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Orville

By Orville
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Orville New Member

Orville

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Posted

I might have chimed in before but I could not find the post if I did.  So, in keeping with my normal watch practice, I'll do it again.

I'm in Tijuana Mexico, almost retired and decided to learn about the 30 or so watches I have because they, like me, are getting old.

Watched all of Kevin's videos which inspired me to go for it.  I've spent more time on my knees her than I am sure the Pope has at the Vatican.

I am self learning on a simple and inexpensive movement, the Elgin 554.  So I bought up a bunch of them.  They helped a lot.  My weakness is in handling the balance and I have a lot of microminiature scouring pads to prove it.

So I decided to focus on hairsprings and hairspring manipulation in order to be able to deal with hairspring issues when they arise.  I figure I'll spend a year on that.  In the meantime I will, of course, work on the Elgin movements in order to clean up things like getting the tweezers handling right, learning all about screwdrivers etc.  I've replaced balance staffs and reinstalled balances and put the watches back together, but I must learn everything there is to know about hairsprings.

Learning how to use the tools has been a major part of learning to work on the watches.  The right tools for the right job, handling screws so you're not chasing them down the street, all that is vital.  So I have a long road ahead and a lot of watches to service.

Thanks to Kevin and thanks to all of you for being so kind and so giving of your experience.  Micromechanics is a whole new universe.  A great place to lose yourself in.

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ecodec WRT Addict

ecodec

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Posted

Hi Orville and welcome. You are doing very well and working very constructively. For the hair spring study obtain a copy of Donald de Carles "Practical Watch Repairing."  It is an excellent and comprehensive study in my opinion and that of many others. It  well covers hairsprings  in theory and practice  and the Breguet overcoil hairspring also. Split balances and monometal balances are detailed  Figures for steel and Invar, Elinvar and Beryllium are  also covered.  I feel sure you will enjoy watch repairing and there are are a lot of very experienced and helpful people on this site. All good wishes, Mike. UK.

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