I regret getting my auto oiler. A better way to oil shock settings.

[CYCLOPS]

Auto-oilers have a place, as said there are different tips and types, I remember the Obama oiler that had different settings, they are expensive for the nice ones, don't have any cheap ones to compare, for beginners your method will work just fine and save time and money ....

[ManSkirtBrew]

On 2/16/2024 at 1:32 AM, Birbdad said:

Personally i find setting and oiling balance jewels wet really easy. I just do those the old fashioned way. I tried it with my auto oiler and it was pretty awful.

Same here, and I do that whenever possible. The problem is when it's not, like on pressed-in Accutron train jewels, or a handful of settings I've come across that are not meant to be disassembled.

[VWatchie]

On 2/16/2024 at 11:32 AM, Birbdad said:

I"m proud to say that i can set them in seconds now my tweezer skills have improved so much.

That's really fantastic as most of us seem to struggle with them. This video clip really impresses me. Congrats!

BTW, are we talking about the rectangular Diafix springs or the tuning fork style Diafix springs? It's the rectangular ones that I find extremely "feisty".

On 2/16/2024 at 11:32 AM, Birbdad said:

In another thread somewhere here i drew a diagram of how i set them and it works super well.

That would be interesting to see. I visited your profile but was unable to find it. If it's not too much trouble can you link to that post? Thanks!

BTW, here's an interesting thread about those rectangular Diafix springs:

 

[Birbdad]

8 minutes ago, VWatchie said:

That's really fantastic as most of us seem to struggle with them. This video clip really impresses me. Congrats!

BTW, are we talking about the rectangular Diafix springs or the tuning fork style Diafix springs? It's the rectangular ones that I find extremely "feisty".

That would be interesting to see. I visited your profile but was unable to find it. If it's not too much trouble can you link to that post? Thanks!

 

 

I am indeed talking about those godforsaken diafix springs and here's the step by step of how i do it now. It makes it basically impossible for them to ping off because they're trapped by two points before you even really try to move them much at all. 

[steve855]

 

On 2/16/2024 at 3:00 PM, Nucejoe said:

 Birbdad,

Gosh, Poor dog , for your steady supply must grow new whiskers in a hurry.   

Try acupuncture needles instead. 

 

 

No need, I just keep the one whisker in a safe place!   At the time I had no supply of acupuncture needles, and the dog whisker was readily available.

That sounds like a good idea though.

Edited February 19 by steve855

[Birbdad]

On 2/16/2024 at 2:00 PM, Nucejoe said:

 Birbdad,

Gosh, Poor dog , for your steady supply must grow new whiskers in a hurry.   

Try acupuncture needles instead. 

 

 

Oh...accupuncture needles?! That works?

[Neverenoughwatches]

16 minutes ago, Birbdad said:

Oh...accupuncture needles?! That works?

I think they're too big Col, the smallest i could find when i bought mine 18 months ago were 0.18mm.

[Birbdad]

Just now, Neverenoughwatches said:

I think they're too big Col, the smallest i could find when i bought mine 18 months ago were 0.18mm.

yeah I sorta figured as much. The needle on the auto oiler is so small and so fragile if acupuncture needles were that small i'd think they'de be breaking off in people left and right.

[Neverenoughwatches]

9 minutes ago, Birbdad said:

yeah I sorta figured as much. The needle on the auto oiler is so small and so fragile if acupuncture needles were that small i'd think they'de be breaking off in people left and right.

You could always thin the very end down. I think the idea of a cat or dog whisker sounds great, how about a paint brush bristle ?

[Nucejoe]

 How about thinning whiskers on lathe ? 

I  hope bergeon doesn't read this , hate to see whiskerless dog community.

 

 

 

[Neverenoughwatches]

4 hours ago, Nucejoe said:

 How about thinning whiskers on lathe ? 

I  hope bergeon doesn't read this , hate to see whiskerless dog community.

 

 

 

Its one whisker Joe not a whole muzzel of them . And yeah i hope Bergeon do read this

[steve855]

13 hours ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

You could always thin the very end down. I think the idea of a cat or dog whisker sounds great, how about a paint brush bristle ?

I think I tried a paint brush bristle but couldn't find one in a small enough diameter.  Seems like they're bound into the brush,then trimmed evenly to length.

My dog whisker is tapered right down to infinity! The taper makes it easier to manuever also.

[Waggy]

Does anyone have the diameter of the A1 oiler needle tip? I found one site which has 0.25mm, but doesn't look like a reputable site.

[HectorLooi]

1 hour ago, Waggy said:

Does anyone have the diameter of the A1 oiler needle tip? I found one site which has 0.25mm, but doesn't look like a reputable site.

According to Esslinger, the 1A has a tip of just 0.1mm.

I bought a China copy from AliExpress and the tip was a sharpened point, like a pencil. I didn't examine it carefully, it might have had a pivot like point which broke off in transport. 

Anyway, I sharpened the tip to a needle point and it works.

[Waggy]

Maybe something like this could be used to oil the shock jewels in the name of animal welfare 

[xyzzy]

I've used 0.1 mm copper wire. It's commonly sold for circuit board repair, in small quantities for just a few dollars. Grab a bit with some tweezers. It's a bit small to hold on a pin vice.

It's soft, so less chance of chipping the jewel. And you can bend it when something straight can't get access or would block your view. 

[VWatchie]

23 hours ago, Birbdad said:

I am indeed talking about those godforsaken diafix springs and here's the step by step of how i do it now.

I'll have to try that. Replacing those rectangular Diafix springs has probably been the most difficult motorically among all the challenges I've taken on since I started.

Clever to take advantage of the spring not only springing in one plane but also springing when rotated in opposite directions. I probably never would have figured that out on my own. 

BTW, if anyone wonders about the origin of the Diafix name it stems from the word diabolic. The Diafix spring was invented by a particularly sadistic Seiko employee who, during World War II, worked on the design of exceptionally painful torture methods 

19 hours ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

the smallest i could find when i bought mine 18 months ago were 0.18mm

That's massive. Don't know the diameter of these jewel holes but definitely < 0.10mm. Perhaps the diameter can be reduced using sandpaper.

3 hours ago, HectorLooi said:

According to Esslinger, the 1A has a tip of just 0.1mm.

I have the 1A oiler and I think that 0.1mm is correct. For those considering getting this oiler be aware that there are capped jewel holes that are smaller than 0.1mm. At least one of the two jewel holes on the Seiko 7sXX train wheel bridge is smaller than 0.1mm if I remember correctly.

Edited February 20 by VWatchie

[Birbdad]

10 hours ago, VWatchie said:

I'll have to try that. Replacing those rectangular Diafix springs has probably been the most difficult motorically among all the challenges I've taken on since I started.

Clever to take advantage of the spring not only springing in one plane but also springing when rotated in opposite directions. I probably never would have figured that out on my own. 

BTW, if anyone wonders about the origin of the Diafix name it stems from the word diabolic. The Diafix spring was invented by a particularly sadistic Seiko employee who, during World War II, worked on the design of exceptionally painful torture methods 

That's massive. Don't know the diameter of these jewel holes but definitely < 0.10mm. Perhaps the diameter can be reduced using sandpaper.

I have the 1A oiler and I think that 0.1mm is correct. For those considering getting this oiler be aware that there are capped jewel holes that are smaller than 0.1mm. At least one of the two jewel holes on the Seiko 7sXX train wheel bridge is smaller than 0.1mm if I remember correctly.

Yeah, the diafix springs were torture, to the point i would just put off servicing a watch cuz i knew i'd probably have to set them a few times. It's sooo nice being able to just do it in seconds now. Practice that method and it gets easy quick!

 

Also my 1a oiler does appear to fit every jewel hole in a 7s26. the escape wheel is iirc the smallest hole and it just barely fits in it.

[VWatchie]

2 hours ago, Birbdad said:

Also my 1a oiler does appear to fit every jewel hole in a 7s26.

OK, so I didn't remember that right, thanks. It was probably some other movement. Nevertheless, I prefer my Incabloc oiler.

[Birbdad]

On 2/20/2024 at 3:28 PM, VWatchie said:

OK, so I didn't remember that right, thanks. It was probably some other movement. Nevertheless, I prefer my Incabloc oiler.

Currently scheming to come up with a better solution than the wheel i use that's cheaper than an inkabloc oiler. I would like something longer so i can see as i do the oiling just how much is making it's way into the setting.

[Neverenoughwatches]

I have a question, as i do a lot of old swiss watches that have non shock fixed balance jewels. To oil these ofren the hairspring is removed from the balance to get to the fixing screws from underneath which is a little time consuming especially if the hairspring is unpinned. Without this though there is no real way of knowing how clean inbetween the cap and balance jewel is. Does this apply to the jewels you are oiling here ? Not the most ideal cleaning operation can leave residue inside.

[HectorLooi]

There is no other way than to unpin the hairspring and remove the balance wheel to access the two screws and remove the capstone.

Reassembling the capstone, regulator arm and balance cock without smearing the drop of oil can be challenging at times. Ever since I got my auto oiler, I reassemble the balance assembly and oil through the jewel hole. 

It is almost impossible to over-oil the capstone this way as any excess oil would remain on top of the jewel hole. I then dab off any excess oil with a root canal paper point.

[Neverenoughwatches]

1 hour ago, HectorLooi said:

There is no other way than to unpin the hairspring and remove the balance wheel to access the two screws and remove the capstone.

Reassembling the capstone, regulator arm and balance cock without smearing the drop of oil can be challenging at times. Ever since I got my auto oiler, I reassemble the balance assembly and oil through the jewel hole. 

It is almost impossible to over-oil the capstone this way as any excess oil would remain on top of the jewel hole. I then dab off any excess oil with a root canal paper point.

I always disassemble this way hector, only sure way of knowing the capstone is clean. I was curious to know if people were disassembling these tiny seiko cap jewels to clean them first before oiling them from the backside

[VWatchie]

On 2/22/2024 at 9:36 AM, Neverenoughwatches said:

I was curious to know if people were disassembling these tiny seiko cap jewels to clean them first before oiling them from the backside

Yes, that is what needs to be done, but some don't and leave them in claiming that all you need is efficient cleaning fluids. I highly doubt it though.

[BillM]

This thread just saved me $. I was just about to buy one of those oilers.  Thank you guys. 
I’ve been using a very fine beading needle honed to a fine point and it works pretty well. I guess I’ll just stick with that. 

Edited April 10 by BillM