Is this tool worth a try for removing/replacing hairsprings?

[Bill2024]

So I can’t justify a staking set yet (even the incomplete ones on eBay seem to be £300+ and nice new ones £1000+ ) but I saw this on Ali express. 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003221301313.html

In the demo video the person takes apart and reassembles a balance, hairspring; collet and balance staff. All done by hand to estimate vertical positioning. Is this a recipe for disaster or could it work as a temporary way to work on and examine parts of the balance? Or is it just a complete waste of money?

Thanks, Bill

[mbwatch]

My vote is on waste of money if you expect it to do more than roller table work. Perfect perpendicularity is really important for balance staff work. Pressing on a hairspring collet and maybe even roller table are doable without a proper perpendicular brace, but balance staff work is not.

The bigger issue is that you need lots of different sizes of domed and flat faced punches to accommodate different balance staffs. The one balance demonstrated in the video might be the only caliber the punches supplied with this tool are the right size for.

The tool has been discussed specifically as a roller table remover, I think somewhere over in the Quality Chinese Tools thread  but I can't pinpoint where. It was recently, so if you search the forum for roller removers I expect you will find it.

 

Edit: I am seeing in your title that you didn't actually say you wanted to rivet a balance staff with this, sorry. Yes, you could probably get away with it to push on hairsprings, and it does work to remove roller tables.

Ah, I found the thread:

 

Edited March 30 by mbwatch
more OT

[Kalanag]

1 hour ago, Bill2024 said:

…could it work as a temporary way to work on and examine parts of the balance? Or is it just a complete waste of money?

The tool is well made an helps with balance work. I would purchase it again even though I own a staking set. The tool is not usable for riveting new balance staffs.

Karl

Edited March 30 by Kalanag

[Bill2024]

5 hours ago, mbwatch said:

My vote is on waste of money if you expect it to do more than roller table work. Perfect perpendicularity is really important for balance staff work. Pressing on a hairspring collet and maybe even roller table are doable without a proper perpendicular brace, but balance staff work is not.

The bigger issue is that you need lots of different sizes of domed and flat faced punches to accommodate different balance staffs. The one balance demonstrated in the video might be the only caliber the punches supplied with this tool are the right size for.

The tool has been discussed specifically as a roller table remover, I think somewhere over in the Quality Chinese Tools thread  but I can't pinpoint where. It was recently, so if you search the forum for roller removers I expect you will find it.

 

Edit: I am seeing in your title that you didn't actually say you wanted to rivet a balance staff with this, sorry. Yes, you could probably get away with it to push on hairsprings, and it does work to remove roller tables.

Ah, I found the thread:

 

Thanks I’ll take a look at that thread.

It sounds like I’ll be OK to get hairsprings on/off which will be another small step down the watch repair road for me. 

3 hours ago, Kalanag said:

The tool is well made an helps with balance work. I would purchase it again even though I own a staking set. The tool is not usable for riveting new balance staffs.

Karl

Thanks, it’s good to hear that the tool is of a decent quality. Some of the products from Ali Express can be of very uneven quality in my experience.