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  1. topspin

    I need a hand! ;-) ... ie hour hand / minute hand for Waltham 1888

    Yup. So you might find it easiest to just buy up a still-cased-with-hands non-running 1888 and then swap the movements over. They are usually reasonably plentiful on ebay.
  2. topspin

    Help with Waltham grade 165

    Just to add to the excellent information provided by Jerry, Here is what the database has to say about the movement... Waltham Pocket Watch: Serial Number 16459299 (Grade No. 165) As you can see, there were a lot of this model/grade made, so spares are readily available. Sometimes this...
  3. topspin

    Waltham 1883 4th Wheel Variations?

    I think Jerry hit the nail on the head. It may be easiest to start again from a parts movement of same or similar grade to the one you're trying to repair. According to the lookup http://nawccinfo.nawcc.org/LookupSN.php there were 1519519 15J 1883s made (albeit this figure is only an...
  4. topspin

    watch key size

    Agreed... There are very few watch key problems which cannot be solved by just buying up a full set of 14 keys (sizes 00 and 0-12) for a few quid from the ebay seller of your choosing.
  5. topspin

    Can a quartz pocket watch be converted to mechanical?

    Oh, how wonderful! Good luck with this project, but do try not to ruin what is already a lovely faux-railroad watch.in the process.
  6. topspin

    Cleaning up a case...

    Some collectors will rarely if ever polish a case. Not out of laziness but because they prefer it to still be carrying its history. For this reason, many sellers don't polish their watches - let the buyer decide whether to polish it or not. Me, I rarely polish cases. If I do decide that one...
  7. topspin

    My practice movement was someone else's practice movement...

    Just a suggestion, if you do decide to pick up another mid-grade 1888 to fix up, why not go for a Cronometro Victoria (if one comes up) or a Riverside (plentiful.) Very nice to look at, especially the nickel/damaskeened ones.
  8. topspin

    Timing a watch using an audio recorder?

    I have seen timing machines offered for a lot less than the range you quote. (Whether the ones at that price are any good or not, is another matter.) They also provide a lot more detail beyond the simple bph figure, just as a "machine that goes ping" in a hospital shows a lot more than simple...
  9. topspin

    Waltham Model 1891

    One good place to look for mainsprings for this model would be ebay. If it was indeed a hairspring you needed, then I would suggest buying up a spares movement of this model. Again ebay would be one good place to look.
  10. topspin

    Removing a plastic crystal

    "green" is a new one on me, I'd love to see a photo of that (please). Usual (in my experience) is a sort of nicotine yellow-brown-greyish colour. Just as a little aside, has anyone ever tried marketing deliberately-coloured new crystals? The resulting watch could look quite funky.
  11. topspin

    Minute hand fit loose

    I offer 4 ideas... 1) Pick up another parts movement, start again with a less manky canon pinion. 2) Use pliers or a vice to slightly crush the "hole" end of the hand, thus making the hole a bit smaller. 3) Dab of glue. 4) A couple of layers of varnish.
  12. topspin

    What size hairspring to order?

    My answer: Pick up another BW Raymond parts movement. Ya never know what else you might want/need to swipe off it.
  13. topspin

    New to me

    Or corrosion/rust. Or behaviour at extreme temperatures. Or just trying to make it very light. Or perhaps just a gimmick to appeal to younger, fashion-conscious buyers and "early adopters". I can see a lot of merit in experimenting with new materials... and a lot that could go wrong. It may...
  14. topspin

    Small second hands

    Thank-you for starting this thread. It's kinda reassuring to know I'm not the only one for whom, if it's fallen out once it'll fall out again. If you're not too fussed about the watch being "correct"/"original" you could try putting in a second hand off some other watch? There's always a chance...
  15. topspin

    Swingout case that will not open.

    Perhaps the question is worth asking, if you either pry it open or start dismantling it by unscrewing 1 screw at a time until it comes free, how confident are you in your ability to put it all back together again?
  16. topspin

    Help With Steampunk Nitwits

    I remember as a child creating a toy "tank" like this... You start off with a cotton reel. Thread some elastic bands through the centre-hole. Fix them in place at one end (somehow.) At the other end, they are driving a matchstick, you wind the matchstick and then it unwinds, it is the vehicle's...
  17. topspin

    Waltham Click ?

    You could buy up a broken watch of the same model (even just a "spares" movement would do) off ebay, and lift whatever parts you need off that? The good news is that this is a very plentiful model (1908.) https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/waltham/24006506 May I compliment you on...
  18. topspin

    American PW beginer waltham pw repair

    No doubt some other posters will suggest some great books, catalogues, cleaning materials etc, but in the meantime here is a suggestion from me - as a supplement to the above, you could also have a look on youtube, there you will find a variety of instructional videos on watch repair/servicing...
  19. topspin

    Re-Plating A Watch Case...

    Just to say - if there was a shop near me offering replating - I would happily pick out a couple of cases with worn plating for them to have a go at. I would expect the end result to be... interesting! ...and shiny :-) There again, I am also not (yet) a collector who places great emphasis on all...
  20. topspin

    If my watch jumps...

    Hi. I have a number of watches where, after I've finished setting it, as soon as I push the crown or the setting-lever back in, the watch jumps forward about a minute or two. Some seem to do a similar jump (after I've pushed the crown or setting-lever back in) as soon as I start to wind it. What...
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