Hello from Argentina

[Matore]

Hi Everyone!

I'm a mechanics enthusiast (studying engineering, actually), and watches always caught my attention. I came across an Omega 30T2 from my grandfather and managed to replace the balance staff with a second hand stacking set I could lay my hands on. In the process I looked up a few things on the internet and came across the forum, thank you all, it's ticking now!

 

Cheers

[oldhippy]

Welcome to this friendly forum. Re-placing a balance staff is not easy. Normally you would be well into your apprenticeship before you under take that task, certainly not with an Omega.  

[jdm]

3 hours ago, oldhippy said:

Welcome to this friendly forum. Re-placing a balance staff is not easy. Normally you would be well into your apprenticeship before you under take that task, certainly not with an Omega.  

Well, in this case the OP succeeded as a total beginner in getting, at least, the watch running. Although we can't know how good without a timegrapher picture.  

[vinn3]

welcome to a very good watch forum.!  brovo!  on the shaft job and thanks to the net;  you found the modern version od "tech. manuals".  an engeering degree would be good also.  i do not use a "timegrapher [ I junked one,  it had 12 tubes (valves)].   i use a stethosope.    vin

[Matore]

SHello guys! Some updates from a full Omega saturday afternoon. I started checking the regulator pins as I asked in the other post. In the second attempt I got them where I think is better, the coil bounces but with little clearence. Then I started timing it. No timegrapher so I had to improvise: I tried an stethoscope Vin, but the one I had (asked my mother actually) didn't pick it up.

So I got the open source TG 0.5.0 running on my computer. My cheap mic wouldn't get it either, so I came with a "tech" solution: recording a voice message on my phone, with the mic close enough, and getting the audio file to the computer, then streaming it to the in-line as it were the mic. It started measuring. Quite a job, since I had to suspend the computer to record every time (over a minute each), to avoid any kind of noise, but at least I was getting some numbers. First ones: Not good. I was +200 sec/day. Moving the regulator from end to end got it from +150 to over +300. So I started checking again. Using more geeky stuff, slow mo vid, I saw the balance wheel getting barely 180 degrees from side to side. When I loosened the arm it clearly gained angle.

So I took it off again to find some markings on the plate where the arm sits, which were pointing it down (marks on the outside-side of the screw). Carefully removed them, cleaned the debris, and added just a micro drop of synthetic oil on the lower pivot jewel, just in case. As soon as I winded it up, it kicked to life getting some nice 300 degrees (slowmo vid uploading). Timing again: -200 sec/day. Well, at least I got to the minus side. The regulator was full on slow since it was running fast before. Moved it arround. +160. Getting there! After four or five more fine adjustments, I got close enough to zero. Take into account the measuring must not be the most accurate one, for sure. I'm planning on building an electronic one with a microcontroller, when I get some free time, and see what it comes out. Being an enthusiast and a begginer at the same time, I'm quite pleased with what I achieved today. I'll keep an eye on the timing of course, on the following days. As to the watch, it was at my father's, non working for years, so I got curious.

Thanks to everyone for the warm welcoming and replies!

Cheers

 

This sample ranged from +7 to +2. Again it's probably not the most accurate, we'll see after a couple of days.

The analized sample and the slowmo. If you'd like to see the video, the easy way probably would be to download it from the forum. The audio should play fine (at least it does on the preview).

[Matore]

A coulple of typing mistakes there, of couse it's Hello, and I meant "as if it were the mic", rather than "as it were".

[Matore]

A little update: After 6 and a half hours, side by side with my phone's cronograph, it's good by the second. So far so good. Why only six hours? Well, last night was odd since I had to pick up someone from the airport at 4 am, so I slept quite off schedule and forgot to rewind it. When I got up again it had stopped, therefore losing my reference from yesterday. I'm keeping track of it from now on!