Jump to content

Hebry B Fried Bench Practices has been Reprinted


Recommended Posts

I just discovered a couple of weeks ago that in August this year that Henry B Fried's book 'Bench Practices for Watch Repairers' has been reprinted.

It is a facsimile copy of the 1954 edition with no changes, updates or corrections. Its is a paperback edition, but the printing is good and best of all it costs a fraction of what you would pay for an original copy.

I just received mine today, it goes into great detail of hairsprings, replacing them, fitting hairspring collects and studs, vibrating hairsprings, replacing regulator pins, jeweling, repivotting, replacing barrel hooks etc.

So it is an advanced technique book, most of it beyond what I can do at the moment, but still a very valuable book.

On book depository it is just shy of $22 AUD with free delivery, which is a bargain for any new book on watchmaking.

If you haven't already got a copy of this book I suggest getting one.

https://www.bookdepository.com/Bench-Practices-for-Watch-Repairers-Henry-Fried/9781684222483?ref=grid-view&qid=1541151369972&sr=1-2

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

No worries, I've been trying to get a copy of this book for about a year.

As soon as I found out it had been reprinted I ordered myself a copy and have been waiting to confirm it was a good quality copy before letting everyone one else know.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I bought this book from book depository last year. Quite happy with it. Good focus on reparing techniques and very good tips on reparing wristwatches. I couldnt get the copy from any other only bookstore and I though that was sold out. Suprinsingly BD had a few for sale.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Sigh...Been three weeks now,:( Right in the middle of a Canada post strike. Worst time of the year to order stuff is the two months leading up to Christmas and throw in a postal strike on top of it.:cigar:I should have waited but did not want to miss out if there was limited copies available. Guess i'll go back to pacing circles in front of the mail box...

Ron

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Just got to say mine arrived a few days after ordering, ive a good few watch books etc, and I have to say I have found this one really good, simple to read and good diagrams with good explanations, the hair spring chapter is very informative.

Ive had a look around for more of his books and will be ordering them up, such is his way of explaining what to do.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mine finally arrived on Xmas eve. Almost two months...must have rowed it across from England and stopped in Greenland for new oars. As others have said, very well written and easy to follow and understand. A bit above my technical level yet but  that will come in time.Also managed to pick up Practical Watch Repairing by Donald de Carle. Another ripping good read...:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 11 months later...
On 11/2/2018 at 5:27 AM, Mark said:

Nice.

Thanks for the heads up

Just ordered a copy - £15 from Amazon.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
 

And just ordered mine - $16.39 USD (Amazon) including tax (free shipping with Prime).

Hoping that there is some good info on repairing misshapen hairsprings.

-Paul 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Topics

  • Posts

    • Hello everybody, sorry for the late reply. Thank you all so much for your help and your tips. I got lucky and found a replacement wheel bridge for cheap which actually ended up being in decent condition. I decided not to do anything about the mainspring barrel pivot since I didn't have the right tools and the barrel didn't have much endshake anyhow. I am happy to report that the watch now runs great, I have regulated it to about +-10/s day which is fine by my standards. The timegrapher result looks decent as well, although beat error is around 0.6ms which could be better I suppose. Amplitude reaches over 230 quite consistently which I'm happy with also. My lighter fluid has also been replaced by balance spring cleaning solution and now the springs don't stick to themselves anymore - who would have thought. I'm super happy with this watch, it might not be worth a whole lot but it's awesome that I could restore it and it makes me wear it with pride. To me it's a genuinely good lucking watch, it'll be my daily driver for a while. Thanks again to everybody for their input! I couldn't have done the repair without your help.   Here are some images for those interested, the bracelet isn't original but I don't really mind:    
    • Balance-hairspring system is oscillator with big Q-factor. When all in the movement is OK, the rate (frequency) is verry close to the own resonant frequency of the balance-hairspring. But in some cases, the movement (with foult) will force the resonator to work on pritty different frequency, sometimes faster, and sometimes slower. When this happens, the amplitude is always weak. So, the first thing to ask is what is the amplitude. If it is more than 180 and the hairspring doesn't touch itself and anything else, then for sure it is 'short'. If the amplitude is weak, then the first thing to do is to understand why and rectify the problem. At this time no point to check timekeeping. But, if one doubts that the hairspring is not correct, then He needs to calcullate the rate of the movement, then to 'vibrate' the balance-hairspring out of the movement and to measure the free oscillations frequency (period) with timer in order to ensure that they comply with the rate. If we have pictures, then it will be easier to tell something about that wheel.
    • So much work has gone into this! Thanks again @Jon. I will go back and check my adjustments from last weekend. A few questions for you, if you don't mind. In the reset position, I can understand the problem if the gap between the hammer and the minute counter heart is too big (slide 77) but what is bad about both hammers being in contact with the cams (slide 76)? I read somewhere that Landeron recommended grease on the runner cam, but the minute counter heart should be dry. Is that so, and why? How many tads in a ligne?
    • Could you glue two pieces together for rigidity and separate after forming? 
×
×
  • Create New...