3D Main Spring Winders??? - Be Gentle

[ScrewDropper]

On 2/24/2023 at 10:38 PM, GuyMontag said:

I've seen posts on this forum that suggest they do a good job. However, for $250 you may also consider just purchasing the 3 or 4 Bergeon Winders that you would use the most. I purchased the sizes 5, 6 and 7 and for the watches I work on I haven't needed another size yet.

This is excellent advice. 5,6,7 for both left and right hand springs is a great starting point and should keep you going for a while. Most of the winders are about £47 from Cousins so, incrementsing from there is relatively painless when a new spring can be £30 upwards

[gpraceman]

On 3/9/2023 at 9:53 AM, valleyguy said:

What version of the ender 3 did you get, after looking on ebay there are several versions of the ender 3 available, was it the 3 or 3v2 after reading this thread i'd like to have a go at printing the winder set.

I got myself an Ender 3 Pro a couple of years ago.  It has been a great printer, but I can't leave well enough alone and put several upgrades onto it to make it print even better.  For Christmas, I got my oldest son an Ender 3 NEO.  It is the same basic printer as mine, but it comes stock with many of the upgrades that I did to mine.  It was right about $200.  He was up and running very quickly.

BTW, I intend to print these 3D winders and give them a go.  I've already spent too much money on tools getting started in this hobby, so saving hundreds on main spring winders is quite attractive.

Edited April 13, 2023 by gpraceman

[GuyMontag]

I had an Ankermake M5 on pre-order via Kickstarter but cancelled before it went live just because I thought the money could be better used for other tools. I still want to get one but that will be down the road a bit.

Meanwhile, I was at my friends house and his son got this HUGE 3D printer at some local hackerthon meeting. It isn't working so will be a project but if he gets it up and running he said I could use it when needed.

 

[Zero]

Good luck, guys. Learning 3D printing is a very rewarding pursuit, as mentioned by @LittleWatchShop and @Phil125. Opens up a whole new way of doing things.

From a hobbyist's perspective, buying a new mainspring from Cousins is just so boring. You passionately work on something... and then you wait at your mailbox. You might as well spend that time learning how to use your new 3D printer. But if this is your preferred solution, I do have a short guide on helping you figuring out the mainspring size before you work on it so you have a head start.

And if you are looking for the best $200-$300 printer to buy, the 3D printing subreddit "Purchase Advice Megathread" (updated monthly) is the best place to go to: https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/collection/a02c1c57-579a-4ab4-858d-04df5276ff92

BTW, if you are into cars: You can 3D print spare parts for your car, e.g. car dashboard parts like cup holders, phone holders, etc. Just search for them on Thingiverse.

Edited April 22, 2023 by Zero