Jump to content

A pocket watch mainspring so big that I think it's actually a clock mainspring

GregG

By GregG
in Watch Repairs Help & Advice

 Share

Recommended Posts

GregG WRT Addict

GregG

Posted
Posted (edited)

Hello all,

I wasn't sure if this belongs in the watch section or the clock section, but here goes.  I am having some trouble finding a suitable replacement mainspring for this pocket watch.  It's a very large New Haven watch with a very large mainspring.  The mainspring is so large that I think it's actually a clock mainspring.  The dimensions are 6.57mm H x 0.28mm T x 710mm L (est.) x 22.8mm barrel ID.

Watch mainsprings look like they top out at the upper 4mm's in terms of height.  Above that, and you've entered the realm of clock mainsprings.  I am able to find clock springs of similar height and thickness, but they're either way too short, or they are meant to fit into much larger barrels.

Can someone point me in the right direction for a replacement?  Also, I do not have a clock mainspring winder, so the replacement would preferably be of a smaller ID so I could pop it right into the barrel from the holder.

Edited by GregG
KarlvonKoln Distinguished Member

KarlvonKoln

Posted
Posted

Sounds like the watch could be a size 18s or maybe even 20s.  I know a couple places that might have the springs, but I should ask if you can post pictures please.  And the serial number too (you can use a "*" for the last digit if you don't want to post the exact number.  I will still be able to look it up and hopefully find parts numbers too.  That'll hopefully tell us exactly what we ought to look for.

  • Like 1
GregG WRT Addict

GregG

Posted
  • Author
Posted

There was no serial number I could find on the movement, unless it's hidden somewhere.

Also, now that I'm looking at it again, it doesn't look like a watch, so much as a scaled down clock stuffed into a large pocket watch case.

IMG_20211023_182421.jpg

IMG_20211026_072138.jpg

IMG_20211026_072252.jpg

IMG_20211026_072258.jpg

  • Confused 1
oldhippy Distinguished Member

oldhippy

Posted
Posted

That's not what I expected. Looks like one of those 2 inch movements that you find in some clocks. Have measured across the movement for it's size?  

GregG WRT Addict

GregG

Posted
  • Author
Posted
12 hours ago, oldhippy said:

That's not what I expected. Looks like one of those 2 inch movements that you find in some clocks. Have measured across the movement for it's size?  

I didn't have a ruler handy, so I had to eyeball it.  It's about 1.5 to 1.75 inches across.

oldhippy Distinguished Member

oldhippy

Posted
Posted

A clock mainspring is what you need. Get one as close to the dimensions as the broken one. They do not need to be so precise as if it was for a watch. As long as the movement goes for 30 hours is what you need. 

GregG WRT Addict

GregG

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks hippy.

I've searched several watch part sites and haven't found quite the match I need. 

The first site I found https://www.clockworks.com/clock-parts/clock-movement-hole-end-mainsprings.html

  1. 6.4mm x 0.28mm x 400mm x MB
  2. 6.4mm x 0.28mm x 990mm x 26mm

The second site I found https://perrinwatchparts.com/collections/clock-barrels-and-clock-mainsprings/products/hole-end-clock-mainsprings-4to13mm

  1. 6.4mm x 0.25mm x 600mm
  2. 6.4mm x 0.28mm x 390mm
  3. 6.4mm x 0.28mm x 840mm
  4. 6.4mm x 0.28mm x 975mm
  5. 6.5mm x 0.25mm x 325mm

And on Cousins I found https://www.cousinsuk.com/product/english-dial-fusee-french-german

  1. 5.9mm x 0.24mm x 650mm x 21mm
  2. 6.5mm x 0.29mm x 930mm x 25mm

On site number one, the choices are either way too long or way too short.  The barrel sizes are also either too big, or MB (music box), and I'm not sure what that means.  The second site is promising, choice number one and three look nearly compatible but the barrel diameters aren't listed.  And on Cousins, choice number one looks good, but is 5.9mm too much of a difference from the measured 6.5mm?

KarlvonKoln Distinguished Member

KarlvonKoln

Posted
Posted

It's built like the little "travel alarm" clocks, except without the alarm part!  And built into a pocket-watch-facsimile of a case, so you could carry it accordingly.  I've heard about those, but this is the first set of pics I've seen of one of them.  OH is bound to know more about these than I do.  Given it's nature, I think I would look for a small clock spring too.

GregG WRT Addict

GregG

Posted
  • Author
Posted
34 minutes ago, KarlvonKoln said:

Are the two holes in the bottom for feet?  It looks like something would screw into there.

I see what you're saying, but I don't think so.  If you look on the movement, there are pegs that lay across those holes, I think it's for holding the movement firmly.

  • Thanks 1
KarlvonKoln Distinguished Member

KarlvonKoln

Posted
Posted (edited)
3 hours ago, GregG said:

  If you look on the movement, there are pegs that lay across those holes, I think it's for holding the movement firmly.

I see them now!  So it's held in its case in three places: the pendent is a mounting screw, and there are the two screws at the bottom.  So that means the large hole in the inner cover was for some kind of winding key, and the central hole would be for the setting knob?  Yeah, this really is built like a carefully disguised travel-clock.  Interesting novelty, that.

Edited by KarlvonKoln
 Share
Go to topic listing


  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Topics

  • Posts

    • Neverenoughwatches
      No images showing

      By Neverenoughwatches · Posted

      Why now Mark ?  And which contact has brought you here ? People have been trying for bloody months to get hold of you for reassurance. Shite way to run a forum tbh. Seven months since you last visited. I think we all need to have a long discussion with you about what happens if anything happens to you. Please look forward to lots of questions. 
    • Mark
      No images showing

      By Mark · Posted

      Hi guys. @VWatchie Those images are self hosted (not hosted on this server). Do a look at the page source and you will see this. I’m afraid, I can’t have control or backup images not hosted on this server. ( They seem to be served from here: https://qehvsw.bn.files.1drv.com/) This server is backed up fully every night and the database is backed up and versioned every hour, all stored off site on Amazon S1 platform. It’s hard for us to lose data. Ive got a huge overhead of space on this particular server the site is served from so no worries there 🙂 Sorry all for lack of response so far, I have been extremely busy and am embarrassed to say that priorities had to be set in place for a while.  Be assured that i’ve got constant monitoring and alerts should the site be in an extended problematic state (down etc) and work on these issues if they arise.
    • way2wyrd
      No images showing

      By way2wyrd · Posted

      Web sites are cheap. Message board are easy. Hosting both is less than 100 usd a year and small advertising would cover most of that.  In the discord group we did some 15 min poc and threw up a couple of different message boards on a domain i host.   The real value is the data / information / hive mind While I'm a rank amateur in watch repair the information and assistance on this board is invaluable. The members on here are friendly, entertaining and a wealth of knowledge This is what needs to be preserved  --Jeff
    • ChrisInOz
      No images showing

      By ChrisInOz · Posted

      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
    • luiazazrambo
      WWW Eterna sucked me in.

      By luiazazrambo · Posted

      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....  
×
×
  • Create New...