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DouglasSkinner

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DouglasSkinner last won the day on September 15 2017

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About DouglasSkinner

  • Rank
    WRT Addict
  • Birthday January 16

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  • Gender
    Male
  • Location
    Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, USA
  • Interests
    Restoration of vintage watches. Servicing watches. I also worked as a scientist (chemical physics) and statistician. I have recently tied my love of science with watchmaking by undertaking a mathematical study of the Archimedes spiral which forms the hairspring in most watches.

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  1.    Nucejoe reacted to an answer to a question: Cleaning balance and hairspring
  2. DouglasSkinner
    Yes, I think I'm gonna do that. Thanks!
  3.    DouglasSkinner reacted to an answer to a question: Making a brass impulse pin
  4. DouglasSkinner
    Just to let you know, I got a mainspring from Jules Borel. Thanks again!
  5. DouglasSkinner
    One problem I've had with that is that after I file it to a "D" it's difficult to hold in a pin vise.
  6. DouglasSkinner started following Good steel for staffs, Is it difficult to re-lume a watch face & hands, Making a brass impulse pin and and 4 others
  7. DouglasSkinner
    Mark has done a video on this. I followed his approach and I've been successful so far--though I'm variable on getting it right the first time. Key is to get the right consistency: neither too thick or too runny. (Hope it's okay if I post a link to the video?)
  8.    DouglasSkinner reacted to an answer to a question: Cleaning and lubricating jewels - Derby 40
  9.    DouglasSkinner reacted to an answer to a question: Cleaning and lubricating jewels - Derby 40
  10. DouglasSkinner
    I have an old Waltham pocket watch movement which is missing the impulse pin (roller jewel). I have a limited number of actual jewels and since this is just a practice movement I thought I'd try to make one out of brass. I've seen this several times in old pieces--usually a very sloppy job. So I got some brass stock of the same diameter as the "D" in the roller table, filed it and burnished it to a high gloss. Then I took a small, very fine diamond file and filed it half flat to form the "D" I then polished the face using progressively finer sandpaper on a steel block. This works fine--so far! Problem is separation of the piece from the stock. Again I used a small cutting file to do this but it doesn't leave the end very pretty. So what I've done so far is to fit the good end into the roller table. I then plan to shellac it in place and see if I can very carefully adjust the length and clean up the end. Has anyone done this before? Any suggestions as to how best to do it?
  11. DouglasSkinner
    Horosolv looks to be the same as One Dip, which is what I have. Both are a modified carbon tetrachloride. I think it should be ok. I've soaked balance completes in it and haven't had any problems. Don't soak in any alcohol because that will dissolve the shellac. I also use Zenith hairspring cleaner which doesn't leave a residue like One Dip. https://timesavers.com/i-22336011-zenith-hair-spring-cleaner.html
  12. DouglasSkinner
    Thanks much! What you said makes a lot of sense. Will do and will let you know.
  13.    DouglasSkinner reacted to an answer to a question: Watch Doesn't Fully Wind Down
  14. DouglasSkinner
    Recently replaced the mainspring in a vintage watch (a Westfield 7j). Cleaned and lubricated watch. Worked fine for several days. Now I have a problem in which it stops before the mainspring is fully unwound--power reserve appears to be less than 24 hrs, but I haven't done a precise check. Just noticed this morning that it was stopped at about 0530. Prior to this the watch had good power reserve and the mainspring fully unwound--power reserve over 30 hrs. What kinds of things might cause this?
  15.    noirrac1j reacted to an answer to a question: ETA 2750 Mainspring
  16. DouglasSkinner
    Thanks noirrac1j!
  17.    DouglasSkinner reacted to an answer to a question: ETA 2750 Mainspring
  18. DouglasSkinner
    I have an ETA 2750 movement and I need to replace the mainspring. My catalogs don't cover this caliber. The current mainspring, based on my measurements has the dimensions Dennison (Metric), W: 5 1/2 (1.45 mm), T: 9 (0.13 mm), L: ~ 14 1/2" (368 mm). However, due to its age and the fact that it's been serviced before I'm not completely sure the old spring is the correct one. So my first question is are these the right dimensions for the proper mainspring for the 2750? My second question is does anybody know some part or catalog numbers for the correct mainspring by some different manufactures of springs, such as Marco, Nu Vigor, Sandsteel, etc.? I have some cabinets of mainsprings from which I might be able to get one but I need to know the a catalog/part number--some number I can cross reference to what I have. Hope this makes sense. Thanks.
  19.    DouglasSkinner reacted to a post in a topic: Best Stock for Making Balance Staff
  20. DouglasSkinner
    Thanks for the help, especially the tips about making the staff. I can see if I can get some CO2 cartridges. Didn't know N2O cartridges. Not sure you can get them here in the US.
  21.    DouglasSkinner reacted to a post in a topic: Best Stock for Making Balance Staff
  22.    jdrichard reacted to a post in a topic: Best Stock for Making Balance Staff
  23.    DouglasSkinner reacted to a post in a topic: Best Stock for Making Balance Staff
  24. DouglasSkinner
    I got some stuff from Esslinger and have had a hard time working with it. It's almost impossible to cut into pieces. Tried using a jewelers saw, no luck. Graver won't part it--at least not in any reasonable length of time. Doesn't want to be cut into pieces with snips either. Definitely not getting curls of sworf and, yes, I am making dust. Takes forever to make any progress. Tried to anneal it but still application of my graver still yields a kind of brittle powder. Didn't think about finishing down to size with the Jacot tool. Thanks!
  25.    DouglasSkinner reacted to a post in a topic: Best Stock for Making Balance Staff
  26. DouglasSkinner
    Sorry! Didn't just learned that this topic has already been addressed pretty thoroughly here: However, if you have any other comments they'd still be appreciated.
  27. DouglasSkinner
    Am looking for a source for good steel to make staffs from. Got some from Esslinger recently and it appears to be crap. Way too hard and won't anneal (at least I can't do it). Any suggestions for where I can obtain it. I'd like a range of sizes from, say, 0.5 mm to 3 mm. Following link is the stuff I got from Esslinger: https://www.esslinger.com/staff-and-pivot-watch-and-clock-wire-rod-assortment-blue-steel-55-1-93mm-12-pieces/
  28.    DouglasSkinner reacted to a post in a topic: Frankenwatch
  29. DouglasSkinner
    Thanks! I'm not experienced enough to envision how to use a faceplate and cross slide to bore the hole. Do you have any pictures so I can see how it works? I have a Seitz jeweliing tool and I was just going to use one of the reamers to bore out the hole in the plate. I've measured the diameter and think a number 230 reamer will work (actually 2.99 mm). I plan to turn down some brass stock to 2.30 mm. Then I plan to drill a hole (size 24 as near as I can tell) a little undersized. Measuring the thickness of the plate will tell me how thick the bushing needs to be and I'll part it at that thickness. For me the tricky part will be fitting it into the hole. I'll need to get the outside diameter right so I won't have either a loose or overly tight fit--my lathe skills aren't all that great so I may have to make several attempts. Then I plan to use a small broach to bring the hole to the proper diameter. Check for end shake and side shake. Spin it in place and then in train with the other wheels. If it spins okay and all looks properly righted I assume it will be okay. How does that sound? Thanks again! Doug
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