Follow-on question for my mainspring install

[rph952]

Sorry if this is repetitive, but I want to be sure I don't mess up this mainspring install since it's my first time. I posted a photo to be clear what I'm doing. I have the new mainspring in the container. Do I cut the seal from the bottom with the cardboard, or the top with the plastic? Which is easier? I take it the red object surrounding the spring is the washer holding the mainspring in place. How firmly in place is the mainspring? What's the tiny piece of cardboard inside the container? My understanding is that this is a clockwise wind. I read that it's best to use the end of tweezers to position the mainspring when inserting. How hard do I press? Do I pull up on the red washer with my finger or use a tool? Is there a video? The old mainspring is shown bottom right. I ruined it, but that's another story. Thanks.

[Randy55]

Cut the cardboard side enough to take out the M/S. The plastic retainer has a good grip on the spring,..just be careful not to get finger oils and debris on the spring. If the spring is coiled enough, you should be able to simply lay it over the barrel, and use the back of your tweezers to push it into place. Be careful and go slowly, insuring that the entire outside edge of the spring is within the barrel walls. Hold the red retainer with your other hand to keep it snug against the barrel. It also helps ( a lot ), to try and fit the bridle just ahead of the barrel hook, so that it indexes correctly from the start. Otherwise you end up pushing it around to line it up. I make sure I have an even amount of lube around the barrel wall. Makes adjustments much easier.

Randy

[JohnR725]

9 hours ago, Randy55 said:

plastic retainer

The retaining ring holding the mainspring you usually isn't plastic. Usually on the modern ones is anodized aluminum. Most of the time it's colored on one side to tell you that that's the side that supposed to go out. Then when you're inserting the spring you do want to be careful that it actually does go down in if you use your finger or something you can get the center part in but you might not get the edge in see what do want to be careful that the spring it does get into the barrel before you try to remove the ring.

[rph952]

Success! At least I think so. I won't know until I try winding. Once I knew for certain the mainspring was resting in the barrel by visual confirmation, it was simple to press it in with a tweezers end. There was a nice-sounding "click." No issues. However, the darn arbor took me forever. It's so fiddly, the barb hole is tiny, and I'm new at this to boot. As an aside, I found out that the 11 AL mainspring can be used with an 11 BLC movement. At least that's what I was told. It's in the same family.