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Hand pipe tightener

Graziano

By Graziano
in Tools & Equipment

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Graziano WRT Addict

Graziano

Posted
Posted (edited)

This is a great tool for tightening pipe hands on vintage watches and especially the centre seconds hands on 7750 chrono and reshape centre seconds hands on seiko 6138 and 6319 movements so you can repush hands on back at zero. Even short pipe. Just pick a collet, place it into the tightener and turn screw slowly, rotate hand and repeat. And presto you can now push tight hands back on. From .4mm to 2.6mm

 

 

IMG_20201101_102558.jpg

IMG_20201101_102314.jpg

Edited by Graziano
Space at. 4mm
jdm Distinguished Member

jdm

Posted
Posted

For completness, the high price mentioned above is currently GBP 505 before VAT (where due). Consider spending the same or less for some precision lathe collets and chuck. 

rodabod Distinguished Member

rodabod

Posted
Posted

I do use a lathe chuck for the same purpose. But it would be nice to have one of those pipe tighteners as they do have advantages - the large surface plate lets you ensure the hand (or winding crown) remain flat as they can become distorted when tightening, and the chucks supplied also have flush ends rather than being domed. 
It may also have a finer thread for tightening which may give better control. 
Still too pricey for me though. 

  • Like 1
nickelsilver Distinguished Member

nickelsilver

Posted
Posted

I just bought one of these, 20 something years in as a professional, used either the lathe and collets or pinvices that take Schaublin P4.5 collets (have a bunch) all this time, but given the number of chronos I do figured the auction price will pay for itself in a year then I get 2 decades of free use till I retire. Then back on Ebay. I'll start it at 1 buck in 2040, haha.

  • Like 2
Graziano WRT Addict

Graziano

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14 hours ago, Watchtime said:

amazing tool...but a bit pricey for me

Hi Mr Watchtime yes very pricey. I should go to the boutique watch stores here in Australia and see what they have done with their seconds hands. Pick them up and retighten them and sell them back to them. Maybe pay for itself. ?

Graziano WRT Addict

Graziano

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Posted
12 hours ago, watchweasol said:

A professional tool but probably a bit out of the range of the hobbyist who w ould  not do enough to justify the cost,  but as a tool junkie  Nice.

Hi Mr watchweasol your correct, but it is very nice tool and extremely handy for vintage watch resto, I like to make sure original hands are tight. It's also great to sit back and look at it. (that's the tool junkie bit) ?

Graziano WRT Addict

Graziano

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12 hours ago, oldhippy said:

Bergeon love taking your hard earned cash. 

Hi Mr oldhippy sometimes I have to bite the bullet, and they obviously know it. But nobody else makes a tool like it. Anyway if you like I can rent it to you ?

Graziano WRT Addict

Graziano

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Posted
10 hours ago, jdm said:

For completness, the high price mentioned above is currently GBP 505 before VAT (where due). Consider spending the same or less for some precision lathe collets and chuck. 

Hi Mr jdm, I got mine for nearly 200 pounds cheaper than that, but yes you could use collets in lathe. But I guess it's like everything, you pay for convenience. ?

Graziano WRT Addict

Graziano

Posted
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Posted
9 hours ago, rodabod said:

I do use a lathe chuck for the same purpose. But it would be nice to have one of those pipe tighteners as they do have advantages - the large surface plate lets you ensure the hand (or winding crown) remain flat as they can become distorted when tightening, and the chucks supplied also have flush ends rather than being domed. 
It may also have a finer thread for tightening which may give better control. 
Still too pricey for me though. 

Hi Mr rodabod, for even more control there is an allan key that fits into the middle of the tightening knob for very small controlled movement 

Graziano WRT Addict

Graziano

Posted
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Posted
2 hours ago, nickelsilver said:

I just bought one of these, 20 something years in as a professional, used either the lathe and collets or pinvices that take Schaublin P4.5 collets (have a bunch) all this time, but given the number of chronos I do figured the auction price will pay for itself in a year then I get 2 decades of free use till I retire. Then back on Ebay. I'll start it at 1 buck in 2040, haha.

Hi Mr nickelsilver I do believe it will pay for itself. 

oldhippy Distinguished Member

oldhippy

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, Graziano said:

Hi Mr oldhippy sometimes I have to bite the bullet, and they obviously know it. But nobody else makes a tool like it. Anyway if you like I can rent it to you ?

Ha Ha Ha, thanks but no thanks I retired from Watch Clock/making back in the second half of the 80's due to poor health. 

Graziano WRT Addict

Graziano

Posted
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Posted (edited)
2 hours ago, oldhippy said:

Ha Ha Ha, thanks but no thanks I retired from Watch Clock/making back in the second half of the 80's due to poor health. 

But still your contribution to the industry lives on and on, good stuff. But still you don't have to use it, you can just look at it. 

Edited by Graziano
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  • Haha 1
praezis Distinguished Member

praezis

Posted
Posted

I use this for chronograph hands:

hands_press1.jpg.1880715e13e486b725c47d01ae587f4a.jpg

hands_press2.jpg.c7c84e025c98baf723c21daadc6b8a95.jpg

Made from a small pinvice, it works sensitive, fast, repeatable and takes least room in the drawer ?

With the Bergeon tool I am concerned if the procedure will be durable. It makes a small constriction on the tube and does not narrow the whole tube - what I learn from its description and drawing.

Frank

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Graziano WRT Addict

Graziano

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7 minutes ago, praezis said:

I use this for chronograph hands:

hands_press1.jpg.1880715e13e486b725c47d01ae587f4a.jpg

hands_press2.jpg.c7c84e025c98baf723c21daadc6b8a95.jpg

Made from a small pinvice, it works sensitive, fast, repeatable and takes least room in the drawer ?

With the Bergeon tool I am concerned if the procedure will be durable. It makes a small constriction on the tube and does not narrow the whole tube - what I learn from its description and drawing.

Frank

Hi there Praezis, that's a handy second hands tool you have, as you say doesn't take up much room. The bergeon tool is made for tightening the whole pipe of hands and you can also tighten crown pipes and case tubes. Here is a photo of inside the smallest collet 0.40mm. The tube section where the hand fits is about 4mm long 

IMG_20201103_200222.jpg

Graziano WRT Addict

Graziano

Posted
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Posted
11 hours ago, praezis said:

Hi Graziano,
did they change the collets design?

I was referring to this info from my Bergeon catalog:

hand_press3.jpg.7d0e9669cad0cd57f01f1ec05296778d.jpg

Frank

Hi Frank, looks like they have changes the design, this tool is the newest version and it will tighten the length of the pipe. Especially good for Seiko 6138 chronograph, to be able to use the same centre seconds hand. You need to round and tighten the tube to place back at zero. Also flyback chronograph, and any other hand. Cheers Frank 

  • 4 years later...
Malocchio WRT Addict

Malocchio

Posted
Posted

I'm using Horia type tool with Seitz cannon pinion bits for tightening seconds hand tubes. I tought the Seiko chrono hand tube breaks easily if you try to reshape it. 

Neverenoughwatches Distinguished Member

Neverenoughwatches

Posted
Posted (edited)
2 hours ago, Malocchio said:

I'm using Horia type tool with Seitz cannon pinion bits for tightening seconds hand tubes. I tought the Seiko chrono hand tube breaks easily if you try to reshape it. 

Chrono hands are often made tight to overcome their start stop and flyback jarring. I have the Seitz hand and tube closers but for hour hands. For seconds hand tube tightening I use a fine good quality pin vice. Take it slow, closing too much results in the awkwardness of broaching out a blind hole.

Another option if you own a lathe , close the tube in a collet, tricky with a small hand. 

Or this that clamps 0.25, or a hairspring collet closer. Give me ten mins and I'll have some other ideas 🤷‍♂️

Screenshot_20241218-195554_eBay.jpg

Edited by Neverenoughwatches

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