Jump to content

Mainspring winders


Recommended Posts

Hello Rexxus.
i too started on pocket watches and started winding by hand.  i understand most professionals, of which I am NOT one, consider it bad practice.  However, what works, works!
i stopped doing it by hand simply because it hurt my fingers to do so and I had been slapped in the face 137 times too often by particularly cheeky springs.  I bought the model in you picture years ago and love it.  There are two main drawbacks IMHO.  1. As nickelsilver suggests, the older ones tend to be work, particularly in the material that grips the spring in the center.  Thus it can slip quite often.  2. This model nay has one arbor size.  That means if you work on smaller movements with smaller springs, you may bend the center out of shape or even break it.  In the case of wrist watches and smaller sprinted movements, it won’t fit at all.
 
you can buy new winders one arbor at a time and build your set to your needs.  They are a bit more expensive per arbor than a set, but if you don’t need a complete set, you save money and get the right tool.  I must admit to coveting Marks Bergeon set in his videos even though I will NEVER need all those sizes.
 
best of luck and do reach out with pocket watch questions and suggestions.  I love to compare experiences.


Thank you for your message! In terms of pocket watches, what would you say is the most common mainspring size? Any rules of thumb you’re aware of?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Rexxus said:

i too started on pocket watches and started winding by hand.  i understand most professionals, of which I am NOT one, consider it bad practice.  However, what works, works!

I could never get on with watch or P/watch winders. It is not bad practice. Just make sure you never take the spring out so it looks un-even, it should lay flat. Use finger cots to put the spring in. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Rexxus said:

 


Thank you for your message! In terms of pocket watches, what would you say is the most common mainspring size? Any rules of thumb you’re aware of?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I'm afraid not.  The springs are by movement size and caliber.  You may find reference material to help you find interchangeable parts.  I do have a very significant stock of NOS pocket watch parts.  If you can tell me more I’d be happy to give you a spring or two to try.  I have thousands of NOS mainsprings for movements from American 18s to 21/0.  If that doesn’t make sense to you, post pics of what you have.  The face, the movement and the barrel with measurements of each.  Maybe we could narrow it down?

Do you have the old spring?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, ITProDad said:

I'm afraid not.  The springs are by movement size and caliber.  You may find reference material to help you find interchangeable parts.  I do have a very significant stock of NOS pocket watch parts.  If you can tell me more I’d be happy to give you a spring or two to try.  I have thousands of NOS mainsprings for movements from American 18s to 21/0.  If that doesn’t make sense to you, post pics of what you have.  The face, the movement and the barrel with measurements of each.  Maybe we could narrow it down?

Do you have the old spring?

I think the OP is just trying to decide if buying a MS winder and what are the common sizes he may encounter working on American pocket watches. Not fixing a watch at hand.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm afraid not.  The springs are by movement size and caliber.  You may find reference material to help you find interchangeable parts.  I do have a very significant stock of NOS pocket watch parts.  If you can tell me more I’d be happy to give you a spring or two to try.  I have thousands of NOS mainsprings for movements from American 18s to 21/0.  If that doesn’t make sense to you, post pics of what you have.  The face, the movement and the barrel with measurements of each.  Maybe we could narrow it down?
Do you have the old spring?


Hiya,

Thank you for the offer!!! I don’t have a specific spring I’m working on now. I’ve been buying the supplies and equipment I need and have picked up a few pocket watches to take apart, clean, and put together. Some are missing parts. Once i start taking them apart I’ll definitely be posting pics and reaching out :)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  • Confused 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, praezis said:

If you intend to work on PWs only, you will surely need no winders for ladies WW. You could get a coarse idea of the needed winder sizes if you take half of the movement diameter minus 20%.

Frank

20% of the half? Or 20% of the whole movement measure?

ive never heard this guideline before.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello, 

I just bought these K&D 123 mainspring winders (set of 3). I'm currently practicing on Chinese skeleton movements.

I also just finished the Level 2 course. So I'm curious, is it possible to use this on the 6498? I was told by the buyer that he has not tried it on the 6498 as it's a pocket watch movement. But what would happen if I use the biggest (11mm) winder? Will it damage the mainspring, or will it just not load in the winder entirely?

 

Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

What you have there are three differing sized holders that you wind the spring into, the button on the back then presses the wound spring into the barrel, there should be an accompanying winder handle which can be vice mounted with an arbor attachment.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
On 10/29/2016 at 3:25 PM, clockboy said:

I have a very similar winding set as this. These winders are great once you get used to using them. The issue to be aware of is unlike the Bergeon mainspring winder (which has a winding handle) it's a bit more tricky when winding & keeping the winding arbour flush with the rest of the unit. Also the same issue as the Bergeon the removing of the arbour after winding is the most critical part. Absolutely make sure it has released & withdraw the winding arbour slowly making sure the centre of the spring does not travel out with the arbour. If it does (which is common) Use a fine pair of tweezers to push the centre of the spring back as you go. I suggest you practice first with an old scrap spring/arbour. 

Hello, I'm considering getting this set, do you know what barrel sizes these will fit, in millimeters? Thank you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I've been watching out for a decent set of mainspring winders for a while now, and just spotted these on Ebay.

https://www.ebay.de/itm/Metall-Vintage-Watch-Federwinde-Set-fur-ETA-Uhrwerk-C07-8500-1-8500-2-3135/184046407944

There are a number of sellers, mostly in Hong Kong but a couple are in the UK. This set is new to me and looks well made. The price seems reasonable, when compared to a used set costing upwards of 50 Euro. Has anyone bought a set? I don't recognise most of the calibre numbers, but the barrels look to be in a range of diameters. Are there any other variables? What is puzzling me for example is why there are two different winders for 2824 and 2892 when the spring dimensions are so similar?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To start with it is described as vintage (vintage today doesn't mean what it used to be) I have seen clocks made about 10 years ago called vintage. This is a set for E T A movements, it doesn't mean that you should only use them for there movements,but on there movements they will work better and be a better fit. 

For what its worth I couldn't get along with watch mainspring winders, so always wound them in by hand. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@oldhippy do you recognise all those ETA movement i.d.s? What sizes are they, please?

2000?

2671 = 6.5 dia.

2235?

8200?

8500-1?

8500-2?

3135/2824=11.0

C07111?

7750=12.5

2892/2836=10.5 or 11.0

 

@vinn3I know how to do it, but especially with the small ones I'm concerned about deforming them. I can't do it with finger cots, they keep getting trapped in  the coils, so I end up contaminating the springs with scrapings from my fingernails. Best avoided.

Putting a new spring in is for me the most reliable and economical solution, given it's a hobby and I might service around 10 watches in a year. So I would continue to do that if saving money was the object. But if I wanted to splash out?

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

25 minutes ago, Klassiker said:

@oldhippy do you recognise all those ETA movement i.d.s? What sizes are they, please?

2000?

2671 = 6.5 dia.

2235?

8200?

8500-1?

8500-2?

3135/2824=11.0

C07111?

7750=12.5

2892/2836=10.5 or 11.0

 

@vinn3I know how to do it, but especially with the small ones I'm concerned about deforming them. I can't do it with finger cots, they keep getting trapped in  the coils, so I end up contaminating the springs with scrapings from my fingernails. Best avoided.

Putting a new spring in is for me the most reliable and economical solution, given it's a hobby and I might service around 10 watches in a year. So I would continue to do that if saving money was the object. But if I wanted to splash out?

Think 2235 is a Rolex movement . Don't no why they aren't doing a set of winders. Instead of doing this. Looks okay though. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.




  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Topics

  • Posts

    • I need to see photos of the whole movement before I comment. 
    • Hi @Jon, so, from one extreme to another the beat error is 0.1(min.pos) to 0.2(msx.pos), and as you mentioned the rate does up and down dramatically. Also checked the position of the collet, and the collet is not central to the jewel on the balance cock. Balance moves freely, per my understanding.   So, after 24h the ampl. fell down by approx 20 deg, which I would assume is expected. After adjusting the endshake I believe I gained around +10 deg. of balance movement. Which is great, and overall the balance is not at 220'ish deg.   What I did next, some might think is non-orthodox, but was wort a try. I too the mainspring out, checked again for endshake and if the pin moves freely, and cleaned everything. Usually when installing the mainspring I would use some barrel grease on the barrel walls, install the spring and put a 2-3 drops of D-5 oil on top of the wounded spring and in the places where the arbor sits. This time I took the spring and applied a ultra this coat of Molykote Dx paste on the whole spring, before installing it in to the barrel, and added some oil to the arbor as usual.  The result improved, at a full wound the balance produces about 230-237 deg. @JohnR725 I'm getting closer to 300 😃   What I am noticing, there is a fluctuation in amplitude. With time it would rise and drop about total 8-10 deg in an interval about 2 minutes. I assumed this ruled out the power transfer from the barrel itself. So I took the gear train out, cleaned and lubed. 
    • Thank you so much, Hector and CJ. I appreciate the tech sheet and the video. Gasp, I think I will make the attempt. What's the worst that can happen? I think there may be a new balance complete in my future, though.  I'll update the post and let you know the result. R, Frank  
    • So here is the new base (v 2.1), I made it so that the base will fit over and swallow the stump of the hand pusher tool (or at least my clone of the tool), I also reduced the OD of the bottom skirt a little as it looked/felt a little large, here are a few pictures and the fake .pdf file which you need to convert to .zip once downloaded.   The cut-out seen on the below image on the bottom of the base should swallow the OD (40 mm, +0.1 mm tolerance) of the stump and the height of the stump 9.5mm (measured to 9.1mm, but rounded to 9.5mm) - let me know if this works for your tool.   Note, I think you may need to print supports for the new internal shelf created? Here is the fake .pdf for just the FreeCAD base file and 3mf files Modular Movement Holder.pdf Here is the fake pdf for complete set of the new base and ring FreeCAD/3mf files: Modular Movement Holder base and ring v 2.1.pdf However, I'm wondering how often you could use this feature, adding the dial usually increases the OD of the movement, so you would need a new (larger) adapter ring tuned to the OD of the dial and I wouldn't like to grip the dial in any kind of movement holder if It could be avoided for fear of damaging it. Maybe I'm misunderstanding you?
    • Hi Frank, you have dived headlong into the deep end. Hairspring work has to be the scariest thing a newbie has to tackle. Your hairspring appears to be bent and just putting it back into the regulator would not allow the balance to work properly. It might start oscillating but the performance would not be good. The proper thing to do is to unstud the hairspring, remove the hairspring from the balance, reinstall the hairspring on the stud carrier, reshape the endcurve and centre the collet to the balance jewel hole. This challenge would either make you or break you. Hope that you will be able to fix your watch. Welcome to the world of watchmaking.  Watch this video. It think it'll give you an idea of the task ahead. From your 1st photo, I think you have a etachron type stud. Let me see if I can find a video on how to remove it from the arm.
×
×
  • Create New...