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What watchmaking task should be easy but rarely is?

mbwatch
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fellerts WRT Addict

fellerts

Posted
Posted

Fun thread, I'll go:

  • Inserting the winding pinion without dropping it or getting grease all over my tweezers or the surrounding stem area.
  • Keeping the mainspring free of dust while winding it with mainspring winders.
    • Also: preventing the mainspring from rushing into the winder after nudging the bridle through the slit. Often the end of the spring will rush through the slit, rotate once, and I'll end up with the bridle coming out of the winder again and sometimes snapping.
  • Like 1
Neverenoughwatches Distinguished Member

Neverenoughwatches

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, AndyGSi said:

I use a home made version of these when releasing the stem to refit the movement.

Set the hands @12 and position them in the slot.

image.png.6cd9f4e3d2c256380c0f12df193193a2.png

Thats a great idea Andy, can you post a picture of them so @RichardHarris123can patent them 😄     don't worry the joke will get old soon if not already 😁

18 minutes ago, fellerts said:

Fun thread, I'll go:

  • Inserting the winding pinion without dropping it or getting grease all over my tweezers or the surrounding stem area.
  • Keeping the mainspring free of dust while winding it with mainspring winders.
    • Also: preventing the mainspring from rushing into the winder after nudging the bridle through the slit. Often the end of the spring will rush through the slit, rotate once, and I'll end up with the bridle coming out of the winder again and sometimes snapping.

I think I can answer these. Oil the pinion after it's on the stem ?  The dust is something that just has to be controlled in the environment. The winder for the mainspring needs backing off some... before the bridle is fed in. 

VWatchie Distinguished Member

VWatchie

Posted
Posted (edited)
13 hours ago, Knebo said:

Or is there a better way that I'm missing? Do you put it in a movement holder (clamping the dial???) ?

Yep! Just put a piece of cling film/saran wrap (the type you have in the kitchen) between the holder and the dial and don't tighten too hard.

54 minutes ago, fellerts said:

Inserting the winding pinion without dropping it or getting grease all over my tweezers or the surrounding stem area.

Yes, it's all too easy to drop, especially when doing the keyless before the barrel bridge. So if possible, I assemble the barrel bridge first.

SlidingPinion.jpg.2090b12c4ad637521f9865e8403807b9.jpg
These days I don't lubricate the winding pinion but instead the contact point on the main plate.

Edited by VWatchie
  • Like 2
AndyGSi Distinguished Member

AndyGSi

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, HectorLooi said:

What about chronographs with sub hands?

Depends where the chronograph dials are but I can usually line then up with cross slots.

The centre of the movement doesn't need to be in the centre of the pad.

SwissSeiko WRT Addict

SwissSeiko

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, AndyGSi said:

I use a home made version of these when releasing the stem to refit the movement.

Set the hands @12 and position them in the slot.

image.png.6cd9f4e3d2c256380c0f12df193193a2.png

Simple and elegant. What about non hacking center seconds? Just some Rodico touching the balance wheel?

AndyGSi Distinguished Member

AndyGSi

Posted
Posted
3 minutes ago, SwissSeiko said:

Simple and elegant. What about non hacking center seconds? Just some Rodico touching the balance wheel?

I just let the power down before doing anything then use the balance till it's @12 with the other hands.

  • Like 1
Neverenoughwatches Distinguished Member

Neverenoughwatches

Posted
Posted
18 minutes ago, SwissSeiko said:

Simple and elegant. What about non hacking center seconds? Just some Rodico touching the balance wheel?

The sweep second doesn't really matter if the movement isn't of much significance. It can be positioned after the crown and stem are removed. 

mbwatch Super WRT Addict

mbwatch

Posted
  • Author
Posted
2 minutes ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

The sweep second doesn't really matter if the movement isn't of much significance. It can be positioned after the crown and stem are removed.

Somehow this never occurs to me and I put the seconds hand on before removing the stem 🤦‍♂️

Neverenoughwatches Distinguished Member

Neverenoughwatches

Posted
Posted (edited)
10 minutes ago, mbwatch said:

Somehow this never occurs to me and I put the seconds hand on before removing the stem 🤦‍♂️

As long as the hour and minute hands are in good parallel positions with each other and the dial through a full 12 rotation..the sweep shouldn't cause an issue providing that also tracks parallel. 

For better , it's good to let it run for 12 hours before casing it...there could be other reasons as well for doing that. Obviously day date watches checked for 24hrs run times if you were belt and braces.

Edited by Neverenoughwatches
Jon Super WRT Addict

Jon

Posted
Posted
On 1/29/2025 at 11:08 AM, VWatchie said:

These days I don't lubricate the winding pinion but instead the contact point on the main plate.

It's what I do as well

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