Replacing a complete balance with bridge

[Timelord]

Hi fellow members

 

I am trying to replace a complete balance attached to bridge which has lost the roller jewel( don't know how this happened ) with a bridge and hair spring complete as I am not skilled enough to remove the bridge from the hair spring nor put it in beat I if capable of assembling one.

 

I know that some genuine parts can still be found but have not seen them as fully complete ones like  the generics  being complete with bridge and hairspring as seen on ebay. Unless I am wrong,have the genuine eta ones ever sold as complete pieces like the generics?  Not so confident in buying a generic either!  Stuck with a dilemma here

 

 

[ceejay]

What calibre?

[Timelord]

6 hours ago, ceejay said:

What calibre?

 

Eta 2836-2 or  2824-2

[mymanmatt]

eta does furnish the hairspring with the axle installed.

[ceejay]

It’s around £45 for an ETA or £10 for a clone (eBay prices)
I have no idea of compatibility between gen & clones though?


It will still need regulating and putting in beat.




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[Timelord]

Thanks guys!

 

i knew the clone ones came fully assembled but never saw a genuine sold fully assembled.   I heard that the clones are a hit or a miss and the roller jewel is not very stable!   Might need to risk getting  a non working eta with a good balance!   

 

I looked on ebay and there is a guy in the Philippines that is the only seller of per owned etas but hates being asked questions about what he sells as he will lecture you on how hard he has been done by customers so I  might look locally 

[capice]

4 hours ago, Timelord said:

Thanks guys!

 

i knew the clone ones came fully assembled but never saw a genuine sold fully assembled.   I heard that the clones are a hit or a miss and the roller jewel is not very stable!   Might need to risk getting  a non working eta with a good balance!   

 

I looked on ebay and there is a guy in the Philippines that is the only seller of per owned etas but hates being asked questions about what he sells as he will lecture you on how hard he has been done by customers so I  might look locally 

not entirely true buddy.....I have 13 year old A2824/36 still running good without any problem

try Cousins UK or Ofrei US

[Timelord]

11 hours ago, capice said:

not entirely true buddy.....I have 13 year old A2824/36 still running good without any problem

try Cousins UK or Ofrei US

 

Thanks for your reassurance!  Will look into it!  

 

I have never had any luck with eta clone movements and have always ended up costing more than having purchased a 2nd hand genuine and freshly servicing it!   Parts are another issue.  Problem is that 2nd hand genuine etas are hard to find unless it is in the Philippines 

[capice]

nothing beats the original...:) if you need parts, I will be happy to look in my stock

[Timelord]

2 hours ago, capice said:

nothing beats the original...:) if you need parts, I will be happy to look in my stock

 

Thank you!!  Most obliged!   I will PM you  if  I am unsuccessful !

[mymanmatt]

It has been years since eta offered the complete balance. If your bridge is clone then I think you should use a clone balance assy. If it' is gen then a gen balance. If you want to send it to me, I will install the balance for you, just pay return shipping. If you want to try it yourself, this is a small tip that may help. First,  install the balance on the base plate. Be sure the jewel is in the pallet fork and the bottom axle is in the baseplate jewel.  Then gently put the bridge on. Be sure it's in the top axle on the balance. When you install the bridge, be sure that the hairspring is in the brass part of the speed lever.  Then put the screw in the bridge and tighten. you now have everything in place. The stainless bar on the hair spring is now close to the beat lever. Take your tweezers and set the stainless bar in place in the lever. Then use your tool to push it on the lever. If it's incabloc be sure and pull the stem out to the stop position after the balance is in place. Push the stem in and set the speed and the beat. Hope this helps.

[horologist]

1 hour ago, mymanmatt said:

It has been years since eta offered the complete balance. If your bridge is clone then I think you should use a clone balance assy. If it' is gen then a gen balance. If you want to send it to me, I will install the balance for you, just pay return shipping. If you want to try it yourself, this is a small tip that may help. First,  install the balance on the base plate. Be sure the jewel is in the pallet fork and the bottom axle is in the baseplate jewel.  Then gently put the bridge on. Be sure it's in the top axle on the balance. When you install the bridge, be sure that the hairspring is in the brass part of the speed lever.  Then put the screw in the bridge and tighten. you now have everything in place. The stainless bar on the hair spring is now close to the beat lever. Take your tweezers and set the stainless bar in place in the lever. Then use your tool to push it on the lever. If it's incabloc be sure and pull the stem out to the stop position after the balance is in place. Push the stem in and set the speed and the beat. Hope this helps.

 

Now that is  a  really noble gesture which is  what makes this forum unique !

 

i have replaced the complete assembly  from a a genuine to a clone and has worked really well apart from having  to  regulate the time.  However never been successful in getting a complete balance from a clone into a genuine to work well at all !  Could never really work out why?   I personally find that 4 out of 5 eta clones are junk

 

 

i have myself tried to do the  above exercise  and it does take a lot of practise on a few dead balance assemblies as I have messed up more than I have succeeded.   If the beat goes out, it is a tedious task to get it right if your electronic timer is not the best

 

Like Timelord, I also was under the impression  that the genuine eta  ones were never sold as complete assemblies.  Wished I had known this as I would have stocked up on a few

 

 

[mymanmatt]

Me too. It’s been years since they offered a complete balance. In the 80’s there was a supply house in dallas called swest. I could buy eta 2836-2  for $26. I could get get 2824-2 for $22.  If I bought 3 or more at a time, I could save another 15%.  If I had only known. Lol

[Timelord]

On ‎7‎/‎26‎/‎2019 at 9:48 PM, mymanmatt said:

try it yourself, this is a small tip that may help. First,  install the balance on the base plate. Be sure the jewel is in the pallet fork and the bottom axle is in the baseplate jewel.  Then gently put the bridge on. Be sure it's in the top axle on the balance. When you install the bridge, be sure that the hairspring is in the brass part of the speed lever.  Then put the screw in the bridge and tighten. you now have everything in place. The stainless bar on the hair spring is now close to the beat lever. Take your tweezers and set the stainless bar in place in the lever. Then use your tool to push it on the lever. If it's incabloc be sure and pull the stem out to the stop position after the balance is in place. Push the stem in and set the speed and the beat. Hope this helps.

 

Great tips and many thanks for the detailed instructions.   I had been looking on youtube and everywhere else on how to go about it, just hitting dead ends. 

 

I did give it a go, but I think I screwed up when installing the stainless bar in place in the lever .  I almost rejoiced when I put it together but was jubilant too soon.   I am not disappointed as I learnt something from it. 

 

I guess I was thinking too far ahead worrying about getting the beat right.  How they got the beat right in the old days before electronic timers surely gets me wondering!!