker (or any US material house). BTW I found a great article on the history of Bulova 23s if you’re interested (got it off the NAWCC forum). Let me know and I’ll pass it alone). Jay (Richmond VA (804) 998-3519) Just my .02 but you don’t have to replace the mainspring by default—if it looks good (good shape, no grinks), just clean it and relube and reinstall—I’ve done the majority that way and have been getting 280–300 amplitude dial U/D if all else is in order. I’ve only replaced the ones that are broken or deformed.

I did notice a bit more than I'd like. It looks like there's already a brass insert there, but I couldn't tell if it was factory or not. I'll get some photos later. I was going to see what the donor movement looked like and possibly put it back on eBay, but I'd much rather see it go to a fellow WRTer. Once I get a little further into the project I'll let you know. I tend to agree, although I don't see a listing in the GR mainspring catalog for this one. I'll take it out and get some measurements.

Mikepilk!!!! Eureka,I removed it!!! I used the razorblade method you recommended! I followed your instructions. I inserted the razorblade at one point and slowly worked it around one half of the case (boy was there a lot of gunk -60 years worth, lol) and it popped off! I was nervous, my wife thought I was crazy standing at the window wearing a loupe (to minimize any scratching if any at all) with a razorblade in my hand, lol! Thank you for walking me through this procedure!!! After further inspection it seems that there is no real gap, so patience is required and gunk does not help, lol.

OMG that's so funny. I would've nicked it before I had a chance to consider if I should..

Something’s Rotating In The State Of Denmark: A Clock. https://hackaday.com/2023/01/04/somethings-rotating-in-the-state-of-denmark-a-clock/\

Yes, take the mainspring out, clean and lube. I've worked on about a dozen of these in the last 4 months--let me know if you need qny help. One thing to definitely look out for is play between the barrel arbor and the bridge--not correcting that will casue a significant loss of amplitude. Also, do you have any plans for the donor case? I'm in need of one for a movement I have. If so, PM me. Thanks

The easiest way to check the gear train is to remove the balance and pallet fork then using a screwdriver wind the mainspring a good number of turns then let the mainspring unwind, you should hear a nice whistle from the spinning gears then just as they stop rotating you should see a slight reverse turn of the gears. Not getting both would indicate something is too tight in the gear train, if you do get both then it would suggest to issue is in the escapement. Over the last couple of years I have done more than a dozen 7009a movements and if there was a problem with them running it was always down to the balance and it's spring. If the watch this movement is from came from eBay then there is a very good chance it at some point in its life passed through the Mumbai watch refurbishment industry and they have a very high reputation for not cleaning or handling parts, especially balances correctly, fitting a new balance may well solve the issues, a genuine new balance is not too expensive for this model (under £10) it might be worth just getting one from somewhere like cousins just to confirm.

I don't think the existing physical form anymore they're all electronic. In other words the parts reference books printed up above right a time when the Internet didn't exist. So that meant physical books but now it would be PDFs but typically it's online. But only online to those that have access sort of. Like this source normally I use it to look up part numbers but notice the description of the very top of the page you can actually enter in case numbers. But in the case of Seiko there's the problem of their parts are worldwide available in other words of something was eight US market or Japanese market each market typically won't have the parts for the other market. http://cgi.julesborel.com/ And this is another website can find Seiko stuff https://boley.de/en/shop/1.watch-spare-parts

This movement is a Chinese „Dixmont“ DG2812 (29mm) or DG2813 (26mm) See here: Cousins UK

UPDATE: I removed the balance, cleaned it again, removed the shock setting and cleaned and lubricated again, put the balance complete back in the movement and it's now running dial up. So it appears I screwed up lubricating the shock jewels on the balance. UPDATE TWO MILLION AND ONE: I gotta admit I got pretty depressed about this not turning out very well, but I'm fairly ecstatic now. After fixing the lubrication on the balance I got it on my timegrapher and thought I might take a crack at regulating it. The balance issue seems to have fixed the amplitude nicely also. This is was I was working with, +468s and 6.8ms beat error. After a bunch of fettling I got some figures I'm happy with. I might be able to tweak the beat error some more, but I'm taking this win. Dial down: 0s/d 253deg amplitude 0.4ms beat error Dial up: +2s/d 251deg amplitude 0.5ms beat error Crown up: -1s/d 226deg amplitude 0.2ms beat error Crown down: +7s/d 228deg amplitude 0.6ms beat error Not perfect numbers for sure, but I'm super happy. Now I'm just waiting for some parts to arrive, a case and movement rings, and I've realised I need some dial spacer rings too so I'll need to wait for those to turn up. In the meantime I might see if I can get another one of these junk movements going! I need another balance/spring though...

Cleaner and rinse can be used more than once, so what happens is that the first rinse gets contaminated with cleaner. I get about five watches cleaned before I change the solutions, depending on how grotty the movements are. I replace the cleaner, rinse #1 is replaced with rinse #2, and #2 is replaced with new rinse. I occasionally use IPA as a final rinse, but not usually.

good wife, look after her. Some complain rather than encourage .

The dial on this 1970 Bulova Sea King 'FM' is a real looker. The blue is so deep you could take a swim in it. The 11BLL movement is quite simple but it gave me fits. The watch came with the loose stem and after servicing it the stem still kept coming out. It took me a good 6 or 7 disassembly / reassembly attempts to finally figure out that the yoke spring had originally been inserted "flipped", so that the long leg of the spring contacted the yoke, but that ended up exerting too much force on the yoke so that when the setting lever screw was loosened, the yoke would kick the setting lever cockeyed. Flipping the spring fixed it. I supplied a new crystal and a Duchess band which suits it nicely. Not too bad for about a $1 watch

I see , said the blind man. Proper repair of this is above my head, need help and advice from master @nickelsilver. Good luck pal.

If you have ever wondered how much Girard-Perregaux you can get for under four quid, the answer is... not much. However I couldn't resist. I mean .. a Girard-Perregaux .. for four quid... what's not to like? Its just a little bit of a shame that it missing... most of the watch, but then again.. did I tell you, I got a Girard-Perregaux for four quid. No idea if it works, but if it does, I feel a Franken-Girard-Perregaux may be in the pipeline. I have some really nice dials and a case or two that might do it justice as a dress watch.. or maybe I'll put it in an exhibition case... but I'm getting a little ahead of myself. I need to make sure it works first of course.

Google Universal geneve 218-2 micorotor parts, its an schematic diagram of the parts by UG and speaks of repair plus list of parts in the microrotor assembly. Its the following link, but it wont open on my device. https://images.app.goo.gl/pxJmmp3LYffnNiMT8 So it is repairable, if you identify and find replacement for worn parts. Good luck Try this link https://universalgenevepolerouter.com/repairing-a-worn-microtor-from-calibers-215-218-68-69/

I have this Riverside 16s display (used to hang in my Dad's shop). I recently disassembled it and re-placed all of the pieces that had fallen (unglued) from the mat. After going through this Waltham MS barrel issue, I went back to look at it and I see the same configuration I have been dealing with. I could rob the screw from the display, but I dont want to do that.

Amazon is a interesting place for buying this stuff sometimes the prices are fantastic and sometimes they're not. Oh and then there is the other little thing sometimes multiple of sellers have it at differing prices. Even a product you previously purchased an Amazon says the replacement cost or order it again is this much you might still do a search and find it cheaper which I often have found. Or here's some 9010 oil for less than you paid $34 and yes all the rest of 9010 I'm seeing is much much more expensive. https://www.amazon.com/Moebius-Synthetic-Syntalube-Watch-Bottle/dp/B003JIIN9U/ref=sr_1_2?crid=NIRDPRC42GDF&keywords=Watch+oil+9010&qid=1671619704&sprefix=watch+oil+9010%2Caps%2C337&sr=8-2

Don't beat yourself up too bad. You will find, if you try, you can build a pretty solid relationship with some supply houses. I started mine while in school and to this day, several years later I try to use the same one if I can. They have ordered me stuff they don't normally carry and always are fun to learn from! Its never to late to start forming relationships.