2650G "successful" disassembly and reassembly

[Terrinecold]

So as mentioned in a previous post I have now moved from breaking an ST36 to disassembling and reassembling the cheapest mechanical watch I could get delivered same day from Amazon last sunday.

Behold the well named:

 

"VIGOROSO Mens Classic Steampunk Pocket Watch Gold Skeleton Hand Wind Mechanical Watches in Box"

Quite the evolution from the ST36 which was a watchless movement which at least to my neophyte eyes seemed nice and well made.

Now my adventure started with trying to open the case.  Somehow I thought it would unscrew so I used a bergeon ball and proceded in trying to unscrew the back with the result of ungluing the plastic crystal.  No big deal it was glued I can glue it back later.

Next was trying to get the stem out.  I only knew the ST36 and was at first stumped by the setting lever screw which didn't have a screw head.  Yes it was a button/push pin/no idea how it is called and I figured it out and got the stem out.

I removed the movement and plastic chromed ring thing from the case and attempted to remove the hands.  However I have a (cheap chinese) presto tool and no levers the problem is that without a dial the presto tool has nothing to push against.

so I managed but at the same time I bent a bit the hour hand retaining clip shaped like an 8 ( it does the job which should be done by a dial.  It would be best if it was held by 2 screws instead of one as it is very flimsy.  I bent it back hopefully to the right shape.  I had also inadvertently pulled on the cannon pinion which I could then not find for the longest time (I was starting to wonder if there are watches without it but then there was clearly a wheel trying to mesh with it.) It was actually in the hour wheel held in place by oil.

No more issue came up so after a while I had mostly disassembled the watch, I didn't remove the shock system or opened the barrel.  I learned quite a bit about how a central second works and how to deal with a skeletonized movement

I then put it back together and low and behold the movement is running.

Now I ran into problems putting the hands back on.  I have to say I haven't seen many video about that (maybe it is too trivial).  I tried to use the cheap tool which came with my cheap presto tool and no matter what I do there are places where/when the hands collide and the watch stops. 

I will be looking into how to avoid it but any suggestions are welcome.

Here are a few more pictures of the movement as I put it back together:

My final thoughts:

This is a movement which is found in a $25 watch it is cheap in all senses of the term.  The bridges are made of very thin pieces of brass, not only is there no finish but the machining is pretty crude.  It work though and it was good practice.

My 25 year old son when he saw the watch thought it was pretty cool and that pocket watches in general are cool.  It was a good learning tool and I see I also need to learn on complete watch as extracting the movement from the case and dealing with the hands and dial (or lack thereof) is actually non trivial.

 

PS:

on this watch the hour markers are painted/printed on the back of the crystal, I thought it was interesting.

 

[Terrinecold]

I found on the part list for the Miyota 8N24 that the part I bent is likely called an "hour wheel guard" and that on the Miyota skeletonized movement it has 3 screws as opposed to the one on the 2650 which makes sense to me

[Terrinecold]

I disassembled and reassembled it again yesterday evening. One thing I found difficult is how to remove the stem after fitting the hands and before putting it back into the case. I need to hold the movement upside down without the hands touching anything which prevents me from putting it in the holder. At the same time I need to push the setting lever pin and pull on the stem. Having only two hands makes it awkward. 
 

Is there a trick?  Should I be able to place the movement face down in the holder without the hands interfering?

 

I have two holders a small and a big. The big is great for the st36 but too big for this movement but the small is too small for it. 

[rjenkinsgb]

1 hour ago, Terrinecold said:

I have two holders a small and a big.

Don't the holders have different sizes front & back?

I started out with some cheap cast metal ones, but had a lot of trouble with the movements coming loose, so I got a pair of Bergen ones from cousins, a 4039 and a 4040.

Those a well made, properly machines and between them they cover from around 10mm up to all the pocket watches I've had so far.

 

[Terrinecold]

1 hour ago, rjenkinsgb said:

Don't the holders have different sizes front & back?

I started out with some cheap cast metal ones, but had a lot of trouble with the movements coming loose, so I got a pair of Bergen ones from cousins, a 4039 and a 4040.

Those a well made, properly machines and between them they cover from around 10mm up to all the pocket watches I've had so far.

 

Yeah I have the cheap one.  But I think you are correct and they are reversible I hadn't tried turning them other but I see it in the picture (I am at work can't check the actual holders right now).

I'll probably get better one at some point but right now there has been a lot of tools to buy to start so I am cheaping out on some things.  I am quite happy that I did get a microscope because working with a loupe was just not working for me at all.

next big stuff coming is ultrasonic machine, cleaning solution (99.9% IPA and Naphta) and lubricant (Moebius 8000 and Molikote DX for now).

 

[RichardHarris123]

The legs on my cheap one weren't even so it rocked, useless. 

[Neverenoughwatches]

6 hours ago, Terrinecold said:

I disassembled and reassembled it again yesterday evening. One thing I found difficult is how to remove the stem after fitting the hands and before putting it back into the case. I need to hold the movement upside down without the hands touching anything which prevents me from putting it in the holder. At the same time I need to push the setting lever pin and pull on the stem. Having only two hands makes it awkward. 
 

Is there a trick?  Should I be able to place the movement face down in the holder without the hands interfering?

 

I have two holders a small and a big. The big is great for the st36 but too big for this movement but the small is too small for it. 

You'll find its the depth of lip on the holder that fouls the hands, we had this exact discussion only a couple of weeks ago. Yes there is a trick for hand contortionists or find a shallow lipped holder. See if i can find the thread.  @RichardHarris123 are you able to track down threads easier than we can Rich ?

[RichardHarris123]

Nope, I can tell you off ( just waiting for an excuse, hehe.), edit your posts or hide it but as much as I love this forum, searching is difficult.  I usually Google things and get directed to a post on here.