Baby steps for a novice, and lessons learned.

[chadman]

Good evening all,

I've been working thus far on antique junk pocket watch movements which for all but a couple of examples, were missing parts.  This was to get comfortable learning how to use the tools and dis-and then assemble, etc.

I recently decided to gravitate in the other direction regarding size and began working on non-working micro watches.  The 30's era ladies wristwatches, the ones you can put the movement on a quarter with room to spare.  This was and remains quite a challenge.  I use an Optivisor #5 with an attached loupe for working on watches and with those small watches the loupe is used a lot.  I started with a couple watches I knew didn't work at all and did not get them working.  The third one I did, very weakly.  It gets a little discouraging to find that pivots are broken off, or pallet jewel is broken or whatever.  I don't have the tools to replace those.  Yet! 

Lessons learned:  Take pics.  Take more pics. Use something to provide a soft impact zone when pushing out a taper pin (ask me how I know...I never found it).  A microscope is a good thing, especially on those small movements.  Don't use force, even if G.I. Joe has been in there previously using a pneumatic drill to tighten up those screws.  Oil is your friend there.  Attach the set lever when putting in the set lever screw if a bridge goes over the screw.  Think about how the dial comes off if it doesn't have conventional dial feet like a pocket watch has (this was new to me not having worked on wristwatches yet).  Don't forget to put away the hand removers and start using one as a screwdriver.  There seems to be a learning curve to everything, even sharpening screwdrivers.  Don't multi-task when holding a screw slightly larger than a grain of sand!  I've learned I have a lot more to learn.

I'm not dropping screws or parts much, taper pin notwithstanding, and surprisingly to me, even with my slight tremor I can still manage the parts well enough most of the time.  I've got serious money into this now, with more tools I'll want to buy at some point.  I'm very good at hand cleaning I think.  I have an ultrasonic but still hand clean.  I need someone to smack me on the head and say, "Idiot!" from time to time to teach me what I've done wrong, but I say it aloud to myself anyway.  I've used polywatch and it works great.  Have not used my crystal press yet but will soon I think, as I picked up a batch of NOS crystals on ebay, cheap.  I'm still trying to figure out how to remove the hairspring when there's no boot or eccentric screw to turn and the curb pins can't seemingly be moved.  Surely it wasn't designed to have the curb pins manually spread to remove the hairspring, or maybe it comes out once the stud is freed?  I've not tried that yet on the movements which don't have the boot and curb pin. I have a balance I can test it on as I stupidly put one of those tiny balances in one dip and let go of the spring.  As I pulled the balance out I didn't think to try to capture the spring and the drag of the spring through the one dip lengthened the spring!  That goes under "lessons learned."  So I'm learning, I'm having fun, I haven't damaged anything of value but I haven't properly fixed anything yet either.  Progress?

Thanks for reading. 

chadman

[Klassiker]

As long as you stick at it, with your enthusiasm you will make progress. With structured learning you will so even better. Have you thought about taking Mark's courses for example?

[clockboy]

Welcome enjoy the forum.

[watchweasol]

Hi welcome to the forum  You have the tenacity to succeed, It get better the more you do.

1612608791_ToolsfortheHobbyist.pdf

[LittleWatchShop]

8 hours ago, chadman said:

even with my slight tremor

One trick I saw on a video...when screwing in a screw, use a pair of tweezers to hold the the shaft of the screwdriver to stabilize it.  This addresses the shakes as well as the tendency to exert too much pressure causing any number of adverse events.  I dont do this all the time, but during some critical times.

[chadman]

Have you thought about taking Mark's courses for example?

Thanks, and yes, his is the online course I took.  I just recently completed level 3.  They were very good courses for me.

[Klassiker]

10 hours ago, chadman said:

I'm still trying to figure out how to remove the hairspring when there's no boot or eccentric screw to turn and the curb pins can't seemingly be moved.

If you post a picture and a movement i.d. someone will be sure to know.