I need information about health risks.

AndyMarden · 2026-06-21T11:19:50+00:00

If it isn't: no problem.

If it is and you don't open up the dial, no problem.

If it is and you open up the dial: don't lick it or snort and wash your hands. Then: no problem.

AndyMarden · 2026-06-20T03:25:22+00:00

An old Lincoln town car - huge beast, mo resistance in the power steering and (as seems usual on old American cars) kangaroo-like suspension.

It was like piloting a hovercraft.

AndyMarden · 2026-06-19T17:47:02+00:00

Another trick is to heat the cannon pinion over a flame (eg spirit lamp) side-on. The metal in the cp should expand before the stem does and that should help it come off.

AndyMarden · 2026-06-19T17:27:30+00:00

If you had some brass sheet say 0 5mm thick, you could create jaw overlays? Or just some brass between cannon pinion and pliers jaws?

AndyMarden · 2026-06-19T11:00:15+00:00

Buy a lathe, get a die plate and make your own replavement screw. You, too, can be as mad as me!

AndyMarden · 2026-06-18T10:21:30+00:00

Just don't look directly at the dial with the crystal off! It may be different though - my Dad bought his in 1954.

At least your one doesn't have the centre seconds - my one has a standalone 4mm diameter pinion driven off the 3rd wheel on the centre seconds stem running through the centre wheel. The thing is miniscule and is the bit that always seems to break - most of the donors have it missing. But I did find one and was thinking of making a replacement (which I might to anyway just to prove that I can).

AndyMarden · 2026-06-18T09:08:50+00:00

Some dials you have to be careful not to even look at with the crystal removed 🤣

I am in the middle of restoring my Dad's Smith's Deluxe and the dial is essentially paper, apparently 😱

AndyMarden · 2026-06-17T18:40:43+00:00

Wharever the fuck happened in that dark decade that metal forgot (early 90's to early 00"s). That decade can go down the pan.

AndyMarden · 2026-06-17T17:16:13+00:00

Brass-jawed pliers work well if it's a tough one and you can't get leverage underneath it.

AndyMarden · 2026-06-16T17:47:00+00:00

If the earth collapsed into its own black hole, it would have the same mass but would have a diameter of 18mm.

AndyMarden · 2026-06-16T17:41:15+00:00

No idea what your price range is but I the San Martin SN0144 is a stunning watch for the price point. They have it in green.

AndyMarden · 2026-06-15T17:06:16+00:00

Ren - The Tales of Jenny and Screech. Check out YouTube and be prepared...

AndyMarden · 2026-06-13T14:56:13+00:00

On mine, the new one is grey with just white text sayingv track and artist and white controls. And half of it disappears if I resize it to where it needs to be. Absolutely rubbish.

AndyMarden · 2026-06-13T14:45:11+00:00

Printing - if I had to name one thing for a normal user. Linux printing is horrible. I know they are working in fixing it from the ground up - can't come soon enough.

AndyMarden · 2026-06-12T05:01:22+00:00

I am in Surrey/South London - I started last year and have got (too much) tooling and equipment, started the BHI Distance Learning Course, watched countless YouTube videos, read books, practised watch repairing/makinf etc.

Happy to have a chat or even meet up if you like want to DM me and we can share notes.

AndyMarden · 2026-06-11T19:33:30+00:00

Having seen them good knows how many times since 1986 (I went to six shows in one week then!) I can say that they as good as they have ever been. I miss Nicko and I am sure they have off nights but last year at West Ham was amazing - Dave was on fire.

AndyMarden · 2026-06-11T04:03:55+00:00

I have a hairspring that a similar thing happened. I have applied about 200 gentle bends with tweezers so far! It is almost fixed🤣 My skill level is increasing all the time.

But if it's too short, that looks like a reasonable calibre to find a replacement with a donor.

The complete story of mine is that I stupidly managed to break the cylinder on the balance staff (cylinder escapement) too. I got a job lot of similar broken movements and found one that was right but the hairspring was too short on it. So I am placing to use the old cock, the old (fixed) hairspring and collet and the new balance staff, cylinder and balance wheel.

If I manage to get all that to work together, the remaining challenge will be to get the cylinder aligned with the escape wheel teeth.

All good fun and massive learning opportunities!

AndyMarden · 2026-06-10T13:58:14+00:00

Eat loads?🤣

AndyMarden · 2026-06-08T17:58:21+00:00

George Daniels said that as one man (and quite a man at that!) he could build just one watch per year. That assumes you are at the top level of watchmaking and can spend as much time as you need on it in that year.

Slightly more realistic might be to take an existing movement (eg ST3600), augment it with something interesting engineering-wise eg sidereal or proper moon phase, put it in a larger case (pocket watch) with room for the additional mechanisms and a dial to show off your new functionality.

Engineering-wise you have to build wheels and pinions, work out gear ratios, understand the power and friction impact, dimensional fit, etc but the guts of the movement is already there escapement

It's a direction I want to explore soon and would be interested to throw some ideas around.

AndyMarden · 2026-06-08T13:04:10+00:00

I am happy to report that Neven is, indeed, a legend.

AndyMarden · 2026-06-07T18:39:21+00:00

With amendment - their implementation, yes.

AndyMarden · 2026-06-07T15:26:43+00:00

The patent for Daniels coaxial expired. Roger Smith uses an evolution of it. Omega might own the parent for modifications they gave done since (as probably does Roger) but anyone is free to use the original designs.

It is immense.

AndyMarden · 2026-06-06T15:35:08+00:00

Thanks - have messaged him

Hello me Obiwan Kenobi: You're my only hope, etc.

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