I've mended something!

"Decay buys too many beaters" (decay)
10/12/2016 at 18:02 • Filed to: Watchlopnik

Noticed my (usually) trustworthy Vostock making some very ugly metal on metal sounds earlier today so decided to open it up and do some exploring. I’ve never been brave enough to play around with the inner workings of a watch before and I wasn’t sure how much I was going to be able to accomplish, but I really wanted a chance to play with the watch tool kit I bought about a year back.

So I opened it up and right off the bat, the smallest screw I’ve ever directly interacted with fell out onto the carpet. I hunted with a magnet for a solid 5 minutes before finding it, then I took a long look at the state of the inner workings.

Looks like this screw’s job is to hold on the rotor for the winding mechanism. It backed out and allowed the rotor to move around a LOT more than it’s ever intended to. There was some pretty obvious scratches on the caseback and I’m assuming it was also making contact with some of the winding gear-train.

In any case there was no obvious signs of damage so I put it back together, and it’s been keeping solid time for the past 6 hours. Really glad I took it apart when I did, cannot imagine how much damage that screw would have done if it fell into the balance wheel.

Fixed!

DISCUSSION (7)

DynamicWeight > Decay buys too many beaters
10/12/2016 at 18:25

My job is practically constantly working with screws that small. And in my assemblies they are HUGE. I hates them. Luckily I work with them in the computer instead of in real life. Though my RC car does have some 0-80 that can eat it.

That looks pretty tiny though. Probably 0-80, but I don’t think it’s quite 00-90 or 000-120.

Edit: Taking a second look maybe it is 00-90 or M1.

Matt Nichelson > Decay buys too many beaters
10/12/2016 at 18:25

I have that same exact kit for working on my watches. It has definitely come in handy for me since most of mine have needed battery replacements in the last year. It isn’t perfect, but it’ll do for the cost.

Decay buys too many beaters > DynamicWeight
10/12/2016 at 18:33

Good god, Pretty sure the smallest we work with is 4-40. When I dropped this guy I was sure it was lost forever.

And as for size, I’d be surprised if it wasn’t metric. Russian watch.

Decay buys too many beaters > Matt Nichelson
10/12/2016 at 18:35

Pays for itself quick doesn’t it? I’ve easily paid for it a few times over by adjusting or removing my watch bands at home.

I was really surprised at just how comprehensive it is. Seems to have everything id need to take mine apart far beyond the point where I’d be able to successfully put them back together.

Matt Nichelson > Decay buys too many beaters
10/12/2016 at 19:13

It definitely does. I have 18, so I cringe to think of how much it would cost to replace the batteries in all of my quartz ones. That and I do like being able to do it myself.

It really is. Makes things a lot easier when you have all of the tools necessary to do things like links and removing case backs.

DynamicWeight > Decay buys too many beaters
10/12/2016 at 19:43

Haha yeah, for me, 4-40 is “the big mounting screw”. I use 0-80 every day. I used to have a 000-120 sitting on my desk to remind myself what I was making people do before I committed to using one. IIRC correctly there is a 0000-160 but I have no idea how you would make one or tap a part for it. I think they might even go to 180 threads per inch but I think that’s finally the end of it. Solidworks doesn’t even have 00-90 by default, you have to enter it in special.

Nauraushaun > Decay buys too many beaters
10/17/2016 at 07:12

That watch has real character