Waltham Model 1908 Grade 610 Mainspring

[dhall]

A very "newbie" to the hobby. I have disassembled a Waltham pocket watch (1908-610). In reassembling I reached a quandary. Failed to take a photo of the mainspring in the barrel (sorry, rookie mistake). Can anyone help me determine (with photos, that would be great), how the mainspring is inserted into the barrel. Also, what is the difference between a right and left hand winding. Thank you so much for your help.

[RichardHarris123]

Hello and welcome.  If you don't have a  mainspring winder and I'm guessing you don't, it needs to be hand wound or buy a new spring.  Post photos of the spring and barrel. 

[JohnR725]

17 hours ago, dhall said:

Waltham pocket watch (1908-610)

I was going to ask for a photograph to see what were talking about but is this your watch or equivalent to it?

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/waltham/26565067

Always helpful to give us a picture just in case we don't remember off the top of her head this model number and picture the mainspring barrel and puts left of the mainspring would be really helpful saves a lot of time of us having to look it up for you. Because often times people recognize the problems they may not recognize the exact model of your watch.

As usual by the way the pocket watch databases worthless for Waltham material and you have to go to a material  Book.

18 hours ago, dhall said:

mainspring

You didn't say what they are looking for a new mainspring I was still really give you the number any way and there's a problem ideally you should use a vintage mainspring or an original mainspring as opposed to modern mainspring because you going to have issues with that

then because yours is a seven jewel watch if you had a choice should go with the heaviest mainspring possible. Except typically today are only going to have a choice modern Springs you only have one spring you don't get a choice and modern Springs have issues unfortunately

 

 

[nevenbekriev]

If You are asking in which direction to wind the spring in the barrel, then place the barrel arbour in the barrel (in the correct way) and look at the hook on the arbour. It will show You the direction of the spring. If it happens to wind the spring in the wrong direction, then rotating the arbour in winding direction will lead not to winding, but to deforming the internal end.

[dhall]

This arbor is fixed in the barrel top. The hook is pointing in the clockwise direction. In the barrel itself the hook is also pointed in the clockwise direction. Pictured below is the new spring I just obtained. Looking at the spring orientation that is pictured, am I looking at it from the barrel top's orientation or the barrel's? I know this question is a bit silly, but I just have a mental block understanding the right orientation.  Thanks for your patience with this newbie issue.

[nevenbekriev]

I have inverted the image of the spring in the container. You must insert it in the barrel the same way as I have oriented it in the container.

Edited February 21, 2024 by nevenbekriev

[dhall]

Richard, Thanks for the kind guidance.  Now that I know how the spring is oriented, it makes all the sense in the world.

Thanks again,

Don