MikeP
07-01-2001, 12:24 AM
Recently acquired a Hamilton 992 that I want to clean/lubricate. I service/repair my own antique clocks but this would be my first foray into P watches and, because of their size, it was (is) a bit intimidating. So before ripping open this really nice 992 I decided to find a couple of cheap old non-working pocket watches and see if I could repair them.
For a total of around 65 bucks on ebay I got an old Waltham circa 1905, an Elgin from around the same period and a Baby Ben. They didn't run at all.
I don't have any pocket watch repair books but I figured, "what the heck, it's just a small clock!" So, I set to work. All 3 watches were incredibly crudded up inside - most of the pivots were locked in place by congealed oil but there was no apparent damage. I disassembled the Waltham and Elgin, cleaned and lubricated them, and reassembled. They both ran fine, but...
The Waltham would only run for a few hours. I noticed that when winding it would wind normally for a few turns and then "slip" Figuring it was a mainspring problem, I removed the barrel and found that the spring had broken about 3" from the hole end. It appeared fine when I originally removed, cleaned and replaced it. I did not use (don't have) a spring winder but was very careful (I thought). The spring didn't break when I installed it but perhaps I strained it somehow when placing it back in the barrel Is a spring winder suitable for pocket watches necessary to ensure this doesn't happen? I don't use them for clocks-been doing them by hand for 30 years with no problems. I found that Frei and Borel listed replacement springs for the watch. Is this the best source for these?
The Elgin process also went well, cleaned and lubed and running fine all night when lying on its back. However, when lying on its face, it won't run nearly as long. Why is that? Since clocks only have to run in one position I've never dealt with this problem.
Interesting stuff... I lost the tapered pin holding the hairspring to the cock on the Waltham and had to make a new one. I could just barely see the darn thing with the naked eye. But I managed to file a new pin down and fit it. And those little hairsprings scare me to death!
Great fun though!
Oh, the Baby Ben... I dumped the (non-disassembled) movement in a can of naptha, sloshed it around for a couple of minutes, dried it with compressed air, sprayed the thing with WD-40, it's been running fine ever since! :smile:
No, I won't do that with the 992!
For a total of around 65 bucks on ebay I got an old Waltham circa 1905, an Elgin from around the same period and a Baby Ben. They didn't run at all.
I don't have any pocket watch repair books but I figured, "what the heck, it's just a small clock!" So, I set to work. All 3 watches were incredibly crudded up inside - most of the pivots were locked in place by congealed oil but there was no apparent damage. I disassembled the Waltham and Elgin, cleaned and lubricated them, and reassembled. They both ran fine, but...
The Waltham would only run for a few hours. I noticed that when winding it would wind normally for a few turns and then "slip" Figuring it was a mainspring problem, I removed the barrel and found that the spring had broken about 3" from the hole end. It appeared fine when I originally removed, cleaned and replaced it. I did not use (don't have) a spring winder but was very careful (I thought). The spring didn't break when I installed it but perhaps I strained it somehow when placing it back in the barrel Is a spring winder suitable for pocket watches necessary to ensure this doesn't happen? I don't use them for clocks-been doing them by hand for 30 years with no problems. I found that Frei and Borel listed replacement springs for the watch. Is this the best source for these?
The Elgin process also went well, cleaned and lubed and running fine all night when lying on its back. However, when lying on its face, it won't run nearly as long. Why is that? Since clocks only have to run in one position I've never dealt with this problem.
Interesting stuff... I lost the tapered pin holding the hairspring to the cock on the Waltham and had to make a new one. I could just barely see the darn thing with the naked eye. But I managed to file a new pin down and fit it. And those little hairsprings scare me to death!
Great fun though!
Oh, the Baby Ben... I dumped the (non-disassembled) movement in a can of naptha, sloshed it around for a couple of minutes, dried it with compressed air, sprayed the thing with WD-40, it's been running fine ever since! :smile:
No, I won't do that with the 992!