10 month in

[rossjackson01]

10 month in

Hello again to all. Just an update on progress of a beginner. And a few observations.

I began in December 2021. My wife has 3 old pocket watches. That are dead. “I know!” I said to myself. “I’ll fix them”. I’ll look up on the Internet, and it will show me what do do. I’ll buy one of those watch sets and Bob’s your uncle (English saying). All will be well. The set arrived. I pulled the watches apart.

What am I looking at? Don’t know. What do I do? Don’t know. How do I do it? Don’t know.

Some Internet sites are doing repairs. I’ll buy a cheap watch that I can repair. Did so. I was not running. Now I have 12 watches and movement. None working. What goes where.? My weekly spends of £10 was going every week and nothing to show. Nothing was ever fixed.

What am I looking at? Don’t know. What do I do? Don’t know. How do I do it? Don’t know.

Looking on the Internet I found YouTube. There is a plethora of sites where people show you what do. Not! In actual fact there a very few who are into showing their skills at the teaching level. Less that 2 dozen. That’s not many. All bar two are amateurs.

There are many who show off. “I started last week, and this is how I have worked on a Chronograph, and it is now pristine”. Wow! I can learn from him. Not. But as you begin to understand you realise why you can’t. Their skill level they portray is way beyond even my level after 10 months. The ability to use tweezers correctly to remove and turn jewels over for cleaning for example.

What did I do right. Well, I can say in my favour, I typed the words ‘watch forums’. I found ‘Watch Repair Talk’, and information about Mark Lovick. Wow! Cant afford that. Look elsewhere, Buy a cheap course. Did so. The video was made in 1987 and was converted from a 16mm Cine camera and it was about pocket watches. They did give me a refund.

It took me over 3 months to save and buy Marks course. Should have done it in the first week. What he offered me was information and guidance. Learn the principles. Practice. Repeat, repeat, repeat. It won’t work first time. Redo. Practice.

Where am I now. What would I do differently.

In actual fact. Not much. Working my way forward has given me hours of pleasure. I subscribe to 22 YouTubers and eagerly open each. They are great to learn from. I spend almost the same time practising.

Can I disassemble safely? Yes. Very rarely screwdriver slip or ‘ping’.

Can I clean? Yes. Hand clean then Ultrasonic to degrease and wash twice.

Can I assemble? Oh yes.

Do they work? Yes.. ish. Need to practice to overcome low amplitude. Am I getting there. Oh yes.

One of the things that I have been told by a number of people is quite correct, but as beginner it is totally impracticable to practice. Don’t start on movements, or dead watches. Trying to find the parts for movements means that you have to buy another movement, or more than one because the donor is just as bad. The dead watch is just as bad. Why is is bad? Because it is broken and needs a part. Buy a movement for the part. Back to square one.

In hind site, it is the correct thing to do. But where would I now be? Most running watches are in excess of my months saving. I would never have started. But I have. And I have to say it is great fun.

What information would I have helped me? None really, as this is voyage of discovery and you can only discover by error – practice. The best thing I have learned is, system. Have every tool in its place. Put everything away each time. Have a label on each box that contains the watches and note on it details what you have done or need.

Where will I go from here?

Deeper into the hobby. I’ve given myself two years to learn enough to service my own very expensive watch. I bought it in 1968 for my 18th birthday.

Regards to all.

Ross

 

Edited October 6, 2022 by rossjackson01
spelling and grammar

[thor447]

Excellent read, thanks for posting!

[watchweasol]

Well done Ross and keep at it you are learning all the time, After 10 years you will still be learning.

[Neverenoughwatches]

1 hour ago, rossjackson01 said:

10 month in

Hello again to all. Just an update on progress of a beginner. And a few observations.

I began in December 2021. My wife has 3 old pocket watches. That are dead. “I know!” I said to myself. “I’ll fix them”. I’ll look up on the Internet, and it will show me what do do. I’ll buy one of those watch sets and Bob’s your uncle (English saying). All will be well. The set arrived. I pulled the watches apart.

What am I looking at? Don’t know. What do I do? Don’t know. How do I do it? Don’t know.

Some Internet sites are doing repairs. I’ll buy a cheap watch that I can repair. Did so. I was not running. Now I have 12 watches and movement. None working. What goes where.? My weekly spends of £10 was going every week and nothing to show. Nothing was ever fixed.

What am I looking at? Don’t know. What do I do? Don’t know. How do I do it? Don’t know.

Looking on the Internet I found YouTube. There is a plethora of sites where people show you what do. Not! In actual fact there a very few who are into showing their skills at the teaching level. Less that 2 dozen. That’s not many. All bar two are amateurs.

There are many who show off. “I started last week, and this is how I have worked on a Chronograph, and it is now pristine”. Wow! I can learn from him. Not. But as you begin to understand you realise why you can’t. Their skill level they portray is way beyond even my level after 10 months. The ability to use tweezers correctly to remove and turn jewels over for cleaning for example.

What did I do right. Well, I can say in my favour, I typed the words ‘watch forums’. I found ‘Watch Repair Talk’, and information about Mark Lovick. Wow! Cant afford that. Look elsewhere, Buy a cheap course. Did so. The video was made in 1987 and was converted from a 16mm Cine camera and it was about pocket watches. They did give me a refund.

It took me over 3 moth to save and buy Marks course. Should have done it in the first week. What he offered me was information and guidance. Learn the principles. Practice. Repeat, repeat, repeat. It won’t work first time. Redo. Practice.

Where am I now. What would I do differently.

In actual fact. Not much. Working my way forward has given me hours of pleasure. I subscribe to 22 YouTubers and eagerly open each. They are great to learn from. I spend almost the same time practising.

Can I disassemble safely? Yes. Very rarely screwdriver slip or ‘ping’.

Can I clean? Yes. Hand clean then Ultrasonic to degrease and wash twice.

Can I assemble? Oh yes.

Do they work? Yes.. ish. Need to practice to overcome low amplitude. Am I getting there. Oh yes.

One of the things that I have been told by a number of people is quite correct, but as beginner it is totally impracticable to practice. Don’t start on movements, or dead watches. Trying to find the parts for movements means that you have to buy another movement, or more than one because the donor is just as bad. The dead watch is just as bad. Why is is bad? Because it is broken and needs a part. By a movement for the part. Back to square one.

In hind site, it is the correct thing to do. But where would I now be? Most running watches are in excess of my months saving. I would never have started. But I have. And I have to say it is great fun.

What information would I have helped me? None really, as this is voyage of discovery and you can only discover by error – practice. The best thing I have learned is, system. Have every tool in its place. Put everything away each time. Have a label on each box that contains the watches and note on it details what you have done or need.

Where will I go from here?

Deeper into the hobby. I’ve given myself two years to learn enough to service my own very expensive watch. I bought it in 1968 for my 18th birthday.

Regards to all.

Ross

 

Bloody brilliant post Ross, it reflects what practically every beginner here has experienced. I'm so pleased to see you still at it and staying with us. You're a bloody star and an inspiration mate