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Shock Spring for Bulova 11 AL


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Hey all. New to the forum and to watch repair.

I'm working on reviving a 1965 Bulova 11 AL. It was not running when I got it, and after a clean and oil, it's now running pretty strong*. However, in the process of stripping it down, I did break the shock spring on the mainplate. I was lucky enough to find a replacement on eBay, which is on its way, but as I did a test on a similar one, I ended up breaking it on removal. So, I'm obviously not very good with the things. I've attached photos of where the eventual one will go, as well as a photo of what I bought (spring in tact).

Any advice on the best way to remove and then install these? Any help is appreciated.

* I say running strong, only when facing up, as the lack of stone (which I still have) on the other side keeps the balance from spinning when upside down.

Thanks,
Seth

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You can buy proper tools for this type of work. If you have a good cleaning machine in many cases, it is not necessary to take them apart.

I expect some on here will be very eager to criticise my info.   :D

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Thanks OH and Rogart63. I think the decision I will have to make is whether it's easier/safer to try to remove the spring from the donor mainplate and then install it in my watch, or just swap everything over to the donor. I'd prefer to just swap the spring, but after breaking two of them, I'm a little nervous.

Thanks for the other thread. I did indeed see that, it just didn't give any master tips for removal. Probably because there aren't any master tips. But the covering in film/rodico for installation is helpful, as is your graphic for removal.

As for cleaning, I can't afford the space or money for a cleaner, so am doing things by hand. Hopefully next time I can just get the stone out for cleaning without breaking the spring or needing to remove it completely, which is obviously a pain.

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I wanted to follow up that I successfully removed the spring from the donor plate and got it installed in my Bulova. It's now running whichever way it's facing and I'm quite pleased. Thanks for the help here. I also found this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiAh4TkN25s

Which was a huge help, mostly in giving me the confidence that it wasn't impossible. It definitely was trickier for me, but I got it in:

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I did employ the technique that I found elsewhere here to lay a layer of cling wrap between me and the movement to prevent a fly away spring. It ended up not being necessary, but made me feel a lot more confident.

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Well done Seth. Trading via this site is not permitted, but if you are in the uk and advertise the remainder of your donor movement on ebay, you might find that someone would buy it to obtain a clutch wheel :-)

Is it a trade if I just give it to you? DM me your address if that's not a violation. Unfortunately, however, I'm in the U.S., so you'll have to wait for me to get an international stamp, plus travel time.

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    • Same goes for me, i like to pull broken things apart to fix them, it forces me to think more about how they work. If i take something new and working apart and then break it then thats just gonna pee me off.
    • VWatchie, I remember you saying you have picked up a few bargains on that site.  
    • Understood OH , i just thought i would ask.
    • Your original balance can be poised by adjusting the balance screws. The replacement can't and it is cheaper to make.    
    • OK, let me try and expand on why I think this is right (but maybe misleading at the same time). Wikipedia has a good explanation of surface tension, which is where I got most of the ideas below. The cohesion of the liquid molecules binds them together into the most compact form possible. If there are no external forces acting, this is a sphere. Surface tension is the combined effect of the cohesion between molecules on the surface with others on the surface, as well as the cohesion to molecules just under the surface, causing contraction and the formation of a denser "skin". The way a droplet of a liquid forms on a solid surface is determined by the strength of this cohesive force relative to the adhesive force between the liquid molecules and the surface material. If cohesion >> adhesion, you get a droplet. If cohesion is similar to adhesion, the liquid tends to spread out on the surface and creep away from its original location. Oil doesn't have the same high surface tension that water does, so it is not going to form a really rounded droplet on any surface in the way that water will "bead" on wax. This is where my earlier statement is misleading, but it is still exactly the same principles at work. Drops of oil on an epilamed surface are not going to run off in all directions at the lightest provocation. What the epilame does, I think, is reduce the adhesive force to the surface somewhat, making the weak cohesive force of the oil molecules more effective. The result is less tendency of the oil to spread out and creep, and more tendency to stick together as a cohesive mass. I don't think epilame has any effect on surface tension. That is a property of the liquid and is determined solely by the cohesive forces between the liquid molecules. I also don't think the epilame makes the liquid "stick" to where it is applied. The oil adheres ("sticks") more strongly to a non-treated surface than to a surface treated with epilame. This is why the epilame needs to be removed from the contact surfaces by running dry for a short period. The oil then sticks more readily to the local contact surfaces, where the epilame layer is worn away, than to the surrounding area. The oil sticks together, and is thereby anchored in place as a single body. Interestingly, reducing the adhesion of the oil to the solid surfaces will also reduce capillary action, which is what we rely on if we don't use epilame. Another reason to make sure the epilame is worn away from the spot you want the oil to stay put.    
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