small caliber movements balance handling

[canthus]

I work a lot on small caliber (ladies watch size) movements but still have mishaps with the balance hairspring.  These hairsprings are very fragile and easily bent and removing/replacing the balance assembly seems to be my problem.  I would like any comments on the risks of deforming the hairspring by allowing the wheel to dangle during handling.  I would also like to know if the position of the regulator arm/pins has any effect re risk of deforming the spring, should it be close to the stud or as far a possible from the stud, I normally leave it where I find it so the timing is close to what it was before dis-assembly.  Any advice on techniques etc will be much appreciated.

[jdm]

3 minutes ago, canthus said:

 I would like any comments on the risks of deforming the hairspring by allowing the wheel to dangle during handling.

I remember a thread where people were proudly shown their balance tacks, where (contrary to any common sense) they kept the hairspring in a deformed state not just for the time needed to remove or install, but for much longer. When I objected about that I was told that it was necessary to "see things"; which ones exactly, I wasn't told. I quietly kept using wide tips tweezers to handle cock and balance together, that hasn't ever failed me.

3 minutes ago, canthus said:

I would also like to know if the position of the regulator arm/pins has any effect re risk of deforming the spring, should it be close to the stud or as far a possible from the stud, I normally leave it where I find it so the timing is close to what it was before dis-assembly.  Any advice on techniques etc will be much appreciated.

The good practice is to place the regulator in the middle position before removing  it. And the end stud arm -which isn't marked-, to minimize beat error before taking apart the mov't.
That is because before refitting the balance you will inspect the mainspring to be concentric. In case it needs some correction the regulator has to be in the middle, so any outer coil reforming will be more smother and more natural so to speak.  

[clockboy]

12 hours ago, canthus said:

I work a lot on small caliber (ladies watch size) movements but still have mishaps with the balance hairspring.  These hairsprings are very fragile and easily bent and removing/replacing the balance assembly seems to be my problem.  I would like any comments on the risks of deforming the hairspring by allowing the wheel to dangle during handling.  I would also like to know if the position of the regulator arm/pins has any effect re risk of deforming the spring, should it be close to the stud or as far a possible from the stud, I normally leave it where I find it so the timing is close to what it was before dis-assembly.  Any advice on techniques etc will be much appreciated.

It is poor practice to suspend the balance for longer than necessary. Once removed I always store in a separate container. 

[jdm]

13 hours ago, jdm said:

I quietly kept using wide tips tweezers to handle cock and balance together, that hasn't ever failed me.

I must add that I do the above only with balance jewel removed, so that the upper pinion doesn't risk to be bent. And when isn't practical I briefly suspend the balance, moving slowly and carefully.

[m1ks]

Echoing the above, that is what I do as it seems the most practical and sensible thing, I see quite a few people on Youtube etc who leave the balance hanging on a tack for the duration of the disassembly and reassembly of a movement and personally figure that the best resting position for a spring is in it's natural use state, i.e. flat and concentric.
I remove as carefully as possible and where I'm able, holding both gently together, most importantly, where the balance has to be angled to fit underneath the train wheels I try to move it out of the way of those obstructions before lifting and once clear the whole assembly is inverted so that it sits resting on the cock jewel or hole if the jewel has been removed for cleaning.
I use a tack for such things as manipulating the collet on a non adjustable stud holder to set in beat and only for as long as necessary.
That said, people with much more skill and experience have said that it's perfectly acceptable to use a tack to store the balance during movement work so I don't know for certain but I work with what I feel comfortable with and try to minimise the risk of damage such as stretching and deformation.

[canthus]

Thanks for all your responses/advice.  I have been freeing the balance cock from the plate then freeing balance wheel from the escapement then gently removing altogether with tweezers. I then tun it over for safe keeping. So generally following what has been suggested.  I have not been removing the balance jewel, which is sometimes fixed so cannot be removed at this stage, so will try this next time.  My tweezers are pointed so I may try and modify an old pair to be more specifically suited for this job, i.e. with wider/flatter jaws.