Jump to content

Some feedback from a beginner

dnhb
 Share

Recommended Posts

dnhb WRT Addict

dnhb

Posted
Posted

There are many things I've learned in the year or so I've been tinkering with clocks & watches, most of them courtesy of the helpful WRT community. By way of an attempt at giving something back - in the sense of 'paying it forward' for the possible benefit of others at an early stage in the hobby - I thought I'd mention one or two of the things I've assimilated & find generally useful. 

The first is Patience: not letting oneself get annoyed when parts won't sit the right way up for the tweezers to grab and/or won't slot easily into place. To help, I remind myself that with each attempt I'm improving my manual dexterity ("practice makes perfect") so the time spent should be looked on as an investment. This approach was reinforced by reading, in George Daniels 'Watchmaking', his advice to simply practice turning tweezers through 360 deg. while holding small objects to improve one's dexterity. The other aspects of Patience I've learned are knowing when to walk away; and not trying anything tricky if one isn't in the right frame of mind.

In terms of techniques, I've learned to start small screws once seated by gently giving them - with a 'stroking' motion - a few turns with the tweezers so that, being then somewhat secured, I don't 'go down a snake' when applying the much heavier screwdriver. I find my oilers are also useful for starting screws more gently than I can with the screwdriver. Of course I've lost my share of springs & screws as I've been learning just how much/little pressure to apply to them and have spent much time on my hands & knees. Yes it's frustrating but when I do locate one of the little b----rs I find I'm feeling as I imagined the father of the prodigal Son felt rather than cursing it! Another aspect of Patience, I suppose!

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites
oldhippy Distinguished Member

oldhippy

Posted
Posted

Sounds as if you are doing very well, we all those times of being on our hands and knees looking for a needle in a haystack. You will find a way using your tweezers and screwdrivers  which suits you best. It's fine reading books but there is nothing better then getting your hands dirty. What clocks have you worked on? 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
dnhb WRT Addict

dnhb

Posted
  • Author
Posted
1 hour ago, oldhippy said:

What clocks have you worked on? 

A couple of French 8-day clocks where you educated me regarding the Bricot suspension. You also took an interest in the 2 LCCs I've addressed. I've got a couple of Anniversary clocks going and am currently  working on my 2nd Westminster movement. All these have been tinkered with at the behest of friends & acquaintances & given me some satisfaction....

Link to comment
Share on other sites
 Share
Go to topic listing


  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Topics

  • Posts

    • 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....  
    • Nucejoe
      Hello from Cypress, CA

      By Nucejoe · Posted

      Hi there, welcome here.  
    • JohnR725
      No images showing

      By JohnR725 · Posted

      yes the advertising revenue should generate money. The question is how much money? Then as far as the cost of the website goes that's relatively easy to determine? all you would have to do to grasp costs and profitability would be to go to the link below and you can actually get a website for free try it out for free I believe you get no advertising initially. They also talk about that they'll help you out they have marketing tools and some sort of paid subscription or something. So I guess were shopping for a whatever just ask them what would a maybe could use this one as an example in other words it's going to look basically identical to this is going to have advertising a paid subscriptions what's it going to cost? After all they want to sell or give us a message board like this they should bill answer the questions as they're the people who did the software for this. Yes they really said you can have a free discussion group at least to start. https://invisioncommunity.com/ I was curious about the monthly supporter thing where exactly do we find that on this message board? A quick search I'm not finding it so obviously I'm not looking in the right place?
    • Curare
      No images showing

      By Curare · Posted

      Help me out here, but with all the advertising on this site (which I don't mind) wouldn't it pay for itself or even make money for the owner ???
×
×
  • Create New...