lanikai Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 Being a elementary school student and attempting to learn the basics of "Watch Repair" ( seems more like .. how to break repair) ... I figured to ask the vets ..... back in "the day" when you were just starting ... or "attempting" to learn how to work on your own reps (in the basic sense) what was the one thing that you did that you can laugh about today.. I figure Bazz ,.. Ubi... and Scoobs..... will be laughing soon enough.. thanks for the help guy's One of those .. I can't believe I did that .. or "thought that" stories... Hind sight being 20/20 and it being the one thing that you thought only you did.... please share it ... so we can benefit from the ... faux pas.. Or at least think .... "then, what I did is not that lame..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubiquitous Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 Hmmmm... I'm trying to think back. Not because there is a lack of 'doh' moments (past or present), but because there are so many to choose from (yes, past and present). I'd have to say that one of the biggest recurring problems I run into is having a spring loaded part go flying through the air and landing who knows where. I typically spend a good majority of my time working on watches crawling around on the floor looking for some ridiculously small part, and my very understanding wife usually helps. But, I'm sure I have some good ones... Just need to knock the cobwebs out of the brain to remember... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P4GTR Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 Good topic. Also would like to know, what are the couple must have tools from the start? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanikai Posted July 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 yup .. the ol "carpet patrol"... that just happened with the mag removal.. I had no idea that it would shoot off the crystal like a projectile Of course I had "no Idea" what would happen..since that was my first attempt.. second time I face the crystal toward all my pillows thrown together.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanikai Posted July 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 Good topic. Also would like to know, what are the couple must have tools from the start? Instead of getting the whole set of bergeon screw drivers like I did ... bazz .. ubi scoobs can give you the few must have and you can get it ala carte from ofrei... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest carlsbadrolex Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 Ok everyone, go get a drink, pop some popcorn and sit back and relax for awhile. This thread is gonna get good!!! Most recently was my dropping a case back screw in to the balance assembly of my new AP ROO. That was just careless (carrying the screw back over the exposed movement). Jamming a 1.2mm screw driver into my finger about an 1/8th of an inch while trying to put a Panarai screw back in... Burried it nice and deep, my wife though I had cut my finger off. When I showed her the tiny hole she laughed her ass off. Dropping my VJ72 Daytona on the floor with the dial and hands exposed (I had just taken the crystal off). Ruined an entire set of hands and scratched the dial because it landed on a loose [censored] carpet. When I picked it up, I ripped the hands off bending all of them. I could go on all night... Some one else take a turn, maybe I will be back later! Tools: A good set of screw drivers. The Bergeon No.6938 dial protectors. A decent hand remover. And a couple pair or tweezers in assorted sizes/shapes. And dont forget DUCT TAPE!!! The best case back remover out there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logan Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 Probably the biggest newbie mistake.. damaging hands and dials taking things apart. Be very careful with hand removers. I prefer to use manual hand removing levers on reps, very slow and controlled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubiquitous Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 Ahhhh... I've had many a self inflicted injury from screw drivers, pointed tweezers, etc. All pretty minor stuff, but each little scar reminds me of a bonehead mistake at some point... As for tools... I find a nice assortment of screw drivers is a must. Add along to that, a good hand pulling and hand setting tool. A nice caseback opener (or duct tape), tweezers (amagnetic), and toothpicks. Those items listed seem to be what I use most these days for the basic stuffs... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanikai Posted July 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 Ok everyone, go get a drink, pop some popcorn and sit back and relax for awhile. This thread is gonna get good!!! Most recently was my dropping a case back screw in to the balance assembly of my new AP ROO. That was just careless (carrying the screw back over the exposed movement). Jamming a 1.2mm screw driver into my finger about an 1/8th of an inch while trying to put a Panarai screw back in... Burried it nice and deep, my wife though I had cut my finger off. When I showed her the tiny hole she laughed her ass off. Dropping my VJ72 Daytona on the floor with the dial and hands exposed (I had just taken the crystal off). Ruined an entire set of hands and scratched the dial because it landed on a loose shag carpet. When I picked it up, I ripped the hands off bending all of them. I could go on all night... Some one else take a turn, maybe I will be back later! Tools: A good set of screw drivers. The Bergeon No.6938 dial protectors. A decent hand remover. And a couple pair or tweezers in assorted sizes/shapes. And dont forget DUCT TAPE!!! The best case back remover out there! This will IMO turn out to be more informative than I thought.. as we learn through our mistakes or others kind enough to share them with us... terry .. this has got me feelin some pain brah!! OUCHY Logan Posted Today, 05:58 PM Probably the biggest newbie mistake.. damaging hands and dials taking things apart. Be very careful with hand removers. I prefer to use manual hand removing levers on reps, very slow and controlled. Dang It !!.. I just ordered the spring hand remover... I can alway's use more tools though.. any reccomendations for bergeon manual ones ?? thanks Logan.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltatahoe Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 great thread lani -- always good to learn from others' misakes. i'd like to think that one day i'll learn how to fiddle around with my reps (and hopefully manage minor repairs, etc). maybe this thread will help spur me on to make it happen. deltatahoe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanikai Posted July 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 great thread lani -- always good to learn from others' misakes. i'd like to think that one day i'll learn how to fiddle around with my reps (and hopefully manage minor repairs, etc). maybe this thread will help spur me on to make it happen. deltatahoe My start was or is "born " out of necessity !!.. you recieve a rep that is 20 minutes fast everyday.. to send it back to China when all it needed was simple regulating .. but the "fear" of the unknown.. and I want to utilize Ziggy's threads more..there is a wealth of info that is going to waste for lack of understanding.. Watch repair people in the retail sector make you believe it's quantum physics .. so they can charge you 20 bucks for spring bar swaps .. or something of that nature .. so the "fear' factor is implanted in us long ago... but I know "limits" so for now I try and stay "coachable" and take it really slow... Bazz sent me a link of the basic outline of a mechanical movement.. schematic etc. ... it is very enlightening .. I should stop starring at the DVD's and start studying my "hobby" ... it would really enhance the hobby and it is very rewarding even to do the simplest of tasks.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubiquitous Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 Before long, you'll find yourself graduating from the basic casing/uncasing, dial and hands R+I, etc. to working on the movement, etc. I'm nowhere near being able to tear an ETA down entirely to overhaul, but I'm finding my comfort level in working on the keyless works, calendar mech, and some of the movement side stuff easing in. I forgot to mention prior- Patience is key! Just as the right tools, gear, and equipment are essential to doing a job well, so is patience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanikai Posted July 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 Ubi say's it All.. one of my defects of character that this is helping me with.. Bazz was kind enough to send me this, so I should pass it on.... >>> http://www.horlogerie-suisse.com/Theorieho...ie/accueil.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltatahoe Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 yup, sounds like patience is certainly important in watchmaking. one of the things i've heard ziggy say many times is the following (please excuse my rough paraphrasing): "if it doesn't fit/work at first, do NOT push harder -- you'll probably just end up making things worse. trying to get things to work by using force is generally a bad idea in watchmaking." i'm certain that i would get a lot of pleasure out of learning to uncase a watch, etc. i wish i would have held onto one of the cheapo entry level subs that i bought early on for practice; i may just have to buy a noobmariner to practice on deltatahoe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanikai Posted July 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 yup, sounds like patience is certainly important in watchmaking. one of the things i've heard ziggy say many times is the following (please excuse my rough paraphrasing): "if it doesn't fit/work at first, do NOT push harder -- you'll probably just end up making things worse. trying to get things to work by using force is generally a bad idea in watchmaking." i'm certain that i would get a lot of pleasure out of learning to uncase a watch, etc. i wish i would have held onto one of the cheapo entry level subs that i bought early on for practice; i may just have to buy a noobmariner to practice on deltatahoe I got a asian movement out of a Pam 112 I can send you .. it arrived DOA... and my collector took care of it and sent me an additional working one... let's hook up later and I'll send you it.. it's time we "all" start doing this together.... that way we can all have a good laugh down the road.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest carlsbadrolex Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 I truly thank you for this thread... and think that we need more people that are willing to detail there failures! I have made MANY a bone head move and screwed up no less than 5 2836-2's. My one great succes (we should discuss this also) was getting my DOA GMT IIc and replacing the entire main spring barrel. The fact that the watch is within 3 seconds after nearly 2 weeks blows my mind!!! And I thank the members here for the information necessary to make that swap. I had 4 different threads open at the same time looking at pictures and reading about how the movement fit together. PS: I have a couple Asian 21 jewel movements in running condition that people can practice on if they want! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanikai Posted July 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 I still have no idea where the hell the stem release is... if it's an auto movement it's a little button in close proximity to the stem/crown .... if it is a manual wind.. you need to turn the scew that is in close proximity to the stem/crown 1-1/2 turns to release (better verify that ) @ terry .. I need to do that on a old 7750 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capice Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 I removed a wheel, forgot to put it back but the watch is still running so I guess I needn't that one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offshore Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 Lani, You want learning curves...how about this. I tend to work on a lot of quartz watches. Hope everyone knows the difference between a screw back, and a clip back! Had a quartz in to fit a new battery, and the back looked like it unscrewed. (Had caseback slots) So I spent some time trying various openers to unscrew it... no success. Finally frustrated, I took a closer look around the case back, and found a tiny slot to prise it off! Bloody Chinese are now making faux screwbacks, which you just clipback! And of late I have run into quite a few. So faux screwbacks = an early faux pas! Offshore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoobs1971 Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 Great topic, Lani! Like Ubi I'm not thinking of myself as a watch maker. I'm not even close... I just like to mess up my own watches trying to repair keyless works, swapping movements/dials and fixing non-working autowinders. Completely overhauling and servicing a movement takes real craftmanship and should be done by a skilled watchmaker only. Let me think... most of my mistakes are not particulary funny except that just recently Yellomen found out that I put a PAM strap on inside out... But it didn't look that bad . Other than that I've experienced a lot of parts jumping from the table and vanishing in the Bermuda triangle. Or screws jumping from the tweezers into the balance hairspring like CBR just experienced. I've also learned the hard way that black dials (especially PAM dials) are easily scratched or even damaged with permanent fingerprints. With the IWC 3717 dial I've learned that the quality of rep paint sometimes really s#cks and can fall off the dial. Keyless works are another thing. I messed up a lot of them. Most of the time when putting the stem back. All movements have their own way of putting the stem back safely. Still the most frustrating part of working on watches is finding out there's still some dust under the glass and you need to open the case again. As for screwdrivers I use the red (1.2 mm) and black (1 mm) ones the most. I use the yellow one (0.8 mm) to take off the plates of the keyless works and calender works. Rodico is the most essential tool for about anything. To clean parts and dial, to hold the hands when pressing them back (I never use tweezers for that), to hold springs from jumping off and much more. To prevent scratching the case back use a sticky ball instead of a metal caseback opener. Also basic tools are: movement holder, tweezers, dust blower, silicon grease, parts tray, hand remover tool (be extremely careful when using it), hand fitting tool (different sizes), loupe, brushing tool, cape cod polishing cloths and a bracelet resizing tool. Only work on watches when you're in a relaxed mood with plenty of daylight and using high quality tools. Trying to cut corners by buying cheap tools will only damage your watches. Don't be affraid to mess something up, since that's part of the learning process. However, make sure that you have access to spare parts . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siesta181 Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 Let's see... happened when I tried to assemble my Pam 113 from various sources. Dials and hands form DSN, Case from an Asian Pam 111 and movt from what I thought to be a dead Pam 183. Everything was going fine until the retaining piece (the piece that holds the movt against the case) dropped into the movement and refuse to come out. I had to take apart the movement, remove the offending piece of metal and reassemble the movt. Shundi posted a link to a clip on the assembly of a 6497. So props to him. One more faux pas.... lume is as thin as paper but that's another story... Cheers Siesta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoobs1971 Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 .....Had a quartz in to fit a new battery, and the back looked like it unscrewed. (Had caseback slots) So I spent some time trying various openers to unscrew it... no success. Finally frustrated, I took a closer look around the case back, and found a tiny slot to prise it off! ..... Good story . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FxrAndy Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 I removed a wheel, forgot to put it back but the watch is still running so I guess I needn't that one How the hell???? I once spent over 6 hours tring to repair an asian movement before i learnt i could buy a new one for less than Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoobs1971 Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 I once spent over 6 hours tring to repair an asian movement before i learnt i could buy a new one for less than Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slai Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 After mucking up a couple of keyless works, I decided not to even try any more...that's about it for my stories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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