Hello from Tasmania Australia.

[Clicoon]

Have a love affair with Seiko and after some years of wearing a one and only Seiko 5 with a 7S26 B, decided to lash out and buy a new Seiko Sarb035 as a dress watch. This has led me into delving deeper into the world of horology and am starting to put together a small tool kit with the object of opening up a 7S26 movement to get the basics of a mech. movement. Currently looking around for a cheap new Seiko with the 7S26 movement to work on. Not prepared to open my Seiko 5 till I know what I'm doing. 

First question - how do I confirm what movement a Seiko sold as a SNKM61 has or is this another movement type? Is there a reference table for movement types? Many sales specs only list their watches as automatic or mechanical and I'm not prepared to buy until sure it has the reqiured 7S26 movement. Been searching for a table but no success so far, any help would be appreciated. Certainly shows me as a beginner - but this site looks like a great place to get going.

Cheers. 

[Tmuir]

Sorry don't have a table like you want, but have you tried looking on ebay with a search calibre 7S26?

There is one on ebay US that looks reasonably priced, but it finishing in just over 20 minutes so you better be quick.

 

I forgot to add welcome

Edited October 19, 2016 by Tmuir
Added welcome message

[vinn3]

welcome to the forum

[bobm12]

Welcome to the forum, clicoon!

No, no table I'm aware of. There is always the model number and usually those are poorly connected with the movement number inside....at least I've always spend too much time to find the relationship for certain advertised models.

For practicing and before you work on your own watches, you need something working and with no real value to you...."guinea" watch? There is a tutorial from Hacko, on line that can get you started. We also have an excellent walk through by Lawson and Mark has a super video of the whole process. So you'll be good with those.

I usually get movements and whole watches from "thewatchcollector" on ebay. That's one source that you can expand by searching by caliber: 7S26. I'd recommend version C but that one may be hard to find. I you want a new movement, CusinsUK sells the 7S36 which is the same (it adds 2 jewels and a small bridge as a debatable refinement).

Cheers,

Bob

[parmenion31]

Welcome to the forum Clicoon.

[ro63rto]

Welcome to the forum.

Best place to start, especially for the Seiko 5 range which is HUUUUUUUGE is....
http://www.watchsleuth.com/seiko5finder/search/?MOD=SNKM61

check out the Seiko 5 Family Portrait
http://www.watchsleuth.com/seiko5finder/portrait/

[oldhippy]

Hello and welcome to this friendly helpful forum. There's plenty of info for you on here.

[Clicoon]

Thanks folk for the warm welcome. Bob - I am aware of the tutorials available and should have mentioned that this is the main reason why I decided to launch into some practical work. Could not have considered doing this without the great videos from the sources you mention.

A big thanks to ro63rto for the Seiko links, have already clarified some issues by using watchsleuth.

Now to get busy while ensuring 'the lady of the house' doesn't feel deprived of a useful house hubby!

Cheers.

[clockboy]

Welcome Clicoon. Hope you enjoy the forum. The Seiko 7s26 was produced by the millions so there are plenty of them to be found. It is a very simple movement to work with, however parts are becoming harder to find so purchase a running movement if possible. One of the difficult parts to source (as I have found recently) for this caliber is a replacement mainspring.

[bobm12]

Hi CB,

You are right! Other than a generic replacement, I've found that this number SEI201420 from cousinsUK may be better since it is the whole thing: barrel and mainspring. You may save money too. You can give it a try...Please, double check the number since I also work on the smaller caliper 4205...

Cheers,

Bob

[clockboy]

Thanks Bob, I found one complete with barrel on the Bay. Also as a back up I have also ordered a spring GR2378X which is apparently very close to the original.

[Vich]

Hello Clicoon and welcome,

Looks like you are straight into the fray and keen as mustard.

Look forward to seeing how you get on.

Cheers,

Vic

[Clicoon]

Hi All - a quick update. Finally managed to get a used Seiko 5 with a 7S26A and after checking the website provided by ro63rto got full specs for it (SNKA23). The watch cost $48 Aus. ex ebay, it was described as a goer which was true but it only goes intermittently. While it looked clean at first sight, since opening it is clearly not that clean inside and probably needs a strip down service.

I've got down to the day dial and starting to wrestle with the snap or circlip. I'll soon need to think about cleaning fluid and oiling but a bit deeper to go yet.

Cheers.

 

[Vich]

Excelent progress Clicoon,

Mark has just put on a vid about oiling that brings it down to the basics a starter needs - may be worth a view. 

A query about cleaning will bring a host of differing opinions but my two penneth, for a tinkerer, is clean in Solvent Naphtha (Petroleum) Light Aliph, lighter fluid as pure in Naptha as possible (and wash in isopropanol and leave to dry.  I dont do enough to warrant a watch repairers cleaning set up with a proper machine and litres of fluids.  I use a fairly standard medium sized "true" ultrasonic cleaner (ie not one that merely vibrates at a low frequency) and put water in the bath and use miniature jam pots to contain the parts within the fluids, the vibrations pass right through the pots and clean the parts. PS don't put the pallet fork in as you may detach the jewels - do that by hand. - it works for me!

Doubtless there may be a few differing opinions but all are worth a listen before you decide.

Good luck on your quest.

 

Vic

[Clicoon]

Thanks Patron - will look at some vids and absorb. A lot more to cleaning than I expected. Had thought about working on a newer watch to start with, thus overcoming the need for cleaning and lube, however, the idea of pulling apart a unit that didn't need service, with the risk of making it worse than when I started, made me go for a genuine repair/maintenance option. 

Cheers Rob.