Jump to content

New to watches

EelDahc

By EelDahc
in Introduce Yourself Here

 Share

Recommended Posts

EelDahc New Member

EelDahc

Posted
Posted

Hello everyone. I've always been a tinkerer, mostly fixing electronics.  But I acquired my fathers watch and my grandpas pocket watch. I started on the PW, an Elgin grade 211 Model 7 7j 16s.  Was missing the crystal and I could tell it needed a mainspring.  So, I ordered those and while I waited for those I started practice on some junk watches. Luckily I had two, BFG 866 to make one working one. That one was a booger and I had to pick parts that were not too rusted between the two, lost some from tweezers snaps...  But I got one working, even straightened the hairspring after wrecking the other trying to do it to it too.  Even figured out a trick when putting the top plate on by lifting the wheels' top pivots into the holes with the tweezers because I could not line them up by just nudging them towards the holes. That's probably common practice. Working on those allowed me to figure out that the balance shaft on the Elgin is broken and the hairspring is really bent. I got a parts watch on ebay and of course it's balance shaft is broken too, but the spring is good. So now I want to get one of those staking sets, the cheap ones.  The oil that I am using at the moment is PAG 150 because I already had it for doing my cars ac and it has similar viscosity as 9010 which is recommended, that may come back to bite me.  My screwdrivers are phone repair ones that come with screen kits that I ground down for the tiny screws. I'll upgrade over time. I'm working my way up to getting into my dads old Sears watch which I didn't want to screw up yet.  Just got another 866 going, a Webster dive watch with date wheel that doesn't want to work right, it's crooked and the dates not line up right, it keeps wanting to stay between the numbers, I also need to figure out how to sync the date and the time correctly.  But anyway, so far it's been fun and frustrating at the same time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Shane WRT Addict

Shane

Posted
Posted (edited)
2 hours ago, EelDahc said:

That's probably common practice.

Welcome to the forum.

I would say, the only thing that is common, IS practice.

Just an FYI, that Sears watch of your father's, some of them can be difficult.  I would give that one a try after a few more success with more repair oriented designs.

Shane 

Edited by Shane
  • Like 1
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

    • Jon
      Rolex Cal 1570 Balance wheel rubbing

      By Jon · Posted

      Here's a quick Gif I made to show truing the balance using callipers. This has such a slight wobble, but is within acceptable parameters. The important thing is the balance doesn't touch or rub anything when in operation. This is an Eterna Tank. Here's a pic of the balance freshly rivetted with a new staff in the movement
    • spectre6000
      404 Club

      By spectre6000 · Posted

      I just poked an inflation calculator, and $5 in 2020 would be about $6 in 2024. Doesn't fit very neatly into any status codes, which stop at 5XX, but that's honestly somewhat arbitrary outside of a clever pun for those that dabble in such things. Back during the pandemic, I would spend a good chunk of idle time in the evenings scanning through hundreds of listings a night, and I would only land 1-2 a week max. I would often go months without finding something suitable. A very small percentage of the watches in the price range are worth pulling the trigger on for my purposes. The number floating through the thread here may be somewhat deceptive.
    • Zedster
      Balance cock stud screw

      By Zedster · Posted

      Hi, guys I got there in the end after several attempts using a screwdriver and Rodico, I couldn't wait for the tool to arrive and was getting pretty confident handling the stud screw without it flying away. At first, I was using far too much Rodico, and then realized you only need the smallest amount inside the screw slot. Putting the cock back onto the movement also helped as it gave me more to hold onto while my shaky hand tried to align the screw wobbling away at the end of the screwdriver😁 Anyway, job done and I can move on. Thanks again for all the advice it's really appreciated for a beginner. 
    • MikeEll
      The Theory of Horology

      By MikeEll · Posted

      I'd be interested in a copy of this book if anyone has one they'd like to sell  
    • nevenbekriev
      the escape wheel can't move itself

      By nevenbekriev · Posted

      You need to know at least the basics. Then the questions that You ask will begin to make sense. From what is seen on the video, the gear train and escapement look fine, but the balance doesn't rotate free. I can suppose that the thin gold colored shim that must stay under the balance cock is not in place.
×
×
  • Create New...