Jump to content

Removing vintage spring bars

Chopin

By Chopin
in Watch Repairs Help & Advice

 Share

Recommended Posts

Chopin Super WRT Addict

Chopin

Posted
Posted

I have trouble removing a pair of stubborn vintage spring bars that are double or single shoulder. (not sure...)

Any tips ? I don't want to ruin the bracelet nor the spring bars.

I can move the large tube from side to side a little bit but can't pry the first (or maybe it's the second) shoulder.

IMG_6660.jpg

IMG_6663.jpg

Was thinking of gluing something on one of the shoulders and pulling it sideways to see if it'll release.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Gpsluvr WRT Addict

Gpsluvr

Posted
Posted

Slip a piece of paper or business card stock between the body and bracelet/strap then place a decent size screwdriver in the same gap, close to one end and apply pressure to break the end off of the spring bar. The card stock is there to prevent marking up the body.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Chopin Super WRT Addict

Chopin

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I managed to come up with my own solution and I saved the bracelet and spring bars which are in good shape.

I decided to try and run some dental floss through the spring bar shoulder and case and it worked a bit. I was then able to barely insert the tool and pry it off. It took a few tries but it eventually worked on both sides.

When I ran the dental floss through the spring bar and case I also tried making a knot but it didn't get all the way in, still it worked.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites
anilv Distinguished Member

anilv

Posted
Posted

When breaking the spring bars be conscious of the case material.  Stainless Steel is fine but on base metal plated cases you may damage the lugs, especially is the band is a close fit around the springbar.

I had to do this on a Stainless Steel case once and the tip of the spring bar refused to come out.  Usually a round in the ultrasonic cleaner will rattle it loose but on this particular one I had to superglue it in and use a drill bit to grind it out. Without superglue, the remnants of the springbar would just spin.

Anilv

Link to comment
Share on other sites
vinn3 Distinguished Member

vinn3

Posted
Posted
23 hours ago, Gpsluvr said:

Slip a piece of paper or business card stock between the body and bracelet/strap then place a decent size screwdriver in the same gap, close to one end and apply pressure to break the end off of the spring bar. The card stock is there to prevent marking up the body.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

can you save the band ?   it is a good procedure though!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
vinn3 Distinguished Member

vinn3

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, diveboy said:

strip the rest of the case and put it in the wash. its normally 'old man funk' that has gummed up the spring bars and a wash will move it and allow the spring bars to move again.

"the old man funk"  is best removed by a high quality "penetrating oil.  vin

Link to comment
Share on other sites
vinn3 Distinguished Member

vinn3

Posted
Posted
50 minutes ago, anilv said:

When breaking the spring bars be conscious of the case material.  Stainless Steel is fine but on base metal plated cases you may damage the lugs, especially is the band is a close fit around the springbar.

I had to do this on a Stainless Steel case once and the tip of the spring bar refused to come out.  Usually a round in the ultrasonic cleaner will rattle it loose but on this particular one I had to superglue it in and use a drill bit to grind it out. Without superglue, the remnants of the springbar would just spin.

Anilv

vintage watches often have "pot metal" cases that are plated over.   be careful,  the case breaks easly!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
anilv Distinguished Member

anilv

Posted
Posted (edited)
On 2/11/2018 at 10:07 PM, vinn3 said:

can you save the band ?   it is a good procedure though!

If you pry at the edge of the band, ie near the case, you may not damage the band but you may damage the case and/or lugs. Conversely, prying in the middle of the band may distort the band a bit but is safer for the case.

In the case of the original pic posted by the thread starter, I would probably break the spring bar by forcing a screwdriver into the gap in the band itself, not in between the band and case(see arrow). IMO this would be cause the least damage.

band.thumb.jpg.98b9202eb2b28dbd59df1f8ec8d861f8.jpg

Anilv

 

Edited by anilv
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
 Share
Go to topic listing


  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Topics

  • Posts

    • Gilles
      Help identifying GP calibre : Girard Perregaux 17 jewels

      By Gilles · Posted

      25.9mm Thank you, it looks like a match !
    • Neverenoughwatches
      Setting lever spring

      By Neverenoughwatches · Posted

      I'm not with you there Rich .
    • Disgrace
      Seiko 6309 intermittent stopping of the seconds hand at the same positions

      By Disgrace · Posted

      Hello everybody, sorry for the late reply. Thank you all so much for your help and your tips. I got lucky and found a replacement wheel bridge for cheap which actually ended up being in decent condition. I decided not to do anything about the mainspring barrel pivot since I didn't have the right tools and the barrel didn't have much endshake anyhow. I am happy to report that the watch now runs great, I have regulated it to about +-10/s day which is fine by my standards. The timegrapher result looks decent as well, although beat error is around 0.6ms which could be better I suppose. Amplitude reaches over 230 quite consistently which I'm happy with also. My lighter fluid has also been replaced by balance spring cleaning solution and now the springs don't stick to themselves anymore - who would have thought. I'm super happy with this watch, it might not be worth a whole lot but it's awesome that I could restore it and it makes me wear it with pride. To me it's a genuinely good lucking watch, it'll be my daily driver for a while. Thanks again to everybody for their input! I couldn't have done the repair without your help.   Here are some images for those interested, the bracelet isn't original but I don't really mind:    
    • nevenbekriev
      Is this a 'hack' ?

      By nevenbekriev · Posted

      Balance-hairspring system is oscillator with big Q-factor. When all in the movement is OK, the rate (frequency) is verry close to the own resonant frequency of the balance-hairspring. But in some cases, the movement (with foult) will force the resonator to work on pritty different frequency, sometimes faster, and sometimes slower. When this happens, the amplitude is always weak. So, the first thing to ask is what is the amplitude. If it is more than 180 and the hairspring doesn't touch itself and anything else, then for sure it is 'short'. If the amplitude is weak, then the first thing to do is to understand why and rectify the problem. At this time no point to check timekeeping. But, if one doubts that the hairspring is not correct, then He needs to calcullate the rate of the movement, then to 'vibrate' the balance-hairspring out of the movement and to measure the free oscillations frequency (period) with timer in order to ensure that they comply with the rate. If we have pictures, then it will be easier to tell something about that wheel.
    • Klassiker
      Landeron 248 setting eccentric studs

      By Klassiker · Posted

      So much work has gone into this! Thanks again @Jon. I will go back and check my adjustments from last weekend. A few questions for you, if you don't mind. In the reset position, I can understand the problem if the gap between the hammer and the minute counter heart is too big (slide 77) but what is bad about both hammers being in contact with the cams (slide 76)? I read somewhere that Landeron recommended grease on the runner cam, but the minute counter heart should be dry. Is that so, and why? How many tads in a ligne?
×
×
  • Create New...