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Posted

Nice movement made in the 60's featuring the tiny little micro-rotor. This is a Hamilton but I have seen this movement in other makes like Universal and I think Baume & Mercier.It has a 19,800 train.

The problem with this was that the watch was not auto-winding. Turns out there was a wheel in the auto-works placed upside down!

After service it ran very well. After a full wind it too over 45 hours to stop.

Some pictures for your enjoyment...


Click here to view the article

  • Like 3
Posted

Thanks for the pics Mark.  Love the assembly instructions under the dial.  Now all I need is a watch with assembly istructions on all the parts !

 

Cheers,

 

Vic

  • Like 1
Posted

Thanks for the pics Mark.  Love the assembly instructions under the dial.  Now all I need is a watch with assembly istructions on all the parts !

 

Cheers,

 

Vic

 

Yes - I was worried that the assembly instructions would come off in the cleaner - then what would I do?? Lol :D

Posted

I do like that movement, and I'm surprised that Will doesn't have one in his Hamilton collection.

 

I think that will soon be rectified ;)

  • Like 1
Posted

Thank you for showing us this beautiful movement Mark, I believe I saw it also in a Longines (maybe not the same exact one but with a little rotor)while browsing ebay! I didn't think much of it but now this is in the wish list!

 

One problem though, the included instructions are not enough, maybe we should complain to the company? :)

Posted

Just spotted one of these in an online auction - might have a punt on it. Start price is just over £100. we'll see...

  • 8 months later...
Posted

Hi, 

   I read this article earlier and enjoyed it very much and now I am servicing a Heuer caliber 12 with the exact same issue, the auto wind won't work. I looked at the pictures in this article and for the life of me I can't figure out which wheel was upside down unless it was the one under the big red jewel. Anyway I will post some more pictures under my post dealing with the heuer for anyone who hasn't seen that version movement with a chronograph module attached.

Posted

Hi,

   Thanks for extra link. The one comment on the gritty feel while hand winding was really helpful. I noticed that the first thing before I did much of anything with the Heuer. I have been trying to figure it out ever since. I think my winding issue is mostly just grime. While the movement isn't as dirty as some there are some spots on the winding wheels. You are also right in your comment about that movement holding a lot of power. I got the one I'm working on ticking Sunday and it's still going today. I put it away when I found I needed a set lever and screw. I ordered them but was told today that the set lever would be on back order. After I heard that I went back and managed to grab the nub of the set lever screw with tweezers and back it all the way out. I don't understand why it was so easy since the screw rung off earlier unless the screw was badly worn already. Anyway I do want to thank you for your suggestion and videos.

Charles K

  • 6 months later...
Posted

Hi Mark,

 

I just got a Hamilton thin-o-matic Masterpiece auto from the 60's but I can't see where to open it. The back is engraved for someone's 25 years of service. I suppose the back can be removed -- because of the engraving -- but I don't see where. Any suggestions?

 

Thank you in advance!

 

Cheers,

 

Bob

Posted

Yeah, right, I forgot! :)

 

post-253-0-55579200-1448825973_thumb.jpg

 

post-253-0-11464800-1448825975.jpg

 

post-253-0-75370700-1448825977_thumb.jpg

 

post-253-0-66853500-1448825978.jpg

 

post-253-0-52891500-1448825979.jpg

 

I have a feeling it is a split stem with a Buren movement (small rotor) and front loader...still, it is not mine and I don't want to bust it! Have anyone worked on one of these before?

 

Cheers,

 

Bob

Posted

I have one of these myself Bob, but haven't serviced it yet. I've just had a look at it and I'm pretty sure it is a split stem front loader.

Posted

I suspected the same, I think I won't tinker with it yet, the watch not being mine. Pity because it is in serious need of maintenance. I don't think I'm ready for this type of case in other people's watches! :)

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

that is a beautiful dial. it looks like the day it came off the watchmakers desk. and blued screws on the movement. that's a nice touch.

i've looked at a few of these hamilton micro-rotors on fleabay. i like them. it's hard to believe that a rotor of that size can wind those wheels.

  • 2 weeks later...
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    • Hello and welcome to the fo4um. Enjoy
    • Welcome to the forum, enjoy.
    • You're asking a pretty broad question and you didn't specify the machine but yes it's simple especially if you have the right machine. The question has problems but I'll take it as it is. Is it really that simple yes especially if you have the right machine. So in the video below he's making a screw and yes it really is that simple but pay attention to the machine it is not simple at all probably wasn't cheap but it is small it will probably fit in your garage. Unfortunately wouldn't fit in my garage as it's far too cluttered up with things. In the video he talks about making a screw and pay attention to the machine. The machine has lots and lots and lots of cutters and lots of things to do lots of machining all-in-one machine conceivably one step after another all programmable. If you look at his channel lots of CNC's stuff and there are several other videos related to this machine. He goes to the factory where they talk about it and show all the other machines they make in Switzerland.  I did look up the specifications the machine I don't recall the price it's not going to cut wheels I think it has a maximum diameter around 11 mm basically it's really good for making small diameter watch parts. Then in one of the other videos he goes to a factory that used to make parts with waterpowered machinery been in business for 100 years and everything they now make is made with CNC machines including this one. What was interesting with the factory photo was that when they make some parts they can put them on a optical comparator comparator compares with whatever the reference is and the machine can be programmed to adjust its cutting to make sure everything is actually being made to specifications. Oh and then somewhere in all of this there was at least one picture of a balance staff can't have a CNC Swiss machine without making balance staffs.   It would be really nice if we had pictures of the machine. Then yes if you look at the page for wheel cutting you can enter parameters and it will generate a G code but he left out things? Notice he has a picture of a complete wheel but the G code isn't making a complete wheel it's only cutting the gear teeth I don't see whereas the program for crossing out the spokes? Typically when you see people cutting gears once the teeth are cut most the time the spokes are cut by hand. Occasionally someone will mill them out but typically not with the program which seems strange if you have CNC capability for instance one of my friends fill it used to design assembly line equipment or things to make things. So his hobby was to continue to make tools to make things like clocks. Very interesting and clever clocks but his true fund was making the machines to make the clocks. Then machine is not controlled by G code like we would typically find today as the stepping motor controller he has was made a long time ago and the individual controllers used a textbased program. So the company had a editor you could write a program to cause each the stepping motors to do something. So basically once you figure out how to cut a gear he would just change the parameters for different size gears so here's an example of a gear as you can see we have the teeth and the spokes. Then we have a picture the machine which sucks because it would've been so much nicer if I could've taken a picture when it was cutting a gears so we can see things better. Then yes there is a worm gear stepping motor indexing this is a mini lathe and the indexing is at the end of the lathe head hiding. The basic operation of this machine would be brass sheet not cut to a specific diameter size not even round mounted on the machine. Then it turns and a milling cutter will cut the diameter. Then the gear would be cut with a gear cutter. The same mill cutter for the diameter although conceivably change the size I don't know but basically the same milling for cutting the outer diameter would be used to cut the spokes. I really can't remember how he did the center hole but whatever it was was very precise.          
    • Yeah I know the site and the creator of it.  the two video clips are good examples of the quicker method and a full tear down.  the quick method will work in many cases. But not always and not for all the different movements.  I strongly suggest to not bend the four tabs as was done in the first clip.  Instead there are three tabs that insert into the top plate, Much saver way as to not break a tab.
    • I found a motor that is 3/4 hp and another that is 1.2hp. They come with speed controller. So I don’t think I would need a wiring diagram. But I sure appreciate you offering your help! Do you think 1.2 hp would be too much for a watchmaker’s lathe?
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