Jump to content

Bergeon No 5500 Crystal Press Review

VWatchie
 Share

Recommended Posts

VWatchie Distinguished Member

VWatchie

Posted
Posted

After having struggled far too many times and for far too long with my budget Chinese eBay crystal press, I (after an interesting discussion here on WRT) decided to get myself a professional crystal press in the form of a Bergeon No 5500. I decided to video document my very first (and successful) attempt at using it and so for those of you interested you can watch it here. It's hardly an action movie but I reckon that for anyone considering buying this press the video could hopefully be useful and interesting.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
VWatchie Distinguished Member

VWatchie

Posted
  • Author
Posted

 

5 minutes ago, jdm said:

To be honest I would prefer and recommend a Chinese 5500A type for less than euro 50 to a lever type which when bought original cost more than 100.

I appreciate your honesty! With a bit of luck, I think the Chinese version could be just, or near as good. I paid £123 for the press (including tax and shipping from Spain to Sweden). The Bergeon 5500A from cousinsuk.com including a full set of dies (they don't sell the press separately) would have cost me over £500/€560 (tax and shipping included).

I guess as long as the seller permits a "return no questions asked", the Chinese option could be attractive, but I in my case I just didn't want to take any chances, and I'm happy I didn't.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JBerry WRT Addict

JBerry

Posted
Posted

Nice video! I have the same Bergeon 5500 press with the A-set of aluminium dies, it's a very old set and the box is branded Favorite even though the tool pictured on the box is Bergeon. It's one of my favourite tools to use.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
jdm Distinguished Member

jdm

Posted
Posted

Lever Vs screw type could be a personal preference but in the end you have more feeling with the first,  better power and control with the second. The same happens with a lathe tailstock in drilling, in there normally lever type is preferred. But having set myself some tight crystal and bezels personally I prefer a screw type. For even more confusion there are even some expensive type which combines a screw-in case back opening function.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 3 years later...
Waggy Distinguished Member

Waggy

Posted
Posted (edited)

I opted for the Robur set (link Here), do you think the Burgeon set can do anything the Robur set cannot, ie I mean are there any tasks where I would have the use the Burgeon set because the Robur cannot do it or vice versa? 

Edited by Waggy
Added link
Link to comment
Share on other sites
VWatchie Distinguished Member

VWatchie

Posted
  • Author
Posted
1 hour ago, Waggy said:

I opted for the Robur set (link Here), do you think the Burgeon set can do anything the Robur set cannot, ie I mean are there any tasks where I would have the use the Burgeon set because the Robur cannot do it or vice versa? 

I think I'd prefer the Robur (I like the control aspect) and I don't think there's anything the Bergeon can do that the Robur can't. I was meaning to get myself a Robur, but considering its price, especially the dies, I never got around to it. Eventually, I found a vintage Robur-style press for little money with wooden dies for non-armoured acrylic crystals and it works surprisingly well. Here's a picture of it.

Robur-style.thumb.jpg.eb1e3ceb48faf987797e9a5ab4e633c3.jpg

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Waggy Distinguished Member

Waggy

Posted
Posted

I looked onlune at eBay too for a set before I got from Cousins, and even bid on a set. In horror once I checked out the Cousins web site I realised that a new set was far cheaper than the used set I had just bid on - fortunately someone (actually several people) came in and beat my bid and I saved a heap of cash by then getting the new set?!?! I also did the same with my Bergeon cannon pin remover tool, they are on eBay now (just looked) used for £174, but I got mine for £61.95 brand new from Cousins..... So now I always look at the new price before I assume the used ones is a bargain.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
tomh207 Super WRT Addict

tomh207

Posted
Posted
45 minutes ago, Waggy said:

I looked onlune at eBay too for a set before I got from Cousins, and even bid on a set. In horror once I checked out the Cousins web site I realised that a new set was far cheaper than the used set I had just bid on - fortunately someone (actually several people) came in and beat my bid and I saved a heap of cash by then getting the new set?!?! I also did the same with my Bergeon cannon pin remover tool, they are on eBay now (just looked) used for £174, but I got mine for £61.95 brand new from Cousins..... So now I always look at the new price before I assume the used ones is a bargain.

Indeed, I was looking at bidding on a couple of JKA feintasters on eBay and they both went for nearly £100 more than a brand new one from cousinsuk.

 

Tom

Link to comment
Share on other sites
VWatchie Distinguished Member

VWatchie

Posted
  • Author
Posted
33 minutes ago, Waggy said:

I also did the same with my Bergeon cannon pin remover tool, they are on eBay now (just looked) used for £174, but I got mine for £61.95 brand new from Cousins.....

Unfortunately, the current Bergeon cannon pinion remover can only remove rather large cannon pinions.

"Can lift cannon pinions diameter Ø1.20 to Ø1.80mm"

I got one of those from Cousins too, but at the time I bought mine (years ago), the ad said that it could lift cannon pinions of any size (which it couldn't) and when complaining about this Cousins, to my surprise, accepted a return. Eventually, I got a vintage remover on eBay that can lift cannon pinions of any size and it's one of my most appreciated tools. Pictures below:

CannonPinionRemover1.thumb.jpg.776e88fba4fb4c4e9283751f8b061605.jpg

CannonPinionRemover2.thumb.jpg.5d2936a8670f4cb3a9bf74c82be2b175.jpg

CannonPinionRemover3.thumb.jpg.5fc813b06d2c421355eac72c476f7e65.jpg

CannonPinionRemover4.thumb.jpg.7c8be44d119f62663487e0c26eca4371.jpg

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Paul80 WRT Addict

Paul80

Posted
Posted (edited)

It's a shame no enterprising engineer is making new 5 jaw collets to update the Cheap (never thought I would ever say that) Bergeon Clock Cannon Pinion tool with its 4 jaw collet

Someone would make a killing if they did.

Any of you enterprising dengineers up to the challenge 🤔  

Edited by Paul80
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
 Share
Go to topic listing


  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Topics

  • Posts

    • ManSkirtBrew
      1972 Bulova President "E" Sea King 11ACACB movement

      By ManSkirtBrew · Posted

      Unfortunately I'm not that lucky. I started on the train side and after I noticed the binding I pulled everything out except the driving wheel to rule everything else out. It still binds. I'm going to double check that the pinion is fully seated on the staff first, then if no joy I'll push the bridge jewel up a fraction of a mm. Fingers crossed!
    • Waggy
      Rado rotor removal

      By Waggy · Posted

      Happy to have helped, great way to start the day with a win! 🥳
    • doober
      Rado rotor removal

      By doober · Posted

      Thank you for the advise!! It worked. The setting screw was a lock/unlock to remove the rotor. 
    • GuyMontag
      1972 Bulova President "E" Sea King 11ACACB movement

      By GuyMontag · Posted

      I have that French tech sheet too, it is a little different than the English one (eg, it doesn't have the auto works diagram). BTW, it looks like you are looking up the case number in the 1979 ABC supplement. The 1974 ABC catalog does have the 3093 case. As you determined it takes the 1222-5 crystal.  When I serviced my President 'A' (which also takes that crystal), I was able to fit a 29.8 crystal from my DPA crystal assortment. Those are, in my opinion, a great deal. The assortment comes with 10 sizes each from 27.8mm to 32.4mm in 0.2 increments. I pretty much use them for any non-armored crystal that takes a high dome crystal. I think they no longer make them but Cousins has still has some in stock but when I bought them they were around $40 for the set and now they are around $100. Still, at 40 cents a crystal it's still a good deal. For the large driving wheel, I remember I once assembled the keyless/motion works first and when I placed the large driving wheel it was interfering with the setting wheel on the dial side as the teeth were not fully meshing and it wouldn't fully seat. If that isn't the issue I got nothing and am looking forward to see how you solve it 🙂
    • Waggy
      Rado rotor removal

      By Waggy · Posted

      Not sure, but just looking at it, it seems like the screw on the right may be a fake? The one on the left may not be a screw in the regular sense at all, rather a 2 position device, I think you need to point the slot towards either of the 2 dots and one will secure and one will open. Like I said this is just my best guess looking at the pictures.
×
×
  • Create New...