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How should I bent this hairspring?

dieale2

By dieale2
in Watch Repairs Help & Advice

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dieale2 Member

dieale2

Posted
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Hello folks. I been working on this Elgin watch. A few days ago I asked about the trains seizing and now I am working on this hairspring.

I have been messing with it for a couple hours and now I am kinda stuck on what to do. The inner coils are messed up but I am having a super hard time seeing them. Should I try to get finer tweezers? Right now they are bigger the space between the coils.

mainspring_elgin.jpg

Chopin Super WRT Addict

Chopin

Posted
Posted

First and foremost I would remove it from the balance plate and lay it flat perhaps on something white so that you can have a clear vision of what must be done.

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wolfwatchwerks Member

wolfwatchwerks

Posted
Posted

I have seen a technique where one gets a copy/image of the spring printed out and then places the bent spring over top of it pinning it through the collet to some cork board or similar material and then manipulating to match the printed template. You should be able to find the spring model somewhere and if you can find an image adjust it to size and see if that might help. You could try a crude drawing of the spring as well as a starting point. Good luck let us know howz it goin'. My least favorite thing to do, I should add.

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jdrichard Distinguished Member

jdrichard

Posted
Posted

It looks stuck or magnetized on one side. Take it off the balance staff and clean it in One Dip or naphtha or lighter fluid. Then demagnetize it. It should go back to shape. Then reinstall it on the balance and make sure the collet is directly over the upper balance jewel: off to any side will cause it to be less perfectly spiral. It may be fine after that.


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