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Here is the video. Sorry in ended up inverted for some reason. New software Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Here is a lovely Regulator Clock with stunning photos of the movement. If you have wondered why these clocks fetch high prices, you can see all the little intercut pieces that make up the movement right down to highly polished screws. You can see the maintaining power, and how the oil sinkholes are covered and have screws to take up end shake, this is so the gears rotate on the same and even line and helps with keeping such precision time. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/16-DIAL-STUNNING-JEWELLERS-REGULATOR-LONGCASE-CLOCK-fusee-mantle-bracket/254008841663?hash=item3b241b55bf:g:6tkAAOSwNqRcBAyu

Amatour only in name my friend. You are in my book a watchmaker. Many pro watch repairers cannot make a balance staff.

Just to let you know, I just made a full movie on how to make a balance staff. I start with an old Waltham movement and show how to strip the balance cock down and then strip down the Parts right down to the old balance staff. Then I show the process of measurement and material selection, including the use of the tools. I then cut the complete staff including finishing the pivot ends on the Lathe. This is the most complete video I have made to date. I will post the link as soon as it processes in a few hours...on my “jdrichard01” YouTube site. Here are the end results and the camera setup. Very hard to do with a camera strapped to the Lathe. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Thanks for the input. Read a boatload of books first, then bought the two video sets, tasconni and John Trope(spelling): I’m on a plane right now:). The I found the right material and gravers that were sized right. I also bought some sharpening plates off AliExpress for almost nothing. I should do a video on the tools needed. I now have 10 lathes. 5 on borel stands and the rest are traditional. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Seems to me that the long focal length would allow you to do watch work when sitting at a regular bench/desk rather than a raised up watchmaker-style bench. Do you find that's true?

Larry Fford, aka Uncle Larry, has decided to call it a day and retire. He was the nicest used watch and clock tools supplier in my opinion, on the web. I bought most of my good used tools from him, including a Levin watchmakers lathe, a Levin cross slide, and myriad other tools and supplies over the years. These tools were always in good shape, very reasonably priced, and quickly shipped from his home base in Ontario, Canada. He will be sorely missed as he had a fantastic selection and was great to work with. He'll be selling off his remaining stock over the next few weeks, and will be closing his website at the end of January. If you're in the market for some good used tools, I advise you to visit his website at: http://www.execulink.com/~lfoord/tools.html Here's his announcement: Dec 1/2018. Due to ill health and too many birthdays, I have decided to retire effective today. On Monday Dec 3rd I will upload (most of) the remaining inventory, then close down between Christmas and New Years. We will reopen Jan 3rd at which time our webpage will be converted to various discounts, and the page will die on Jan 31st. I cannot find the words to properly describe my feelings....it has been a long run, with a lot of fun, a bunch of friendships...THANKS! Please note I have no financial affiliation with Larry, other than being a very satisfied customer who was pleased to buy some of his goodies over the years. Cheers Roger Adams

Thank you so much for posting this, I will be devouring it later. It's very timely for me in particular as I'm just starting out on lathe work and have started on the balance staff journey. And all I have achieved really so far is to find that I need a LOT more practice!

Thanks I will have a look. I have failed miserably making a new balance falling often at the last hurdle. However I have had a lot of success in modifying existing staffs. The gravers you are using should help.

Excellent news. This will help members who will be eager to have a go. I will watch this latter in the day.

That's sad to hear. I have dealt with Larry on numerous occasions and found him to be an absolute gent. It doesn't sound too good, but I would like to publicly thank him for his excellent service over the years and wish him all the very best.

Great Vid Richard.That square graver is great where did you purchase it and is it carbide.

Just another manic Monday. Today I present you a Swedish/Swiss Atlantic. "Världsmästarur" World master Watch. From the late 50's with a clean golden appearance and powered by a three adjustments 21 jewels AS 1604. Your next word to learn in this short Swedish language course is "Kvalitetsur" Quality watch. Cockey like few.

This rather beat up looking old fellow, a 17 jewel Ancre, had been assigned to the "unlikely" pile. No crystal, absolutely filthy, half of the dial accents missing, a limbless minute hand, no more than a disk of metal, and a mangled hour hand. However to my surprise, with little more than a clean and inspection off it went. Initially somewhat reluctantly, but after a few seconds, and following a quick blow with the magic air bellows, it set of at a more normal pace. It isn't terribly accurate, at +50 dial up, -60 or so dial down, but neither is it terrible. Now i need to figure out what I did with the "bag of ancient hands, which might come in useful some day", which I'm sure are somewhere, but where exactly is another matter. I'll report back if I get it looking moderately presentable. I did find the "bag of ancient crystals, with a distinct yellow flavour", and even found one that was a perfect fit, although I resorted to fitting it very much by hand, resulting in minor thumb damage, as it didn't want to co-operate otherwise. I'm not sure of the exact vintage, nor have I identified the mechanism yet.

picked this up the other day, its got a lovely thick leather strap and the lume is brown, looks great at night.A/X ARMANI EXCHANGE AX1516 CHRONOGRAPH 24 HOURS DUAL TIME DATE QUARTZ MEN WATCH. its 48mm a bit big but its growing on me.my eyes are going so i need a big dial these days.

The 116610 uses a crystal retainer ring to hold the crystal and gasket on. These can typically only be removed successfully with a special Rolex tool. BUT if you’re determined you could slide a blade underneath it and work around until you create a gap large enough to pull it off. Pushing it back on requires a precise due that is just bigger than the crystal but small enough to still fit atop the slim ring. Part 319 is the retainer ring.

G’day all, Here’s my little collection of watches. Some are complete, some are not Some years ago, with saved up birthday and Christmas money, i bought an 1877, key wind, American Watch Co. Full Hunter; Stirling silver English case (that’s a few years older than the workings), engraved balance cock and 9ct gold balance wheel. This is my everyday watch, when it’s not too hot to wear a waistcoat A Swiss Acurex, 17 jewels, bought for a few dollars from an Op Shop (Ozzie version of a Thrift Store). This has seen service for when the above mentioned temperatures arrive. Unreliable now, so probably needs a service. Not worth paying for one, so will wait until my knowledge and skills are high enough. A Smiths pocket watch, pin lever, some of the wheels are just stamped out. Bought it a couple of years ago figuring that it might be a, non precious, watch to learn on. Plastic lens was all scuffed. 40mins of sanding and polishing cream fixed that. Balance wheel was sloppy as all else, and my dad said that one of the balance pivots was probably a screw. The one up under the dial was, so I fine tuned it. Within a week it had come loose again, so I put a dot of Lock Tight on the thread, re-fine tuned it, and left the dial off in case of recurrence (the dial’s only held on with bent tabs). Sits on my desk in a wire stand as my desk clock. Recently my Wife and I found a little shop in a nearby town that has the remains of retired watchmaker’s stock, both working watches and parts ones. I’ve been raiding his $5 tub. So far I have two fusee works, both missing the balance wheel and pallets, and a couple of other bits on each. One is by John Anderton of Huddersfield (found him on a list and he had his shop there in the 1820’s), and the other one is R. Cunningham of Liverpool, with an older style of regulator. No dials. Hope to tinker, and make parts and dials for them over time, but even if I can’t get them going, just having watch works that were made 200 years ago, and at $5 each I love hand work and engraving. The next 4 watches and works, also from the $5 tub, started ticking when given a gentle rock. In fact the first one, the workings of a Lombard Vernon & Co. pocket watch, that were sitting in a zip lock bag, started ticking away when I turned the bag over. I haven’t been able to find anything so far on the ‘net about them, and the main brass chassis, with the regular ‘works in it, has a white metal 1/2 plate on top with a collection of damaged springs and cams on it. Wondering whether it was a chimer or something. Missing winding stem (and anyway it’s grotty so running it is probably a bad idea in it’s present state). Quite a few jewels. The Odd Ball watch of the lot: A wind up ‘digital’ pocket watch! I had not seen this sort of thing before (though have now looked them up on the ‘net and seen some Very expensive versions, mostly wrist watches. ‘Liga’ brand, Swiss made. Pin lever. Ticked when rocked in the shop, but wouldn’t wind (no resistance or click). Thought it might be a broken mainspring, but $5 what’s to lose In the car I popped off the back with a screwdriver to find the clickspring rattling around loose. Found where it was supposed to be, fitted it, and, hey presto, winds and runs under certain circumstances. Have largely cleaned it, including the grotty celluloid window, and hope to get it going properly soon. A nice watch to learn on as it doesn’t have as many wheels as a conventional hands watch. Love watching the hour wheel flick over (a pip at the ’30’ position on the Minute dial engages a star wheel under the Hour disk). Have, since the photo, put the front watch case on my lathe and finished it with a fine grit, leaving a nice, subtle, radial polish. Heuer stop watch. Will run for a few seconds at a time. Very clean inside. No winder or crystal. Missing movement restraining screws (what’s the official name for those?) Generic Swiss made watch. The hour hand was bent around the minute hand, and once dis-entangled the watch spontaneously ran for a 1/4 Hour. Hour hand didn’t survive No winder, but apart from that, a new crystal and making an hour hand, it may be a goer without much work. Marathon over. Hope you enjoyed it. Cheers Duncan