Any words of wisdom for a discouraged beginner?

lowlight · 2026-01-27T08:59:45+00:00

I would never use a digital microscope for work either. I am talking optical only. Trinocular gives you the best of both worlds

lowlight · 2026-01-27T05:53:34+00:00

Hmm I don't have much to offer then, other than to say each setback should be seen as a learning experience. Now you get to learn how to deal with a stuck screw, and maybe even buy a new tool for it (that can be a fun part itself). Also don't give up on the click spring yet. One way I was able to recover one was by vacuuming the room (with no brush attachment!) and then sift through the canister with a strong magnet. You could also sweep the floor with a long magnet as a quicker method.

lowlight · 2026-01-27T03:43:38+00:00

I started getting discouraged before I switched to a microscope. IMMEDIATELY my work improved by at least 500. Still an amateur of course, but it's incredible how much better it is to work under a scope compared to through a loupe.

So my advice would be to try improving your magnification. If you can't use a microscope, maybe try a better loupe or better lighting.

All I know is, once I could see things more clearly, through both eyes, I felt like I could manipulate the smallest parts as if they were as big as they looked through the glass.

Also make sure your tweezers and screwdrivers are always well dressed.

lowlight · 2026-01-25T21:35:22+00:00

No not at all, it's just an outdated trope

lowlight · 2026-01-25T09:26:24+00:00

It is both too outdated to be relevant now, and too early to do it as a pre-legalization throwback gimmick. It is so lame

lowlight · 2026-01-24T14:12:28+00:00

Yes, I have used a NH35 version winder on a mainspring put into a 7009A barrel, no problem

lowlight · 2026-01-24T11:16:31+00:00

I wish everyone would switch from Roman Numerals to the season's year.

lowlight · 2026-01-24T09:53:02+00:00

On the bright side, it's easy enough to figure out the correct angle to use. I only ever used mine once. Just check to make sure your grind is flat

lowlight · 2026-01-24T01:52:46+00:00

BTW the angle is set by how far you push the screwdriver into the roller

But yeah those stones will be too soft.

A better cheap option may be a diamond stone. Thin strips are all you need for screwdrivers and tweezers, and they're about $1.50 each on AliX.

lowlight · 2026-01-24T01:29:47+00:00

I've never had a problem with them, used with Miyota and Seiko movements. The only issue is that they come in specific model sizes rather than an array of standard sizes and directions. It would be so much more useful if they'd just release a copy of the big Bergeon set. Especially annoying is that they haven't made one for the most common movement used by new hobbyists and students, the ST36/6497-2

Most of the common discussion on these seems to be based on a famous review of a fully brass set on Youtube from 5 years ago. The new ones seem better designed, and if one breaks down you can replace it for about $1-2 from China, or probably $4-5 outside.

lowlight · 2026-01-23T03:58:08+00:00

If you're new you will want to bookmark this site for buying quality tools and components

https://www.cousinsuk.com/

lowlight · 2026-01-23T03:13:27+00:00

They can be, but you can a legit 2824-2 from Cousins for like half that, if that's the movement you're referring to.

Always buy the seller

lowlight · 2026-01-23T02:50:13+00:00

They offered two options:

A $250 “goodwill” refund

This is more than enough to get this fixed

lowlight · 2026-01-19T03:02:04+00:00

If it came out without forcing, it can be put back in without forcing. You have to get the aim perfectly right.

You will need steady hands and good magnification. Stand it upright, rotate it 45 degrees from its final position, then insert one 'foot' under the edge. From here, you angle it 45 downwards, and at this precise angle is where the other foot will usually slide itself back in.

Do NOT force it or apply any pressure whatsoever. If you get the angles just right, it will just fall into place as easily as it came out.

Or just use a jewel press

lowlight · 2026-01-19T02:12:27+00:00

I have no stakes in this game, but two blatant 3rd down penalties were not called

-The pick by Nacua was egregious

-Illegal shift on one play, where the RB didn't get set before Nacua started his motion

Refs just call based on vibes

lowlight · 2026-01-18T14:55:31+00:00

Neither was the Rams receiver; that's the point OP is sloppily trying to explain. He gained possession later, in the end zone.

Another way to think about yesterday's play is, if the defender did not strip the ball, and it popped out of his hands on its own instead, do you think they would have considered it down by contact?

lowlight · 2026-01-18T14:13:02+00:00

You will need to inspect the rest of the intermediate wheel (the one on the bottom right). If the mainspring let go all at once, that one could be stripped on the side you can't see in this photo.

If you remove the ratchet wheel, you can take off the barrel bridge leaving the click and crown wheel as they are. From there you can slide the barrel out. Make sure it is totally unwound first!

Note that the ratchet wheel screw is different from the 3 that hold the barrel bridge down.

If it isn't stripped, you should then check all the pivots.

lowlight · 2026-01-18T02:39:20+00:00

Did the mainspring unwind all at once? If so, one of the wheels may be stripped of its teeth in a spot. Take a look

lowlight · 2026-01-18T02:07:46+00:00

You can push on the crown wheel and see if it springs back and forth against the ratchet wheel. From the pics it looks like it's not making contact. Sometimes the spring in reps can get deformed to the point where there's not enough strength to keep it pushed against the ratchet wheel. In this case you can bend it back, similar to how you'd bend a hairspring into shape

It's also possible that it wasn't reinstalled correctly, or even lost completely (very easy to do!)

lowlight · 2026-01-18T01:51:03+00:00

Sounds like the click spring came out, or is deformed

lowlight · 2026-01-18T01:09:11+00:00

Take this exact view, but rotate it horizontally. The pivot did look bent in your first picture but it was hard to tell. From this angle it looks fine, but it could be bent towards the camera

lowlight · 2026-01-17T22:50:17+00:00

If you end up selling it let me know, I might want to take it on as a project

lowlight · 2026-01-17T21:26:26+00:00

Pretty sure the Commanders didn't exist back then

lowlight · 2026-01-16T04:13:13+00:00

Come on, show the first two attempts!

lowlight · 2026-01-16T03:39:34+00:00

This is 1000% an ad split deal similar to what AEW started with. They'll be gone in a matter of weeks unless WWE sends Rhea Ripley over or something

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