Jump to content

main spring got loose


luiazazrambo

Recommended Posts

Hi *,

Now I understand how can the mainspring damage the movement. First hand experience because I made a mistake at the end of the cleaning and oiling process. 3 o'clock in the morning. I felt the teethes bouncing of my chest. Needless to say I was and I am still very sad.

Best regards,

Lui 

DSC_0003.JPG

  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

If empathy is helpful, a torsion clock I spoke about a few weeks ago suffered badly bent teeth when the mainspring let go, at some stage in the past (well before I laid hands on it, I'm pleased to say). 

The pictures aren't brilliant but you can see the mashed up teeth between positions 6 & 7 o'clock on the wheel and at 8-ish o'clock on the barrel.

I straightened the barrel teeth out OK, managed to find a spare in place of the damaged wheel and (after sorting out former a repairer's 'adjustments' to the pallets and fitting the correct suspension spring) the clock's now fine.

750934002_Damagedteeth.thumb.jpg.f3e61cd3abca00d969fd26bd7b9f3af7.jpg  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is easy to forget quite how much energy is in a spring.

Even a tiny watch spring is capable of launching projectiles across the room, and mangling delicate components in the process. While letting down the spring on one of the Timexes I was looking at, I lost my grip and the entire watch literally flew past my ear on to the floor.

Fortunately no damage was done, I was expecting a snapped seconds pinion or a damaged balance.  I did have to do a bit of crawling about to recover a couple of parts however. 

The point is I guess, despite the fact that I was being particularly cautious I still managed to launch the thing in to orbit.

Clock springs are an order of magnitude more impressive when they get loose, so I would suggest always wearing eye protection when there is a chance of them escaping.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 3/13/2019 at 6:14 PM, 2131tom said:

If empathy is helpful, a torsion clock I spoke about a few weeks ago suffered badly bent teeth when the mainspring let go, at some stage in the past (well before I laid hands on it, I'm pleased to say). 

The pictures aren't brilliant but you can see the mashed up teeth between positions 6 & 7 o'clock on the wheel and at 8-ish o'clock on the barrel.

I straightened the barrel teeth out OK, managed to find a spare in place of the damaged wheel and (after sorting out former a repairer's 'adjustments' to the pallets and fitting the correct suspension spring) the clock's now fine.

  

Yes empathy is helpful i felt really miserable at that point 3 o'clock in the morning. :) Well done with the repair!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 3/13/2019 at 8:28 PM, JimmyD said:

Two rules I live with.

1) Allways let down the springs.

2) Never move the hands if any resistance is felt as it is a safe bet a tooth or teeth has been bent somewhere and you will only bend a few more.

This accident happened when I tried to test the clock at the end of the cleaning and re-assembly process. I try to always let the spring down before I start with a clock. (I only touched a few watches so far because I am a beginner.)

It was really painful because I was so proud that I fixed the broken mainspring (heated it up and created a hook and a lose end) then at the end of the process I ruined it. This is not a valuable clock but I just cannot stand this. :( :) 

Edited by luiazazrambo
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.

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

    • in general this shouldn't be any change. but in general questions like this it be nice to know the specifics of the watch in other words how was it performing before it was cased up and what is it doing now.
    • just as a reminder this watch is a Swatch group product. This will bring up a problem like spare parts and technical information. that I found some links to some information on when I talk about your watch and some of the technical and basically your watch is equivalent to 2834-2 for which I'm attaching the technical sheets. But equivalent does not mean exactly the same you want to do a search on the group for C07 as we discussed this watch before including the technical differences how it's supposed to be regulated and basically because it's watch group there is no parts availability. https://calibercorner.com/eta-caliber-c07-xxx/   https://www.chrono24.com/magazine/eta-movements-from-the-2824-2-to-the-powermatic-80-p_80840/ https://www.watchuseek.com/threads/h-10-movement-details.4636991/ eta CT_2834-2_FDE_481857_15.pdf
    • people be honest.... Swatch is evil for the watchmakers and repairers, BUT not everything in watches from Switzerland is from the Swatch-Group. As far as i know, Selitta got sacked by Swatch as a Movement-Assembler for them and they started to produce Movements in their own Name with slight Modifications. As far as i know, they sell Parts to the Market for their Movements. In most cases, if a ETA-Movement fails, it is a valid Option to replace it with a Selitta Movement, which i consider the Solution for this Mess with the Swatch-Group...... I have no Connection to anybody at Selitta, but being a Swiss-Guy, i still like to have Swiss-Made Watches, but not from the Swatch-Group.   ok ? regards, Ernst
    • Just one more greedy act by Swatch. They started a number of years ago here in the US..cutting off supplies to watchmakers that could build complications that many Swatch houses couldn't even touch. Old school masters who had gone through some of the most prestigious houses in the world. Otto Frei has some statements on their page about it. I tell all my customers to avoid new Swiss watches like the plague,..unless they just want an older one in their collection that still has some parts out on the market, or they have really deep pockets and don't mind waiting months and paying through the nose to get it back. Plenty of others to choose from..IE Seiko,..or other non-swiss brands Even a number of Chinese brands are catching up with the Swiss,..and I think that in time, their actions will be their downfall
    • Yes. If that's not what you are experiencing...start looking for something rubbing. A 1st guess is that one of the hands is rubbing against the hole in the center of the dial. Especially if you now have lower amplitude in face up/ face down positions.
×
×
  • Create New...