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I bought a Seiko LordMatic cal 5606A and noticed the quick change day-date wasn't working. A bit of Googling found out that they rarely do on these movements, due to the plastic wheel on the day-date corrector wheel rocker breaking (see pic). As it's such a common problem, I thought I was lucky to find a NOS one on ebay. Unfortunately the plastic wheel on that was already broken - I've since read that this is common on NOS items, the plastic ages and breaks. The one I have at the moment is spare time, so I found a bit of brass from an old pocket watch, got my finest file (#6), drilled a 1 mm hole, and started filing ... It took a while .... But got something close : I think it's OK as a first effort at making a part. It's not perfect, far from it, but doesn't need to be as it only needs to push the day-date wheels over. What I found was : I couldn't have done it without my stereo microscope Although a #6 file seems very fine, it's way too course to finish the part. I believe you can get #8 and #10 cuts. I sharpened the end of an old screwdriver to use like a chisel. I finished with some 3000 grit paper, but it's not easy to fix a small enough piece to use. I haven't stripped the movement yet, so don't know if the part works - can't see why it shouldn't Mike

I must show you this. Im so happy. Won at an local estate auction last summer. It is from the fiftys or the sixtys i believe, but hardly used. The cabinet i made myself, but i need a decent motor. The chinese sewing motor dont deserve this.

Yes I also bought the star from VTA, the advantage is that he make it metalic so it's a permanent fix. I think they are out of stock though. If your star works then it is a perfect fix, and also permanent I think. Very good job Mike. Here's a video by Adrian showing how to install it:

One more part to come... http:// ETA 7750: Part 3 - Reassembly: Escapement Lubrication, Chrono Bridge, Automatic Bridge, Motion Work Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Please post in English only. Now, those that took the time to translate the above: What has been written is false. It is insulting to only think that Italians are "exhausted". Far from that, everyone is doing is his part, and nobody is left behind. Food and medicines are delivered by organized volunteers to the elder or quarantined. Families and individuals in need are already receiving food packs, and additional welfare money will be distributed within a week. It is just logical that non essential business are closed. However, beside food shop of any type and size, non-prescription medical, also hardware stores, electrical, plumbing, house items shops, tobacconist (they do a lot of additional services in Italy) and few more are open. And one can normally order online, post and couriers are doing a great job. I could go on with more details, if you are curious just ask. This battle is being won already. But whining doesn't help.

Thanks Andy, that worked perfectly! Now running strong.

I'm ready to go out now ….

It's a company in Australia that sells parts for Seiko. His name is Adrian Sellick and is a watchmaker from down under. VTA stands for Vintage Time AU. Don't know if he sells on Ebay . But did before under the name halfoeight. Have the nice forum Wristsushi also.

Looks good. I have used VTA star a few times to save old 5606 date mechanism.

Once Oldhippy gets to this thread, your clock will feel a hole lot better. Regards joe

A Citizen 0200 21 Jewel manual wind from October 1974 joins the 404 club today. The hammer fell on this one, rather surprisingly at 0.99p +P+P The mechanism is virtually indistinguishable from the Citizen 0201 and the HMT 020 These are very easy to work on, and I have a bunch of HMT spares, which would probably drop right in, although this old chap didn't need anything other than a good clean and lube. It arrived with what appears to be a brand new 20mm leather strap, which looks a little odd as the lugs are only 18mm. It does need a crystal, and I have nothing suitable in my spares, so it got a good polish, which removed the majority of the major dings and tramlines. Here is the "before" shot from the ebay auction. Maybe the price wasn't so surprising when you look at that mess. I would persist with the polishing, but there is a hairline crack in the crystal, so I just went for "good enough to wear" rather than perfect.

Non essential businesses are closed. Time to finally tidy the workshop while self isolating, although (at the recommended distance) I have been shopping for two of my neighbours who are disabled & over 70 yrs of age.

Hence my posting, to "visually" support what you said and to give VW a hold-on-to "handle"

FLwatchguy73 - By no means am I an authority on the Luch Electromechanical, but if you check out this thread on the WatchUSeek forum, there’s some useful info: https://forums.watchuseek.com/f10/luch-3055-opinions-discussions-2700305.html it’s definitely a fascinating model, and I really like the styling. But they can also be stubborn and quirky. If you get a good one, great! Otherwise you’re looking at a project and a learning experience. Fortunately I like learning, and I can be stubborn too. When I was an IT support guy for our local school district, my motto was “Numquam apparatus esse victor...” essentially, “Never let the machine win.” That applies equally to PCs and weird old watches. ;-) Gryf

In Endeavour's drawing, look at Fig. 4 "depth of lock" which refers to one of the aspects which I was talking about.

Polish the pivot to smooth out the scoring. It should be ok once sat in a smooth jewel. I'd just go with whatever pivot hole size was originally spec'ed. Unless of course you reduce the pivot width significantly, which I doubt you will.

The Spanish flu killed 50 Million People in 1918. That fact just floored me. I have been lucky to be able to continue to work as our company, aerospace defense, is considered to be an essential business. That said, we have deployed everyone to their homes to work; except manufacturing. Working from home with FaceTime, Google Duo and RDP or VPN is not really an issue. It’s the idea generation that is caused by random interaction with people. Also, I am a social animal, so not seeing people is hard for me; but I do have a very understanding wife. I have an HDML splitter for my iPhone and can push my FaceTime video to a 72” screen and have virtual coffee with my best friend and family members...kind of cool. I also purchased a desk tripod and a iPhone holder, knowing that we will be at this for months. Cleaned the crap out of my office and now can do work and watch repair in the same space. I also put a non-watch repair video of me playing Europa by Santana on YouTube. So everything is relative. working from home and self-isolating is not as bad as: 1) 55 days in a submarine without surfacing (a friend) 2) fighting in a tank in Afghanistan (son) 3) in the North Pole research facility 4) stranded on Gillians Island (humor) 5) lost at sea (many stories) 6) prison camp (WW1, WW2, Vietnam, etc. 7) sick from C19 ( this should be #1 ) All just my opinion. I did go shopping the other day and wanted to be safe...more humor. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

All good thank you. stay safe

I didn't say I didn't want it. Its not my 'Go to' book, but there are times when its useful, especially when you need a formula to work out something, or you just want a greater understanding how something works to let you figure out why whats in front of you doesn't work.

I'm a big fan of the adjustingvintagewatches blog. I learned a lot by reading the posts there, especially about poising, and I rate his writing highly. In my opinion, he expresses himself very carefully and precisely (he's a scientist by trade), and seems to know his stuff when it comes to watches, so it would be a surprise to me if he wrote something misleading. I'd really like to understand if what he says about jeweller's rouge is correct or not. To quote the very next sentence after the one in which he mentions the balloon chuck - "But you can also simply freehand it: the wood is soft, and you won’t reshape the pivot with rouge on a stick." He also refers to Fried's "Watch Repairer's Manual", and I checked the reference. In my copy (2nd. edition) he writes about using pegwood charged with rouge to polish pivots. His illustration shows the staff mounted in the split chuck, not a balloon chuck, and he states "A very high luster and polish may be given this pivot without reducing its thickness perceptibly by using a piece of pegwood charged with a mixture of oil and jewelers' rouge." He makes a clear distinction between the effect of rouge and the effect of "active abrasive" or burnishing on the pivot dimensions and shape. So Paul from AVW is clear that he's using rouge and soft wood to avoid reducing or reshaping the pivots, and only to remove stubborn crusted-on dirt which cleaning solutions and pithwood won't touch. He refers to Fried who says the same. So why do you interpret the suggested use of a balloon chuck, soft wood and rouge as an instruction to impart heavy burnishing? Or am I reading you incorrectly? If it's the use of the term "scrubbing" you object to, then I agree, it's not accurate. But I don't think it's misleading in the context. "Cleaning" seems to be a perfectly appropriate term. Oh, and I also agree, dirty balance pivots is unlikely to be the cause of Charlie's recurring low amplitude. After all that, the question I really want to ask is, can you or can you not reduce or re-shape a (steel) balance staff pivot using jeweler's rouge (iron oxide) embedded in wood?