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What are your projects for 2017?

StuartBaker104

By StuartBaker104
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StuartBaker104 Distinguished Member

StuartBaker104

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What's on your "to do" list for 2017?

Just been through my project box and wondering if I will be able to get to "repair rate greater than buy rate" in 2017??!

Job 1 - rebuild Pierce 134 now I've tracked down a new pallet fork. Job 2, work out if I have enough bits for 1, 2 or 3 more...

IMG_1145.JPG

After that, it might be one of the 2 Omegas I bought for the wife - each cost me about £30 and one is 9ct gold!

IMG_1140.JPGIMG_1141.JPG

Then my Trench watch needs a jewel replacing... I bought a box of 7 junk movements for £35 to get the jewel, but also now have a proper blued minute hand to replace my modern painted one, and some rubbed in jewels to practice with.

IMG_1144.JPG

Then I have this interesting early Record auto, which looks like a standard Record caliber with a bumper winder added on the back!

IMG_1137.JPGIMG_1138.JPG

Another Pierce chrono and a Landeron 51

IMG_1136.JPGIMG_1135.JPG

Then I suspect it will be Christmas again before I get to this one...

IMG_1133.JPG

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by StuartBaker104
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Geo Distinguished Member

Geo

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Stuart, I'm in the same sort of position as you.  I was well sidetracked last year with other interests, so this year I hope to get back to finishing some of the horological projects that require finishing off.  I'm frightened to start counting how many watches I have picked up to refurbish!

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RyMoeller Super WRT Addict

RyMoeller

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On January 3, 2017 at 3:07 PM, StuartBaker104 said:

What's on your "to do" list for 2017?

Just been through my project box and wondering if I will be able to get to "repair rate greater than buy rate" in 2017??!

Job 1 - rebuild Pierce 134 now I've tracked down a new pallet fork. Job 2, work out if I have enough bits for 1, 2 or 3 more...

Ah, another Pierce aficionado!

I'm working on another Pierce right now- everything seems to be about right but I have to put a new post on the sweep second hand (not pictured) then give it a coat of paint.

IMG_1913.JPG

Next will be a neat little Sprint chronograph (Venus 170).  I have the case but will need to source a caseback and pusher.

IMG_1916.JPG

Then I have this cute little Delmar watch which I bought for a song off eBay only because I thought the case would fit a Unicorn movement I have.  It didn't but the watch is pretty enough to restore just the same.

IMG_1918.JPG

A Navitimer- which I'll have to find a case for.

IMG_1917.JPG

A Junghans automatic, which cost me nothing, but will require quite an investment to restore.

IMG_1920.JPG

And my favorite of the bunch- a Favre Leuba Bivouac.  The bezel ratchet is missing and the barometer hand is wrong and doesn't fit but otherwise it looks straight forward.

IMG_1921.JPG

It's going to be a busy year.  ^_^

Edited by RyMoeller
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StuartBaker104 Distinguished Member

StuartBaker104

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5 hours ago, RyMoeller said:

Ah, another Pierce aficionado!

I'm working on another Pierce right now- everything seems to be about right but I have to put a new post on the sweep second hand (not pictured) then give it a coat of paint.

Had a good look through all the parts I have and If I'm going to get to 3, I'll be having to make up a chrono minute hand and a pusher, and also going back to Cousins for another pallet fork. I'll know more in a month or 3 when I've had time to take some things apart.

By the way, loving the condition of that Pierce you have. I've been looking out for one of those 1950s ones in a steel case, but i'm very fussy about dial condition and price!

S

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RyMoeller Super WRT Addict

RyMoeller

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21 hours ago, StuartBaker104 said:

Had a good look through all the parts I have and If I'm going to get to 3, I'll be having to make up a chrono minute hand and a pusher, and also going back to Cousins for another pallet fork. I'll know more in a month or 3 when I've had time to take some things apart.

By the way, loving the condition of that Pierce you have. I've been looking out for one of those 1950s ones in a steel case, but i'm very fussy about dial condition and price!

S

Have you turned your own pushers for these in the past?  I've thought about doing that but was lucky enough to land a few NOS pushers a while back.  I'll add that those Omegas are quite nice!  Also the condition of the Landeron chronograph is fantastic.  Will be a treat to get them up and running I think. ^_^

Regarding the Pierce I pictured above- it's actually a project I'm working on for someone else- all the Pierces I've picked up were a real mess to begin with but this one was well cared for; unfortunately I've had more bad luck with this one than all the rest.  I guess you can't judge a book by its cover.

And for some shameless self promotion- here's Pierces I've finished thus far (excluding the one on the far right which needs a minute register hand):

IMG_1925.JPG

I have one from the 1940's with a black dial floating around here somewhere too- hopefully I can get to it this year.

 

 

Edited by RyMoeller
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StuartBaker104 Distinguished Member

StuartBaker104

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Ry,

No, I've never turned pushers before; still working through setting up my first watchmaking lathe, but this felt like a slightly more achievable first project than a balance staff! The drive pulley has plently of index holes so I figured I'd be able to rig something up to cut the ring of indentations on the O/D, and I have a nickel plating kit. How hard can it be :startle:? I've never seen NOS Pierce pushers, but I have come across 3 different types of them which are not interchangeable on the older watches.

The Landeron I bought as a project from a retiring watchmaker who had bought all the parts for it but never finished it.

Very jealous of your Pierce collection, but it explains why there are so few left on the market! I've also never seen suitable minute register hands, so I figure I'll be getting a standard hand and fitting an oversize tube. If you come across any, let me know!

I have some plain silver Pierce dials which came with a box of bits, although I've never seen a watch with one of these fitted. The are flat, so would be for the earlier type cases.

image.jpg

S

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fjseal WRT Addict

fjseal

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This year I want to fix the very first watch I took apart. The brand is 'Swissam' and predictably I damaged the hairspring. I found another identical watch on E-bay and it had a completely different movement inside. First lesson learned!  Ronda 213p and Sonceboz ES54 were the calibres. Recently I found a balance for the ES54 with a slightly distorted spring, so I am hoping I can manipulate it to the correct profile. Wish me luck.

PS. If you are in a busy pub on a weekend, don't say 'Sonceboz' out loud...you get some agressive looks, as in, "Who are you calling a..."

1- £5.JPG

2-ES 54.JPG

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diveboy WRT Addict

diveboy

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Goals for 2017

  1. Get some decent amount of content on my Elgin website that hasn't been published online before and provide accurate truthful information
  2. Complete restoring the Elgin Parisienne line and get it at the level of display that I'll be proud to show
  3. Find the last two Elgin Horizon models to complete the line
  4. Complete last year's projects
  5. Complete the projects from two years ago
  6. Vow to buy no more projects till the above two lines are completed,  which is contraindicated by line 3
  7. Vow to completely inventory the collection in detail which will be undone by line 3, 4, 5
  8. subscribe to WRT, down size on my forum activities (I no longer post on a watch forum, so moving towards completing early this year)

of course I know with two kids and wife, I'll be able to cut and paste this for next year and just add the line "Complete the projects from three years ago" but who knows, might get some off the list.

 

 

 

 

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StuartBaker104 Distinguished Member

StuartBaker104

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On 07/01/2017 at 8:39 AM, StuartBaker104 said:

Had a good look through all the parts I have and If I'm going to get to 3, I'll be having to make up a chrono minute hand and a pusher, and also going back to Cousins for another pallet fork

Hmm... worse news on the Pierce pallet fork. According to Jules Borel, the Pierce 134 and 103 movements use the same pallet fork. What it didn't say was that the staff is different. Fortunately I had one with broken jewels but a good staff, so managed to swap the staff over. Boy those things are tiny, but it felt good afterwards!

Project number one ticked and tocked for the first time in 12 months last week :) but still some hairspring adjustment to do as it runs fast crown down :wacko: and then the chrono part to assemble.

 

Edited by StuartBaker104
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