Mainspring winders

[clockboy]

What helps with that is when finished winding the spring reverse wind a few whole turns to ensure it has fully released.Another help is to lightly lubricate the winding arbour.

[robmack]

4 hours ago, chrisdt said:

The other item in the auction was not named but consisted of a tube with finger grips. ten different size winders and ten different crank handles. Any help would be appreciated

The second set is similar to Bergeon mainspring winders.  There should be a matching handle for each of the mainspring adapters.  You select an adapter based on the size of the mainspring barrel into which it will fit.  Then pair the adapter to its winding handle.  The knurled grip is used to hold the adapter.  There is a long pin that locks the adapter to the knurled grip in a bayonet fashion.  You insert the arbor end of the mainspring onto the winding handle, insert the handle into the hole in the grip making sure the spring exits the slot in the adapter and then wind the spring into the adapter.  Carefully remove the winding handle once you've completed this step.  Then insert the adapter into the watch's mainspring barrel and press the button on top of the knurled grip.  This action will push the spring into the barrel at the same time cause the tool to release the spring.  

Review Mark's youtube video to get an idea of what I am talking about.  Hope that helps.

Edited March 12, 2017 by robmack

[chrisdt]

It does indeed Robmack....Many Thanks

[Cmmb8519]

Hi everyone

 

I don't do watch repair as a job, but have been doing quite a bit on servicing my one watches and service / restore some wirst watches from family and friends.

 

What now seems to be obvious is that I've been taking some risk and having some 'sweat hands' moments when it gets to manual wind the mainspring back into the mainspring barrel.

 

Any advice of a mid-range set that could be good for amateur use, but with enough quality to last for upcoming years as an amateur? Any special features / characteristics that I must be aware of?

 

Many thanks

 

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[rodabod]

Where are you based? This will help decide whether you are better to go with American-made or Swiss.

[Cmmb8519]

Downunder in Australia :-)

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[Tmuir]

Just keep a close watch on everyone's favorite auction website.

I picked up a set which is aclone of the bergeon watch mainspring winders quite reasonably out of Queensland earlier this year.

The trick is to check every day and hope to be the first that spots the reasonably price BIN item.

As a tip to find them I regularly search using just the term 'watchmaker',  and then tick 'used' items but today I would suggest you search using the phrase 'watchmaker tool favourite'

[rodabod]

Yeah, keep an eye out for Bergeon (and Bergeon style) ones. Avoid buying sets which have all the useless sizes and none of the useful ones! You want somewhere vaguely around 9mm diameter for 11-12 ligne wristwatches.

[Cmmb8519]

Hi again,

I'm looking at a vintage Mainspring Winder (Robbins Type from Kendrick and Davis Co), but for barrels number 2-7. It refers to 'Barrel Dias' varying from .395 to .624. From what you guys mentioned previously I'm afraid that this could be for too small barrel measures. As an hobby, I normally service Seiko (7009, 7019, 6139) and various Swiss men's vintage from 1950 - 1980's.

Any thoughts if the above can the right winder measures?

Many thanks

 

[Cmmb8519]

End up buying the below BERGEON Mainspring Winders Set of 7 right-hand # 3-12. 

[AlexeiJ1]

Hi guys and gals,
Now I know that this topic has been beaten to death but I am wondering what the latest concensus on hobbyist spring winding in 2017 is?

Is there a spring winder that I can find for under $50 somewhere? Or worst case <$100.

I have a tiny Omega 625 that has a broken spring, I have broken down the movement with no problems whatsoever, however my replacement spring didn't pop in so easily.
I then broke a tab off the end. Because it is such a small barrel, I can't hand wind it.... I get about 75% of the way in and it doesn't want to go in anymore.

I am winding in clockwise from the beginning of spring. I tried the other way as  some described but it doesn't work.

Youtube has failed me so far.

Cheers
Alex

[clockboy]

If you see a "Master Craft" mainspring winder on eBay I highly recommend you purchase it. I paid approx. £30 for my one & I use it for practically all of my watch repairs. The smallest barrel size it goes down to is 7.5mm which is a small ladies watch. It is really easy to use and is 100% reliable. You wind the spring into its own transfer plate and insert the same way as when fitting a new spring. I have posted some pics 

 

[mikesomething]

 Hello,

I got the bergeon winders, but am having some issues

Blue steel spring from a waltham is getting jammed in the winder when I go to eject it into the barrel

Specifically, the end that hooks on the barrel wall is sliding between the brass wall of the winder and the steel plunger section

It happened 4 times in a row, and very annoying for the cost of these winders

Anyone else experienced this? or know how to stop it?

 

Edited November 2, 2017 by mikesomething

[mikesomething]

bump

i am still having tons of trouble with these

just destroyed a seiko spring trying to use the winders

i bought these in the hope that they would reduce the possibility of damage

so far, blue steel springs get jammed

unbreakable springs and automatics just end up looking like birds nests

worst money i have spent in a long time

[chadders1966]

Hi

Not that this is of any help to you, but I'm having real difficulty visualising this. My winders aren't Bergeon but are probably made in the same place (I doubt Bergeon actually make them). Anyway the fit between the wall of the winder and the steel plate is to such a small tolerance that there is no way the mainspring could slip into it, the gap is much narrower than any mainspring.

I've had other problems with the winders, the arbours being too big for example, but not this one. In the main they work well and help me re-insert mainsprings easily without deforming them. Sorry.

Stephen

[rodabod]

Are these winders second-hand? The carbon steel plunger inside the brass barrel should be a close fit. There should not be enough room for a mainspring to slide through. 

If the brass barrel of the winder is very clean, it may be worth wiping it with a very thin film of grease to reduce friction. And don't push the winding tool hard into the mainspring barrel when plunging as it's not necessary. 

[mikesomething]

brand new bergeon 5356

the gap is large enough for a spring to enter

the paint has already come off one of the handles

 

 

[mikesomething]

oh and lets add, that the winder handles rub on the top of the box lid when the lid is closed, marking the lid

very very unhappy with these all round

[chadders1966]

Hi

Sounds awful - I think we need some photos to see how bad they are.

[Tmuir]

Just on a note to add for any mainspring winder.

If the spring you are winding up is considerably shorter than the gap between the plunger and the top of the winder the spring will not wind neatly up and you can have trouble ejecting it.

To fit this up you need to machine 2 washers that just fit inside the winder, one goes against the plunger, the other against the top of the winder. You will need to file a slot on the top winder so it will fit past the spring hook.

The idea is the washers will reduce the gap inside the winder to just slightly bigger than the spring you are winding up, so they need to be made to size to fit the springs.

An example of when to do this would be when fitting the mainspring to a Seiko 7006a, the spring size is 0.95 x .11 x 400 x 10 whilst the winder height gap is around 2.6mm.

I've never come across the issue you are having with your winder, if you can I would talk to the place you bought it from.

[fireftr45]

Hi All,  I have exhausted google and various pdf's on the Bergeon mainspring winder sets, and I have wasted enough money on ebay buying worn out vintage "universal" winders.

Does anyone know which Bergeon winder drum/arbor you need for the seiko 7s26 mainspring?  Any help here would be greatly appreciated!  Thank you, ,,,,,,Erik

[jguitron]

I’ve found that for some Seiko mainspring it’s best to use a combination of one handle and another drum. The appropriate size drum has too wide of a post.

Anyway, my 2 cents.

May just have to do it by hand...


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[oldhippy]

I know Seiko parts are not so easy to buy these days. Seiko back in the 70’s and 80’s advised, you should replace the barrel complete after (I think 5 or 7 years) you’re not supposed to take them apart. Its possible you will not find a winder that will fit.

[clockboy]

4 hours ago, fireftr45 said:

Hi All,  I have exhausted google and various pdf's on the Bergeon mainspring winder sets, and I have wasted enough money on ebay buying worn out vintage "universal" winders.

Does anyone know which Bergeon winder drum/arbor you need for the seiko 7s26 mainspring?  Any help here would be greatly appreciated!  Thank you, ,,,,,,Erik

There is no barrel supplied by Bergeon that fits the Seiko 7s26. If I remember correctly with the Bergeon set they are either too small or to large. I used a K&D winder that I usually use for the larger pocket watch barrels. Oldhippy is correct Seiko recommend a new barrel & mainspring. I have noticed Cousins have the mainspring as obsolete.

However I have done a little research & the consensus is the mainspring size required is:  0.95 x 0.12 x 400 x 10.5.

Which is ref: GR2378X

Cousins have this in stock.

[Ishima]

I had to service my Seiko, same callibre, worked the mainspring by hand. 

If you haven't seen this, keep in mind the barrel lid comes off a little differently to normal barrels, as shown.