What's on Your Bench?

[Adrian-VTA]

Here's the spread today -


Top - 6139-7100
Middle Top 6106-8227, 6139-6011 Proof/Resist (This is an 18 jewel movement), 7006-8030, 6106-7017, 7015-7000
Middle Bottom TAG Heuer Professional WF2121, Lubrication project mule
Very Bottom - 7002 Case, 4205 Case, 6309 case (These are all for gasket testing), 6139 Plate for replacement jewel testing

[tritto]

Well you've got some lovely watches on your bench today. Clients or personal?

[siralan]

This has been on the 'bench' for 3 years now. 

I think today is the day to complete the complete re-build.

[Adrian-VTA]

Tristan -

the 6106's and the 7100 at the top are mine.

The 6139-6011 is interesting, it belongs to another forum member here. It's a proof dial/resist back. It's a 6139A with the two piece hand. During a previous service the top barrel arbor bush has been replaced with a jewel. These are the ones that go oval. (watch this space for 61 series barrel arbor bush retrofit kits).

Hey siralan, what is that? is that a 7A movement?

Mar 22, 2015 0:33:27 GMT -8 tritto said:

Well you've got some lovely watches on your bench today. Clients or personal?

[siralan]

Yes, it's a 7A38. It was posts about the 7Axx series of watches by a member over on RLT 4 years ago that got me thinking that maybe I could start to tinker with watches.

In the early days (!!) these were the only watches I collected and restored (new crystals, cases cleaned, pushers cleaned etc) but after about a year I started to 'branch' out - still only quartz watches as I didn't consider myself good enough to work on a mechanical watch.

The watch in this picture has remained in this state since May 2012 when I decided I was ready to strip the entire movement down, clean and re-build it. 

Unfortunately I hit a snag - I couldn't get the main bridge back on. I tried numerous times but just couldn't do it. So, it sat in its glass dome for all that time, staring at me.

Since getting my stereo zoom microscope I decided a couple of weeks back that I'd have another go. And, within 10 minutes I'd got the bridge on!!

So, this very sunny afternoon I'm going to show this movement some love and attention and get it running again.

[stevenjohn]

I've got a Lord Marvel 5740-8000 stripped down. Everything looks in good shape.

[Benchdweller]

I'm currently bringing a SKX009 back to life; service, gaskets, new crystal and insert. After that I have three 6309's to do and a 6139-6010 is in the post. Then there's this one -



It's an old Squale 1157 20 Atmos and this is all I've got to work with. The owner is trying to source a dial but this one is more of a long term project rather than a service or overhaul.

[Adrian-VTA]

Dead ringer for a 62MAS!

Mar 22, 2015 6:58:29 GMT -8 Benchdweller said:

I'm currently bringing a SKX009 back to life; service, gaskets, new crystal and insert. After that I have three 6309's to do and a 6139-6010 is in the post. Then there's this one -



It's an old Squale 1157 20 Atmos and this is all I've got to work with. The owner is trying to source a dial but this one is more of a long term project rather than a service or overhaul.

[69ChevelleSS]

[C4L18R3]

Great watches there!

I wish I had something to work on!  I've been thinking of doing my own mods as a start.  All these DIY threads are really encouraging but I don't know.  Maybe I'll make the leap one of these days.  Checking the Bay now for tweezers and loupes right now.  Maybe...

[C4L18R3]

Mar 22, 2015 8:01:12 GMT -8 69ChevelleSS said:

Nice!  I used to do 1/24 scale models before, which is why I THINK I can do watch modding... Anyway this brings back memories.  Thanks.

[69ChevelleSS]

Mar 22, 2015 8:07:17 GMT -8 C4L18R3 said:

Mar 22, 2015 8:01:12 GMT -8 69ChevelleSS said:

Nice!  I used to do 1/24 scale models before, which is why I THINK I can do watch modding... Anyway this brings back memories.  Thanks.

Thanks.  It's actually 1:18.  I started out in 1:24 as a kid but my eyes are too weak and my fingers to fat!

[Deleted]

Ok you did ask!

My main workshop room where all the messy clock restoration happens such as case work and dial repaints.



Now into the clean room where all the movement work takes place on clocks and watches.


Seiko 6139-600x - Gold vintage swiss watch - Omega Chronostop (megabucks to fix!) - My own Citizen Super Jet for a service - Brown bullhead just waiting on seconds hand.


Omega Constellation (Quartz) - Omega Geneve - Another 6139-600x


This draw you might like


Those are just the ones I am working on. I have a few more to restore when I get through some clocks that are outstanding.

[siralan]

Well, there are now two less 7A28's on my bench.

I've completely stripped, cleaned and rebuilt them. The first one was just to prove to myself that I could (I knew I could, but I hadn't actually quite done it). The second one actually needed it, it was a 7A28-7020 that had a really annoying habit of stopping after it had been running properly. 

And I found what was causing the problem:





this lump of, err I'm not sure exactly what it is, but I suspect its solidified battery leak, was lodged on the centre wheel and was fouling the third wheel as it turned. The previous owner had tried to solve the problem by over oiling the movement, which only made matters worse as the oil was causing it to stick in place.

Phew, I'm bushed now. Having worked on mechanical watches for a long time, going back to quartz and especially the 7Axx movement where things are a lot smaller is very tiring.

[pollythecat]

Tony you make me have a nervous breakdown just looking at your workload.  Not much on Polly's bench at the moment but this was assembled this afternoon after an epic bit of bodging

[Deleted]

This is my work load...


Fortunately it is all my stuff so nobody will be waiting.

The only important project is one of the 2205 lady divers that will be going to my daughter in Australia for her birthday.

The really amazing thing about all those movements is that most of them spring to life when you pick them up or jostle them. Ramon sells good junk

There won't be any problem filling the two empty cases and several more!

Three of my current 6119 projects are pictured; a 6119A(center bottom); a 6119B(middle right in the holder) and 6119c(in the 70m Sport bottom left of center).

I'm afraid I will have to become proficient at servicing these tiny little lady calibres. The last thing I want is to destroy more of the balance springs than the ham-fisted baggage handlers have already done!

If I don't go blind; I just might develop enough skill to fix these diminutive movements

[jringo8769]

wow......

Mar 22, 2015 11:07:40 GMT -8 @cockroach said:

Ok you did ask!

My main workshop room where all the messy clock restoration happens such as case work and dial repaints.



Now into the clean room where all the movement work takes place on clocks and watches.


Seiko 6139-600x - Gold vintage swiss watch - Omega Chronostop (megabucks to fix!) - My own Citizen Super Jet for a service - Brown bullhead just waiting on seconds hand.


Omega Constellation (Quartz) - Omega Geneve - Another 6139-600x


This draw you might like


Those are just the ones I am working on. I have a few more to restore when I get through some clocks that are outstanding.

[Rod]

After what seems like months, finally received a crystal gasket..

[Deleted]

Mar 22, 2015 15:56:55 GMT -8 pollythecat said:

Tony you make me have a nervous breakdown just looking at your workload.  Not much on Polly's bench at the moment but this was assembled this afternoon after an epic bit of bodging

Lucky I didn't include the 4 clocks I am restoring at the moment then

[stevenjohn]

I spoke too soon. The 5740 has a separate jewel washer on the center wheel. The screw head that held it was overtightened at the last service and sheared with nearly no effort on my part. I can't back it out with tweezers. I've used alum to dissolve screws in the past on a pocket watch, but I don't want to risk damaging the finish on the plate. I was going to try the Bergeon extractor first. Has anybody here used it?