Waltham 1883 disassembly help

[wilsonpaule]

Okay, I have spent the past few weeks taking apart throwaway watches, reading as much as I can, watching videos on youtube, so I figured I would try and repair a model 83 waltham. I figure I am all prepared, so I go ahead and start and...not what I expected.

I may have numerous questions while doing this, so bear with me. Anyway, the following have me stumped:

1)I am supposed to let down the mainspring prior to disassembly. Well, the 1883 is a full plate...how do I disengage the click to let down the spring?

2) I have removed the movement from the case, removed the hairspring assembly...now, am I supposed to remove the ring that surrounds the movement as in the first picture? It seems to be fastened extremely tightly, even has 3 dimples in the metal around the outside as can be seen in the second picture. Also, what is the mechaism for in the first picture? It is right at the 12 o'clock position.

I want to remove the mainspring barrel to replace the spring (yes, I have a replacement spring and winder), but unsure if this exterior ring needs to be removed prior to getting at the barrel.

Ideas?

Thxs
Paul

[Randy Beamer]

Paul.
I'll jump right and welcome you to the science of watchbreaking !!

This is a simple approach to your question, and others will have more to add I'm sure.

Yes, the outer ring does come off. Be careful not to tweak it. The "dimples" help to hold it in place.
Once it's removed, (even before, if it will fit with the ring still on ) you want to get that movement into a holder.
You never want to disassemble a watch with a wound mainspring. You can literally destroy many components.
The small item you are seeing in the "window" of the plates, right below the mainspring barrel, should be the detent that you can press to relieve the spring.
So here we go...
1. Put the movement into a holder
2. Replace the winding stem/ crown into the keyworks, and slightly tension it as though you were going to wind it further.
3. While holding that tension, you want to press against the detent with say a piece of pegwood,and once it starts to release you want to make sure that you let it down slowly,..by keeping tension on the crown, and letting it "slip" slowly in your grasp until it is "at rest".

Best of luck...

Randy

[wilsonpaule]

The Science of Watchbreaking! I like that.

I managed to get the mainspring unwound without a whirring noise. That is good news!

Can't seem to get that ring off without apply some force to it. Oh well, it may not matter, since while I was waiting for some input to my initial message, I checked out the balance wheel and there are no rollers under the balance staff. I guess the last rocket scientist that owned this lost it/broke it, put it back together, and sold it to unsuspecting me. Oh well, I can use it for practice.

Now, to get that ring off......

Paul

[richiec]

Wilsonpaule, that ring should just be able to be gently pried up off of the plate. the little dimples fit into the dial screw holes. Just get a small, sharp screwdriver under the edge gently and pry upwards, it should come right off. Surprised you got the mainspring down without the barrel flying out of the movement with the barrel bridge removed.

[wilsonpaule]

All good, got the ring off easily, all disassembled. How much grease do I put on this drn mainspring? Just blob some down on some wax paper, fold, and pull the mainspring through it? Once I got the ring off, it was prety simple. Now....putting it back together....once I get replacement rollers. Off to surf the web for some cheap replacement parts!

[5831usmc]

Yes, I too laughed at, "The Science of Watch Breaking"!

Make sure you do not cone the spring. When you put it back in, wind it from the outside in. Also make sure it is wound in the right direction to the arbor. As for the grease/oil for the mainspring. After I put a mainspring back in the barrel, I put a drop of oil at the 12, 3, 6, 9 O'clock position. Off-set each drop from the other. The dry mainspring will literally pull the oil between the spring. When you put the barrel top back on, make sure the notches line up with the mainspring hooks, and the top "snaps" down. If not, the mainspring may jump out when wound and damage your center wheel and balance.

Good luck! Fixing your first watch is awesome. I remember my first one, it felt like victory. Accomplishing a challenge not many people can do anymore.

Pete