Jump to content

Elma Watch Cleaning Machine


Recommended Posts

I love those old machines. The wiring is very simple since they didn't use any electronic components, just a few switches and a rheostat to control the speed. I am currently rewiring an L&R from the 60's and there isn't a whole lot to it.

 

I am also working on a microprocessor circuit to automatically alternate the direction of the motor, similar to a varimatic.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

It's the same as mine , the motor spins clockwise and anti clockwise automatically you can adjust the time there are 2 speed settings and the base rotates with the dryer heating in the 4th position

B84ECB23-7FF7-4AAD-90EC-23657F710BE8_zps

Do you think its good for cleaning and how old would you say they are.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Wow what a tread….

I've just bought a Elma Super Elite on Ebay for just 117, - Euro inclusive shipping.
The only thing that does not work is the heating element, but this i find easily on eBay for pennies!
Includes no baskets and basket frame, but I have ordered a complete new set (basket, frame and holder) from Pearl Tools in India for just 30 USD + shipping!

1.jpg
Although the machine I bought is quite nice I would probably still restoring it. For this I have some things I want to ask!

1. Have any of you who own such a machine measured how warm it is in the drying chamber?

2. Is there a thermostat in front of the heating element?

3. For how many watt heating element is?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 = about 60 degrees after half an hour

2 = no

3 = 10 to 20 watt estimated

The motor has an capacitor to minimize the elektromagnetic interference on old radio's (AM). The old one has tar insulation, which easely make an shortcut. You can remove it.

The speed of the motor depends on an potentiometer which will give some heating of the frame.

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, Kraai said:

1 = about 60 degrees after half an hour

2 = no

3 = 10 to 20 watt estimated

The motor has an capacitor to minimize the elektromagnetic interference on old radio's (AM). The old one has tar insulation, which easely make an shortcut. You can remove it.

The speed of the motor depends on an potentiometer which will give some heating of the frame.

 

Omg, thats long time for 60 degrees but 10 - 20 W is not much. Think i will step it up a bit, think 100 - 200W is better, maybe a Ceramic Cartridge Wire Heater Heating Element will do the job. A PID Controller  will keep the heating temp. stable and i think a Over Heat thermostat will do the last trick. Just in case…. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To be honest my Elma serves me very well in bog standard trim. Although the power of the heater isn't huge, it is more than adequate.

I switch the heater on when I start the cleaning cycle, and then off when the basket goes into the dryer. That is more than enough time for the chamber to reach an appropriate temperature, and switching it off at the start of the drying cycle ensures that the parts don't over heat. Five minutes spinning in the chamber even with the heater off and the basket is still too warm to hold on to comfortably provided it has had 20 minutes or so to heat up during the cleaning cycle. 

It achieves the required result without getting over complicated, which is one of the charms of the basic Elma.

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.




  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Topics

  • Posts

    • None of the pros here will agree that knocking a staff out is a good idea however it is carried out. After cutting one out i can now see why, in this case this morning the staff rivet was thick and sunk in deep on the balance wheel, i seemed to be cutting it forever, i had to stop twice to re-sharpen the graver and wondered when the wheel would become free, maybe why i caught the wheel, i was beginning to get impatient, it took a lot longer than i thought it would do.
    • I probably will open the watch eventually and when I do I’ll post pictures of the movement. It should be possible to figure out what grade it is once I’m able to take a look at it.   Given the positional variation and the daily rates I’m seeing at full wind, it’s hard to believe it’s a top grade movement though. I’ve seen others talk about SW200-1 movements claiming very high accuracies that are often significantly better than COSC standards.
    • Hello and welcome from Leeds, England. 
    • Expat in Argentina.   Forced into "retirement" - too old, too foreign. Been watching a ton of videos and I have always loved LOVED pocket watches since I saw my first one. I might get into wrist watches - wife wants to see if I can fix her grandmother's watch, it'll be a while before I am comfortable with that.    Found an inexpensive tool kit here, not the best of tools, but starter stuff.    I am never shy about asking for help, a master in my trade - and have always learned from apprentices, zero ego.   Thanks for having me.  
    • Personally, I would be wary of re-pinning the stud and make the hairspring longer to compensate for the watch running fast, because it is more than likely the balance that has had weight taken from it when the poise screws have been shaved and removed weight from the balance which naturally will increase the timing, thus the index being all the way to one side to slow the balance down, Re-pinning the hairspring is going to change the pinning up point (where the spring passes between the regulator pins), but may also change the vibration rate of the spring slightly, which isn't the correct way to slow things down, unless it was incorrect to begin with, but to know that for sure you'll need a hairspring vibrating tool. This method will increase the timing, but I doubt it will run exactly at 18000 BPH anymore because of re-pinning the spring where it shouldn't ideally be. Adding timing washers is the way forward to alleviate this problem and slow the timing down, I believe. Having plenty excess of hairspring after the stud isn't a problem as long as it doesn't touch anything.
×
×
  • Create New...