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Showing content with the highest reputation on 05/25/23 in all areas

  1. If you just grade on the frequency used, some tools will drop off the list. Some tools are (very) seldom used, but when you need such a tool, it's extremely handy to have them. To think of a balance-poising tool, a truing caliper, a Jacot tool and for more examples, I have to dive in my cupboard, remove all the cobwebs and see what else I have
    3 points
  2. I second that..... there is now one in my shopping cart too! Is the consensus that 1.5mm is the most versatile? I just re-thought this and looked again at my Horotec pin vices: I'll follow @Endeavorlead and use the rounded side (above) and see how that goes, maybe try on a few scrap components to see how badly they get beaten up (or not) Just as a bit of fun I think we should start a new grading system for tools.... based upon the frequency you estimate you would need to use them: for example: Screwdrivers you use on 100 out of 100 watches, so would be a 100% tool Staking set 5 in 100 watches, so would be a 5% tool Seitz jeweling tool 1 in 100 watches, so would be a 1% tool Then we could start a new thread: What <1% Tool Can I not Live Without Next??
    3 points
  3. Damn this forum!! Another tool to put in the Shopping Cart.
    3 points
  4. First off, I wanted to say thank you to a lot of you... I came here a few months back to learn more about how a watch works. I've always been interested in mechanical things, and have just loved watches. I find it absolutely amazing that something so small, can be jam packed with such precision items to do what it does. I know I have asked a ton of questions from many of you, and you all have been absolutely patient with me. I'd love to give a shout out to all of you, but I know I would forget someone and I don't want to do that, so thank you all! One of the things I have always liked are books. In order to learn something, it helps to be able to read about it from those who are far more knowledgeable than I am. Granted, just reading something won't make you an expert at doing it, and that is where practice comes in. But you still need to have a good understanding of what goes into it. I know I have reached out to a number of you about books or images that you may have shared with all of us. I think I have a good little library now that I can use to reference. I think I asked @JohnR725about if one book is better than the other and his answer was something along the lines of not one book is perfect, but they all add something. Anyhow, I'd like to share with those who may be new to this hobby some of the books I have picked up and some of my thoughts on them. If possible, I will provide a link to Archive.org so you can see the book. Not all of them are there though, but all of them I physically own, which is how I generally use them. The first book I got was The Watch Repairer's Manual by H.B. Fried. I found an older version of this book (2nd edition) on a used book site for hardly anything. Granted, it was written some time ago, but I have found it to be a good combination of somewhat modern and old. It has some great information on the escapement, the pallet jewels, etc that I have been referencing. The next book I got was Practical Watch Repairing by Donald de Carle. Mine was from 1946, so I'm not exactly sure the edition that is, but I really like this. Mr de Carle doesn't assume I know much and explains things very well. This one I find a bit more readable than Fried's, in that I feel like I could easily read it from the start of the book and not just use it as a reference book. I'm not sure how practical doing that would be, but I'm going to give it a try. I find that it supplements Fried's book well. Some things are very similar, but the two books cover more grounds together than they do individually (as can be said for all the books in my library I think). The next book I just got today, and that is The Swiss Watch Repairer's Manual by H. Jendritzki. I wasn't able to find find this one online for reference first, but I did find a good price for one from 1953. The link I have just takes you to OpenLibrary so you can get all the technical detail on the book. I just happened to luck out and find this one for a steal ($40 + shipping), so you may have to search for this one. I think EBay had this for some insane prices, but if you look at the sold items for it, you will see that it does come up from time to time at a reasonable price. Biblio and AbeBooks are also great resources to find one, the former is what I used. Being that I just got this book today, I have not had much of a chance to look at it yet. It seems very good, lots of pictures and details, but time will tell. It does have a nice table of contents, and also some excellent charts in the back but no index (both previous books had an index) The last book I have currently in my library I have some mixed feelings on. I think it is a great reference book, but it is expensive. It is titled The Theory of Horology and is part of the Watchmakers of Switzerland training and educational program (WOSTEP). In short, it IS a textbook. It is very technical, and it may be way overkill for a hobbyist. It was expensive, I found mine used, but I paid $90 + shipping for it from Biblio. I saw it for a lot more than what I paid though. The one item that I don't like about the book is that the table of contents are near the back, and there is not an index. I get that it is a textbook more suited for a technical schooling, but I find it a disservice to those who use it to not have an index. I do feel this has some excellent diagrams, and some very technical documentation, but much of that may just go unused for the hobbyist like myself. At my age and state in my career, I don't see myself going away to watchmaking school, so I just look at this as an investment and someday, it will pay for itself. Well, that's it for now. Does someone who is new to the hobby need all of these books, absolutely not. I have a library in my home and always encouraged my kids to read whatever they can get their hands on, so for me, this is a good first step for me. Will I invest in more books on the subject, I'm sure I will and if you have any books that you think I should check out, please let me know.
    2 points
  5. Hello everyone from Ukraine!!! I am an actor. Repair and restoration of watches is my hobby. I have been doing this for 15 years. All of them. I wish you peace and tranquility!!! Best regards, Peter
    2 points
  6. Just as a bit of fun! In this thread we will use the following new grading system for tools.... based upon the frequency you estimate you would need to use them: for example: Screwdrivers you use on 100 out of 100 watches, so would be a 100% tool Staking set 5 in 100 watches, so would be a 5% tool Seitz jeweling tool 1 in 100 watches, so would be a 1% tool So... what tool have you seen that is a <1% that you are dreaming of owning? I'll start the ball rolling with mine: a Jacot Tool.... not quite sure what it does, or what you do with it... but I find myself looking at them on eBay and even have it saved as a fave search!
    1 point
  7. Not in the least bit. A lot of those cheap industrial industrial style Russian Raketa's, Poljot's, etc. were also equipped with Breguet overcoil hair springs.
    1 point
  8. Thank you for your introduction and welcome to this friendly forum. We all look forward to your contributions and continued involvement. We all know what is going on in the Ukraine and I wish you and your people a peaceful and happy life. God bless you all.
    1 point
  9. I have the Amscope double arm boom stand and it's really, really heavy and doesn't move at all while turning the knobs.
    1 point
  10. These are super. With brass or bronse jaws.
    1 point
  11. Hey! I have the levers from Horotec (2.5mm wide version): -https://www.esslinger.com/horotec-professional-swiss-watch-tool-hand-levers-2-5mm-set-of-2/ -https://www.cousinsuk.com/product/hand-removing-levers-horotec-swiss --> the 2.5mm version They are cheaper than the Bergeon but still proper Swiss quality. I'm happy with them (even though sometimes I think they could be sharper.... but that could be "dressed"). I've used them from hands, stubborn canon pinions and hairspring collets without breaking anything so far. I cannot offer comparisons with any other ones because these are my only ones. Cheers!
    1 point
  12. thought I would show you something that made me happy. Did I get 300° amplitude fully wound up no. At the end of 24 hours was it below 200 yes was I unhappy know what's my problem? Probably best if you don't answer that question unless your psychiatrist. I tend to be multitasking jobs on the bench all kinds of watches in various states so is convenient to finish assembling and 18 size Illinois pocket watch made in 1888. Did the final assembly lubrication and left at the run overnight the next day when it was well and down I regulated using the mean time screws and then the regulator. Then I chased up the watch wound it back up and printed the numbers out the next day. so we have two separate printouts one of them was at the end of 24 hours. As in see the amplitudes are nowhere near 300° how sad we will note that I'm not sad at all. I was very happy with the Delta of 14.6 seconds. Timekeeping was a fraction of a second slow I thought it looked outstanding. Then I wind the watch up legal bit and run another timing. As we can see it still running a little slow and things I thought looked outstanding. I had also recorded what time the watch had and it looks like I lost about four seconds overnight. That is outstanding for watch those made 130 some years ago. I will probably nudge the regulator hair and speed up possibly just a tiny bit but still beyond good then a note regarding numbers. They look impressive on the print out. But they look more impressive iPhone remember to bring the USB drive you can print everything out but the print outs art as nice as if you have a USB device you can just push the image capture and capture images off the screen. Nice when a timing machine is really running Windows CE. Yes I looked at the software update see what it was. but the note related to the numbers if I had run this several times more than likely every single time the numbers will be a little bit different. This is because of you looked at the time plot which I didn't capture for us we will see that the time plot shows fluctuations due to gear train fluctuations. Those fluctuations will average out typically over time slew not an issue usually. But the timing machine even with averaging over the Gavin set for 20 or 30 seconds there will be variations in the numbers. So for instance you put your watch on the timing machine you look at the amplitude stare at it for a while is steady or does it go up and down up-and-down there's gear train fluctuations. So here we have an example of amplitude really wasn't that important. I'm not saying that amplitude isn't importance but an obsession with the watch most to 300° or else well I wish you well for the house if that's your golden watch repair have fun. I miss happy the watch keeps time and runs overnights it does it for a couple more days it can go away. 01 other little thing I forgot to mention. When I place a cased up pocket watch on the timing machine usually things are where the machine says they are sometimes up isn't up it's really down but the up-and-down will be up and down they just might not be the right ones. Usually the left right pendant upended down one of those are all of them will be off because I'm holding to a pocket watch case different than I would a normal movement. Even when I have the pocket watch movement in the timing machine I think the left and right are usually reversed.
    1 point
  13. Hi there, sorry I didn't get back to you sooner, but life gets in the way I think that our two designs are moving closer together, but I do like the idea you have to keep a constant angle on the arm that applies the finish. Perhaps something as simple as a small (wing)nut and bolt and washers fitted in the vertical slot under the arm would stop it moving down to maintain the angle and remove the need to have a height adjustable/telescoping center rotating mount for he case? But as you state, we still have the issue of securing the watch case, I was looking at the polishing case holders (somehow) mounted vertically: However, there are 3 issues with this; the first is that we are in huge violation of the K.I.S.S. principal of engineering and the second is that they are CRAZY expensive ($300+) and finally, they would only work on round watch cases.... hopefully there are some other brains looking at this who will come up with the "how come I didn't think of that" solution Here is my bad drawing of the bolt angle system, who needs CAD ha ha
    1 point
  14. My wife took these pictures today. Not sure if there is a message that I am supposed to get The first bench is the one from my Dad. The second is the one I bought from Maine. The third I bought from someone in Wyoming. The last watch bench came from Dallas. The other bench is just a converted office desk. The last picture captures a portion of the room. This was not staged...and I am a little embarrassed about how it looks. That's me and Cromwell.
    1 point
  15. Woooowwweeee, what an amazing place @LittleWatchShop. So much history of craftsmanship and human ingenuity packed all over those benches A dream.
    1 point
  16. what if I give up and you're right amplitude is the most important thing and with outstanding amplitude you get great timekeeping would that make you happy? oh by the way yesterday I was thinking about the group when I was at work. Why was that the day before I had almost completed and Illinois watch made in 1888. Is all wound up running lubricated and I just left it in yesterday as when the case it up but has to on the timing machine. The nifty timing machine that does measure amplitude but also looks at the watch and six positions. So I have to please six positions on a timing machine and not please this group on amplitude. I almost thought of bringing the print out home but I said I don't give a darn. At the end of 24 hours the balance wheel looked beautiful the amplitude in the pendant positions claim to be below 200°. That was assuming that the lift angle was correct and I just didn't feel like figuring out what should be. I was happy to set a Delta of less than 20 seconds. it was running a little something so I played with the mean time screws a little bit move the regulator and I'll see how fast or slow it's running today. But I was thinking there I was really worried about timekeeping and didn't give a darn about amplitude obviously there's something wrong with me. Yes amplitude is important but a whole bunch of things determine the amplitude of the watch. Then depending upon things like over coil versus flat hairspring you have the regulator pins. We have isochronism wonder if that's important? It would actually be just much better for watch would keep constant amplitude versus a high to low amplitude. Because of the constant amplitude you can that much more constant timekeeping versus amplitude timekeeping variations. This is why when you look at the technical specifications of giving a maximum amplitude because anything more bad things happen. They like to see a low amplitude but that can be quite low depending upon the watch. But the silly manufacturers still want to see timekeeping.
    1 point
  17. It has one winder that winds the going and the alarm side, the alarm runs if you do not stop it or shall I say you fail to wake up it will run down and stop by means of a stop work. They are good movements and the parts should be cleaned in a watch cleaning machine. It is an easy movement to take apart and put back. I would suggest you take loads of photos as you take it apart. Oils to use a good pocket watch oil on the going and alarm, windles clock oil for the barrel spring and arbor and on the alarm wheel next to the hammer and where the hammer contacts the hammer wheel. Just ask if you need anymore advice.
    1 point
  18. Hi, Just replaced a buzzer on my Seiko H601. The replacement piezo actually came with a Seiko quartz chronograph movement and I had saved it just in case. It was the correct size, 18mm diameter and had an array of glue dots on the back. I managed to fit it to the case back as follows. Clean old glue with metal scraper and fine abrasive (I used Scotchbrite grey). Final clean with solvent. Place disc in place and put three pound coins stacked on top for a little downward force as the glue melts. Make sure the disc doesn't change position. Put in oven directly on the rack and switch on at 200 degrees centigrade. Let oven attain temperature and then switch off to cool naturally (I opened the oven door and left for 30 minutes). When cooled the disc appears to be stuck perfectly and the piezo output is now very very good. Hope it helps. Steve
    1 point
  19. Cylinderhöhenmasse, it's for measuring the cylinder height in the watch for cylinder escapements. Never seen one before.
    1 point
  20. I have a Ø1.50mm Bergeon arbor holder and I absolutely love it. The 1.5mm size seems to be a decent fit for most normally-sized movements, but would probably be too large for a lady's movement and too small for a large pocket watch. I asked Alex at the Watch Repair Tutorials YT channel what size he would recommend and he replied: "The size I use almost at the time is the 150.", so that's why I decided to get the same size. Here's the video where he's using it and you'll find Alexs' reply if you look for it in the comments section. The arbor holder is much easier to clamp onto and release from the arbor (look at the picture). Also, it dramatically improves seeing what you're actually doing while removing and fitting the arbor from and into the inner coil of the mainspring. The head of the pin vice is most of the time so large it covers the entire arbor - and more - making it quite difficult to see what's going on. Absolutely not! It's just a whole lot less convenient in my opinion. None that I'm aware of I'm afraid, but we have some experts on Chinese watch tools on the forum so hopefully they can shim in!?
    1 point
  21. In my office. I will post a picture My hot-air workstation and desoldering station got moved to the garage...lol orphan children! When I first came back to watchmaking with only my Dad's bench, it was hard to wrap my head around how he had his bench organized. I wanted to leave it that way, but eventually I had to make some modifications--moving tools around from drawer to drawer and moving a few things out of the bench. BTW...I HAVE ANOTHER WATCHBENCH IN THE GARAGE!!! I am restoring it. But once restored, I have no place for it.
    1 point
  22. Thanks for the above picture, I just sent it to Mrs W and sais "see ...see... mine isn't so bad after all!" Don't expect it will stop her telling me off, but at least she doesn't think I'm the only one now.
    1 point
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