Glashütte automatic watch cleaning machine / OR / "Kiwi" DIY machine

[Knebo]

Hello all!

I've been reading through related posts, but I'm now selfishly going to start a thread about my own decision making -- and asking for your help.

I have a good offer for this fully automatic machine from Glashütte, fully functional but old. 

here's a video of a very similar model: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zN6-pYeAC_E&t=2s

Pros: 

- fully automatic

Cons:

- NO heated drying function! (maybe a DIY solution could be added to this machine, though)

- what to do if something breaks?? (forget about spare parts)

Cost: 350 Euros

 

Alternatively, I saw this "Kiwi" DIY machine, which sounds interesting. I am not capable of figuring out a DIY setup myself (despite this cool thread on this forum: https://www.watchrepairtalk.com/topic/24066-diy-rotary-cleaning-machine/page/6/#comment-262189), so I'd rely on this Kiwi guide (which tells you exactly what parts to buy and gives you the files for 3D printing).

Seller link --> https://www.diywatchcleaner.com/

Youtube review --> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2cZArF0hQc&t

 

 

Pros: 

- spare parts easy to get if needed

- heated drying

Cons:

- manual operation

Cost: 400-500 Euros

 

 

What are your thoughts?

Cheers!

 

[praezis]

1 hour ago, Knebo said:

Cost: 400-500 Euros

And how much included your work hours for making, assembling and maybe fault finding?

You will get a top used Elma for that money that usually last for ever.

I would take the automatic. They were made for pro’s use and will also last. A bit service and grease may be no bad idea.

Frank

[Knebo]

4 hours ago, praezis said:

And how much included your work hours for making, assembling and maybe fault finding?

Certainly a factor. But on the plus side, you can then easily fix things that may break. The opposite is true for the Glashütte machine. 

4 hours ago, praezis said:

You will get a top used Elma for that money that usually last for ever.

Have you recently seen one for that price? I'm usually seeing at least 700 for good ones.

 

4 hours ago, praezis said:

I would take the automatic.

How about the lack of heated drying?

[praezis]

57 minutes ago, Knebo said:

Have you recently seen one for that price? I'm usually seeing at least 700 for good ones.

Also on E***.de?

[Knebo]

11 hours ago, praezis said:

Also on E***.de?

You mean kleinanzeigen.de ? The cheapest I found there was 730 Eur.

On *bay.de, I found one for 400, but it doesn't look to be in good condition and is without the cleaning baskets. The next cheapest one is 600 (also without baskets) and then 800/900.

Would you choose an Elma Elite (manual, but with heating) over the automatic Glashütte machine? If so, I'll keep looking.

[Knebo]

Well well, so I DID find a good-looking deal on Kleinanzeigen.de. The seller didn't put "watch"/"Uhr" in the ad title/description... so I didn't find it at first. 

Apparently fully functional and pretty complete. 

It's only missing two sets of wave breakers (which is a bit annoying, as I could only find them for a total of 70Eur at HSWalsh). 

The specific machine is from 1954. Any feedback how this very old machine may differ or be worse than less-old vintage machines (the blue ones)? 

[praezis]

Wave breakers in the rinse jars are not essential.

I found Elma always very helpful and they are still in business! But you have to decide in the end.

Frank

[Knebo]

44 minutes ago, praezis said:

Wave breakers in the rinse jars are not essential.

Ah ok, interesting. Do you know why? I'm just curious about the difference between cleaning and rinsing in this regard.

 

45 minutes ago, praezis said:

I found Elma always very helpful and they are still in business! But you have to decide in the end.

I'm indeed leaning towards the Elma now! Compared to the Glashütte, the absence of the automatic also means less things that can break. 

[caseback]

2 hours ago, Knebo said:

The specific machine is from 1954. Any feedback how this very old machine may differ or be worse than less-old vintage machines (the blue ones)? 

Identical as far as I know. I had one of the blue ones as part of a "package deal" but I sold it. I'm still using my vintage white one.

I have made an enclosure with a fan because of the ammonia-smell.

[Knebo]

Just now, caseback said:

Identical as far as I know. I had one of the blue ones as part of a "package deal" but I sold it. I'm still using my vintage white one.

I have made an enclosure with a fan because of the ammonia-smell.

wow, nice! 

 

[Neverenoughwatches]

On 9/30/2024 at 3:18 PM, Knebo said:

NO heated drying function! (maybe a DIY solution could be added to this machine, though)

- what to do if something breaks?? (forget about spare parts)

Forget all this fandangled stuff,  cleaning watch parts is just like cleaning your clothes. Spin them backwards and forwards in good cleaning solutions with some added agitation if required, spin off the excess fluid and hang em out to dry........ah the random shite that us penny-pinchers do to get by . 

[Malocchio]

I don't think the heater is necessary, or at least not in my setup. I do the final rinse in IPA and then spin dry. After that I blow dry jewels with a puffer because the spinning doesn't get rid of everything. Theoretically puffer is better than a heater because if there's some crap dissolved in the IPA it remains on the surfaces after the IPA evaporates.

[Neverenoughwatches]

How i clean and dry watch parts... cheapy cheap diy fashion, spinning inside a US.  Speed controlled  CW + CCW... DC motor and mini US machine, a lab stand, some bean tins, a modded make up lid,a bit of door panel plastic and a few nuts and bolts, the wing nut acts as a small impeller...it will when i bend the wings over. How rather very simple of me

[Neverenoughwatches]

Bit of a vortex going on , a bigger wingnut is required me thinks .

[Neverenoughwatches]

For those parts that have had a little handling but dont quite need a full wash rinse and dry -- Super quick manual rinse tin