Jump to content

1965 Timex Model 40 Electric.

KarlvonKoln
 Share

Recommended Posts

KarlvonKoln Distinguished Member

KarlvonKoln

Posted
Posted (edited)

This was part of a small batch of watches I accepted in trade for services rendered, and I wanted to see if it could be made to run again.  It turned out that it had very little amiss.  I needed a new battery; it had a bit of hand-conflict between second and minute at about the 4:00 mark, which would stall it; and it needed a careful strip, and a cleaning of all non-electrical parts (well, I also went over the contacts a bit) since I didn't know what could be safely submerged.  It's back together and keeping pretty good time now.  At first it had gained about a minute by the end of 24 hours, but after fiddling with that strange, tiny regulator I got it to around +/- 10 seconds.  I think it maybe can do a bit better.  I will see how it behaves over the next few days.  I have been going out in the cold with it, and that could be affecting it.  I also have to buff the crystal, but will have to be careful with any polishing on the case; I don't know much about the plating.
Gott in Himmel, these things are unusual and strangely built.  It does have tabs to hold movement-to-dial.  The regulator is small for the balance, and the balance wheel seems huge for a watch this size.  And you need to stick your tweezer points into two little holes and open them to spread a clamp to get the stem out.  A Timex is a different kind of beast, to be sure.  But if they have become collectible and people are going to be bringing them to me, I may as well learn some things.
Below are some pics.  In the first, I am using one of my old testing-straps to wear it, and I noticed that the burgundy color of the strap complemented it well, so for a permanent strap I have ordered one in burgundy patent leather. 

TimexElectric01.jpg

TimexElectric02.jpg

TimexElectric03.jpg

TimexElectric04.jpg

Edited by KarlvonKoln
edited to correct error
  • Like 3
KarlvonKoln Distinguished Member

KarlvonKoln

Posted
  • Author
Posted
8 hours ago, HectorLooi said:

Nice job. Now go look for the electronic and quartz versions. The mechanical parts are almost identical.

I've been noticing that about these watches.  For some models, it seems the driving features - whether mainspring, hand-wind or automatic, electric coil and contactor, electric with quartz regulator, whatever - often seem to be designed to fit into a common going-train.  I could see where with some kinds of Timex, swapping things around would not be too difficult.  And the familiarity it creates ensures that service is fast and relatively  easy.  I can't deny that's an effective business model.  And I can't deny these watches are rugged as anything.  For what people put them through, I'm amazed how well they keep time sometimes.  I've had to buff out cases and replace crystals, but would notice that everything inside seemed fine.

UPDATE: I was reading up on these, and it seems the +/- 10 seconds rate that I've squeezed out of it is outstanding.  Apparently, the average for a vintage Timex with a bit of use on it is around +/- 30.  So I guess she's giving me all she's got.  Still, I get the impression she does not like the cold, and it has been BITTER cold over here lately, so I will decline to wear her outdoors for a while.

KarlvonKoln Distinguished Member

KarlvonKoln

Posted
  • Author
Posted

And I found this video, which better explains a lot of what I encountered when I was dismantling.  I had a hunch about how it did what it did, and taking pictures helped quite a bit, but there's nothing like watching one of these in motion to appreciate the utterly simple yet effective way they came with an electric drive.
 

 

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 2
KarlvonKoln Distinguished Member

KarlvonKoln

Posted
  • Author
Posted

The new strap came in.  And to my eye, burgundy was a good color choice.  I intended to put this watch among my "for sale" stock.  But now, I don't know.  I'm on the fence about it.  It's a rather nice looking, endearing vintage piece.  If it doesn't look like it'll fetch much, I may keep it.

IMG_20220202_204518.jpg

LittleWatchShop Distinguished Member

LittleWatchShop

Posted
Posted (edited)

Great choice.  The band color complements the gold case nicely.  My problem is that I cannot bear to part with any of the watches I have labored over.  They are my children.

Did you relume the hands?

Edited by LittleWatchShop
KarlvonKoln Distinguished Member

KarlvonKoln

Posted
  • Author
Posted
11 hours ago, LittleWatchShop said:

Great choice.  The band color complements the gold case nicely.  My problem is that I cannot bear to part with any of the watches I have labored over.  They are my children.

Did you relume the hands?

I chose not to relume.  After a bit of bright sun at my window, they still glowed a bit, and I don't have any lume at present anyway.  They aren't as bright as they were, but they still glow.  Aside from the strap, this watch is entirely original.  And it only needed the briefest adjustment to get it keeping really good time.  So I am leaving much of the "patina" on it, as a testament to its rugged nature.
And I, also, often find it hard to bear, selling any of them off.  That's why I have a number of pocket watches and several wrist watches already.  But I remind myself that I am also taking some of them in for the purpose of making money, so I try very hard not to get too attached to them.  Although sometimes it happens anyway.  I found something endearing about this big, noisy Timex.  I think I may hang on to this one.  

  • Like 1

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.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Topics

  • Posts

    • mbwatch
      Full plate watch, Suitable tool for adjusting & testing pallet stones?

      By mbwatch · Posted

      You shared this test with me a few months back on a Hamilton project and so I had checked this watch to find the pins were still equally spaced. Their screw slots were undamaged and very tight hard to move so maybe no one has messed with them before. I can't work on it much today but I did measure the fork slot again and it seems like 0.44 is the right size. I measure the jewel that had been installed at just 0.42. would an undersized too narrow impulse jewel impact the impulse drastically? I ask because I have had it at a state where flipping the fork manually with a tool would unlock some of the time, but the balance was never capable of unlocking.
    • HectorLooi
      Help with repairing a quartz clock

      By HectorLooi · Posted

      This was what I was afraid of. The movement is not one of the generic black square modules. Remove the movement from the clock and try prying it open very carefully, without breaking the plastic tabs. The plastic might be brittle from age. Clean the wheels and check the battery contacts for corrosion. Check the PCB for bad solder joints. Take plenty of photos along the way.
    • JohnR725
      A lathe with indexing that won't break the bank?

      By JohnR725 · Posted

      One of the problems with trying to Photograph Phils things are that his enjoyment was building these things so they tended to E falls on what will see if I can find some earlier pictures or any pictures I wasn't even sure because I was looking for that specific picture for somebody else and even it got the last version and that would have been the last version. You will note that he put the indexing on something that he could unscrew it or whatever and it can slide back out of the way so the rest of the lathe can be used as a lathe. With the lathe cut are actually coming down from the top I was there once where he demonstrated how to cut a pivot with the setup it was really beautiful. Older set up if I remember it's not a worm gear assembly in the thing in between the stepping motor and the holding block I believe this particular one was like a 100 to 1 gear ratio. Earlier version with watchmaker's lathe. Even looks like he is the watchmakers bed and then switch to something he made. Then I do have other pictures and things of the rotary stage in use. In the raw so if you tube videos here is an example of one were somebody's mounting a three jaw chuck. At one time there were available on eBay they were not cheap but if you're patient like I was I found one cheap on eBay. After you watch the video it look at his other videos he is a whole bunch of other examples of the same rotary stage. That I do know there are other pictures examples and possibly videos you just have to track them down. One of the minor issues of finding this particular tech sheet for the unit is I believe it was a custom manufacturer and the company change their name but I remember the new name here's a link to the company https://www.ondrivesus.com/rino-mechanical-components                
    • JohnR725
      Full plate watch, Suitable tool for adjusting & testing pallet stones?

      By JohnR725 · Posted

      Escapement adjusting always interesting and depending upon the reference always confusing. Okay maybe it's not always confusing but it does lead to confusion. I have a PDF below it's actually a whole bunch of separate stuff including a hand out that came from a lecture that's on you tube. Then from that we get this image Consequences of doing things especially if you do things out of order or you do things for the wrong reason. Oh and even if the watches working I made the mistake one so showing my boss how tweaking the banking pins on a full plate on the timing machine made the amplitude get better and now he thinks that's what they're for and I don't think a fully grasped exactly what horn clearance means. Consequence of doing things. Notice what it says about opening and closing the banking pins and total lock? So yes I've had that on a full plate where it won't unlock at all and that's the banking pins or a combination of things basically. So banking pins unfortunately get moved. One of the ways to tell if it's been moved is the look straight down at the end of the fork with the balance wheel removed. Power on the fork push at the one side look at it push it to the other side also look at it and compare anything with the center reference the balance jewel and see if both sides of the same. No guarantee after the same there in the right place but at least are the same typically when people play with things one side will be way off from the other because they had no idea what they were doing at all because of course it's a full plate and you really have to paying attention and even then there's still hard to do. Then the other thing that comes up like it shows below is people often adjust the banking pins to do all those other things as opposed to horn clearance which is all that it's therefore and maybe bonus Guard pin clearance although you're supposed to deal with the guard pin is a separate thing like single roller gets bent in Or out or sometimes physically gets moved in and out. Some full plates older escapement's typically pallet forks held together with screws and you can actually unscrew and move the entire assembly in Or out more complications to deal with.     Escapement handout wostep nscc.pdf
    • JohnR725
      Oldhippy

      By JohnR725 · Posted

      If he was much younger and some sort of sports player it wouldn't be a problem. They would be in there and doing surgery and he'd be back on the field in no time. Unfortunately when you get older little things are bad and big things can be really bad so not good at all.
×
×
  • Create New...