Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted

Hi experts,

I have a Waltham wristwatch from the 1920s. The movement is a 1907 grade 361, and it's basically functionally OK except for the stem. The little split collet that goes into the case and is supposed to keep the stem in place is broken, so my stem keeps popping out into the set position, or just popping out of the movement and case if I try to wind it. Does anybody know anything at all about sourcing a replacement collet, about putting together some kind of a workaround that allows the watch to function, or maybe anything about fabricating a functional replacement? Thanks a LOT in advance...

Posted

Are you basically talking about the rounded tip/end of the stem ?

Not sure how much luck you'll have finding a replacement but you can get a stem made by someone on a lathe or, hypothetically have the tip laser welded to the stem but I imagine that that might be complicated because the parts are very small but it's doable.

Have you tried eBay and the various watch part online shops ?

Posted

I'll post a photo tomorrow (night time here!) when I have time to take it apart, but I'm *pretty* sure that we're talking about different parts here. This is not a part of the stem, it's just a little piece of metal that goes around the stem and holds it in place so it doesn't pop out of the case. It's literally in the case, not in the movement. 

I'm new to watches, but this is a system for holding the stem in place that I haven't seen on any of the few modern watches I've poked around inside. 

I've looked on ebay, but unless I'm searching with the wrong term, all I can find are junk watches that *might* if I'm lucky have the replacement piece. 

Posted

the little split collet is what allows the stem (on a stem set p0cket watch) to snap in and out.    I don't know of any one making them on  a lathe. it would need to be tempered and designed to work with the stem shape.  I have been lucky enough to find the pair on parts watches.   good luck, let us know how the problem was solved.      vin

  • Like 1
Posted

Isn't that called a case tube or something ?

Some are screw in while others are press fit. This might be easy to find, you just have to get the dimensions right. A watchmaker should sort this one out.

  • Like 1
Posted

I've never seen a press fit one either.

Apparently some of the smaller sleeves are hard to find now, I made a small one for a friend in the U.S. a couple of years ago and it was a pain to get it right. Way easier to make a normal winding stem.

But there are stocks of these things out there, do some digging.

  • Like 1
Posted

This is all very helpful information. Thanks a lot, everyone. I'll post photos of the part later on and have a look at ofrei.com. Appreciate everyone's informed input.

Posted
18 hours ago, oldhippy said:

I think this is the part he is talking about. Its the stem adjuster that screws in side the case that the stem fits into.

 

hqdefault.jpg

  yes,  a collet and a depth "adjuster".    it must be spring steel or the collet fingers will break off.    I put an "o-ring" on top of this in an effort to keep water out.  vin

  • Similar Content

  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Topics

  • Posts

    • 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?
×
×
  • Create New...