AS 1287 was going great until...

[mbwatch]

Some time ago, I picked up a small nurse's watch with a nun's name engraved on the back. A cute piece with the same dial & red seconds hand found on lots of 1940's & 1950's military watches. It has a pristine AS 1287 that already ran well.

Reassembling it today, I hastily tried to get the setting lever spring on before the yoke spring popped out and lost BOTH of the tiny screws that hold it down out of my tweezers. I ordered some huge magnets I'd been meaning to get anyway and hopefully I can turn them up. It's the only carpeted room iny house.

What's my point? I think I'm just here to complain. This movement is abundant and I'm sure I can get a donor under $25, but with the shame that comes with waiting. My "achievement" was to take a superb little movement that's been running for 70 years and mess it up. I'm guessing this is a rite of passage

[LittleWatchShop]

11 hours ago, mbwatch said:

Some time ago, I picked up a small nurse's watch with a nun's name engraved on the back. A cute piece with the same dial & red seconds hand found on lots of 1940's & 1950's military watches. It has a pristine AS 1287 that already ran well.

Reassembling it today, I hastily tried to get the setting lever spring on before the yoke spring popped out and lost BOTH of the tiny screws that hold it down out of my tweezers. I ordered some huge magnets I'd been meaning to get anyway and hopefully I can turn them up. It's the only carpeted room iny house.

What's my point? I think I'm just here to complain. This movement is abundant and I'm sure I can get a donor under $25, but with the shame that comes with waiting. My "achievement" was to take a superb little movement that's been running for 70 years and mess it up. I'm guessing this is a rite of passage

My watch shop is carpeted as well.  I have been working on it for about two years now.  Yes, I have pinged screws and springs but I have yet to lose more than maybe one.  If it falls on the floor (you never know), I use a sweeper magnet.  If it lands on the bench, I use a bright flash light to shine around to produce a glint on the missing item. 

I encourage you to KEEP LOOKING!  It did not disappear...it is there somewhere and you will achieve satisfaction when found!

 

[watchweasol]

Hi Its par for the course, dropping bits and loosing screws. Watch repairers spend as much tine on their knees as the Clergy.

[Midazolam]

Harbor freight has a fantastic magnetic broom for $14,  It saved me many more than that,

[Neverenoughwatches]

4 hours ago, watchweasol said:

Hi Its par for the course, dropping bits and loosing screws. Watch repairers spend as much tine on their knees as the Clergy.

Haha. I'm not even going there lol

14 minutes ago, Midazolam said:

Harbor freight has a fantastic magnetic broom for $14,  It saved me many more than that,

A magnetic strip from a garage tool holder works well.

15 minutes ago, Midazolam said:

Harbor freight has a fantastic magnetic broom for $14,  It saved me many more than that,

How about one of these bad boys ? It will pull the nails from your floorboards

[mbwatch]

I just got a stack of strong neodymium magnets in the mail, opened them up and casually waved the whole block over about a half meter square of carpet. I found one of my screws in ten seconds. That has me pretty confident I'll find the other if I am methodical about it.

[LittleWatchShop]

23 minutes ago, mbwatch said:

I found one of my screws in ten seconds. That has me pretty confident I'll find the other if I am methodical about it.

YAY!!

[Shane]

3 hours ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

How about one of these bad boys ? It will pull the nails from your floorboards

Now I know where everything is going that I lose.  Just stand back $#1+ is on the way.

2 hours ago, mbwatch said:

I'll find the other if I am methodical about it.

Things on this side of Quantum Physics eventually turn up.  It might be in the distant future but they always do.

[mbwatch]

Back in business! I've gotta say, magnetism is pretty great; I'm a fan. I'd happily send a royalty payment to whoever had the idea to point ferrous atoms all in a line.

Yes I'll demagnetize those tweezers. Now that it's come up, do you all recommend I take these tiny screws to the demagnetizer? They're >1mm and dial-side but I don't know how small of a field can affect the hairspring.

43 minutes ago, Shane said:

Things on this side of Quantum Physics eventually turn up.  It might be in the distant future but they always do.

I only lost one HMT click spring that never yet reappeared. But if it ever does, I can put it right back into it's donor movement.

[dadistic]

I put small parts in a little zip lock bag and demagnetize them. Otherwise, it's just more grief when they stick to other parts.

 

[mbwatch]

@dadisticHermantown/greater Duluth?

55 minutes ago, dadistic said:

I put small parts in a little zip lock bag and demagnetize them

That's about what I had in mind thanks. By the way... Hermantown? I am a Minneapolitan myself and Duluth is one of my favorite places anywhere.

[LittleWatchShop]

You need a quality demagnetizer, not one of the "pull away" demag units.  And, you need to do as @dadisticsaid...put them in a bag, or they will disappear again!!!!

Speaking of Minnesota...I am driving through there this weekend.  Was going to visit @dadisticbut I don't think it will work because we are going to pull in to Finlayson about 8pm, and then off to Ely the next morning.  BUT!! I am determined to make a US tour (mainly North) and visit other watchmakers.

[mbwatch]

31 minutes ago, LittleWatchShop said:

You need a quality demagnetizer,

Have one you recommend in the hobbyist price range? Amusingly (but not surprisingly), Esslinger only appears to sell the junky pull-away models, at 4x the aliexpress prices.

[LittleWatchShop]

I use a vintage Vigor.  It is the one my Dad passed on to me.  I have since bought another on ebay for about $75.  Here is a modern one, but I imagine it is the same design.

I suggest you watch ebay on a daily basis.  There is a fundamental flaw in the design that causes them to die, but they are EASY to fix.

If you manage to get one that is not working, I can help you bring it back to life.  I think they are awesome units...but I am biased.

[Shane]

19 minutes ago, LittleWatchShop said:

You need a quality demagnetizer, not one of the "pull away" demag units.  And, you need to do as @dadisticsaid...put them in a bag, or they will disappear again!!!!

This is the only type of demagnetizer that I have ever used.  Some times you would need to use it several times (depending on how strong the object in question was magnetized) but they have always worked reasonably well.  It's just a reduction in the A/C field that does it regardless of how that happens.  I didn't even know the ones that use a PTCR excited but they sound like they should also work as well but not for demagnetizing longer objects.

Shane 

[LittleWatchShop]

Here is one that sold just the other day.

 

1 minute ago, Shane said:

not for demagnetizing longer objects.

The Vigor has two coils.  One on the top, and another in the side.  You put tweezers in the side when demagnetizing them.

[Shane]

@LittleWatchShop

I meant significantly longer.  Sometimes multiple feet or even yards.  I guess it's a matter of scale but whatever works for you.

Shane 

[dadistic]

4 hours ago, mbwatch said:

@dadisticHermantown/greater Duluth?

That's about what I had in mind thanks. By the way... Hermantown? I am a Minneapolitan myself and Duluth is one of my favorite places anywhere.

Yep, we are recent arrivals to the Duluth area.  The plan is to stay here, we're renting while we get more familiar with the area.  It really is an awesome place. 

@MechanicMikeis by the cities too.  We might come down to see a Twins game this month, if we do maybe we can meet up. I'm also going to try and make it to the November 19th Chapter 20 NAWCC meeting, if I'm coming I'll let you know!

Cheers!

 

[LittleWatchShop]

12 hours ago, Shane said:

I didn't even know the ones that use a PTCR excited but they sound like they should also work as well

The Vigor uses a Villard multiplier to charge a 400V cap.  The switch discharges the cap through a coil that generates the decaying oscillating field.  Pretty clever and simple really.

Agreed, It probably will not demagnetize, for example, my Craftsman torque wrench.

[markr]

13 hours ago, LittleWatchShop said:

You need a quality demagnetizer, not one of the "pull away" demag units.  And, you need to do as @dadisticsaid...put them in a bag, or they will disappear again!!!!

Speaking of Minnesota...I am driving through there this weekend.  Was going to visit @dadisticbut I don't think it will work because we are going to pull in to Finlayson about 8pm, and then off to Ely the next morning.  BUT!! I am determined to make a US tour (mainly North) and visit other watchmakers.

If you make it to Milwaukee dinner and drinks are on me.

[Shane]

50 minutes ago, LittleWatchShop said:

Villard multiplier

Yes, I believe we used something similar to make an ion stream intended to statically charging objects remotely.  I seem to remember it working well but getting caps rated fo ar high enough voltage was a problem.  It's been 35 years or so and I haven't thought about that since so I could be completely wrong.

Shane 

[LittleWatchShop]

36 minutes ago, Shane said:

caps rated fo ar high enough voltage

Indeed, and that is one of the design flaws in the older Vigor (have not opened up the modern one).  The multiplier is running constantly putting maximum stress on the electrolytic.

After replacing the cap in my vintage one (and actually re-designing the circuit layout), I used the simplest solution--an inline power switch!!

Edited September 7, 2022 by LittleWatchShop

[mbwatch]

11 hours ago, dadistic said:

Yep, we are recent arrivals to the Duluth area

If this is your first autumn on Lake Superior, you are in for some really special weather.

 

14 hours ago, LittleWatchShop said:

I suggest you watch ebay on a daily basis.

One more tool to add to my ebay saved searches.

[MechanicMike]

I have an ancient demag and I don't have a clue what brand it might be-the label is long gone and so is the nameplate. it's so loud it rattles your teeth fillings when activated but it works better than anything I've ever seen. I got it from my old machine shop when it closed down. It does pliers, wrenches, sockets...its about 4"x6" all the paint is worn off...

[LittleWatchShop]

8 hours ago, MechanicMike said:

I have an ancient demag and I don't have a clue what brand it might be-the label is long gone and so is the nameplate. it's so loud it rattles your teeth fillings when activated but it works better than anything I've ever seen. I got it from my old machine shop when it closed down. It does pliers, wrenches, sockets...its about 4"x6" all the paint is worn off...

Pictures please