Timegrapher, Demagnetizer and Ultrasonic Cleaner...When to Purchase

[Imparatus]

Hi, 

Just getting into watchmaking/repair as a hobby, and I have most of the tools and practice movements I'll need. My question is about timing (no pun intended) of purchase of a Timegrapher, Demagnetizer and Ultrasonic Cleaner. My plan is to practice on the movements, taking them apart, lubricating and reassembling repeatedly until I can begin to amass enough skill to begin to work on cheap and/or damaged watches, slowly building up to purchasing non-working, older, eventually vintage, watches and repairing/restoring. However, I'm just at the beginning stages, so my question is: Is it worth it to grab a timegrapher and demag now, and wait for the ultrasonic cleaner, should I wait on all of them, or should I grab them all as I will want to clean and relube my practice movements.

Thanks!

Imp

[JohnR725]

1 hour ago, Imparatus said:

Is it worth it to grab a timegrapher and demag

you left out an important detail by the way? A lot of this depends upon where you live..

One of the recommendations I like to give beginners is purchasing a brand-new 6497  Chinese clone  as the Swiss originals too expensive in the clone works just fine.. Then you definitely want a timegrapher iin the beginning there very cheap now compared to what they once cost either the Chinese 1000 or the 1900 are both excellent machines. So if you have a new timing machine  and a new watch  you can llearn how to properly time things on the machine. You can look at your brand-new watch see how it functions. Then you can taken apart  and put it back together  and put it back on the timing machine and see if it still functions. Timing machines are more than just timing their diagnostic devices. There's so many questions newbies ask where if they just a timing machine it would help narrow the problem down considerably. Does not like you can hold the watch to your four head and absorb the knowledge of its problems you need  ways of doing diagnostics.

Then unfortunately magnetized watches don't run well  they will have issues.

aa unfortunate problem with watch repair is that is a heck of a lot of specialty tools that sooner or later would be really nice to have.. As long a basic tools you have to have.  Then when you get in the lubrication  is some of those are nice to have an they're not exactly cheap  so this isn't exactly a really cheap hobby.

 

[Imparatus]

Thanks for the reply!

I live in the US and I do have most of the stuff I need. I do have a full set of Moebius greases and oils as well. Looking at the 1900 for a while now, so I'll probably pick that up. As I said, I have a pretty good set of tools including hand levers, Presto Tools, Bergeon Screwdrivers, Dumont tweezers, loupes and other magnifiers, movement bed, Bergeon hand oilers and pots, Bergeon movement-holder, pith and peg wood, Rodico, etc, etc, etc.

I have a couple of Seagull 6498s and a Seagul 2824-2 to practice destroying....er.....assembling and reassembling.