Jump to content

About "The Watch Repairer’s Manual" by Henry B. Fried


Recommended Posts

Just before Christmas a WRT member recommended me the book ”Bench Practices for Watch Repairers” by Henry B. Fried. The book is widely praised and mainly covers advanced repair topics about hairsprings and jewelling but also some other stuff. So far, I’ve only read a small part of it, but it is very well written and illustrated.

Anyway, this got me interested in the book “The Watch Repairer’s Manual” by the same author. However, I couldn’t find much info about it, so I decided to take a chance and buy it on eBay for approx. $21 including shipping, and I’m glad I did. It is equally well written and illustrated and covers both fundamentals and some pretty advanced stuff. Characteristic of the author is that he is extremely precise in his language and explanations which I both enjoy and find very enlightening. For example, you can expect sentences like: “The escape wheel pinion is the last part in the train, but its wheel belongs to the escapement”.

For those of you interested in this book and want to know a bit more about it I have taken pictures of its cover, preface, and contents which follow next. I realise my post may constitute a copyright infringement, but I’m thinking that as I’m not copying any actual content, not doing it to make any profit and as I’m in fact promoting the book, my post may hopefully pass. If not, please feel free to delete it.

IMG_3410.thumb.JPG.837ce59629353183dc891d8edba4af1a.JPG

IMG_3411.thumb.JPG.02300be02c3205ee649f89f0c27e0a4f.JPG

IMG_3412.thumb.JPG.8ae36b35f0f6652137566d723e0ab78b.JPG

IMG_3413.thumb.JPG.6a947da5f5a13040227ee8a2c39887ea.JPG

IMG_3414.thumb.JPG.b64a6daf36a23abec7b4c0c143040628.JPG

IMG_3415.thumb.JPG.2ba48caa884de14124050187b6306411.JPG

IMG_3416.thumb.JPG.7469bc5588b2b3d27e4e7da8ebd419eb.JPG

IMG_3417.thumb.JPG.fbb97c50a621301a0127681736d9ef7b.JPG

IMG_3418.thumb.JPG.af016cd32b8ff1f7e2e906002b2b3db0.JPG

 

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I really like this book too, it covers a lot of ground and is very well written.

I visited the horological society of New York last year and they have Henry's old bench and some of his tools in their office! They also gave me this book while I was there.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

42 minutes ago, JBerry said:

I really like this book too, it covers a lot of ground and is very well written.

I visited the horological society of New York last year and they have Henry's old bench and some of his tools in their office! They also gave me this book while I was there.

    good show.    did you get a pic. of his bench?   vin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

That,s the best book I,ve ever read( best for watch enthusiasts).  It used to be available for loan in Waverley Public Library. Unfortunately, due to technological advancement, the book is now unavailable. Like smart watches take over mechanical ones - over times.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 2/18/2020 at 3:25 PM, watchweasol said:

All Henry B fried's books are worth a place on any ones shelf I have them on the computer as a reference along with a few others . 

May I ask how you got it on your computer? I prefer to have as many books as I can on my Kindle making all content searchable and you can easily insert bookmarks and underlinings, and so on. Plus, it's ultra portable and have a battery life of about a 2 to 4 weeks (!) depending on how much you use it. Anyway, as far as I can see it is only offered as paperback.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...
  • 1 year later...

My copy of 'The Watch Repairer's Manual by Fried, Henry B', has arrived. Purloined by my bride and I will receive it on Christmas day. Can't wait!!!

I've looked a the .pdf of the 'Electric watch repair manual' and envy the members who understand it. Goobledegook to me. Ah well. Just pleased that I am a 'mechanical' man.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/26/2023 at 4:02 PM, rossjackson01 said:

I've looked a the .pdf of the 'Electric watch repair manual' and envy the members who understand it. Goobledegook to me. Ah well. Just pleased that I am a 'mechanical' man.

Remember the early electric watches are partially mechanical so you're halfway there. It's the electric part that bothers people. The mystery parts the black box that you need test equipment To figure out what's going on you can't look at it like a mechanical watch that's the problem for most people. It definitely becomes a problem with the watches of working then they really have a problem.

On 11/26/2023 at 4:02 PM, rossjackson01 said:

Fried, Henry

Now that you have that book you can get the whole set of all of his books. Like for instance this is a really nice book to get as it has an entire section on straightening out hairsprings. But apparently comes in a whole bunch of variations CF be careful to get the right one?

image.png.64f74b36ec2e168825ff7d12cc69b88c.png

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, rossjackson01 said:

John. The 'Bench Practices' will probably be my next watch book purchase. However,  I will take some time reading the 'Manual' before I get that far. Can't wait for Christmas.

Ross, I love the 'Manual', it's my first "go to" reference. 

In comparison, there's much less in "Bench Practices", as you can see from the index. 

It's useful, but I wouldn't spend a fortune on it.

20231129_180207.thumb.jpg.8210958c38cf16bbbfcf5660240a8ea9.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, mikepilk said:

Ross, I love the 'Manual', it's my first "go to" reference. 

In comparison, there's much less in "Bench Practices", as you can see from the index. 

It's useful, but I wouldn't spend a fortune on it.

 

16 hours ago, JohnR725 said:

Like for instance this is a really nice book to get as it has an entire section on straightening out hairsprings. But apparently comes in a whole bunch of variations CF be careful to get the right one?

Sometimes my dictation software doesn't do the best job so let's try again. The book  comes in variations  are those variations importance maybe maybe not. But let's compare the table of contents  and see if it would be of it of any help at all to anyone in this discussion

So basically they're identical except  there is a  section starts on page 26 ends on page 43  it's titled Correcting the bent hairspring wonder if that would be to use?  Then much farther down something about replacing wheel chief  which  I doubt any of us would ever do I might've done it wants  sometime in my life it's the other section  that's the more interesting section is why gave you the page which explains which edition that I have  why made the reference to separate editions because?

image.png.16ea55fdd42efcf74b51ccaabeb3e2ee.png

The table of contents of this book doesn't exactly agree with  the contents itself for instance  what do we find on page  26 of my book well it looks like this

image.thumb.png.648635f9a7b9890da2e721e3e0f26259.png

Then as I scroll through the missing section of your book page 31 has something interesting on the bottom. This often comes up when people are dealing with their hairspring crisis often times in the group people say remove it from the balance wheel and it's not what's recommended it's easier to work with it when it's all together although it be easier to not to have to deal with this at all.

image.thumb.png.6ac08971051b683cebd5e6ddfb54e67f.png

Now we get the page 32 which is weird because it's section what exactly and in the next section has the exact same Number and it's almost like this section is into separate section so it was inserted at some point in time or possibly removed from the other books but it's back to my caution the book comes in variations make sure you get the right variation otherwise you're missing what I consider a really useful section on fixing distressed hairsprings.

image.thumb.png.052d9a6cf55809615925889bc623cd79.png

 

 

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The title that has the "Correcting the bent hairspring" and "Replacing wheel teeth" section is titled "Bench Practices for Watch and Clockmakers" as shown above. The other book without the two sections is titled "Bench Practices for Watch Repairers". I have both because I wanted the hairspring section. I am not sure why he had two separate books like that.

  • Like 2
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.



  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Topics

  • Posts

    • 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
    • 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. 
    • 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. 
    • 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.
    • 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...