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Oil jumping from Oiler to movement

Wallace

By Wallace
in Watch Repairs Help & Advice

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Wallace Member

Wallace

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Hi,

I have searched around and I can’t find an answer but today while I was oiling an old Bulova movement the oil kept jumping off my Oiler and went to the movement or parts. It was almost raining down onto it like it was attracted by static and I’ve never had this issue, although I am new. Has anyone had this problem? How do you resolve this problem? I tried demagnetizing my Oiler but that didn’t help and then I thought maybe it was a charge being built up by my mat? Or maybe it’s just because it’s very dry out right now? I was just wondering if anyone else came across this and how to resolve it. Oiling the end stones was definitely interesting today. Lots of repeated cleaning every, and once in a while I would get lucky and it wouldn’t jump onto the movement. It was almost like it was alive! 
 

thanks

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mikepilk Distinguished Member

mikepilk

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Interesting.  Could be static electricity?  If you do get charged and are holding a very fine wire, all the charge will try and earth through the end of the oiler.  It's like a lightning conductor in reverse!

Is the weather dry, and are you sitting on a synthetic seat ?  If so, every time you slide about you could be charging up.

My seat is nylon, If I slide off and touch the bathroom tap I can feel a slight spark as I earth. Shocking

 

 

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Wallace Member

Wallace

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On 3/17/2021 at 3:51 AM, oldhippy said:

You have to have a very steady hand when working on watches. What type of oiler are you using?  

My hands are plenty steady that’s not the issue and I’m using Moebius, but it was D5 and 9010 I noticed the most. It wasn’t me shaking it was literally being attracted to the movement it would come off like a thin line and I have to believe it was static since it’s raining today and I’m not having an issue. It was also small amounts, I’m doing this under a microscope. I’m wondering if there’s anyway to get rid of a static charge on a piece to prevent this. 

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watchweasol Distinguished Member

watchweasol

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Hi It’s quite probable that the clothes we wear contain man made fibres like nylon rayon etc and the atmospheric conditions were intensified leading you to charged to a degree it has affected the oil. Not knowing te composition of the oil I suspect It is synthetic which would likely make it worse. Tho only way of stopping it is use a grounding strap and mat, that way both you and the watch will be at the same potential and hopefully sort the problem.  When I was at work servicing Mainframe computers, as the machine was running tests I walked across to replace a side panel and killed the machine had to replace the whole cabinet. Found out later from the factory it had blown some components on the base board. Static can be deadly in more ways than one. 

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Wallace Member

Wallace

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On 3/17/2021 at 5:45 AM, HectorLooi said:

That's really weird. It shouldn't be due to static because your other hand would be touching the movement and would have grounded it to the same potential.

Keep us informed. This should be interesting. 

Maybe cots preventing grounding? I use them on both hands to be cautious.  If this pops up again I will take the cots off my left hand trying to ground the movement, I didn’t think of that. Thanks 

On 3/17/2021 at 5:50 AM, watchweasol said:

As OH says what type of oiler and what brand of oil are you using.

I’m using bergeon oilers 

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Wallace Member

Wallace

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38 minutes ago, watchweasol said:

Hi It’s quite probable that the clothes we wear contain man made fibres like nylon rayon etc and the atmospheric conditions were intensified leading you to charged to a degree it has affected the oil. Not knowing te composition of the oil I suspect It is synthetic which would likely make it worse. Tho only way of stopping it is use a grounding strap and mat, that way both you and the watch will be at the same potential and hopefully sort the problem.  When I was at work servicing Mainframe computers, as the machine was running tests I walked across to replace a side panel and killed the machine had to replace the whole cabinet. Found out later from the factory it had blown some components on the base board. Static can be deadly in more ways than one. 

Im using an anti-static nonslip mat but it’s cheap so I think I may upgrade. 
 

Thank you everyone for your replies I will definitely try several of these suggestions and see if it occurs again. Now that the winter is almost over it hopefully will not be an issue for a while with less dry air conditions. I was wondering if anyone in arid areas had this issue and at least one other person did so I know I’m not crazy.

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mikepilk Distinguished Member

mikepilk

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If its friction from your seat, lightly spray it with water. Earth yourself on a radiator or tap before using the oiler. If you are wearing shoes with rubber soles they prevent you earthing to the ground. You could sit with your feet in a bucket of water ?

Edited by mikepilk
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