Buser balance

[gary17]

Hey

How do I get the spring back in the collet? 

Can it be done? 

And if yes what tools do I need or is it just putting the V shaped notch in the spring into the gap in the collet. 

Cheers

Gary

[watchweasol]

Hi Gary   the whole spring looks in bad shape and the inner coil looks to be facing the wrong way for it to be re fitted. So the priority is to get the spring back into shape and once done then approach the fitting to the collet.

[gary17]

Yer I know the spring is in bad shape. 

So thought good time to find out how to reattach it as this is the 3rd one I have done this to. 

Inner part of spring is the way it came off not twisted. 

I presume I try to insert the pointy part of the V into that gap in the collet. 

But I do not know how. 

Cheers

Gary

[watchweasol]

Hi Gary    If the spring is scrap by allmeans have a go  but you will need to re form the inner coil to face into the slot in the collet. 

[nickelsilver]

There's a hole in the collet, and the spring was held in by a tapered pin. The pin needs to be pushed out, the old piece of spring as well, and the spring bent and refitted to the collet, either with the old pin or a new one that gets trimmed to length after fitting without damaging the spring (this is how it's done). All that done you're now "that much shorter" and it doesn't look like you have any extra spring at the stud to let out, so if a balance with screws you'll need to add a fair few timing washers or your 18000 bph watch is now like some of the old Lecoultres beating at 20222.

[JohnR725]

3 hours ago, nickelsilver said:

There's a hole in the collet, and the spring was held in by a tapered pin. The pin needs to be pushed out, the old piece of spring as well, and the spring bent and refitted to the collet

the procedure looks pretty simple on paper doesn't it? I will attach a few pictures to get you started..  Then as somebody else pointed out  you're going to lose quite a bit just doing this even if you did it perfect the first time you'll probably never be able to regulate this watch ever again. on the other hand it looks like you need to get some hairspring practice this will give me some practice time because  a lot of hairsprings cannot be replaced..

tthen you still website that was much better on this that seems to have disappeared? But in the meantime I did a search I found you a few supply places and some other people playing with hairsprings all of this will get you started..

https://www.cousinsuk.com/category/hairspring-collets-pins-studs-boots

http://www.scotchwatch.com/Hairsprings.html

https://watchmakingjourney.com/2014/08/16/last-week-final-project-colleting-and-studding-hairsprings/

http://zzmiller.blogspot.com/2013/10/this-week-ive-been-working-on-forming.html

http://www.geocities.ws/dushang2000/Bench Tools and Accessories.html