Help for novice wanting to repair his own watch!

[winchman]

Hello

I have  small collection of cheap stuff, old Casio's etc but I also have a few watches that don't work but are just not worth having professionally repaired.

I will start with a Cronel Jet King I picked up at a Car Boot sale, I like it but its worth very little, it doesn't run.

I would be great full if some one could tell me were to start!

I can get the back off and have good engineering knowledge but just haven't a clue what to do next.

Once I  have cracked the sI have a Smiths Astral waiting.

Thanks in advance.

[jdm]

Maybe show a picture of the watch to let others understand? You know there are quartz watches, mechanical and few different types more. And the reasons why they don't run can vary a lot.

 

[winchman]

Thanks 

Its mechanical watches I want to learn about I will post a photo

[jdm]

In most cases you need to fully take it apart. For that you need to procure the necessary tools first. Have a read around on this forum.

[rogart63]

51 minutes ago, winchman said:

Hello

I have  small collection of cheap stuff, old Casio's etc but I also have a few watches that don't work but are just not worth having professionally repaired.

I will start with a Cronel Jet King I picked up at a Car Boot sale, I like it but its worth very little, it doesn't run.

I would be great full if some one could tell me were to start!

I can get the back off and have good engineering knowledge but just haven't a clue what to do next.

Once I  have cracked the sI have a Smiths Astral waiting.

Thanks in advance.

Is it the one with dual crowns? If so that is a good looking watch? Have a EB movement . 8800? Pin lever movement aren't the easiest to service but not the toughest either? 

[Marc]

The Cornel is a good place to start but I would strongly recommend getting at least half a dozen successful overhauls under your belt before tackling the smiths.

The Smiths isn't a particularly difficult watch to work on but if it is in nice condition cosmetically then it's not a cheap watch. Also if anything goes wrong you're going to find it difficult to track down spare parts.

As for how to proceed I would point you towards the "watch repair and servicing walkthroughs" section. It's full of photo walk through for many different movements but the generally follow the same basic design and give a good idea about how to go about a tear down and rebuild.

And crucially take loads of photographs to help guide the rebuild, and don't be shy about asking questions here.

Good luck.

[transporter]

Post a picture if you can mate, I'll just say that make sure you let the mainspring down before you start working on any movement ok. Please keep us informed and don't be afraid to ask questions there's never a stupid one ok. This is a great forum with excellent members with huge amounts of knowledge which in the past has helped me out.

[oldhippy]

If you want to get into repairing watches you should start on pocket watches first because they are a lot bigger. Look on the net for pictures of pocket watches, then manual wrist watches and you will see what I mean. Don't bother with fusee pocket watches they are very different. Learn the names of the parts and just practice the taking apart and putting together, you don't have to bother getting it to work. Look up the various tools you will need to start you off. There's plenty of info on here about that just do a search.

[winchman]

2 hours ago, jdm said:

In most cases you need to fully take it apart. For that you need to procure the necessary tools first. Have a read around on this forum.

Thanks, I work as an engineer so I do have some of the stuff I need, opener screwdrivers etc.

Here is a poor photo of the watch.

I don't have much to practice on really I think I may have another old ladies watch so it will have to be the Cronel first. 

I have been looking but find it hard to find donor watches.

[winchman]

1 hour ago, Marc said:

The Smiths isn't a particularly difficult watch to work on but if it is in nice condition cosmetically then it's not a cheap watch. Also if anything goes wrong you're going to find it difficult to track down spare parts.

As for how to proceed I would point you towards the "watch repair and servicing walkthroughs" section. It's full of photo walk through for many different movements but the generally follow the same basic design and give a good idea about how to go about a tear down and rebuild.

And crucially take loads of photographs to help guide the rebuild, and don't be shy about asking questions here.

Good luck.

Thanks

My son has a gold smiths I bought at a Car Bot sale for £1, a local man fixed it but it cost £200 but came back like new, the other smiths I have is a tatty ladies in poor condition.

Where is the best place too get practice watches?

 

[vinn3]

welcome winch man.  done any sail boat racing?  as an engineer,  you know the value of a tech.  manual,  this will be a very good hobby for you.  vinn

[winchman]

No sail boat racing, the winchman is from year spent fixing them

[rogart63]

Movement is a EB8800. 

[winchman]

I haven't disappeared, ordered some loupes and waiting until I am off work to have a go

[winchman]

Well I hav finally made a start!

Opened the Cronel and the balance wheel ( little wheel with a spring on it) is loose looks like its come off its pivot points but I can't see how to get it back on? Could the jewel be damaged?

[jdm]

1 hour ago, winchman said:

Opened the Cronel and the balance wheel ( little wheel with a spring on it) is loose looks like its come off its pivot points but I can't see how to get it back on? Could the jewel be damaged?

No, more likely the staff pivot is broken. That will require a new balance assembly or staff. In either case replacing it is a quite advanced task so if you want to be sure that this watch will be running again, give it to a professional or train long and well on something else before you try.

Edited November 20, 2016 by jdm

[winchman]

Thanks

It looks ok to me as it has a smaller shaft diameter at each end but as you say part of it could be missing, well its off to the practice watch pile for the Cronel as I doubt I will find any bits for it and I doubt I could turn a new one.

[szbalogh]

Please dont learn on the Cronel! Please! 

Get a broken pocket watch from the bay or from a local watchmaker to start tinkering as Oldhippy suggested.

[jdm]

15 hours ago, winchman said:

It looks ok to me as it has a smaller shaft diameter at each end but as you say part of it could be missing, well its off to the practice watch pile for the Cronel as I doubt I will find any bits for it and I doubt I could turn a new one.

Why not. Take a good picture of the movement with the balance wheel exposed, so one can identify it and look. If at least you can obtain the part needed that will make everything much easier for the watchmaker.

[winchman]

14 hours ago, szbalogh said:

Please dont learn on the Cronel! Please! 

Get a broken pocket watch from the bay or from a local watchmaker to start tinkering as Oldhippy suggested.

Will do

[winchman]

7 minutes ago, jdm said:

Why not. Take a good picture of the movement with the balance wheel exposed, so one can identify it and look. If at least you can obtain the part needed that will make everything much easier for the watchmaker.

I will dig my macro camera out and see what I can do as I might be missing something

[chas999]

Winchman - this may sound stupid but I would start by taking a couple of very small screws out of a scrap watch mechanism and then put them back in.

I have found that while I am perfectly able to remove tiny screws I was a bit shocked to find that I don't have the dexterity to screw them back in.

As an engineer I have spent a lifetime taking things apart and fixing them and hate to admit that the bits which form a watch mechanism are just too small and fiddly.

I take my hat off to the skill of people who do it for a living.

regards

Chas

[winchman]

I have been practising, its not easy with my sausage fingers.

Work is getting in the way at the moment so hoping to do a bit more the week after next

[ramrod]

if you need parts, look on ebay. i just found 6 or 7 auctions for EB8800s. they aren't expensive from the looks of it. there is a buy it now for $14.

[noirrac1j]

On 11/13/2016 at 4:02 PM, winchman said:

Thanks, I work as an engineer so I do have some of the stuff I need, opener screwdrivers etc.

Here is a poor photo of the watch.

I don't have much to practice on really I think I may have another old ladies watch so it will have to be the Cronel first. 

I have been looking but find it hard to find donor watches.

Hello winchman welcome to the forum. If the movement on this watch is a Bettlach, have a lot of EB 8800 movement parts including balance. Just send me a message when you're ready.

JC