Jump to content

Hi from Geelong, Australia

Michael1962

By Michael1962
in Introduce Yourself Here

 Share

Recommended Posts

Michael1962 Distinguished Member

Michael1962

Posted
Posted

Hi everyone,

This is something I always wanted to get into and my Seiko 7016-8001 chronograph just stopping (among a raft of other issues) has only made me want to do this even more. I won't be starting with my watch. It will be going to a repairer in NSW who I have spoken to who has told me that he can do it. The repairers that the watch was sent to via the only shop that we have near where I live have not even opened the watch. Even Seiko who I called said no after I told them the calibre(?) number from the caseback. Both have just simply said 'Cannot be repaired.' Not the right thing to say to someone like myself who has rebuilt all sorts of things in my life.

I am not sure if I want to start collecting watches or clocks, but who knows where this will lead?

I am 57, oops 58 now. Is that too late to be looking at picking up a hobby such as this? I have been scouring the internet looking at things, videos and have ended up here.

Mark looks to be incredibly accomplished. I have also been perusing his courses as trying to work out which tools to consider/not consider is all a bit overwhelming so no doubt his courses make those suggestions as they go.

Anyway, hope to learn things.

Michael.

522910700_watchcopy.thumb.jpg.b647ae7c32c6708a7d010b671c8a491b.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 5 months later...
Michael1962 Distinguished Member

Michael1962

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

I didn't want to start a new topic, but I thought I would show you what I did this afternoon.

First thing I did was solder up an 8 pin mini Din plug to cable. Used my new smooth jaw pliers and they worked well.

Then I pulled this apart and fixed it.switch.thumb.jpg.9647bb4e7e647b558f2387fddc18a829.jpg

5mm square and 1.4mm thick. It's a momentary tactile switch from an LED light that I have. For working on the car, but will be using it to light the work area I am setting up at the moment. Used the bent nose smooth jaw pliers, an X-Acto knife and my new pointy nose tweezers.

Used the knife to get the tabs of the cover open from the plastic body. Then used some acetone and the knife to clean the contacts. Then cleaned the 3mm diameter spring/contact. Took the brass button out with its plastic insulator. Cleaned all that and then used the tweezers to put the top back together. Put the disc spring/contact back in then put the base back into the top. Gently used a pair of pliers to ease the metal sides back into place then squeezed down the tabs to secure it all.

It now works as it should. And I did it without a magnifier.

Why? Because I didn't want to buy 100 from India just to get one new one.

I looked at what I did and given the size, I reckon after I get my clocks sorted out, I'm going to look more seriously at Mark's course.

I don't know many people in Australia that still have analog watches. I don't know why because I much prefer the look of an analog watch. I think some of the smart watches that are on the market should be called ugly watches. Would be much more accurate.

Just had my 31st anniversary with the my wife. She bought me a pocket watch. Had it engraved. It's a quartz, but I love it.

Edited by Michael1962
  • Like 1
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.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing


  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Topics

  • Posts

    • nevenbekriev
      Is this a 'hack' ?

      By nevenbekriev · Posted

      OK, welcome in the world of alarm clocks... I guess the 4th wheel is dished because it is from another movement. If it was not dishet, then it would not mesh with the pinion of the escape wheel, am I right? The marks of wear on the 4th wheel pinion doesn't corespond to the 3th wheel table position, at list this is what i see on the picts. Calculating the rate is easy - there is a formula - BR = T2 x T3 x T4 x T5 x 2 /(P3 x P4 x P5) where T2 - T5 are the counts of the teeth of the wheels tables, and P3 - P5 are the counts of the pinion leaves. Vibrating the balance is easy - grasp for the hairspring where it should stay in the regulator with tweasers, let the balance hang on the hairspring while the downside staff tip rests on glass surface. Then make the balance oscillate and use timer to measure the time for let say 50 oscillations, or count the oscillations for let say 30 seconds. You must do the free oscillations test to check the balance staff tips and the cone cup bearings for wear. This kind of staffs wear and need resharpening to restore the normal function of the balance.
    • RichardHarris123
      Any tips to correct a sloppy error?

      By RichardHarris123 · Posted

      Glue a nut to the barrel lid, insert a bolt, pull, disolve the glue.  Maybe someone will have a better answer. 
    • mikepilk
      Setting lever spring

      By mikepilk · Posted

      The stress is the force (on the spring) x distance. The maximum stress is at the bottom, and decreases up the arm. That's why they always break at the bottom. I used a round file, then something like 2000 grit to finish. I gave the rest of the arm a quick polish - no need for a perfect finish. Just make sure there are no 'notches' left from cutting/filing. The notches act like the perforations in your toilet paper 🤣
    • Geotex
      Any tips to correct a sloppy error?

      By Geotex · Posted

      It's probably a cardinal rule for watch repair to never get distracted while at the bench. Yesterday, after finishing a tricky mainspring winding/barrel insertion (I didn't have a winder and arbor that fit very well) I mentally shifted down a gear once that hurdle was passed. There were other things going on in the room as I put the barrel and cover into the barrel closer and pressed to get that satisfying snap. But when I took it out I realized I never placed the arbor.  When opening a barrel, we are relying on the arbor to transfer a concentrically-distributed force right where it is needed at the internal center of the lid. However, when that isn't present it's difficult to apply pressure or get leverage considering the recessed position of the lid, the small holes in the barrel and the presence of the mainspring coils. It was a beat-up practice movement so I didn't take a lot of time to think it over and I pushed it out using a short right-angle dental probe placed in from the bottom, but that did leave a bit of a scratch and crease in the thin lid. I had also thought about pulling it using a course-threaded screw with a minor thread diameter smaller than the lid hole and a major diameter larger, but that may have done some damage as well.  Thinking about how this might have been handled had it been a more valuable movement, is there a method using watchmaking or other tools that should extract the lid with the least damage? 
    • Neverenoughwatches
      Epilame / Fixodrop

      By Neverenoughwatches · Posted

      🤔 what happens if lubrication is placed directly on top of epilame ? Making a small groove so the lubrication doesn't spread across the component but what if when lubing a little overspills and sits on the epilame .
×
×
  • Create New...