New forum member, new learner

[chrisG]

Hi

My name is Chris. Just started trying to learn about watch and clock repair as a result of repairing my fathers old 1890s police station clock (about a year ago). The clock was Ok, but having graduated to pocket watches and then wrist watches, despite the really excellent stuff on Youtube, I am struggling a bit.  As a retired engineer, I find the engineering exquisite, but a bit on the fiddly side.  I have done a few practice watches with a little success but failed a few, but have had success with Seiko 7005s, 7009s etc, but have just attempted a citizen 5430.  Nightmare.  My wife thought I had found religion as I spent so much time on my knees with my eyes to the floor looking for springs.  Got through that and found that the balance is shot.  Trying to source one or something that will fit from the citizen range has me totally perplexed.  Tried Ebay, Cousins etc without luck.  Any advice as to alternatives that will fit or alternative sources would be gratefully received.

[watchweasol]

Hi Chris and welcome to the forum, The hands and knees is by way of the rite of passage, we have all done that at some time or another.   Added a bit of citizen gen plus the T Z glossary

Citizen Technical Information.pdf TZIllustratedGlossary.pdf

[RichardHarris123]

Hello and welcome from Leeds, England .

No idea about Citizen but someone will advise soon.

[AndyGSi]

Welcome to the forum.

The Citizen 54** isn't the best range to be learning on due to limited information and parts.

What's wrong with the balance and can you post photos.

 

[Nucejoe]

Look for  Citizen 5400, 5410, 5420, 5430 & 5470 as members of a family. 

5400 is likely to be the base caliber. 

Balance complete of any of above calibs would fit other variants.  Normally most  parts of the base calib interchange with all members of the family.

Regs

Edited Tuesday at 09:09 PM by Nucejoe
Spell

[AndyGSi]

There's a couple of 5420 balance complete on eBay but they aren't cheap.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/388266390588

[Nucejoe]

54 minutes ago, AndyGSi said:

There's a couple of 5420 balance complete on eBay but they aren't cheap.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/388266390588

 Andy!   apparently teaching OP how to build himself a balance complete is upon you.  lol 

[AndyGSi]

32 minutes ago, Nucejoe said:

 Andy!   apparently teaching OP how to build himself a balance complete is upon you.  lol 

Unless you've got any better suggestions Isn't that what this forum is about?

It still depends what state the balance is in to start with.

Edit

You see, it's things like this that really wind me up and make me wonder if it's worth even sticking around, think I'll say goodnight and keep well

 

Edited Tuesday at 09:37 PM by AndyGSi

[chrisG]

The hairspring end has come adrift from the small terminal barrel.  I have tried to remove the taper pin to relocate it, but the task is beyond my skill set, eyes, hands and being in my 70s, probably beyond my life expectancy.  It is not too badly mangled on the end.  On the ebay offer, that really is a bit on the rich side.  I'll keep looking, maybe a good hairspring will turn up with a shot balance staff.

As for time spent on knees.  I made up one of these from 3M magnetic tape and a piece of wood.  It works well for magnetic parts.

Other things I have suffered with.  I found lubricants so very expensive that I bought some very small syringes and tiny needles.  I just decant a drop into my oiling pots when I start a movement and the remainder keeps really well in the syringes.

Finally identifying the correct screw for the part led me to make up the board in the final pic.

 

Thanks for the info.

Kind regards

 

Chris

 

[tomh207]

You will still be looking for a balance complete I’m afraid, this is the balance staff, balance wheel and hairspring in one package. Hairspring and the balance wheel are matched in the factory. Whilst we can change a balance staff the hairspring and balance wheel stay together.

 

Tom

[Neverenoughwatches]

48 minutes ago, AndyGSi said:

You see, it's things like this that really wind me up and make me wonder if it's worth even sticking around, think I'll say goodnight and keep well

Aw come on Andy, it was just a comparison between spending 30 quid and tackling a tricky piece of work. You appeared to be volunteering,  i volunteer for stuff all the time it gets me into all kinds of trouble.