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So here is the latest new watch fool. Well, not that new to be exactly. I started a couple of years ago with mainly Russian watches (Slawa, Tschaika, Wostok and Luch to name a few). After collecting roughly one hundred of them (many in bad shape) I noticed, I began to loose interest. It became harder and harder to find interesting ones and they were quite expensive. Another thing I noticed was: a couple of Seikos made their way into the collection and I was wearing them more often than the others as you do not have to wind them (first were a blue 'modern' 5 with see-through case back and an A159).
So I became interested in Seiko... ...and soon had a Seikomatic of my birth year 1967, a Sportsmatic, a Sea Horse, a Cronos, a King, a Marvel, a Lord Marvel and a Grand Quartz. Most of them have been serviced by the previous owner - ...and were quite expensive. But buying perfect watches turns out to be a bit boring as well (and you end up with no money). So I started thinking about buying watches that are not so perfect and making them better myself. How hard can it be??
Next step was finding out how to do it. I got me a book: 'Mechanische Uhren - Lehrbuch für die Berufsbildung' (you already may have noticed by my bad English - I am German). That told me how watches work, but it didn't tell me how to fix them. Next you go to youtube - one can learn anything there, can't you?. I found some interesting movies that actually showed how it is done by the 'pros'. The only sentence that bothered me was 'Next I am going to remove the.... I'll do that off camera and then it looks like this.' *bummer*
The one exception of this turned out to be Mike_B . So if you happen to read this: MANY THANKS! You encouraged me to actually go for it. You let me here and made me believe one can learn something new. So over the last couple of weeks I started getting my tools together and I think I am ready now to get started this weekend. The only thing missing is a pair of tweezers which hopefully will arrive tomorrow (ordered them weeks ago).
To begin with I found a cheap shattered JDM Actus SS (6106 - 7520) from Japan and a fitting NOS crystal, but coming to think of it I decided to keep it for a while and break something else.
So 6309 it is. I have a working 573B with a broken crystal that is probably impossible to replace (cost me nothing), a working 8920 from India with a phantasy dial and a beautiful yellow 5470 that I bought for my son a couple of years ago, but it literally fell into pieces after two weeks of wearing. The rotor spins but does nothing, the hands fell off and the dial looks out of place, but case, dial and crystal are fine. That is the one I would like to see running again. Wish me luck.
Last Edit: Sept 14, 2019 5:59:09 GMT -8 by tempelkim
Post by leffemonster on Aug 22, 2019 14:10:21 GMT -8
Welcome to Wrist Sushi! Mike_B (user name bollyrotten) has probably inspired a good few people on here to try their hand at tinkering, and his skills have developed in a very short time. His case work in particular is superb.
Plenty of helpful folk on here who’ll be willing to help you out, and help you empty your wallet...
"You see me doing thrill seeker liquor store holdups with a born to lose tattoo on my chest? I do what I do best. I take scores. You do what you do best. You try to stop guys like me" Robert DeNiro
"Now, I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" J. Robert Oppenheimer.
So here is the latest new watch fool. Well, not that new to be exactly. I started a couple of years ago with mainly Russian watches (Slawa, Tschaika, Wostok and Luch to name a few). After collecting roughly one hundred of them (many in bad shape) I noticed, I began to loose interest. It became harder and harder to find interesting ones and they were quite expensive. Another thing I noticed was: a couple of Seikos made their way into the collection and I was wearing them more often than the others as you do not have to wind them (first were a blue 'modern' 5 with see-through case back and an A159).
So I became interested in Seiko... ...and soon had a Seikomatic of my birth year 1967, a Sportsmatic, a Sea Horse, a Cronos, a King, a Marvel, a Lord Marvel and a Grand Quartz. Most of them have been serviced by the previous owner - ...and were quite expensive. But buying perfect watches turns out to be a bit boring as well (and you end up with no money). So I started thinking about buying watches that are not so perfect and making them better myself. How hard can it be??
Next step was finding out how to do it. I got me a book: 'Mechanische Uhren - Lehrbuch für die Berufsbildung' (you already may have noticed by my bad English - I am German). That told me how watches work, but it didn't tell me how to fix them. Next you go to youtube - one can learn anything there, can't you?. I found some interesting movies that actually showed how it is done by the 'pros'. The only sentence that bothered me was 'Next I am going to remove the.... I'll do that off camera and then it looks like this.' *bummer*
The one exception of this turned out to be Mike_B. So if you happen to read this: MANY THANKS! You encouraged me to actually go for it. You let me here and made me believe one can learn something new..
Hello welcome and thank you so much for the kind words. I am happy that I have inspired you with my videos on YouTube to have the courage to pick up the tools.
Believe me if you have the desire you will love this part of the hobby. For me even more than the watch collecting now. My collection is large but they are all a byproduct of my obsession with fixing them . The channel was created along with my Facebook group to inspire as many as possible into the hobby and for me to learn from people who are a bit further into the hobby than I am. It all stated here in Wristsushi for me. Okay I had the desire but there was nothing on YouTube for me at the time so the good members here talked me through a few things.
You WILL succeed as it’s all about confidence and desire to achieve the challenge. Where the hobby gets more interesting is the deeper you go the more you want to service a watch to the most accurate you can . It’s a natural progression . It will lead you to buying more tools and spending more time but it’s practical learning . Read all you like but the “ doing “ is where you understand .
Good luck with your watch work and I will try to look out for your posts here. I am not as active as I once was because I have to be now in so many places .. YouTube and all over Facebook , plus my family time ...
So here is the outcome of day one (sorry for the bad pictures, there was no light):
No screw or spring got lost (as far as I know yet). Nothing broke, but I made a scratch on the day disk when trying to remove the snap (hope it can't be seen in the day window). Cleaned everything with Elma Red in the ultrasonic (smells awful), rinsed in wash petrol and let it dry.
To get at least one thing redone I then decided to put the main spring back in the barrel. That was the moment I realized I forgot to take a picture of the spring orientation.
The good news: I actually reached the point to insert the balance and see it moving again. The bad news: something is wrong. I think it is running too fast. Can't tell exactly because I have a rather crappy digital microscope and no time grapher but it looks like the hairspring is sticking together. Took it off and on again a couple of times (good practice) to investigate when suddenly I noticed that my new antimagnetic tweezers catch a screw from a couple of mms distance and will not let it go when opening it. So I thing I got infected with magnetism.
I've ordered me a demagnetizer. Let's see if that will help...
The good news: I actually reached the point to insert the balance and see it moving again. The bad news: something is wrong. I think it is running too fast. Can't tell exactly because I have a rather crappy digital microscope and no time grapher but it looks like the hairspring is sticking together. Took it off and on again a couple of times (good practice) to investigate when suddenly I noticed that my new antimagnetic tweezers catch a screw from a couple of mms distance and will not let it go when opening it. So I thing I got infected with magnetism.
I've ordered me a demagnetizer. Let's see if that will help...
Photos of balance & hairspring out of the movement. Turn it over so we get a good look at the HS. Make sure it’s resting in its jewel on the balance
Most obvious is how bad that camera is. Looks like the whole thing is covered in mud - which it isn't. I'll surely get a better one when the next pay check comes in...
When I lift the balance cock with balance downwards it looks all perfect like a perfectly round pyramid, but as soon as it is flat in place it is all wrong.
Last Edit: Aug 24, 2019 7:53:54 GMT -8 by tempelkim
Most obvious is how bad that camera is. Looks like the whole thing is covered in mud - which it isn't. I'll surely get a better one when the next pay check comes in...
When I lift the balance cock with balance downwards it looks all perfect like a perfectly round pyramid, but as soon as it is flat in place it is all wrong.
Next try: demagnetizer has arrived. So I demagnetized like hell - and could not spot any difference. I put it into a glass of lighter fluid and placed that into the ultrasonic for twenty minutes. After that bulb blowed for a while and started a new inspection:
Looks better now but still seems to stick at around two o'clock in the middle. For now I reinserted it and tried to get another success experience - with oiling the balance...
How to get off the diashock spring? Tweezers are too big, oilers are too small - so I went for the smallest screwdriver. Gently twisted it and the first hook came free. Yeah! Twisted further and the second one came freeeewehhhwehh.... I had the window open and it left off in direction north-west. If somebody finds it please send me a note. Next I went for the spare movement. The balance is much worse than this one so no worries. Unfortunately that tiny spring took exactly the same escape as the first one. The German word that came to my mind is 'Lehrgeld'.
O.k. on the other side is another one. Last chance for today. Had a smoke, a glass of 'The Major's Reserve' and some Rodico at hand and went for it. This time it worked. It came off, I got the spring, the jewels, managed to separate them and got some 9010 on the end stone (probably too much) and returned them to their old place. Now that horrible spring had to go back. Working very gently, very slowly and very concentrated (and keeping in mind that this is the last one) I managed to put it back. Movement ist still moving.
I'll keep going. For now I'll concentrate on 'The Major's Reserve'...
Today part two of reassembly - the dial side. I made it to the point in your video where you talk about having earned a drink. It is still running, day and date switch as they should and I've replaced the German day wheel with the Arabic one from the donator (الأحد just looks better than SON).
Still can't believe that I actually managed to take a watch completely apart and put it together and it is still working. Nevertheless I got the impression that it is you that has earned the drink not me. So if I ever get to get to the UK (which is on my TODO list for quite a long time) I hope I will get a chance to pay my duty.
Next is the case. I probably will need a tool to get the crystal in...