Jump to content

Mainspring acting weird!

EatPeach
 Share

Recommended Posts

EatPeach WRT Addict

EatPeach

Posted
Posted (edited)

Hey guys. One of my non-automatic mainspring is acting weird in the barrel. It's hard to describe but the mainspring wont stop and keep winding and flexing inside the barrel.

Here's a demonstration.

image.thumb.png.986d464e149fb0bed4ffe84ec28e38af.png

 

So after the mainspring crosses the line where it should stop normally, it curl to one side of the barrel and keep winding.

What happened? How can I fix this one?

Thank you!

 

 

Edited by EatPeach
eccentric59 WRT Addict

eccentric59

Posted
Posted

Sounds like the spring was over-wound and the bridle was either bent, broken or fatigued. Have you taken the spring out and inspected the end closely? It might be time for a new mainspring.

EatPeach WRT Addict

EatPeach

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Just now, eccentric59 said:

Sounds like the spring was over-wound and the bridle was either bent, broken or fatigued. Have you taken the spring out and inspected the end closely? It might be time for a new mainspring.

Thank you, I'll take that out and chek it tomorrow morning. Is this a common issue? I just can't come out any reason how the ms is bent.

eccentric59 WRT Addict

eccentric59

Posted
Posted

I would expect over-winding a manual watch is fairly common, but what happens then would depend on how the mainspring is secured in the barrel. There are many different types. I'm guessing that you have the Swiss tongue end, which looks like, when wound too tightly, might bend and deflect the spring as you describe. A different style might simply break under those conditions.

 

endbraces4ms.jpg

  • Thanks 1
EatPeach WRT Addict

EatPeach

Posted
  • Author
Posted
1 minute ago, eccentric59 said:

I would expect over-winding a manual watch is fairly common, but what happens then would depend on how the mainspring is secured in the barrel. There are many different types. I'm guessing that you have the Swiss tongue end, which looks like, when wound too tightly, might bend and deflect the spring as you describe. A different style might simply break under those conditions.

 

endbraces4ms.jpg

yeah it's a regular swiss end. So if the bridle is bent, can I manipulate it back, just like what we do to the hairspring?

jdm Distinguished Member

jdm

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, EatPeach said:

 It's hard to describe but the mainspring wont stop and keep winding and flexing inside the barrel.

Yes it can happen with brand new, roundel-contained mainspring. The end needs to be bent just so slightly to engage the machining in barrel wall. 
I'm not sure if there is a way to find out before one closes the lid on it but certainly that's is on my due diligent list when working on the the next hand wound watch,

eccentric59 WRT Addict

eccentric59

Posted
Posted
51 minutes ago, EatPeach said:

yeah it's a regular swiss end. So if the bridle is bent, can I manipulate it back, just like what we do to the hairspring?

Maybe. If it's a relatively fresh bend with no damage to the steel then you should be able to adjust it. But, if there are any signs of fatigue, then it's going to break on you sooner than later. Better to replace it now that you have it apart, IMHO.

EatPeach WRT Addict

EatPeach

Posted
  • Author
Posted
13 hours ago, eccentric59 said:

Maybe. If it's a relatively fresh bend with no damage to the steel then you should be able to adjust it. But, if there are any signs of fatigue, then it's going to break on you sooner than later. Better to replace it now that you have it apart, IMHO.

image.thumb.png.2b0b2991777d7349691986466d16760f.pngimage.thumb.png.6903c958ed401e45634caee808be3306.pngimage.thumb.png.997cae9f96564bb7b17af50a7c1cd640.pngimage.thumb.png.2b0b2991777d7349691986466d16760f.png

looks pretty normal to me. Is it bent?

eccentric59 WRT Addict

eccentric59

Posted
Posted

Looks okay to me. I might think it should follow the contour of the barrel a little closer, but then not too much or it could slip off the stop. But, that's not your problem, right?  You're saying that when fully wound the back of the spring lifts off the barrel.

EatPeach WRT Addict

EatPeach

Posted
  • Author
Posted
1 minute ago, eccentric59 said:

Looks okay to me. I might think it should follow the contour of the barrel a little closer, but then not too much or it could slip off the stop. But, that's not your problem, right?  You're saying that when fully wound the back of the spring lifts off the barrel.

Yeah it does not slip actually. Is just the bridle and the end of the spring will not cling the barrel wall and keep wind up

eccentric59 WRT Addict

eccentric59

Posted
Posted

The reverse curve of the spring is supposed to keep the tongue pressed against the barrel. Perhaps the spring is simply too weak? (Just guessin' here).

EatPeach WRT Addict

EatPeach

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Just now, eccentric59 said:

The reverse curve of the spring is supposed to keep the tongue pressed against the barrel. Perhaps the spring is simply too weak? (Just guessin' here).

that might be possible. Let me change a new one and check the performence. I dont see any significant issue with this mainspring, I dont even know how to start it. So best to change a new one

watchweasol Distinguished Member

watchweasol

Posted
Posted

Hi Just a thought  Is this spring origional it might be a GR spring and the bridle is a bit soft, The bridle should be quite stiff (tempered) so it contacts the stop with no bending or flexing.  

saswatch88 WRT Addict

saswatch88

Posted
Posted (edited)

it seems like the spring is way to weak....a spring with correct strength for the barrel should be sitting a lot closer to the barrel wall, and the bridal should have more curvature to it which also not helping with the situation, so i would get a pair of round shank beading pliers and curve the bridle a bit more then see if it slips.

Edited by saswatch88
praezis Distinguished Member

praezis

Posted
Posted

Sounds like this is just a totally wrong mainspring.
Do barrel diameter, spring length and thickness  match?

Frank

EatPeach WRT Addict

EatPeach

Posted
  • Author
Posted
1 minute ago, praezis said:

Sounds like this is just a totally wrong mainspring.
Do barrel diameter, spring length and thickness  match?

Frank

it's an original mainspring…… Not if someone swap it and I dont know

 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Topics

  • Posts

    • JohnR725
      A lathe with indexing that won't break the bank?

      By JohnR725 · Posted

      interesting video nice to see the machine what it can do now I wonder what it costs and I'm sure it's not in my budget. Plus the video brought up questions but the website below answers the questions? What was bothering me was the size of his machine 4 mm because I thought it was bigger than that? But then it occurred to me that maybe they had variations it looks like four, seven and 10. With the seven and 10 being the best because way more tool positions in way more rotating tools. Although I bet you all the rotating tools are probably separate cost https://www.tornos.com/en/content/swissnano   Then as we been talking about Sherline. Just so that everyone's aware of this they have another division their industrial division where you can buy bits and pieces. I have a link below that shows that just in case you don't want to have the entire machine you just need bits and pieces. https://www.sherline.com/product-category/industrial-products-division/   Let's see what we can do with the concept I explained up above and bits and pieces. For one thing you can make a really tiny gear very tiny like perhaps you're going to make a watch. Then another version the center part is not separate it is all machined from one piece. Then fills gear cutting machines have gone through multiple of evolutions. A lot of it based on what he wanted to make like he was going to make a watch unfortunately eyesight issues have prevented that. Another reason why you should start projects like this much sooner when your eyesight is really good or perhaps start on watches first and then move the clocks then local we have from the industrial division? Looks like two separate motors and heads. Then it's hard to see but this entire thing is built on top of a much larger milling machine as a larger milling machine gave a very solid platform to build everything.   Then like everything else that had multiple generations are versions the indexing went through of course variations like above is one version and the one below was the last version. Now the version below I mentioned that previously and somewhere in the beginning to discussion and somebody else had one in their picture. As it is a really nice precision indexing. Then I wasn't sure if I had a the watch photos here is his unfinished watch. No he wasn't going to make a simple watch like none of his clocks were simply either what would be the challenge and that.    
    • Titanium
      Lab Coats

      By Titanium · Posted

      Use a Portwest Howie lab coat. They are the biological type so they have tapped cuffs so you don't end up getting the loose cuffs of normal lab coats catching everything. 
    • Titanium
      Chinese tools debate

      By Titanium · Posted

      Some of the Chinese tools ae great and can be purchased at a fraction of the price of Swiss ones, some are complete garbage and some I'm convinced are coming out the same factory as the branded ones.
    • caseback
      Calendar work certina 25-651

      By caseback · Posted

      I found this string about this problem. I've not gone through it all, but I believe it also mentions making a spring. If not in this string, the info is online.
    • tonydagee
      Calendar work certina 25-651

      By tonydagee · Posted

      No, I now realise it’s broken😥 ive looked for one online, but v. Expensive! im going to service as is, in the hope that  one turns up. Thank  you.
×
×
  • Create New...