Going Watch Hunting This Long Weekend...

[RosscoInOshawa]

I'm rather excited to say my wife and I are going to go watch hunting this weekend to look for old junkers that I can "work" on.  Thanks to everyone here I think I know what to keep my eye open for but we will see if there is anything out there.

[Geo]

Best of luck with your mission, you should take Will with you!

Edited August 2, 2014 by Geo

[RosscoInOshawa]

Sadly, I think he might be disappointed.  Most of where I'm going is likely pretty well picked over for anything of value.  But he's more than welcome!

[bobm12]

Take me! Take me!

 

Good hunting, Rosso.

[WillFly]

I'm just on my way to Heathrow... :lol:

Edited August 3, 2014 by WillFly

[RosscoInOshawa]

LOL, thanks guys!

 

So a semi succesful day hunting the flea markets for the elusive donor watch.  

I was able to find two, well actually one Timex mechanical watch and one Stadion stopwatch.  Spent a grand total of $5 for the two and was able to snag nine WatchCraft watch parts trays in slightly used condition for nothing.  

The Timex wasn't working, and after disassembling it I found out why, it was full of goo.  I'm not sure of the technical name for goo but until I can identify what it actually is, goo will have to do.

The hairspring was all gummed up and it wasn't moving but it was free enough that maybe a soaking in solvent might bring it back.  The Stadion I'm going to have to take apart later but it actually seems to be working for the most part, although it is missing its crystal.  We'll see if it still works once I've disassembled and reassembled it.

I did see a supposedly vintage Westclox pocket watch and was tempted to throw down some money on it but when I asked what they were asking... $140.00, well it seemed kind of steep.  

Will, I could have used your advice on this one and I was going to wait at the airport for you but my wife was pressuring me to get a move on this morning.

Out of curiosity, I've looked at some online auctions for similar watches to the Westclox and they sure weren't that expensive!

Terrific to be able to finally turn some screws and apply some of the basic's knowledge I've learned from this forum, Mark's video's and the books I have. 

 

I think I'm going to enjoy this new hobby!

[WillFly]

Westclox was a really cheap make - no way is $140 a bargain! You did well to miss it.

[Geo]

I think I'm going to enjoy this new hobby!

I know you will Rossco and it's great that you're away to make a start!

[RosscoInOshawa]

I got to the Stadion stopwatch last night and got it apart, but not snag free I'm sorry to say. 

 

I had everything apart safely so far and as I was pulling the second hand off, discovered that instead of the hand only coming off the spindle or hub, it all came off as one leaving behind a surpisingly well sharpened shaft.

 

I'm probably just unfamiliar with all the variations of fastening hands to their shafts but this may be my first casuality.  Oh well, at least it wasn't an expensive lesson learned.

 

I completely forgot to mention, as I was looking at this stopwatch at the place I was looking for the donor watches, the lady behind the counter pulled up from behind the counter this case clock, almost completely disassembled, and said it had been "overwound" and she was about to throw it out.  I had read in so many places you can't overwind a watch maybe, but this things mainspring was cranked so tight it had stopped running.  The other side of the mechanism had an identical mainspring which I think ran the chimes and bells and it looked OK but I was able to get the winding key on the bound up side, find and carefully release the pawl, and let down the tension on the spring for her.  She was so pleased she gave me the stop watch for $3 instead of the $10 she was asking.  My good deed for the year.

[bobm12]

$3 dollars lost and $300 worth of knowledge gained! That is a good deal! Do that lady have more clocks for me to help? :)

Edited August 4, 2014 by bobm12

[RosscoInOshawa]

Robert, I think you're right. I expect to make a lot more mistakes, hopefully not the expensive variety but mistakes nontheless.  Every one of them I also expect to learn something.

 

She did mention she had a really nice mantel clock that she would bring in if I was interested but being a local flea market, the quality - and price - are 'dubious' to say the least :)

[bobm12]

You are not alone Rossco! By the way, what you pull, was it like an hour wheel or something? I'm not familiar with stopwatches. I was going to ask if you could post a picture it would be really interesting at least for me...

[RosscoInOshawa]

It was the sweep second hand, or the only larger hand that moved.  The smaller hour hand was on the face but a separate dial.  I expected the seconds hand to pop off like a watches hand but there was the loose clip that just seems to slip over the pointed shaft and the attached hub on the seconds hand then seems to maybe clip on?  I'm not sure but maybe I didn't break anything.  It just felt like it when it came apart?

 

I'm still trying to find documentation if for nothing else to better understand how this works.  Apologies in advance for the poor quality pictures from my iphone.

 

[bobm12]

Thank you Rossco, now I know what they look like! Maybe you can post a thread with pictures of the movement and how disassembly procceeds!

[RosscoInOshawa]

I think I just figured out what that entire mechanism does.  The bit attached to the second hand, that spring clip and attached plate, it's part of the reset mechanism and when the reset button is pressed it immediately repositions that sweep second hand back to zero, as well as the hour dial.  So maybe, nothing is broken like I thought!

 

As for documenting the disassembly of this, I can certainly give it a go but it may not be for some time.  I'm still waiting on some of the tools and equipment I've ordered to be delivered and I'm still missing some key items.  They are to be delivered sometime this week but we'll wait and see.

[bobm12]

That'll be super, Rossco.