New Oilers - Now I'm Lost, but still better than auto oilers!

[Waggy]

I just got around to changing my original, now nearly 3 year old, oilers and decided to treat myself and get a Bergeon set (regular not the ergonomic) rather than a like-for-like replacement the cheap(er) generic ones I have been using to date. I must say that I much prefer the tip design on these new ones over the ones I have been using. However, the colour of the oilers is different, meaning that they no longer match the oil pots (which I just re-filled of course?!?), so now not only do I have to remember that the blue oiler is now my HP1300 and not the black one, but I also have to remember that it goes in the hole behind the black pot holder not the blue one. And the same for the yellow and red and ....

No question, just needed to vent!

Just FYI, I have gone back to the pin type oilers after trying to use auto-oilers for almost a year, I found the auto oilers rather clumsy and difficult to apply the correct amount of lubrication, you end up with a uniform slug of oil which most of the time is either too much or too little. You can calibrate them, but then what do you calibrate them to, you could calibrate for one watch, but then on your next watch you will inevitably need a little more here or a little less there, so they are never calibrated for the movement you are working on at the time and you end up having to try and do half a stroke, which is an art in itself. I am sure that there is a lot of user error, but for me the advantages do not outweigh the additional work in using and setting them up.

Edited February 5 by Waggy
Typo

[Neverenoughwatches]

2 hours ago, Waggy said:

I just got around to changing my original, now nearly 3 year old, oilers and decided to treat myself and get a Bergeon set (regular not the ergonomic) rather than a like-for-like replacement the cheap(er) generic ones I have been using to date. I must say that I much prefer the tip design on these new ones over the ones I have been using. However, the colour of the oilers is different, meaning that they no longer match the oil pots (which I just re-filled of course?!?), so now not only do I have to remember that the blue oiler is now my HP1300 and not the black one, but I also have to remember that it goes in the hole behind the black pot holder not the blue one. And the same for the yellow and red and ....

No question, just needed to vent!

Just FYI, I have gone back to the pin type oilers after trying to use auto-oilers for almost a year, I found the auto oilers rather clumsy and difficult to apply the correct amount of lubrication, you end up with a uniform slug of oil which most of the time is either too much or too little. You can calibrate them, but then what do you calibrate them to, you could calibrate for one watch, but then on your next watch you will inevitably need a little more here or a little less there, so they are never calibrated for the movement you are working on at the time and you end up having to try and do half a stroke, which is an art in itself. I am sure that there is a lot of user error, but for me the advantages do not outweigh the additional work in using and setting them up.

Never used an auto oiler but that has confirmed what i was thinking about them. I know we are supposed to try different ideas but to spend money on something and then have it left in a drawer unused happens way too often with watch  equipment ( what have we bought that we never use now ? ) Maybe more suited to a pro using one every day. I think the efficiency and convenience of deep, shallow, fast, slow dipping ( accurate oil pick up is an art in itself )of a couple of different sized hand oilers works well for most of us

[rehajm]

I like the auto oilers for shock settings. It’s a time saver for me since I’m not happy with my do over rate with manual technique. I do test for volume on a piece of paper before proceeding every time but always one and done. 

…if you were to try and use the auto for pivots and such- If you did not know the volume can be adjusted…well, adjust so you have the smallest amount and you can give it a few pumps…

[Neverenoughwatches]

5 hours ago, Waggy said:

so they are never calibrated for the movement you are working on at the time and you end up having to try and do half a stroke, which is an art in itself. I am sure that there is a lot of user error, but for me the advantages do not outweigh

I have found that half strokes are frowned upon in most situations. 

[Birbdad]

"You can calibrate them." 
Can you? Lol. Mine has two settings. 
1. Flood the jewel in 1/4 of a second.
2. Flood the jewel instantly.

Also interesting you use all the oilers in the set. I bought the same set and i can do everything i need to with the black one. I polished and dressed the tips and the black one is just perfectly versatile for me. 

If i have to use a slab of grease like on a crown gasket i will use one of the big ones at times.

That said, i just made a thread with a much much better and free alternative to the auto oilers for shock settings here.
 

 

Edited February 14 by Birbdad