Jump to content

Hello from Colorado!

Manxcat

By Manxcat
in Introduce Yourself Here

 Share

Recommended Posts

Manxcat Member

Manxcat

Posted
Posted

My name is Jeff...and I am a chronic hobbiest.  Toward the end of last year, I watched a watch repair video on Youtube...then another...then another...then I got out all my old watches (all quartz), bought a very very basic watch repair toolkit off Amazon and got them all working.  Then I bought an old parts pocketwatch...and another...and another.  Then I mentioned that watches interests me to a co-worker who had a broken Tissot with an ETS 2824 in it...the stem had come out when he took his hand our of his pocket and it would not adjust the time anymore.

To be clear, I am a amateur hack at best and have no business taking apart anything nice, especially this beautiful LeLocle...but with the help of some videos, and a few more too purchases, I was able to identify that the yoke was bent from having jumped the clutch so even after I put it back in place, it would not properly select the date or time adjust positions...so I replaced the yoke and the setting level as well as the stem.  Since it had been ripped out of the watch, it had some scaring and I figured it would happen again easier if I didn't.

While I was waiting on parts, I bought more watches including an Andre Rivalle pocket watch.  It was a very pretty watch, but it had a junk movement in it (a BRAC 509 I believe).  I discovered it had a pivot missing on the 3rd wheel which would allow the barrel to jump gears and unwind.  Its not easy to find parts for that, its easier to replace it, but I took a chance that a BRAC 518 would have the same 3rd wheel and found one...with a cost higher than the entire watches value...but I wanted to fix it and I did.  

At this point, I decided to branch out...so I got an old junk Timex with a model 74 from 1968 and fully took it apart...whoops!!!  What a nightmare to get back together, but I did and it still works today.  I also played with a junk Westclox pocket watch full of plastic gears and rivets which also works today...its my loudest watch.

Last week I took a really nice looking old Westclox ladies wristwatch apart, the movement was coated with something that had the consistency of honey.  Got it cleaned, oiled, and put back together and it is running about 220 amplitude and would vary from gaining 100 to loosing 100 seconds a day depending on the position on the timegrapher...I know that's not great, but I am pretty proud of it.

Until December 2021 I have never owned a mechanical watch...which is crazy with how many mechanical hobbies I already have.  I dont know where I am going with this hobby, I dont know how long I will be this passionate about it, but right now its all I think about every day.  I am not married to just mechanical, quarts watches can be very interesting and extremely mechanical too.  I have attached a few pics of some of the projects I mentioned here.  Thanks for providing a place to chat!

Thanks,

Jeff

20200127_025817.JPG

20200201_231347.JPG

20220112_033930285_iOS.jpg

20220129_030334602_iOS.jpg

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.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing


  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Topics

  • Posts

    • Waggy
      First Project Already A Bit "Sideways"

      By Waggy · Posted

      Here is another option, if you have the patience to sort through the parts you usually find 50-100 screws as well as some other cool stuff. Most times I get an order from these guys I get a 250g box, takes a few days, but end up with hundreds of spares and all you need is for one of them to be useful and it pays for itself. Also helps hone your tweezer skills!
    • Neverenoughwatches
      Can you soften the squeeze on a tweezer?

      By Neverenoughwatches · Posted

      As Hector said they have too much  tension, that tension is also fixed and not easy to control. Conventional tweezers have infinitely variable grip provided by us. 
    • Paul1991
      Hairsrping alignment

      By Paul1991 · Posted

      Thank you and i appreciate that, it looks very different    Thank you sir but i think there is a little problem according to that reading it's because it is far different to the other move that i serviced, i will atouched the photo. They are different movements but this one is 7s26b movement and they are also different in shape when it comes to the ballance assmebly. Thanks also for the concerned i appreciate that. 
    • ManSkirtBrew
      My first Gruens. Precision 510 and N510R movements.

      By ManSkirtBrew · Posted

      Donor movement showed up, so I stole the bridge screw from it. Which made me sad, because it's in such nice shape! It seems a shame. Maybe I'll find a use for it one of these days. Unfortunately, the stem is for a different style of case and is much too short. Fortunately, I ordered a brand new stem from McCaw Company. Unfortunately, the crown on the donor movement is thoroughly stripped out (it unscrewed in a shower of brass) so i just put the old stem back in for now until I source a new crown. As you can see, it's just a little too long for this case. Overall I'm super pleased. I didn't think I'd like the bracelet, and even that is growing on me.   Anyone have a favorite crown assortment?
    • rehajm
      Vertex Dirty Dozen crystal

      By rehajm · Posted

      A couple of pictures of the front… Sorry, I’m months away from this one, but…there is an edge to the bezel but I see no obvious signs of previous bezel removal and it is quite thick so it would be difficult to grab an edge on the crystal with a crystal lift. It does look like in/out thru the back…good luck…
×
×
  • Create New...