Regulator arm tool

[HectorLooi]

Is it just me or do any of you also experience difficulty making fine adjustments of the regulator arm and hairspring stud position arm. Some of these are so stiff that when you apply enough force to overcome the static friction, it moves more than intended.

Recently I made 2 tools that are a tremendous help to me. The 1st one is made from an old screwdriver. The 2nd one is made from an old iron nail. I just put the regulator between the fork of the tool and torque it. I can look at the screen of the timegrapher while making adjustments, without fear of slipping and damaging the hairspring.

[KarlvonKoln]

This is pretty clever.  It may be better than what I do.  What I came up with was taking a small bamboo skewer and placing the tip upon the scale, on one side of the regulator, and just rolling it a tiny bit in the direction I want to push it.  But that takes some serious fine-motor control.

[watchweasol]

Hi   Nice one Hector, another one out of the box.  The simplest ideas are the best

[Nucejoe]

I use a similar tool to push etachron regulator pin out of reg slot.

[HectorLooi]

I made something like that before too. But it is size specific. Rather than making different sizes, I made a spear point tool with a rhomboid cross sectional profile out of an old screwdriver. I just drop ot into the hole behind the stud and rotate. And the etachron stud pops out. I saw it a couple of days ago when I was looking for something else, but I couldn't find it now to get a photo of it. ( a senior moment  )

I tend to make a lot of my own tools. I'm thinking of making something to get those pesky Timex winding stems out.

I should start a post asking members to show their homemade tools.

[Klassiker]

Could you show the tools in use, please?

[ThrobinsonCrusoe]

Great idea, perhaps a spring bar tool could work for this? I've just been using a piece of pegwood sharpened in a pencil sharpener.

[KarlvonKoln]

On 7/15/2020 at 9:41 PM, HectorLooi said:

I made a spear point tool with a rhomboid cross sectional profile out of an old screwdriver. I just drop ot into the hole behind the stud and rotate. And the etachron stud pops out. 

I tend to make a lot of my own tools. I'm thinking of making something to get those pesky Timex winding stems out.

I should start a post asking members to show their homemade tools.

Let me know when you make the Timex tool.  I have an old Timex back at my childhood home in Mansfield that I would like to work on. 

Aside from the usual sharpening and reshaping of screwdriver bits, and purpose-driven altering of other tools, I actually have made my own bent-tip brass tweezers.  And I constructed a four-post movement holder that can adjust down to hold smaller than a size #0 "ladies" pocket watch movement, or can be cranked way out to hold a larger travel alarm movement, and has a set screw so that once it's adjusted for a gentle grip I tighten the screw to hold it exactly there - so it won't get tighter or looser until I undo it.  It's an ugly assemblage of steampunk-looking brackets and brass, but it's solid and works pretty nice for me.

[HectorLooi]

47 minutes ago, KarlvonKoln said:

Aside from the usual sharpening and reshaping of screwdriver bits, and purpose-driven altering of other tools, I actually have made my own bent-tip brass tweezers.  And I constructed a four-post movement holder that can adjust down to hold smaller than a size #0 "ladies" pocket watch movement, or can be cranked way out to hold a larger travel alarm movement, and has a set screw so that once it's adjusted for a gentle grip I tighten the screw to hold it exactly there - so it won't get tighter or looser until I undo it.  It's an ugly assemblage of steampunk-looking brackets and brass, but it's solid and works pretty nice for me.

Some pictures would be nice. Thanks.

[HectorLooi]

1 hour ago, KarlvonKoln said:

Let me know when you make the Timex tool.  I have an old Timex back at my childhood home in Mansfield that I would like to work on. 

I had an idea a couple of days ago. It was so simple that you can make it yourself. By putting a fulcrum on the inside jaws of a pair of tweezers and squeezing above this point, the jaws will open up. This will open up the retaining clip on the winding stem and allow the stem to be pulled out.

[KarlvonKoln]

1 hour ago, HectorLooi said:

Some pictures would be nice. Thanks.

Sure thing.  First pic is the brass tweezers.  Next are two pics of the movement holder mounted to a "helping hand" base, (first - closed in small, second - expanded out to about travel alarm size) which I usually clamp down.  Like I say, it's not that pretty.  But it's more versatile than my other movement holders.  And mounted on this base, it raises the movement up away from the table and closer to my eyes.  

[KarlvonKoln]

And Hector, I like the fulcrum idea.  I am going to try that, once I can get hold of the old Timex.

[JerseyMo]

5 hours ago, HectorLooi said:

 had an idea a couple of days ago. It was so simple that you can make it yourself. By putting a fulcrum on the inside jaws of a pair of tweezers and squeezing above this point, the jaws will open up. This will open up the retaining clip on the winding stem and allow the stem to be pulled out.

here is the tool I made for both removing and installing the stem crown on the older mode 21 and 22 US Time Timex movement. It is not more than an old dental pick. To remove the stem, you must lift the set lever up. and to reinstall you must lift , seat stem and than push set lever.  it works every time!

Edited July 20, 2020 by JerseyMo