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Which online watch repair course?


Bill3

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CKelly,

First and most important, thank you for taking the time to help me with the Hamilton watch problem.  The watch was not running when I began to work on it.  At that time the stem was working as expected, in other words it could be pulled out one click and the hands could be set.  I cannot remember for sure, but I do not think I could wind the watch.  

I need to correct one point.  The Hamilton was not the first watch that I took apart.  I have several that preceded the Hamilton.  None of them were ever reassembled correctly.  

Thank you for your generous offer to help me with the watch.  If it at all possible, I would prefer to be talked through the repair.  It would be too easy to just send it to your experienced hands and let you do it.  It would be more rewarding to actually complete the project.  I just looked in my workshop and the watch and the carcass of another Hamilton 986A that I took the balance wheel and hairspring out of for the watch I am working on.  Just before I started this message, I looked on EBay and saw a stem for a Hamilton 986A for $10.  Maybe there is yet hope.  

I took the liberty of looking at your profile and saw that you live in Charlotte, NC.  I have an adult son who lives there and I am often there to visit.  However, I probably will not be there for several more weeks.  

As soon as this message is finished, I am going to compare the stem that has been causing me trouble to the picture of the one on EBay.  

Again, thank you and I am always open to help.  

Best regards,

Bill

 

 

 

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Ok that actually makes sense. Watch wasn't working but was wound up tight because that's what everyone thinks will help. If you are up for an experiment you might remove the spring that holds the sliding pinion yoke. That is held by one screw to the left, in your pictures of the set lever. This spring also put tension on the set lever. With this removed the set lever should be free to move back and forth as you gently move the stem. By doing this we may be able to figure out what is happening. I can't tell from the picture but maybe this spring is wedged up under the set lever preventing it from going down far enough to hold the stem. Also by freeing up the set lever you can watch what it does as you move the stem in and out a bit which can give you clues as to what is happening. Say the lever pivots inward when you push the stem inward but doesn't move when you pull out on the stem it may mean that the stem isn't in far enough to begin with. If the lever doesn't move at all then there may be damage to either the lever or the stem.

  I'll keep checking to see what you may find. Main thing is to think of this as a detective type of exercise and try to visualize in your mind how the stem and set lever interact with each other. Stem goes in and the part of the set lever directly over the stem goes inward. Stem come out then that part of the set lever moves toward the outer edge of the movement while the other end of the set lever moves toward the center. Just be careful to not pull the stem out so far that the sliding pinion and winding gear fall out. ( That may be our next experiment.)

  By the way I'm not exactly in Charlotte. I may have put that in the profile because nobody will ever know the small town of Old Fort, NC. Closer to Asheville and about a hour from Charlotte. 

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While I have not taken the Time Zone classes, I have take Bob's course and found it very much worth the cost, I service both watches and clocks based on the foundation I received from his course. Using supplemental aids such as books, and videos like Marks have increased my knowledge and skill level.

When it comes to these classes, regardless of which one you go with, I have found the main key is repetition of the skills starting from the basic use of tools, to changing a roller, there is no shortcut for hands on repetition of the skills you learn from any video or book.

Also you have to understand, while Bob course includes a forum to ask you question, you do not have someone standing behind you looking over your shoulder helping you through those tough moments. Which is why I have added books, forums like this one, and bookmark youtubers like Mark, Steffan Phalow and others who give me exposure to new skills and watches that I would not other wise see.

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Bobs classes are videos you can get on DVD or download the video to your hard drive (used to be able to download, I took the course in 2010), then you have access to them all the time. Most sections are made of 5-10 videos and most videos are 15 mins, but he uses a CAD/CAM type of program system to explain some parts and videos of the work being done for other.

If you do a youtube search for Bob Tascione, he has portions of some classes posted for people to sample, I would suggest to go through those videos first, they are older videos and I think he is working on a new release of his classes. Also Bob and one of his former online students just released a new course dealing with Hermle Chime Clock movements repair, the former student William Porter also has some videos posted on youtube, although Will's youtube channel deals mainly with clock repair.

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My very first watch repair was a non running fleabay bought Landeron 51 I paid $48 for. I bought a set of screw drivers and some tweezers and a head loupe and commenced to dissemble it. As I did it I took pics of ever step and just reversed the pics when I put it back together. I was successful and it running. I ended selling it to a guy in Switzerland for $120. You just have to really be mechanically inclined and have the drive to do it. Now, I am not afraid of the little parts or losing and breaking anything because I can just order more. Besides, its just a hobby and I am not losing anything but time and no matter how many watches I own I still don't have enough time.

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On ‎4‎/‎14‎/‎2016 at 1:37 PM, Bill3 said:

Tiktok, 

A couple of years ago I tried a Waltham pocket watch for the reasons you mentioned above.  It came apart easily and was easy to clean, however I could never get it back together.  It has an enormous plate on the back and all the pivots have to fit into place at the same time.  I tried to fit that plate every day for two months.  The only positive thing I can say about that experience is that I did not lose any parts.  It now is stored away "on the side" with many other packets of watch parts all waiting patiently to be reassembled.  

 

I am guessing you were working on a Waltham model 1883, with the pallet needing to extend into the top plate balance well, this movement must be assembled upside down, so position all of the wheels into the top plate, then lower the bottom plate down and align the pivots.

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I would recommend a watch with multiple bridges for you, it makes setting the wheels so much easier, and once you get that feeling when you drop the balance cock on to the movement and it starts beating, you will find things less frustrating.

Until then, when you get stuck, ask your questions here, trust me, there is no such thing as a dumb question, I struggled with the full plate movements, I even went as far as using rodico to hold the pallet in place on the upper plate, then I asked and was told about building on the upper plate, made it sooo much easier.

Also, you will notice there is an order to aligning your pivots, each is slightly shorter, normally it starts at the main wheel, then drop in the third, fourth, escape, pallet..

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Steve,

it is encouraging to hear that I am not the only person to try unusual approaches to problems, like rodico to hold the pallet in place.  Your advice is appreciated.  

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