Jump to content

New Horology Books for me

Tmuir
 Share

Recommended Posts

Tmuir Distinguished Member

Tmuir

Posted
Posted

I just received 2 new books today, both by Archie Perkins and I'm very happy with them.

I already had his first book ' The Modern Watchmakers Lathe and How to Use it'

and today I received

Antique watch Restoration Volume 1 and Volume 2

These books are not cheap but I'm very happy with them, if you want to learn how to repair antique watches these are the books you need.

Volume 1 Starts with 34 pages on just how to strip down and clean an English Fusee Lever Watch, followed by a chapter on repairing or making watch Fusee chains and then several other chapters covering how to make Clicks, Ratchwheels, Fusee clicks and Maintaining clicks, repairing fusee barrels.

It then has several other chapters on how to cut wheels and finish winding wheels with snail patterns, rayed patterns and even how to use a rose engine to make the patterns on the winding and ratchet wheels. I know someone who has made their own rose engine to make silver watch dials, so I can see me having a chat with him in the future.

Volume Two goes into how to set jewels in antique watches, then the verge escapement and how to make a new verge escape wheel as well as verge balance staffs, it also goes in depth on repairing duplex escapements, cylinder escapements, chronometer escapements, detached lever escapements, making new pallet forks, roller tables, pallet stnes and jewels and even balance wheels and screws. I don't have all the tools needed or the skill to do all this work, but it does give me something to aim at. :)

There is also a book 3 that goes very much into detail on replacing, repairing and making all types of hairsprings, but I didn't get this book as I decided that was way above my current skill level.

 

If you are all interested in restoring antique watches where you will likely have to fabricate some parts yourself I do very much recommend these books.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Tmuir Distinguished Member

Tmuir

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I'm a self confessed bookaholic, not just Horology books, but books on model engineering, jewellery making,woodworking, restoring classic cameras, gardening, cooking, brewing etc.

Basically if its a book on how to make or fix something I probably have atleast 1 book on it. I've even got books on how to make books. :D (book binding that is not writing a book)

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
nickelsilver Distinguished Member

nickelsilver

Posted
Posted

Archie's stuff is fantastic. I think the books are or in large part are a collection of his ongoing series of articles he did for the Horological Times. Used to have the whole set of magazines and gave them away when I moved to Europe... dangit! So much info, there were some terrific articles on timing by Newton Noel and a dozen other watch gods.

I'll have to get the books now.

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.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing


  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Topics

  • Posts

    • Waggy
      Without Our Forum

      By Waggy · Posted

      I've remained silent on this thread, and at the risk of upsetting everyone, the thing that worries me the most the the apparent absence of Mark. The moderators do a great job and the members also pitch in, and the site seems to run itself, but it is a concern for the future of this forum when the owner is absent for all intents and purposes. Like many of the comments above I would hate to log in one day and things be closed down as I rely on this site for ideas and knowledge and also cheer me up. maybe the Moderators could reach out to him, assuming he does not read this thread, and express our concerns and let us know the plans going forward? some kind of WRT ark
    • Neverenoughwatches
      Without Our Forum

      By Neverenoughwatches · Posted

      That was the exact reason for me starting this thread watchie. Still we haven't worked out how the regulars are going to hook up if it goes tits up. I honestly think something should be arranged to stay in contact, we all help each other so much. 
    • Neverenoughwatches
      Setting lever spring

      By Neverenoughwatches · Posted

      Yeah ive watched that a few times before,  i couldnt find my old school dividers to scribe it up 😅 Yep thats the guy i bought a roll from . Thanks Nicklesilver that answers that perfectly and more or less what i thought an experiment over time would prove . The jumper arm is quite thick along its length, i left it that way intentionally, i thought the original was probably very thin, i didnt see that it was already missing. Setting isn't particularly stiff as such just positive, i still need to take it out and polish where it mates with the stem release. 
    • VWatchie
      Without Our Forum

      By VWatchie · Posted

      Yes, "Sold out" is difficult to understand. There doesn't seem to be a lot going on. It's been nine months since any new video was published on the Watch Repair Channel. The Level 4 course on watchfix.com has been in progress for what feels like forever (several years!?). Maybe Mark's enterprises aren't doing well or perhaps already so profitable there's nothing much to motivate him for more material. Or, perhaps these days he's more into crochet. The real reason is probably something entirely different but it would be nice/interesting to know. I don't mean to sound gloomy or pessimistic, but I wouldn't be surprised to be met by an HTTP 404. Every day feels like a gift. Speaking of watchfix.com I've been postponing the "Level 5: Servicing Chronograph Watches" course for a very, very long time. Anyway, I just enrolled on it so it's going to be very interesting to see the videos. I must say, IMO there's nothing really that can compete with Mark's courses when it comes to presentation and video quality. It's simply world-class and makes me associate with some really expensive BBC productions.
    • nickelsilver
      Setting lever spring

      By nickelsilver · Posted

      Steel has some funny properties, or at least counterintuitive. The modulus of elasticity is effectively (not exactly, but close enough) the same for steel that is annealed and hardened. What changes is the point of plastic deformation* . If the movement of your spring doesn't pass that, it should work fine. It looks a little thick, I would thin it a bit maybe from the main body out about halfway, maybe 10-20% thinner (not in thickness, along its form). But if it works it works!   *So- if you have two bars of the same steel, one annealed, one at 600 Vickers (general hardness watch arbors might be), clamp them to a table so the same length is hanging out, and put a weight on the ends, they will bend the same amount. But if you continue to add weight, then remove it, at a point the annealed bar won't return to its original straightness. That's the point of plastic deformation. But up to that point, as springs, they are the same. However- their wear characteristics will be very very different. And getting the hardened bar past its point of plastic deformation takes a lot more effort.
×
×
  • Create New...