Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted

Hi everyone,

It seems that a staking set is a very useful tool to have around. They are easy to find but prices range from a couple hundred dollars to a couple thousand... It seems that the nicer ones come in a bigger box, and with more "bits"... Second hand ones sometimes have fewer parts but I don't see why you couldn't get extra bits and gizmos (insert technical term) that fit on the brand you got.

I'm looking for any advice you might have as to what to look for on a used staking set (it they're worth getting used ?), for a non-professional user.

Thanks !

 

  • Like 1
Posted

I am no pro but I have couple of older K&D staking sets and love them. I went with an older model because it was much cheaper and did everything that a new staking set does. My favorite is the 18R and it comes with all of the bells and whistles. It is great because all of the stakes can be reversed in the tool as used as stakes. It also has a micrometer but and handle to be used for jeweling. Stumps and stakes can still be found for a lot of the vintage staking sets. You just want to be sure that there is no rust or pitting on the tool, stumps, or stakes.

Posted

I bought a Boley set about a year ago and have found it indispensable on quite a few occasions. A lot depends on how serious you are and to what depth you wish to go in the repair of time pieces. If you decide to buy one get as comprehensive a set that you can get your hands on, and make sure that the punches are in good condition.

Posted

stalk ebay I see them all the time for 50-100 bucks,  I have several sets and use them less than I thought I would.

I have only been repairing watches less than a year but not got into changing balance staffs yet.

 

I would get the cheapest set you can find to get started(under 100), you can always list it for what you paid when you are finally ready for more expensive sets (if ever)

 

My recommendation might change after a few years and I learn more but this is the advice I would give for starters.

 

FYI, I also found a deluxe Seitz set with every available option on the 'bay for next to nothing as a BIN, some people just don't know what they are listing so the deals can be found. I have yet to use it either......  :)

Posted

Beware that any second hand set will have gremlins, sometimes it's good to buy several sets over time, make one good set out of the several sets and then sell the others on.

 

Somthing like this will have most of the stuff you need. 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/w25-clock-watchmakers-boxed-86-piece-staking-set-excellent-condition-/181372678060?pt=UK_Jewellery_Watches_WatchAccessories_SpareParts_SM&hash=item2a3aa76fac

  • Like 1
Posted

I'll add, It's also nice to find an Inverto setup. Meaning, not only can you use the stumps that come with the set, but you can also use the stakes as stumps by inserting them up side down into the staking tool. I use it in this fashion quite a bit really! I use it mainly for balance staffs, but also for shrinking holes, tightening cannon pinions, etc.

 

I paid about $150us for this C. E. Marshall set. It had a little surface rust on a few of the stakes but was easily removed with a scotch-brite pad...

 

post-90-0-96678700-1397177289.jpg

post-90-0-44601100-1397177290.jpg

post-90-0-84353600-1397177290.jpg

post-90-0-16854000-1397177291_thumb.jpg

  • Like 1
Posted

+1 for the inverto style. 

 

I have the Bergeon 5285 D set which allows you to use the punches as stakes and it can be very handy.

  • Like 1
  • 1 month later...
Posted

can any one tell me the weight of these sets in general. If I buy on E bay, (that is the usual place to shop)  I must get them to South Africa from the UK and with the current exchange rate it is quite costly.

Posted

can any one tell me the weight of these sets in general. If I buy on E bay, (that is the usual place to shop)  I must get them to South Africa from the UK and with the current exchange rate it is quite costly.

My set weighs a few grams over 4Kg.

Posted

:phew: O.K. Thanx guys..... that will take the score to UK guys 1....... me 0..... 4 kg are SO NOT going to work over Royal mail to me. I just LOVE tools and will keep admiring them till I die....

Posted

It's worth looking on eBay.de as well. There are some great tools available.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  • Like 1
  • 3 months later...
Posted

I need to purchase a staking set but not sure if a vintage one would be fit for purpose. I will be using it mainly to fit balance staffs around 0.3 - 0.4 mm dia. Would a vintage favourite have small enough holes and punches? Thanks

Posted

Vintage is fine, I bought one recently and it has most all the stakes I need. It was reasonably priced at £35......needed a bit of a clean up, but I quite like renovating tools.... :)

 

post-227-0-97326600-1410068244.jpg

 

post-227-0-54625800-1410068260.jpg

Posted

It was reasonably priced at £35......needed a bit of a clean up, but I quite like renovating tools.... :)

That was an absolute bargain!

I agree with what you say Legarm, buy a good quality second hand one, but check that it has the punch sizes you require and that nothing is broken or missing. When I purchased mine, the smallest holes in the plate were blocked and a couple of punches were broken. I turned the broken punches in my watchmakers lathe without softening them by using a carbide lathe tool, and cleaned out the holes by hand with micro drills.

Posted

Lol Thanks megarm.. I've been watching it for a couple of days. I messaged the watchmaker who owned it and he said he only purchased complete balances for modern watches. Not much help really!!

Posted

Just bought this M.K.S almost complete with 110 pieces and little used. Only need to replace 3 balance staffs against replacing the complete balance and it's earnt it's keep.

Just hope it will do the job.

post-309-0-63216300-1410155519_thumb.jpg

  • Like 2
Posted

Just bought this M.K.S almost complete with 110 pieces and little used. Only need to replace 3 balance staffs against replacing the complete balance and it's earnt it's keep.

Just hope it will do the job.

attachicon.gifIMG_1263.JPG

 

And a free comic relief nose......... :)

  • Like 1
  • 4 weeks later...
Posted (edited)

I'm also about to buy a staking set but don't know anything about them.

 

I assume the stakes, stups or whatever fits in that hole on top is hit with a hammer while a jeweling set has a lever to push stuff down. Pardon my ignorance and the simplification.

 

I've seen some staking sets that come with what looks like a jeweling handle.

 

Can anyone enlighten me on the difference and uses of all these tools? I appreciate it and thank you in advance.

 

I'd also would like to know -- if possible -- about interbrand parts compatibility to be able to purchase them in the future if necessary. And about the micrometer adjustments that some of them don't have? Thank you I know I'm asking a lot of question in just a paragraph!

 

PS. I'm looking at a K&D 600 on the bay at this time....is that brand OK and/or compatible with let's say Bergeon in case I need any stake or stump? Can I do jeweling with one of them?

Edited by bobm12
Posted (edited)
bobm12, on 03 Oct 2014 - 12:27 PM, said:bobm12, on 03 Oct 2014 - 12:27 PM, said:

 Pardon my ignorance and the simplification.

 

You and me both Bob ... I have no idea what all those stakes and stuff are for.

 

Thanks for the book reference Geo ... you are always an asset to this forum mate .... more reading and pipe smoking   ^_^

Edited by Lawson
Posted

Thank you Geo, I appreciate the link and reference. I guess I have lots of reading to do. As always great dependable information.

 

I figured the reverso set would have been a good tool set -- I've piece descriptions, etc into some sort of idea even though I don't know anything about those -- but how about getting more stakes/stumps if ever needed? Isn't it discontinued or something? How to deal with a set, any set, that is being discontinued? Are the parts needed sourced from other brands? (worst case scenario?)

 

@Lawson: I may have to find me a pipe too I guess!! :)

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Topics

  • Posts

    • One of the problems with trying to Photograph Phils things are that his enjoyment was building these things so they tended to E falls on what will see if I can find some earlier pictures or any pictures I wasn't even sure because I was looking for that specific picture for somebody else and even it got the last version and that would have been the last version. You will note that he put the indexing on something that he could unscrew it or whatever and it can slide back out of the way so the rest of the lathe can be used as a lathe. With the lathe cut are actually coming down from the top I was there once where he demonstrated how to cut a pivot with the setup it was really beautiful. Older set up if I remember it's not a worm gear assembly in the thing in between the stepping motor and the holding block I believe this particular one was like a 100 to 1 gear ratio. Earlier version with watchmaker's lathe. Even looks like he is the watchmakers bed and then switch to something he made. Then I do have other pictures and things of the rotary stage in use. In the raw so if you tube videos here is an example of one were somebody's mounting a three jaw chuck. At one time there were available on eBay they were not cheap but if you're patient like I was I found one cheap on eBay. After you watch the video it look at his other videos he is a whole bunch of other examples of the same rotary stage. That I do know there are other pictures examples and possibly videos you just have to track them down. One of the minor issues of finding this particular tech sheet for the unit is I believe it was a custom manufacturer and the company change their name but I remember the new name here's a link to the company https://www.ondrivesus.com/rino-mechanical-components                
    • Escapement adjusting always interesting and depending upon the reference always confusing. Okay maybe it's not always confusing but it does lead to confusion. I have a PDF below it's actually a whole bunch of separate stuff including a hand out that came from a lecture that's on you tube. Then from that we get this image Consequences of doing things especially if you do things out of order or you do things for the wrong reason. Oh and even if the watches working I made the mistake one so showing my boss how tweaking the banking pins on a full plate on the timing machine made the amplitude get better and now he thinks that's what they're for and I don't think a fully grasped exactly what horn clearance means. Consequence of doing things. Notice what it says about opening and closing the banking pins and total lock? So yes I've had that on a full plate where it won't unlock at all and that's the banking pins or a combination of things basically. So banking pins unfortunately get moved. One of the ways to tell if it's been moved is the look straight down at the end of the fork with the balance wheel removed. Power on the fork push at the one side look at it push it to the other side also look at it and compare anything with the center reference the balance jewel and see if both sides of the same. No guarantee after the same there in the right place but at least are the same typically when people play with things one side will be way off from the other because they had no idea what they were doing at all because of course it's a full plate and you really have to paying attention and even then there's still hard to do. Then the other thing that comes up like it shows below is people often adjust the banking pins to do all those other things as opposed to horn clearance which is all that it's therefore and maybe bonus Guard pin clearance although you're supposed to deal with the guard pin is a separate thing like single roller gets bent in Or out or sometimes physically gets moved in and out. Some full plates older escapement's typically pallet forks held together with screws and you can actually unscrew and move the entire assembly in Or out more complications to deal with.     Escapement handout wostep nscc.pdf
    • If he was much younger and some sort of sports player it wouldn't be a problem. They would be in there and doing surgery and he'd be back on the field in no time. Unfortunately when you get older little things are bad and big things can be really bad so not good at all.
    • Where I work everything incoming watches whatever detailed descriptions are taken entered into a computer program and photograph of each item. Then ideally although it depends on who's doing the paperwork detailed descriptions can be quite good other times there lacking. Like I really like it with pocket watches if they would record the serial number it avoids confusion later on. Then when watch repairs are completed that is also entered in. It's one of the amusements I learned when I was in school instructor had a shop and commented about the important aspect of keeping detailed records of repairs. Because oftentimes a customer who got a new crystal will come back later on when the watch doesn't work and expect you to fix the entire watch for free. Then you can remind them that they just got a crystal. Strangely enough that keeps coming up or occasionally comes up where I work now. One of the problems of using the service marks on the case is that in the case of pocket watches oftentimes that's not the original case. Then case marks? What I was doing warranty work for a company I used to describe a code number in the back of the case and it would tell me the next time I see the watch that basically what I did I made no attempt at keeping track of customers because we had literally thousands of them I think they sold 30,000 of these watches and they would come back by the hundreds because they had a lifetime warranty. Yes that's a story all of itself but I would put a code number that would reference what was done to the watch the last time and think I had a date in there somehow so it did tell a story if you knew the code. Another shop I once worked out the number would reference the page in the book. So other than knowing we had been in there you would have no idea what happened because you have to go look at the page in the book to see what happened. Then the problem of how you examine a watch you should examine the watch in detail every single time to avoid complications. Although on vintage watches and this is a of amusement I have at work when people ask something and I say of the watches done when it leaves. This is because on vintage oftentimes problems won't show up until the watches much farther into the repair like it's now running and you discover things that you can't discover before because it wasn't running to discover them that also become sometimes difficult to have exact rigid prices are estimates of repairs or in the case of a pocket watch you may not find out if a casing problem to later on when you case it up in the watches running. I was just thinking for all those people that would like to leave a mark maybe you should learn to do what some of the past watchmakers did? Leave a mark but leave it in such a way that no one will ever find it? Typically not done for repair purposes but done for other reasons like identifying it's legit. I have a friend with a Gruen watch and one of the Roman numbers the bottom line that just looks like a line under extreme magnification actually says Gruen watch company or something equivalent. So here's a link showing how to mark your watch without being seen although that's not the actual title. So if you can learn micro engraving you can engrave the watch someplace probably just about any place you just have to remember where you put it. https://cnaluxury.channelnewsasia.com/obsessions/how-to-prove-if-watches-are-authentic-secret-signatures-182516  
    • I have acquired a Citizen Leopard 36000 watch. My reason for purchasing it was my desire to own a timepiece with a 36,000 BPH movement, and the price was reasonable. Another motivating factor was gaining hands-on experience with the mechanism. The watch is in good condition, but I intend to fully disassemble it for maintenance. First and foremost, if anyone has prior experience with this particular model, I would greatly appreciate their insights. I do not have access to Citizen’s specialized lubricants and will need to use the ones available to me, such as 9010, 8000, and 8300 grease. Additionally, I do not possess the appropriate oil for the pallet jewels and will only be able to clean them.
×
×
  • Create New...