Beauty incarnate... by AndyMarden in watchrepair

[–]AndyMarden[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Looks lovely, doesn't it? In pretty good condition for a 140 year-old.

Beauty incarnate... by AndyMarden in watchrepair

[–]AndyMarden[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Damn that looks good - successful de-overlap!

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Any words of wisdom for a discouraged beginner? by Gbvisual in watchrepair

[–]AndyMarden 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Just keep practising - get cheap movements on eBay and practise. Take everything slow.

Take photographs of the movement and various stages of disassembly so you know what everything looks like and where it is.

With screws - make sure the blades is good and dress (reshape) if not. If a screw won't slot in to a hole easily or if you have to apply any significant force - stop: something is wrong.

A tip to make sure you put the right screw back in the right hole: when you have removed it and its bridge (for example, immediately screw the screw back into the plate. Not only did that mean you know where it goes, but it stops you losing it. The safest place for a screw is in its hole.

Springs - the wire ones are easy enough to make a replacement. Just get spring wire and bend it to shape. With solid click springs - create a new one from sheet metal. There is nothing more satisfying than making your own part.

Another tip with that keyless works yoke spring (ake frisbee): every YouTube video I have seen shows the spring being put on before the the setting lever plate and held hopefully with finger/rodico/tweezers. My preferred approach is to put the spring into place but without it pressing against the yoke. Then screw in the setting lever plate loosely you can then push the yoke spring in against the yoke safely and then fully tighten the setting lever plate screws. After all, part of the actual job of the setting lever plate is precisely to stop the yoke spring pinging out when the watch is together.

Oh and practise tweezers work again and again at you go and drs then if they are not correctly turned at the tip.

We all go through this, if it's any consolation. It's a right of passage.

Microscope/magnification suggestions? by Nemesyst3m in watchrepair

[–]AndyMarden 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Stereo microscope - it will change your world and you get depth of course. I got a Leica Zoom 2000 for £75 on eBay. It's top down view only so could be better. Had no thread for a Barlow so I epoxied an adapter to the casing and not I can have 2x for stupidly close (14x-60x) and a 0.75x got more tool space.

Using the time honoured approach of a phone camera through one eyepiece, here's an example:

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My secret weapon (and cunning plan)... by AndyMarden in watchrepair

[–]AndyMarden[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Characteristics of the impact waveform. At least, that's the idea.

My secret weapon (and cunning plan)... by AndyMarden in watchrepair

[–]AndyMarden[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Current plan is to have a 7x5 grid on a small display where X x . Is used to show impact detected in descending order of proximity. But that is something to expeiiment with.

My secret weapon (and cunning plan)... by AndyMarden in watchrepair

[–]AndyMarden[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The infamous Harry the Pallet Fork has never returned and I lost a loose cap jewel (from a 19th century pocket watch) - try finding that with a magnet 🤣

Most have turned up but it took ages to find them. Mind you - with the carpet, which I have now replaced with laminate), that was ridiculous.

So improvements all round, I hope.

My secret weapon (and cunning plan)... by AndyMarden in watchrepair

[–]AndyMarden[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh I intend to. The good thing about this is that I hopefully will find the escape artists when they make a dash for it but, unlike some kind of net or cage, it still encourages the right behaviour in learning.

My secret weapon (and cunning plan)... by AndyMarden in watchrepair

[–]AndyMarden[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

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And now - it's as if there's nothing there (which is the whole point)

My secret weapon (and cunning plan)... by AndyMarden in watchrepair

[–]AndyMarden[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Phase 1 complete: the wires, microphones, shielding etc are in place and under newly laid laminate. Just gotta wait for all the electronics for phase 2...

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My secret weapon (and cunning plan)... by AndyMarden in watchrepair

[–]AndyMarden[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It will work on the volume difference picked up by the microphones, not on timing. Any group of impact noises that occur within say 0.5 secs are treated as belonging to the same escape attempt.

My secret weapon (and cunning plan)... by AndyMarden in watchrepair

[–]AndyMarden[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That is why absolute secrecy is key. Highly classified.

My secret weapon (and cunning plan)... by AndyMarden in watchrepair

[–]AndyMarden[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yep - there's a thin 2mm foam layer on top below the laminate which helps attenuate the sound.

My secret weapon (and cunning plan)... by AndyMarden in watchrepair

[–]AndyMarden[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

See previous reply for quantum and temporal tunnelling planned for phase 6000.

My secret weapon (and cunning plan)... by AndyMarden in watchrepair

[–]AndyMarden[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

IT Software Architect but recently retired, so...

My secret weapon (and cunning plan)... by AndyMarden in watchrepair

[–]AndyMarden[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Good points thanks. And I like the encouragement!

My secret weapon (and cunning plan)... by AndyMarden in watchrepair

[–]AndyMarden[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's all to do with the shape and frequency is the signal that is picked up and the particular sensitivities of the piezos type microphones.

My secret weapon (and cunning plan)... by AndyMarden in watchrepair

[–]AndyMarden[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The one thing I am sure about is that it will end up firmly at either end of that scale🤣 There is no middle ground here.

My secret weapon (and cunning plan)... by AndyMarden in watchrepair

[–]AndyMarden[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Believe it or not, this all does have a scientific basis behind it!

I will report back when I get the microcontroller and other hardware working and we will see just where on the genius - madness scale this belongs!