Unitas 6498 - problem diagnosed!
Mar 13, 2018 13:56:00 GMT -8
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Groundhog66, time4seiko, and 1 more like this
Post by leffemonster on Mar 13, 2018 13:56:00 GMT -8
I decided to have a look at my dad’s Rotary pocket watch tonight which won’t wind for love nor money, leading me to suspect a broken mainspring.
To get to the problem meant taking down most of the gear train, so I thought “in for a penny, in for a pound” and decided to strip it to the bare mainplate.
Here’s where I think the problem lies -
A search on the internet guided me on how to open the barrel - press down on the sides and off pops the cover. So with breath held I pressed down and, as anticipated, off popped the cover revealing this -
Well, when I say the cover popped off what I really mean is it virtually flew off! Lucky for me that the mainspring was broken as close to the arbor as it is - when I pressed down, the arbor was obviously pressed upwards and out of the barrel. The cover flew off, along with the arbor and the bit of mainspring left attached to it. Note to self to think things through clearer next time... Less haste and all that.
So, here’s the damage -
I can’t think what has caused it to break, but break it surely has. I shall pop a replacement in my next order from Cousins and then set about rebuilding the movement. Hopefully I’ll get it back in working order and handed back to my old fella.
To get to the problem meant taking down most of the gear train, so I thought “in for a penny, in for a pound” and decided to strip it to the bare mainplate.
Here’s where I think the problem lies -
A search on the internet guided me on how to open the barrel - press down on the sides and off pops the cover. So with breath held I pressed down and, as anticipated, off popped the cover revealing this -
Well, when I say the cover popped off what I really mean is it virtually flew off! Lucky for me that the mainspring was broken as close to the arbor as it is - when I pressed down, the arbor was obviously pressed upwards and out of the barrel. The cover flew off, along with the arbor and the bit of mainspring left attached to it. Note to self to think things through clearer next time... Less haste and all that.
So, here’s the damage -
I can’t think what has caused it to break, but break it surely has. I shall pop a replacement in my next order from Cousins and then set about rebuilding the movement. Hopefully I’ll get it back in working order and handed back to my old fella.
