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Anyone good at lathe work?

Alastair

By Alastair
in Watch Repairs Help & Advice

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Alastair WRT Addict

Alastair

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I have a problem. Ive got this Slava Transistor watch--the one the Russians ripped off in the 60's of the American Bulova Accutron 214....

Its a fairly close match,-- visually they look identical, quite an achievement IMO...

My issue is this. Its third wheel has a rusted off pivot, fairly common on the Accutron version due to moisture or batt leaks and there's fair evidence of a leak in this one..

The Accutron 3rd wheel wont fit--2nd Moscow Watch Co (Slava, Seconda, Vostock etc) in their infinite wisdom made their staff smaller in diameter than the Americans, no idea why... My only solutions as trying to find a correct good third for this mega-oddball are near impossible, are-

1/ machine down Accutron third wheel pivots....

2/ Replace the jewels but dont know if plate holes are the same size and I dont have the equipment to deal with jewel replacement anyway.

So--Anyone good with the watchmakers lathe fancy having a look?

Edited by Alastair
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nickelsilver Distinguished Member

nickelsilver

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I've repivoted Accutron wheels before, probably the best route for you. I've read that not only the pivots are different but the wheels themselves are slightly different, enough that they don't interchange even with resized pivots. These are apparently exceedingly rare- one source I saw says around 1000 made.

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Shane WRT Addict

Shane

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Sorry, I also do not have a watchmakers lathe, YET.  Just spitballing as to why they might be different sizes.  From my experience, companies and even countries use "standards" in manufacturing.  Standards reduce development, as well as, production time and the associated costs of bringing a product to market.  Not just because similar functions get similar solutions, directly reducing their inventory but it eliminates most of the decision making and reducing the associated tooling involved not to mention warehouse space.  If there isn't a compelling reason for doing something different, having a plan already in place certainly helps.

Shane

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vinn3 Distinguished Member

vinn3

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16 hours ago, Alastair said:

Well,--I had a lathe many years ago, Not a watchmakers one, but as you say it takes a lot of time and lots of bad language till you get it....

--Even then you never stop  learning...

     when i was a kid,  there was a pocket book,  "how to run a _ _ _ _ lathe". a compound lathe,  it helped me get into the aprentis ship.   i still have the book.    vin

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vinn3 Distinguished Member

vinn3

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18 minutes ago, watchweasol said:

Hi  I have 3 lathes and just about capable of using them not to any degree of being a machinist turn up the odd shaft and the like the fingers and hands getting stiff.

    good show,   age and wisdom,  keep collecting.  vin

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Alastair WRT Addict

Alastair

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7 hours ago, nickelsilver said:

I've repivoted Accutron wheels before, probably the best route for you.

Hi--The fact you mention that the wheels are not interchangeable ddoesnt really surprise me. Nothing much does seem to be exactly the same.

I dunno why they did that--Make a not exact clone, Ithought it would have been easier to make accurate copy....

Would you fancy repivoting this 3rd wheel I have? Beer tokens offered.....

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