Hobby Watch Maker

[Sendilkumar]

Discussion forum for hobby watch makers.

[Sendilkumar]

I am very much interested in mechanical watches. I have many seiko automatic watches. Recent past I started exploring the possibilities to start watch repairs as hobby. Got few HMT manual winding watches. Ready to get training on assembling and disassembling movements.

[Geo]

Welcome to the forum Sandikumar, there are lots of folk on here like yourself as well as professionals. One thing is certain, if you need help there is always someone will to give advice.

[clockwatcher]

Hi Sendilkumar!

Geo obviously has given you a Scottish name - Sandy! :-)

Edited May 7, 2015 by clockwatcher

[clockboy]

Welcome Sendlkumar plenty of like minded horologists here . Always someone here to help or advise.

[WillFly]

Welcome Sendikumar. HMT make decent movements, and the great thing about them is that, if parts or spare movements are needed, there are many, many available on places like eBay for very low prices.

[bobm12]

Welcome aboard Sendilkumar, I'm sure you'll find all the information and help you need here to become a master hobbyist in horology! HMT are good watches to start with and as Will said, plenty of parts!

 

Cheers,

 

Bob

[Sendilkumar]

Thank you all for your valuable and encouraging messages.

 

-Sendilkumar

[Don]

Welcome Sendilkumar!

 

Don

[FatherCLock]

WillFly,

 

Your personal website is wonderful

[WillFly]

Cheers Doc! Always "work in progress" - it never ends... :)

[noirrac1j]

Welcome to the forum!!

 

J

Edited May 10, 2015 by noirrac1j

[Sendilkumar]

Not able to put the winding stem back in HMT 17 J.

Not able to push the stem lock down. I just used bracelet link remover.

Any suggestions?

[clockboy]

To insert the winding stem it looks like you have to push this while inserting

 

 

 

 

 

[Sendilkumar]

There are two problems.

1.Dial feet broken

2.Winding stem got rust.

 

I have got replacement stem from known watch maker.

Dial feet still needs to be fixed.

 

Whil disassembling from case I pressed the same to remove stem but to insert new stem I am finding it difficult. Stem is not completly going inside.

[Geo]

Regarding the stem, did the whole stem come out? If it was rusty, there is a chance that the tip has broken off and is still in the movement.

To remove the broken dial feet, I think you will have to strip the movement to allow you access with a small punch to push them out.

[Sendilkumar]

Stem has come out completely. 

[clockboy]

If the stem will still not insert the only thing now is you will have to remove the dial to look at what is not happening or blocking the insert.

[Sendilkumar]

After many weeks i have got little time to spend to fix.

Dial side full of rust and few parts are jammed

Got spares for all of them..

Only job remains is, assemble back.

 

:)

 

[Don]

Looking good Sendilkumar. All of those parts look very familiar to me from working on Citizen 11dp movements. I look forward to seeing the completed watch.

[Geo]

That's good that you've got all the parts, and like Don, I'm looking forward to seeing the end result. Nice photos, keep them coming! :)

[Sendilkumar]

Here in Bangalore, India dealing with professional watch makers are not that easy. They don’t like first of all others learning watch repair. Also most of them are not educated, so understanding of someone’s desire to be a hobby watch maker will be difficult for them.

I have been abused by some of them while trying to buy tools and parts. Asked lot of questions and discouraging me as if I am digging some graveyard.

Finally I found a good man, but expecting lot of money. Only for few parts he charged me almost half a price of good fast-track(Indian brand) watch. 

[Don]

I "think" Caravelle 11dp/Citizen 0241 parts would be an exact replacement for the HMT parts, but I've never gotten around to buying an HMT and trying them. They're pretty inexpensive on eBay and might be a good alternative to getting gouged for the original HMT parts.

 

Here's a pile of parts from two movements I cleaned a while back.

 

[Sendilkumar]

In eBay there are many Indian based sellers.Most of them from Mumbai. I just got 4 complete movement for 450Rs , cleaned,serviced.

[Sendilkumar]

Finally i assembled them .

But dial feet  i am unable fix since i don't know. I used  cum.

One of my friend said ..since i used bare hand it my lead to rust accumulation ..

so before fix hands i used a muslin to clean.

Edited July 18, 2015 by Sendilkumar