# First real go......



## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

Took the plunge and stripped the movement of a small pocket watch that Steve (SBryantgb) sent me. All went well, though I did have to dress the tips on a couple of my new Horotec screwdrivers, as they were too wide to fit in the very narrow slots of the bridge screws. Took about 15 minutes to disassemble...the only bit I couldn't do was separate the centre wheel from the cannon pinion...you can see it still sat in the movement...perhaps I need a special tool. Anyway, found that the reason the watch only worked when face down was a broken pivot on the balance. Not too worried about that, as this is just a take apart/put back together exercise. Reassembly took a little longer...about 35 minutes...and it all works ! Feeling a bit chuffed!

In bits....









...and back together...


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

Well done Roger, you'll get there. :thumbsup:


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## graham1981 (Jan 1, 2016)

I'm in awe :yes: My picture progress would go as follows: Donor watch whole; Donor watch stripped down; Donor watch components in bin minus the bits I lost :rofl:


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## SBryantgb (Jul 2, 2015)

Super work..... I'm chuffed I could be a part of it :thumbsup:


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## jsud2002 (Nov 7, 2015)

Well done Roger , I take it it wasnt like an ikea set of drawers then where you have the odd piece left over !!


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

No, John...nothing left over. :wink: The movement started up straight away when I wound it, albeit in the face down position due to the broken balance pivot. But a great exercise all the same. Will do it a few more times, then move on the the smaller movements I've got.

...and to everyone who's commented...thanks for the encouragement...it really helps! :thumbsup:


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## jsud2002 (Nov 7, 2015)

Roger the Dodger said:


> No, John...nothing left over. :wink: The movement started up straight away when I wound it, albeit in the face down position due to the broken balance pivot. But a great exercise all the same. Will do it a few more times, then move on the the smaller movements I've got.
> 
> ...and to everyone who's commented...thanks for the encouragement...it really helps! :thumbsup:


 Well done Rog I take my hat off to you fella I wish I had the knowledge and patience to do what you have done .


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

Thank you, John. I look at it like this....I worked as an engineer for a long time, stripping machines down and reassembling them. I've also worked on car engines, stripping down and putting back together. To my mind, this is just another engineering job, very similar...but in miniature. (...and I certainly don't mean to demean any watchmaker's skills by saying that). I found it quite easy to strip the movement into its component parts....and there are still a couple of things I need to learn, like separating the canon pinion, and mainspring winding. The putting back together was also fairly straight forward, but because I'm now working with microscopic screws, tools and looking through a loupe, rather than using big spanners and wrenches, it's going to take a while to get used to....it took me 5 minutes and about 20 attempts to get one miniscule screw back into its hole in the balance cap jewel cover plate. :laugh:


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## gimli (Mar 24, 2016)

Why couldn't you get the center wheel ? Would it not come out ?


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

gimli said:


> Why couldn't you get the center wheel ? Would it not come out ?


 I tried several times to remove it but it wouldn't come free....I need to investigate more... :yes:


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## gimli (Mar 24, 2016)

Keep us updated if you find out why. I'm curious.


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## apm101 (Jun 4, 2011)

graham1981 said:


> I'm in awe :yes: My picture progress would go as follows: Donor watch whole; Donor watch stripped down; Donor watch components in bin minus the bits I lost :rofl:


 This mirrors my own experience, save the last part reads: donor watch parts into ziplock back, to languish in my watch box. Still there, if anyone wants them...


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## Davey P (Sep 9, 2010)

Roger the Dodger said:


> Will do it a few more times, then move on the the smaller movements I've got.


 Would these be any good for you to practice on mate?









































































Happy to send them FOC if you can use 'em :thumbsup:


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## Big Bad Boris (Dec 3, 2010)

^^^^ You know You've cracked it when you can take a ladies movement :wacko: apart and put it back together again.


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## Davey P (Sep 9, 2010)

Big Bad Boris said:


> ^^^^ You know You've cracked it when you can take a ladies movement :wacko: apart and put it back together again.


 Not something I would attempt, but each to their own I guess! :laugh:


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## andyclient (Aug 1, 2009)

Roger the Dodger said:


> I tried several times to remove it but it wouldn't come free....I need to investigate more... :yes:


 I use a presto type hand remover to remove the canon pinion with pretty good results although it won't do some of the really tight ones.

There is a proper tool for the job about £55 from cousins.
I then use a staking punch to refit using finger pressure only , I did used to use tweezers but after breaking the centre wheel shaft on a 1940s Movado have since used a staking punch.

Canon pinions can sometimes be a be tight they obviously need to be a bit tight or the minute hand wouldn't mark time

Great work by the way your next job is going to be replacing the balance staff then , some great tutorials on the watch repair forum :thumbsup:


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## vinn (Jun 14, 2015)

very good show ! a "canon pinion puller" is what you need. it will be used a lot. read up on servicing and re installing the pinion. keep up the good work.


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## PC-Magician (Apr 29, 2013)

Well done Roger I had no doubt you would do it.

What next?


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## BlueKnight (Oct 29, 2009)

Roger the Dodger said:


> Took the plunge and stripped the movement of a small pocket watch that Steve (SBryantgb) sent me.


 And there I was.... thinking that you were just another pretty face. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

Well done Roger, who dares wins mate.


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

Davey P said:


> Would these be any good for you to practice on mate?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 Pm on the way Davey.



andyclient said:


> I use a presto type hand remover to remove the canon pinion with pretty good results although it won't do some of the really tight ones.
> 
> There is a proper tool for the job about £55 from cousins.
> I then use a staking punch to refit using finger pressure only , I did used to use tweezers but after breaking the centre wheel shaft on a 1940s Movado have since used a staking punch.
> ...


 Thanks, Andy....I did see a video last night where the guy was using what looked like a Presto hand removing tool to remove the canon pinion. I've got one, so will try it when I strip the movement down again. Tha balance staff might be a step too far ATM, but who knows in the future?! :yes:


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## Nigelp (Jan 28, 2015)

Well done ol' pal.


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## Foxdog (Apr 13, 2011)

Nice one Rog' well done mate.

G


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## Qtronic (Jan 8, 2016)

They will be soon calling you!

*"Roy Roger the Bruce"*

;-)

Good stuff!

Q.


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

I remember Roy Rogers, he was a cowboy.

I suspect Roy, Bruce and Roge are somewhat different animals. :wink:


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## William_Wilson (May 21, 2007)

Stan said:


> I remember Roy Rogers, he was a cowboy.
> 
> I suspect Roy, Bruce and Roge are somewhat different animals. :wink:


 Don't forget Dale Evans and her horse Buttermilk.

Later,
William


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## Foxdog (Apr 13, 2011)

William_Wilson said:


> Don't forget Dale Evans and her horse Buttermilk.
> 
> Later,
> William


 :blush: oooh errrr vicar!!


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

Did well Rog, I'd leave the TIMEX for a while - - without the assembly jig they can be a right barsteward to get back together again

I've a box of bitz to prove it :yes:


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## SBryantgb (Jul 2, 2015)

Davey P said:


> Would these be any good for you to practice on mate?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 Oh dear this is scary... Um is there another pile of their shoes and other personal items, perhaps in your attic/basement/shed/ or chest buried in the garden? Along with shall we say other disassembled er parts.


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## Davey P (Sep 9, 2010)

SBryantgb said:


> Oh dear this is scary... Um is there another pile of their shoes and other personal items, perhaps in your attic/basement/shed/ or chest buried in the garden? Along with shall we say other disassembled er parts.


 Actually, the truth is a bit more mundane - I received a free joblot of ladies' quartz watches from Julian Latham a while ago, and after fitting new batteries and checking their timekeeping I'm going to offer them on here individually, in exchange for a small forum donation. These manual winders are simply left over from that joblot. Still, it's an interesting insight into the way your mind works anyway mate... :laugh:


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## Guest (Apr 21, 2016)

Well done!

Indeed the cannon pinion is friction press fitted to the extended arbor on the center wheel, a cannon pinion remover or lifting levers makes short work of taking it off.

I would suggest as a next step not to even attempt ladies movements, they are very difficult to work on and service, almost all watchmakers despise a ladies movement because of the small size. It could lead to frustration on your part and disapointment. Better to stick with something like the ETA 28XX series where parts are easy to source and the movements are simple to put together. It takes time to build up a skill set, a pilot starts training in a Cessna, not a Eurofighter... I would also not recommend only sticking with large pocket watches, because if you do, the transition to smaller sizes is even more difficult...pick the middle ground.

Rob


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## DJH584 (Apr 10, 2013)

Horlogerie said:


> I would also not recommend only sticking with large pocket watches


 Perhaps a 6s Waltham pocket watch might be the way to go as the size of the movement is nearer the size of a wristwatch movement?


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## Guest (Apr 21, 2016)

DJH584 said:


> Perhaps a 6s Waltham pocket watch might be the way to go as the size of the movement is nearer the size of a wristwatch movement?


 Exactly, medium size is best in my experience.


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

Thank you so much for your replies of encouragement, and especially to Rob, our new 'horoligere'.

The PW movement I used for my first strip down (thanks Steve) was fairly small....smaller than a normal sized PW...I've had several of them, but bigger than my wife's at 25mm. Here's a shot of the movement, and the case and dial (at the top) compared to some of the other movements kind forum members have donated...it's not that much bigger.










Below the movements is a pair of hand/canon pinion lifters I made up this afternoon...can't wait to try them out...basically a tiny pair of crowbars... :yes:


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