Jump to content

Mainspring winder


Willow

Recommended Posts

2 hours ago, LittleWatchShop said:

Another shiny object!  LOL.  I could not resist pondering a 3D printed solution for some of the parts.  I don't have the plans...just taking a SWAG at what I see on the youtube videos.  Here is one of the slides.  The mate for the slide is a trivial design and print as well.  I just quickly laid out this piece.

2021-01-30 09_33_14-FreeCAD 0.18.png

I would think a 3D printing system would be a perfect platform to make this and other repair tooling. I've worked with them on occasion and find them super fascinating.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, MechanicMike said:

I would think a 3D printing system would be a perfect platform to make this and other repair tooling. I've worked with them on occasion and find them super fascinating.  

It is one of the most utilitarian tools I have other than a screwdriver.  I have repaired many things around the house by printing replacement parts.  I have also created many tools and add-ons to other tools.  There is a huge repository of designs that others have done on the internet.  I love to make my own stuff--do the 3D design but when I find someone has made what I need, I download and print!!  Below I show a picture of a 3D printed fully functional escapement that built three or so years ago.  It is a wonderful demonstration of how the escapement works.

2021-01-30 11_53_38-Photos.png

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I own a Ollie Baker mainspring winder and also a home made one made out of wood and a converted mainspring winder. Both work great the issue to be aware of wood changes in shape as it ages and changes as it takes up or looses moisture so it looses its original smoothness in operation. The issue with the Ollie Baker is you are required to hold the barrel with one hand while winding with your other hand. I got around this by making a various sized wood clamps to hold the barrels see pic below for both my hand made winder + the Ollie. I know my hand made winder looks crude but be assured it works and is better and safer than trying to wind springs by hand. 

7FF3E5F6-6FF7-4EC5-9395-A4B9BB798C5C.thumb.jpeg.02b8197d0d4a66823d5779d5dc8329f8.jpeg

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi  I like the way that you have modded the spring winder, I also used the let down tools as fit the spring arbour properly. As for looking crude the fact is it works and it overcomes the problem of holding springs by hand.  The wood if and when it becomes less effective can be replaced cheaply and effectivly.  I used mahogany for the clamp its good and hard. A Great idea, engineers answer to a problem based on what you have available. I for one think its brill.  It May inspire others to do something similar.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

33 minutes ago, watchweasol said:

Hi  I like the way that you have modded the spring winder, I also used the let down tools as fit the spring arbour properly. As for looking crude the fact is it works and it overcomes the problem of holding springs by hand.  The wood if and when it becomes less effective can be replaced cheaply and effectivly.  I used mahogany for the clamp its good and hard. A Great idea, engineers answer to a problem based on what you have available. I for one think its brill.  It May inspire others to do something similar.

Thanks yes it works but it is not the best engineering for sure. The clamping system I use is really good when dealing with either small or large mainspring barrels. The key to working with mainsprings is having control.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 years later...

I hope it's OK to reply to this older thread.  Here are a couple of pics of the mainspring winder I made using Joe Collins's design.

You can see that I have added a locking collar at the brake block end.  This is just an extra safety feature to prevent accidentally releasing the winding arbor from the chuck while the spring is under tension.

SpringWinderComplete.thumb.jpg.aa48118bdea39274ef0772d4fc9fe83e.jpg

 

SpringWinderBrake.thumb.jpg.baacf04084ac04010eb7c26034363694.jpg

 

I haven't actually used or tested  it yet,  as I still need to add spring hooks to the barrel and arbor that I am making.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I copied one from a YouTube video by Treetopspider  - Home Made Mainspring Winder (2020) (youtube.com) Then bought some copper pipe reducers to contain the spring when compressed, just need to cut a slot in the reducer to allow the end of the spring to be held by the hook. I works well.

 

 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Topics

  • Posts

    • The post below contains the link. If you don't already have a discord account it will take you to the registration screen.  Registration is free.   https://www.watchrepairtalk.com/topic/31653-mark/?do=findComment&comment=279066
    • HWGIKE#57 Valex FEF 190 15 jewels Swiss lever full service and repair This one was waiting for a balance staff replacement in my cabinet parts and case cleaned up with a new balance staff and a 4th wheel as the original 4th wheel had a broken pivot for the off center second hand. I never attempted a balance staff replacement before however I received a Bergeon Molfres (i was hunting it for about 2 years) and with the help of it I managed to remove the old staff and riveted the new one in. It also received a new MS, crystal and the hole for the MS arbor was also tightened. With the new MS now it has an acceptable performance meaning that the amplitude goes up to 280 fully wound, has an acceptable beat error and I have the two nice lines but only dial up, dial down is not as nice and I could not figure out as why. I have the two lines but the amplitude is dropping to around 230 and the lines are a bit hairy. Both dial up and dial down the lines just go up and down without seemingly any pattern. I cleaned the movement two times, and then a 3rd time pegged out the main plate and train bridge holes but made no change. Both the HS collet and the roller table was too lose on the new staff... I did not count how many times I took the balance cock off to sort out the HS collet, the roller table and the beat error, somebody before me also shortened the HS by pushing it out a bit and it seems every time somebody is messing with the end of the HS the protruding bit is most of the time twisted bent etc. This one was probably one of the most challenging repair and service. I might take the new MS out and clean it lubricate it as I just pushed the new one in to the barrel from the retaining ring. Plus started to re-read the theory of the escapement and how to analyse the graph on the timing machine: Greiner Chronografic Record manual. I am also thinking to put the watch on a 24 hour long run with the eTimer SW it once helped me to figure out what was wrong with a watch. There is an interesting part of the Greiner record manual talking about the pallets and the end shake of the balance and pallet staff. Maybe this is my issue? Who could that possibly identify? After a few years now I am still without a clue how could watchmakers make parts I can only see with my microscope or how could/can they carry out complicated services impossible to do.. real magic..... .... ..... before I sent this post while the pics were uploading I had an idea, i was browsing the possible outcomes on the timing machine I had one for magnetism..... so I demagnetized the movement and it is not hairy now.... two really nice lines 0.2 ms beat error still a bit wavy, but a lot lot better..... argh....  
    • Hi there, welcome here.  
    • yes the advertising revenue should generate money. The question is how much money? Then as far as the cost of the website goes that's relatively easy to determine? all you would have to do to grasp costs and profitability would be to go to the link below and you can actually get a website for free try it out for free I believe you get no advertising initially. They also talk about that they'll help you out they have marketing tools and some sort of paid subscription or something. So I guess were shopping for a whatever just ask them what would a maybe could use this one as an example in other words it's going to look basically identical to this is going to have advertising a paid subscriptions what's it going to cost? After all they want to sell or give us a message board like this they should bill answer the questions as they're the people who did the software for this. Yes they really said you can have a free discussion group at least to start. https://invisioncommunity.com/ I was curious about the monthly supporter thing where exactly do we find that on this message board? A quick search I'm not finding it so obviously I'm not looking in the right place?
    • Help me out here, but with all the advertising on this site (which I don't mind) wouldn't it pay for itself or even make money for the owner ???
×
×
  • Create New...