Comments on: ETA 6497

By: J.Peter

J.Peter — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 15:17:41 +0000

Rob, Thank you for the question. This is a hard one to answer though. What kind of mainsprings are they? What tools do you have? I very rarely re-use mainsprings because of their propensity to break. I usually install a brand new spring. If you do re-use a spring it should be removed from the barrel and cleaned and lubricated by hand. Tongue end mainsprings can be wound with a mainspring winder and inserted into the barrel. With T-end or Double brace mainsprings it is often easier to wind the spring straight into the barrel. Be sure the Tee engages with the slots properly. Another problem with old pocket watches is often the eyelet and the finger on the barrel arbor. A center coil that is too large will keep this from connecting well.

Some more specific information about your problem might help us give a better answer.

By: Rob

Rob — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 00:16:06 +0000

Hey guys! It’s fun to read what you are going through. I worked as a watchmaker for several years in high school at a jewelry store. My job was to take the movement completely apart, put the parts through three separate washings (in the cleaning machine), and then oil it and put it back together. I must have done 100-200 watches in my time.

Anyhow, I’ve wanted to pick it up again after almost 18 years of not doing it. Its coming back to me, and I’m doing great. The only problem is I can’t remember how to rewind the barrel spring. I’ve worked on two Waltham’s and two Elgins, and after I put them back together, they don’t work. When I wind them up, they lose the wind. It must be the barrel spring, and I’m not putting it together right. What am I doing wrong? I guess it’s just been so long, I’m forgetting. Do I take the spring completely out and rewind it by hand? Any help would be appreciated. The sooner I can figure out my mistake, the sooner I can get three or four movements working that I can set in new cases and sell.

Thanks!

By: asdfjkl;

asdfjkl; — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 03:52:27 +0000

Tony double up on your tweezers it works real well and the yoke spring will go in real easy or use a buff stick to hold it in place but if you think looking for a spring is hard wait til you look for a jewel

By: Tony

Tony — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 13:38:37 +0000

Thanks everyone! The 6497 has gotten A LOT easier since I’ve disassembled and reassembled it over again. We tore apart an automatic ETA 2824 the other day and compared to this, the 6497 was huge!
Anyway, thanks for reading and I’ll keep you all updated.

By: Perdita

Perdita — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 07:31:24 +0000

Wow. That is kind of intense! The first time we did a watch (6497 also) we had this animated computer program that named every part and showed how to put it in. I think your way might have been more educational, but I really liked having the guide because I was really nervous about the whole thing. Having a mysterious pile of parts with no directions sounds scary.

I also lost the yoke spring the first time. I felt embarrassed, but it turns out that a good percent of a watchmaker’s time *is* finding lost parts.

Right now I am in the second year and we are being traumatized by hairsprings. It turns out it is just as awful as everyone told us it would be.

By: Perpetuelle

Perpetuelle — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 02:37:29 +0000

Nice work Tony! Thanks for walking us through it – fascinating to follow along with you!

By: Justin

Justin — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 11:07:25 +0000

Great to hear about your progress, Tony. Congrats on your first watch. Keep us posted.

By: Greg

Greg — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 10:32:04 +0000

Cool! I’m in the process of re-assembling my first watch, a similar pocket-watch movement. It comes apart much more easily than it goes back. At my teacher’s advice, I sketched the gear train before I removed it, so putting things back in the right place and order was fine, but getting the bridge back on was tricky.

I had to change the mainspring too. Watch your eyes when you do that job – you can kill people with those things!

I’m hoping to tackle a rare (but semi-broken) 1904 Waltham wristwatch I purchased on eBay next. It’s a small pocketwatch movement in an early wristwatch case, so should be another good beginner project.

God, I wish I could do that every day. Unfortunately I only get 2 hours a week in my evening class. =(

Love the blog! Keep it up!

By: Aaron

Aaron — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 04:00:33 +0000

Well that is (for lack of a smarter word) RAD! I am glad you got to finally put together a real movement. I have taken apart and put together a 2836 but I am in the same boat as you. I don’t know a heck of a lot about these things! I’m really glad you are posting on here. I don’t know if you saw my post earlier but I am attending WOSTEP in switzerland next year so this is great to get an inside look into the course. Thanks a lot and keep us up to date!

By: MikeTheWatchGuy

MikeTheWatchGuy — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 03:16:14 +0000

Hey Tony…. I really enjoy hearing about your experiences in class. I’m getting a unique peek at what the training is like.

It’s also fun to hear about your first lessons in crawling on the floor looking for a spring. I don’t have enough digits to count the number of times I have

Good luck in school… it sounds like you’re doing great!

-mike