Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted

Hi Guys i'm back after a quite a bad flare up of rheumatoid arthritis.  Its a bit frustrating really. I started this hobby to give me some thing to look forward to in retirement, and after getting very hooked in a short space of time & spending what I'd say a considerable amount of money on tools etc.. I've now been diagnosed with RA. 

However, I feel quite blessed as when it first took hold it was quite aggressive & TBH I was starting to think about giving up work, buying a bungalow & installing a disabled ramp.  But with the help of meds i'm now starting to feel more myself apart from the fact I can't straighten my arms lol.

Anyway I'm back at work & feeling much more positive.  i'm probably going to loose a lot of screws, click springs etc. but want to get back to the hobby i loved.

David

  • Like 3
Posted

Welcome back im sure you will be back to your old self soon enough. My stroke didn't stop me you just adapt I do still have a dodgy right hand that often has a life of its own when trying to pick up things with tweezers but a sit back and a deep breath sorts it out oh and me swearing at it like a n navvy  helps alot too :D

Posted

Thanks guys for your kind warm welcome back.  Now I just have to remember how i disassembled this movado HS360 kingmatic, at least I took pictures. However, can't remember which size screws go where.  Its been soaking in lighter fluid for 3 months lol

WIN_20160603_15_15_33_Pro.jpg

IMAG0011.JPG

IMAG0035.JPG

IMAG0037.JPG

IMAG0057.JPG

IMAG0060.JPG

IMAG0063.JPG

  • Like 1
Posted (edited)

Welcome back. Not easy when one has forgot where the screws should sit. But could be done with some trial and error.

 

 Maybe not as RA ? But i have some bad thumbs. Arthritis in both my thumbs . Little bad back and arthritis in my feet: 

 

But can be without something to put my hands on. Even if i drop thing from time to time: 

 

Edited by rogart63
Posted

Ouch. Ouch,ouch,ouch. Chronic pain can be a $%^&(. 

Don't let the medicos off the hook, keep after them until you're back doing the things you want to do.

Boy I bet that movement is clean!

Posted

Great to hear you are back and feeling better. I'm nowhere near retirement age but suffer from spinal stenosis. Not good getting spasms when disassembling a movement. Stuff gets flung around.

Posted

I hope you'll continue to feel better. Keep up with the watch repair. There's almost always an alternate way to do things and you can adapt. Good luck!

Posted

Welcome David, good to have you back.

Glad you are coming to terms with the RA and still able to enjoy the watch tinkering. I have had a few comical incidents lately after retiring from a job 5 years ago that often had me literally on my knees laying in network cabling and rerouting telecoms. I have frequently got down on my knees to do some diy or gardening and couldn't actually get up again other than by crawling to the steps or a chair, well you have to laugh sometimes. Luckily I can sit in a chair to mess with my watches.

All the best,

Vic

Posted

re the Movado.

1. Group the similar screw together, you should be able to identify the bridge screws by design and the number you need, eg 3 for train bridge, 3 for barrel bridge, one for balance cock.

2. Assemble the watch without wheels and look out for any screw which potrudes on the back-side.

3. screws which live deep in the movement have very shallow heads.. eg centre wheel bridge, pallet fork bridge.

4. Screws with a tapered base will fit into a hole with a tapered seat.

A bit fiddly but doable, patience and an organised approach is all thats needed!

Anil

  • Like 3
Posted

Thanks Anil, thats is exactly the insight I've been looking for & many thanks to all for your kind words of support.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

  • Like 1
Posted

I love these Kingmatics... its probably the silvered finish which does it for me. I've seen some where the silvering has worn and the brass is visible..uggh.

Best of luck!

Posted

One more thing regarding screws... screws that hold a movable part would have a 'shoulder'. Example the screw holding the 'click', without the shoulder, the screw will keep on tightening against the click rendering it immobile. You will find this on the calender (day/date) wheels as well.

Sorry for multiple posts.

Anil

  • Like 1

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

    • Welcome to the forum, enjoy. 
    • Yes, the specific old tools do exist, but may be having one is not needed as they are not cheap, and also You will be able to do without it well enough. My advice will be to use regular depthing tool and adjust it for the exact distance between pallet fork and escape wheel bearings from the watch. Then remove the shellac from the pallet that now doesn't pass the ew teeth and move this pallet in. Then put the pallet fork and ew on the depthing tool and check how they lock. They should not lock when the pallet is in, but You will little by little move the pallet out and locking will appear. Then move just an idea out for reliable work and apply shellac, then check if things are still the same. You have to observe where the teeth fall on the pallets - it must be just a little below the edge between impulse and rest planes. Then You must check how everything behaves in the movement This Potence tool is so ingenious, but actually, the traditional way to do the things is much more simple. Arrange the parts not on the pillar plate, but on the cover plate. Only the central wheel will remain on the pillar plate, secured by the cannon pinion.
    • There is a tool that was made for setting up and adjusting escapements of full plate watches.  There were two styles, the picture below shows both of them.  The lower tool held a movement plate and the vertical pointed rods were adjusted to hold the unsupported pivots of the lever and escape wheel.  There was also a version of this tool that had 3 adjustable safety centres so that the balance pivot could be supported by the tool :  The other version I’m aware of is the Boynton’s Escapement Matching and Examining Tool came as a set of two or three clamps that gripped the watch plate and held the safety centres for the pivots : These do turn up on eBay from time to time.  For some escapement work, you can set up the parts in a regular depthing tool, with the centres set according to the distance between the corresponding pivot holes on the movement.  I hope this helps, Mark
    • Once you are aware of the problem, you can adjust as necessary. I have a couple of the Omega 10xx, and they are not my favourites. They seem a bit flimsy and not as solid as previous generation Omega. But I think that's true of a lot of movements from the 70-80s. For me, the 50-60s is the peak in watch movements, where the design criteria was quality, not saving the last penny.
×
×
  • Create New...