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Showing content with the highest reputation on 02/18/21 in all areas

  1. These have been passed to me by a distinguished forum member that is too busy to post at the moment - he's working on a mov. t so small that all its sizes are actually negative numbers. I have a couple. Both work, the second one seems to be more forgiving in use. They both contain: silver nitrate, cream of tartar (potassium bitartrate), and regular salt, and the second one has a little alum (potassium alum). The combinations are by weight. 1st formula: 1 part silver nitrate 2 parts cream of tartar 2 parts salt 2nd: 1 part silver nitrate 8 parts cream of tartar 8 parts salt 2 parts alum As you can see the first one has a far heavier concentration of silver; in my experience the silver deposits very quickly and builds up thick areas before an even colored coating is achieved. At a certain point it just starts to flake off. The second one takes a bit more time to apply, but seems to really get a better, more even covering, which has proven to be quite durable. The mixtures are made and stored dry. I grind up the salt in a mortar to get it as fine as possible. To apply, you make a paste with water (doesn't seem to matter if it's tap or distilled, but chemically it probably does a little bit), and then just rub it around on the brass until you have a nice even coat. Rinse off, then rub all over with wet cream of tartar, rinse, dry, then lacquer. I've seen probably half a dozen other mixtures, some using silver chloride (which actually gets made here with the salt if I'm not mistaken), some just with varying proportions. So it's not terribly fussy.
    2 points
  2. Well here goes. At my work wrist watches are forbidden so I dug up a vintage no name pin pallet pocket watch out of my collection,so if I damage it all OK. I stripped the movement out of the case cleaned it in the ultrasonic wholus bolus. Put it back together. And experimented with oiling all pivots and pin pallet with only mobius 9415. D5 on the mainspring and 9415 on time setting mechanism. Well 3 years later it is still running perfect. Here is some photos. Tomorrow I will relume the hands with Superluminova. Mmmmmmm. I never set the time and have kept it wound seven days a week for 3 years as an experiment. Once I am home back on goes a wristwatch. Has anyone else done a lube experiment. I must admit this old German movement is like a tractor.
    2 points
  3. I just sold a Vostok project that required work on numerals. I taped a little piece of sandpaper to the end of my pegwood with double-sided tape and very carefully removed tarnishing. Then I used a combination of rodico, precision qtips, and automotive buffing compound to polish. Finished with a few coats of pen electroplating silver.
    2 points
  4. I received a Vostok Komandirskie in the mail last week. It's a non working watch with many minor issues. But for today, I'll just talk about the broken mainspring. I have a spot welding machine, so repairing a broken endpiece like this is relatively easy for me. I just clean up the pieces and clamp them between the spring loaded jaws of my spot welder and hit the switch. But if a spot welder is not available, what other methods would be used to repair a broken tail?
    1 point
  5. Greetings all I made a video of my little shop. Can I and how do I post it here? Thanks MM
    1 point
  6. Hello everyone! Ever since I was little I've always been fascinated with taking things apart, to the point my parents quit buying me things.lol Sometimes I'd put them back together and other times not. Recently I've been looking for something to challenge my mind and attention to detail. Fixing computers for people sometimes just requires rebooting or uninstalling downloads that had viruses, not so much fun. I stumbled across watch movements and instantly fell in love. I've been doing hours and hours of studying all on my own time. I've yet to disassemble a movement, but have ordered tools and a movement, and they should be here in the next week. I can't wait to get started and show my progress to the watch repair community and other forums and blogs.
    1 point
  7. 1 point
  8. Much Mike the smiths and the Ingersoll pocket watches, you can drop them on the floor and they will still go. I've loads of them.
    1 point
  9. I have one in a gold plated, case, nice watches, and it's still working. Mine like most of mine was bought as a non runner.
    1 point
  10. Hi Did you reset the movement as per the instructions on the plate. The indications you describe are usually the problem already mentioned.. Whats the movement make and caliber number. also do you have the insrtuction book as it is some times mentioned in there on how to reset the watch after a battery change.
    1 point
  11. As said usually a dead battery, also the movement might be in need of a clean& lube.
    1 point
  12. Usually that is a dead battery, but could be a seized gear. I assume the other hands are moving??
    1 point
  13. 1 point
  14. The first recipe is used for "graining", the appearing uneven surface is deliberate. The paste is applied with a brush. You can see this grain on many pocket watch movements. It was the traditional preparation before gold plating. Frank
    1 point
  15. Hi Many of the 3/4 plate pin levers were for the working man and as such were build with that in mind . Robust and no fancy frills just a working watch. Kind of like the smiths and ingersoll 3/4 plates. Most of the local farmers had them some in a second cover so they did not suffer too much in the pocket along with the nails .screws baler,twine etc. they went for years and never saw a service.
    1 point
  16. Nice, so many were destroyed for the, silver cases. They are works of art and must be preserved.
    1 point
  17. I have used this company a few times but they are a bit slow. They do however give the measurements of the staffs which is very useful when there are lots of variables https://www.balancestaffs.com/elgin.php
    1 point
  18. If we had the serial number we could start with the first link to which would give us Grade number and a parts list. But as you already have the Grade number We can use the second link to get the staff number. Then we get the staff number 861 and is a reference that there's variations but we don't get to know what the variations are at least not here. Then number you have here is the bestfit number which is not helpful if I'm looking at Elgin reference material. Then other than the length I'm assuming those numbers came off the website? Very important for American pocket watch staffs and for that matter any balance staff. Always measure the old one and the new one before putting it into avoid unpleasant surprises. Attaching some images from two separate sources. Based on your link that looks like an old style. Then the reference found at the second link where it comments about notes somewhere else that's basically found in the second picture of old versus new style and It looks like a difference of roller table hole sizes. Which I don't show up in my reference. Which hopefully means they don't exist. Then it usually the bestfit staff is oversize see you can reduce it to fit. Another source of balance staffs is eBay but oftentimes the seller isn't going to know that there's variations. https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/ http://www.elginwatchparts.com/
    1 point
  19. Very cool! A little piece of history.
    1 point
  20. I also found this site https://mroatman.wixsite.com/watches-of-the-ussr -look into the "collections" it has a brief history and current factory locations, I find the factory on google and write them an email in hopes they can find or manufacture a part. Service is great, sometimes I receive a reply within the hour.
    1 point
  21. Also try etsy.com there are some Soviet watches being sold for parts. Last week the watchmaker damaged my sentimental mint condition Soviet Slava watch and I am heartbroken. I found a similar part on etsy... so it may work for you... If anyone knows where to find a new bezel in the picture please let me know! Los Angeles doesn't have a single reputable watchmaker ? my fault for taking it there. before and after are below
    1 point
  22. For Russian watches I think Ebay is your best bet. I guess Sekondas were sold in the West but really, on Ebay you can get 4-5 movements, some with good balances, for $20. Now when I do a Russian movement I just buy a bunch of scrappers because it's anyone's guess which parts will be shot, which will be missing, etc. I then try to Frankenstein the best movement I can.
    1 point
  23. Hi there, have a look there might be some of this lying around for repairing watch dials ceramic or enamel. https://www.hswalsh.com/product/dial-enamel-watch-pocket-watch-bergeon-1590-hd90
    1 point
  24. Hi there, I don't see why not, anyway just at the bottom as you post you will see add files. Just tap that and look for the video on your device, tap that and it will upload. Hope this helps Graziano
    1 point
  25. This looks similar to ceramic instruments used in a dental laboratory. But it is for pre-fired ceramics. That means fine ceramic powder suspended in water, in a thick paste like consistency. It is used to apply, shape and sculpt the paste. Any chance that your father did any dial enameling work? Look for a glazing oven.
    1 point
  26. Here is an example of a recording with a piezo disk and a transistor. There is no preamp circuit (although actually the transistor + resistor is). It is sufficient for most of the watches that you will examine. And also the screenshot of wos. Note that none of the preamp has been added.20 seg. Transistor Clean.wav
    1 point
  27. Welcome to the forum.
    1 point
  28. I used a dental spot welder.
    1 point
  29. I would like to share a simple modification of a cheap Chinese demagnetizer. I found the modification in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhTYBPdJG7A. I applied this modification in a newly bought demagnetizer (from Aliexpress) and it works quite well.
    1 point
  30. That's reassuring to know, they internally have the same disagreements on lubrication as the rest of the watchmaking world ?
    1 point
  31. Hi Douglas, I had the same kind of need and I got a Basch and Lomb stereozoom4 on a boomstand off of EBay. This came in at about $150 all told, but you can get then for less if you are not fussy about the stand. The boomstand is very stable and gives me no trouble at all. You need to watch for the shipping charge which can be steep as the stand is heavy. These come with a zoom of 0.7-3x and with the 10x WF eyepieces gives me variable magnification of 7x to 30x. it also allows about 4" of work height underneath it. At the same time I also got the 0.5x objective auxiliary lens which, somewhat counter intuitively, makes the magnification less strong, but increases the working height to about 6" this is shown in the photo with a ring light (low cost - off ebay as well)
    1 point
  32. Well I would definitely start with Moebius 9010 (for train wheels and balance endstones) and 9020 (for train wheels) if you are working on Pocket Watches. Moebius 9415 is a must for Pallet/Escape wheel teeth. A quality silicon grease. Moebius D5 is essential (barrel arbor, motion work). Molycote DX or Moebius 9501 grease for keyless work. Moebius 9501 or 9504 for high friction (e.g. Cannon pinion, Setting lever spring and anything at high friction). Moebius 8200 grease for mainspring. Moebius 8217 for barrel wall (automatic watches) It's a lot but at a minimum get 9010, 9415, D5 and 8200 I hope this helps. Recommended Lubricants for Getting Started.pdf Moebius_Oil_Chart.pdf
    1 point
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