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Brand New to Watch Repair

standarsh

By standarsh
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standarsh Member

standarsh

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Have never done watch repair before.  But I consider myself very handy and DIY as much as I can.  I restore and sell Mid Century furniture, and came across a Borel Kaileidoscope that I wish to repair, so I have joined here.  Wanted to make this intro post before diving in.  Any "sticky" threads I should read or intro articles regarding setting up a spot to work/tools?  I believe in doing things once, and the right way.

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Klassiker Distinguished Member

Klassiker

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You appear to have slipped through the Oldhippy / Nucejoe net, but you are just as welcome as all the other new members! You have come to the right place for friendly, helpful advice. There are some real experts on here who are very patient and willing to help the keen amateurs like us. Definitely read the stickies on screwdrivers and tweezers in the tools and equipment, as  you will need good ones right from the start. There are some good threads on workspaces and benches if you use the search function. It's important to have a dedicated area. Here's mine:DSC02081.thumb.JPG.a4afce98985bf6bd7774550909d1e417.JPG

Done on a budget, it's an Ikea bookcase, with an LED strip light fitted in the back. I open the doors and use them as elbow rests. As you can see, space is limited and gets cluttered easily, but for hobby use it is OK.

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watchweasol Distinguished Member

watchweasol

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Welcome to the forum, as with many hobbies you need the right advise in setting up etc, so I would point you in the direction of Mark's Videos as a starter for you to watch and see what its all about. They are comprehensive and instructional. A good selection of books, When buying tools, at this stage buy the best you can afford to do the job then trade up as skill levels increase. Start out with cheap watches that wont break the bank or your heart if you ruin one or two. Most of all enjoy it, Help is always close at hand if need be.  Cheers

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standarsh Member

standarsh

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12 hours ago, watchweasol said:

Welcome to the forum, as with many hobbies you need the right advise in setting up etc, so I would point you in the direction of Mark's Videos as a starter for you to watch and see what its all about. They are comprehensive and instructional. A good selection of books, When buying tools, at this stage buy the best you can afford to do the job then trade up as skill levels increase. Start out with cheap watches that wont break the bank or your heart if you ruin one or two. Most of all enjoy it, Help is always close at hand if need be.  Cheers

Thanks!

 

My heart will certainly be broken if I break this Borel Cocktail, but I am not working on the movement, just adding the missing "seconds dial"

 

Are there any good vintage/mechanical watches that are cheao to say buy a few of on ebay to practice on?  I really like those vostok ones mentioned in another article but all shipping is from russia, is there an american equivalent or a domestic supplier?

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standarsh Member

standarsh

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12 hours ago, watchweasol said:

Welcome to the forum, as with many hobbies you need the right advise in setting up etc, so I would point you in the direction of Mark's Videos as a starter for you to watch and see what its all about. They are comprehensive and instructional. A good selection of books, When buying tools, at this stage buy the best you can afford to do the job then trade up as skill levels increase. Start out with cheap watches that wont break the bank or your heart if you ruin one or two. Most of all enjoy it, Help is always close at hand if need be.  Cheers

Where Can I find Marks Videos?  Maybe Im out of line by even asking but is the harbor freight tool kit acceptable to practice with before upgrading?

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jdm Distinguished Member

jdm

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8 hours ago, standarsh said:

 I really like those Vostok ones mentioned in another article but all shipping is from russia, is there an american equivalent or a domestic supplier?

On Ebay you can restrict the search by country, but it's perfectly normal to trade internationattly espcially considering these are Russian watches. Shipping cost is specified in the auction, and you do not pay taxes or fees of any sort.

8 hours ago, standarsh said:

Where Can I find Marks Videos?  Maybe Im out of line by even asking but is the harbor freight tool kit acceptable to practice with before upgrading?

On YouTube, like most videos on the planet: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7vSOnpUocYq0z8oiYFk0zQ

The kits are OK for opening and closing (most) cases and little more and generally pretty poor quality, maybe they include with an assortment of spring bars. But anything is better than nothing to begin with.

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watchweasol Distinguished Member

watchweasol

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Hi As jdm has mentioned the best place for videos is Utube, Marks have the watch repair logo Mark Lovick is the man.  As for Kits I think best avoided as they are usually bundled with useless bits, Best buy seperate have a look for a beginners list on the web =. If I can find one I will post it.  When buying tools buy the best you can afford at the moment and If you decide this is the hobby for you then start trading up to better tools.  cheers

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