These are some of the best tutorials on watchmaking on RUclips. That’s saying a lot, because there are LOTS of good videos. But yours are concise and very well and presented, so in 20 minutes I learn more than another that runs for more than an hour! I hope yours rise to the level of success that the best have achieved, because I think they are in that league. Bravo!
The principles here are so helpful! I'm still waiting on the rest of my sharpening tools, so using this video as a guide, I free-handed a very light dressing of my tweezers and my two screwdrivers with some 400-grit paper. I used my fingernail to hold the tip down flat. Even just this made a BIG difference in handling of the parts. It feel much better. In fact, if someone else tries this, I recommend 800-grit sandpaper to start out, because with 400 it only took me 5 strokes on each side to smooth and thin it out. Slower is better!
Nobody talks about really but sizing screwdrivers for the screws you are working on is watchmaking 101. Many watchmakers will have multiple sets of screwdrivers fitted to a particular manufacturer like ETA or Seiko. In these cases, there's more consistency in one manufactures screw sizes so less dressing is required but when you are working on many styles of watches like a pocket watch one day and an ETA move to next day you'll be dressing screwdrivers a lot.
@@watchrepairtutorials Yeah, I remember you saying that! I don't have a full set of screwdrivers, just gathering them as I need them, so I suspect I'll end up with multiples of certain sizes way before I get a full set.
I've been a collector for a while but have recently gotten into actual watchmaking instead of just collecting. Your videos, in my opinion, are the best on RUclips. You don't just take things apart and put them back together with some light banter to break up the quietness. You explain things in detail, so we understand the why!! I've watched other videos and walked away scratching my head. I saw your videos on this playlist on working with the ST36, and with your help, I was able to fully disassemble and reassemble the movement without issue! I've found my teacher and go-to! These videos are amazing, please keep it coming! Question for you - how do you know which screwdriver is the best for the screw you are dealing with? The sizes are so close, I find myself second guessing which to use! Get use to my name, I've got a ton of questions coming your way!
@watchrepairtutorials okay, that's good to know! So, just short of the width of the screw. The tip should sit in the slot touching both sides, not the bottom of the screw. I'm trying to watch all your videos before I bomb you with questions. I'm also signing up for your online course once I am proficient with the free stuff you got on here!
Hi Alex, new to your channel (the guys at Watch Repair Talk turned me on). Having just watched your 2nd video, I think I need to tweak my new screwdrivers and tweezers. I've ordered a job lot of junk movements with shock mounted balance staves and a vial of cap stones for practice after pinging stones and springs off into the universe. Looking forward to watching the rest of your videos!
Hey Alex. Great stuff on your channel! I have a bit of a weird question, maybe its just me not being used to flathead screwdrivers but how do I know when I need to reshape a screwdriver vs when I just am using the wrong size?
So the first thing is you want to use the widest blade that doesn’t hang over the edge of the screw slot. Then the tip of the blade should not touch the bottom of the screw slot. If it does, the blade does not sit on the edges of the screw slot and it will slip out. The easiest way to detect this is if the screwdriver blade moves around in the slot.
Tool hunting is not too easy here in Germany I think, there's a lot of stuff that is not super cheap on amazon, can easily spend a couple hundreds before starting and it's still a hit and miss about the quality. Sounds tempting though, try to get just the basic kit and have a crack at it, can always upgrade if I would end up liking it. Great videos! p.s. we have different offering on amazon, often the links don't yield anything meaningful just 50 similar chinese items
Should have watched this before even starting. Most get in to the disassembly straight away but getting the Tools ready first and especially the tweezers with the least amount of pressure possible is so much more important, thank you very much
My 95 year old grandfather was a career watchmaker. He recently passed and I inherited a lifetime of watch repair tools of the trade. EVERYTHING lol. I’m going to start as a hobby and hopefully progress from there. Thanks for the videos!
I've been following your work for a while now, and I'm impressed how far you've came with the editing and content. I have to say, this was super helpful tips. I have that instinct of holding tight with my tweezers, I'll install follow your advice and close them up a little. I gotta say, I was trying to spot that beautiful Doxa haha. Keep up the good work!
Yeah, I bet! But the value is already tremendous for us mere mortals (got courage to try and one chinese cheap training watch with ruined hairspring works! Now learning how to do stuff properly.)
Given how many people probably take watchmaking up as a hobby, then realize it’s too difficult, expensive, or time consuming I’m surprised there aren’t a lot of tool sets being offered for sale online. Maybe they get snapped up super quickly though and I just don’t see them.
I have to be honest and say this with all respect: when you said you're in America and mentioned 100th or1000th of a millimeter I was overjoyed 🤩🤣 Thank you again for a great video 👌🏼
@@watchrepairtutorials Oh heck 😂That must've been fun.. one can only assume for some it was an eye opener but it's apparent for the majority it was too much hassle as you say it didn't last.. my schooling also went through a couple of curriculum changes - I don't recall what they were exactly but therein maybe lay the problem in addition to my already squirrel brain Cheers, and again thank you 👍🏼
Great tips, thanks for sharing with us newbies, Alex. PS, I'm quite jealous of your work space and would love a tour video going through all of your tools and equipment sometime. Thanks!
I'm so glad I happened upon your videos Alex as I'm about to start my post-retirement watchmaking hobby! I'd have likely given up in frustration without your training & bonus tips. Thanks!
Found your channel. Immediate Sub and a fantastic anti-ping tip there on the tweezers. Many thanks. Rushing off to dress tweezers like this. (had too much time on hands and knees on carpet with torch!!!)
Is the gritt of the sharpening stone the same of the sanding paper? 400-450? If the sharpening stone is wider than your can I damage the wheel of the sharpening holder screwdriver tool?
I’m not sure what the grid is probably around 4 to 500. If you’re doing this on sandpaper, since the wheels are rolling over it, I doubt there would be very much damage at all.
I reccomend trying the "enhancer for youtube" browser extension. It let's me boost the audio up to 10x. There's quite a few extentions that do the same, the one I use has an icon that looks like a magicians wand and it's free.
Let me translate to all my hockey guys if you’re into this. Parts pinging off=hands of stone. If you’ve got those soft hands, you’re golden. If you lead the league in goals and assist you’ll be good at this. If you lead the league in penalty minutes, maybe look at a different hobby.
I´m so glad I discovered your channel. I´ve seen a lot of instructional videoes and have started to buy the essentials to try servicing watches myself. What I´ve missed is down to earth, simple instructions logically explaining how and why. You offer it, and do it well!
The first videos are going to cover the basics, the movement systems, how to lubricate pivot jewels, the escapement, balance jewels, different methods to clean parts and how to assemble, check systems how to use a timegrapher and what and how to inspect. Then we will move into trouble shooting with real life examples. I will also cover how to use a staking set, Jeweling tools as well as lathe work when we get into the more advanced repair.
@@watchrepairtutorials I’m getting there. Seriously a lot of good information. Been trying my hand at this for a long time but retired from regular job two years ago and can devote more time.
This inspired me to look closely at my set of tweezers, after my first attempt at picking up a jewel launched it into orbit into some far away universe... Sure enough all of the tips were uneven. I followed your instructions and now they are probably far more capable to successfully pick up a jewel than I am at this point as a beginner! This is a fantastic series; thank you!
I agree with bassbone on the sound. I see that you responded and said you are working on the sound issues. Excellent info and tips. I will be excited to see what future content you produce. Cheers
Singer sewing machine oil works great for your Whetstone/India stone. Its cheap, readily available and works well for screwdriver and tweezer dressing.
Thank you for sharing and jumping right into it. When you say “dont think you can easily repair a 100year old watch”, I just love to hear some real talk like that. I was about buying some old vintage watches, but you made me think twice, thanks you for that experience shortcut. Peace ✌️from Bosnia
Hello my friend. First, sorry about the quality of the early videos. I was just starting and didn’t know anything. I thing you will find with me is that I try to be real with no fluff. Let me know how I can help
@@watchrepairtutorials no need to say sorry, the information is important ( its my new hobby so I still dont know what im getting my self into ). By the way, just lost my firs screw today. Damn.
I found your channel recently and I've been _devouring_ your videos. I still haven't done a full service of any movement, but with your help (and the help of others here) I feel I'm just about ready to terrorize my first movement. I'm still not sure where I'm headed with this! Is it just a hobby or will I make some money at it? I have no idea; all I know is that my interest isn't fading. I'll stay tuned!
Great series Alex!! Thanks for sharing your knoledge, experience and wisdom. I'm sure there's heaps still stored in your memory banks just waiting to come out. In due time and as the situation dictates I'm sure. Love the exercise of picking shepherd's springs and end cap jewels. Do that with 15 reps and 3 sets and you'd be a pro. All power to you!
Sure do. First thing is look at them when you take them out. Many screws have distinctive features. For example, most of your bridge screws will be the same size and shape. Some screws have a chamfer undercut and the plate they come out of will be undercut. Of course, the two largest screws belong to the ratchet wheel and crown wheel with the crown wheel screw being reversed thread. When you get to your disassembly group, your parts by the systems that they belong to. The your system parts together like for the keyless works, the motion works and train.
Massive improvement in video quality over the 1st video, well done!!! Great content as well, especially because you started off with the basics. Many RUclipsrs (myself included) want to kick off showing our chops instead of focusing on the audience.
Thanks my Friend. I am working on the audio issues now. The post production work is pretty hard, no a learning process that I just need to get right. Appreciate you.
@@watchrepairtutorials Hehe, I hear you about the post production part - it’s my least favorite! It takes more time than it takes to do the actual recording. But it gets easier over time once you’ve nailed down a good workflow. Having people like what you do does make it worth slogging through, and I think you have a good concept so it’ll be worth it I promise.
Hi! Thank You for all you do. I've learned a lot, thank you. Question, I have a watch I'm working to Repair. I need Shepherd's hook and a hair spring. Can you help me where to look for these parts (in the USA)...? Thank you for your time.
Hairsprings are not sold for watch movements. Shepard spring are best found in assortments. Watch this video I did. ruclips.net/video/viq9-V1sv7M/видео.html
Have you tried parallel screwdrivers and if so are they worth the extra cost? Or can you even find any that small? I have never worked on a watch so I don't know anything.
I believe all watchmaking screwdrivers are considered parallel tip.
10 месяцев назад+2
Could you please tell me which parts of the watch need to be lubricated with the appropriate type of oil? Can I have the oil code information for each part, please? I'm a new student
Of course, if you’re working on a modern movement, there are tech sheets available that list the recommended oils and lubricants for the different parts of the movement but if you’re working on something manufactured before say around 1970 you’re not gonna find text sheets. So the general rule for the train of wheels is barrel arbor, 2nd and 3rd wheel HP 1300, 4rth wheel escape wheel and balance pivots get 9010. The pallet stones are lubricated 9415. Then any parts that sit on a post or slide across each other, metal to metal contact get either 9504 or D5. I prefer 9504. I have done lubrication videos that are in my beginners playlist.
10 месяцев назад+1
Thanks him for useful sharing , I hope you make many good videos about your profession
@@watchrepairtutorials Hi Alex, I have watched quite a few of your videos and they are very educational. Thank you for your way of teaching. When I go to Moebius website and look at their lubrication chart they want us to use a lot more types then what you recommend as a base line.. Is that in your opinion just marketing to make us buy more or is there some merit to the 11+ types they want us to use?
@@micnolmadtube not necessary. It’s a combination of marketing and extremely small gains. What’s more important is getting the application of the basic lubricants perfect. That will have a much bigger impact on your service, then investing in a bunch of specialized lubricants. I mean you could literally have a different oil for every wheel in the train.
Question on angles: I've read between 15-17 degrees is the "proper" angle. Angle relative to where? If the length of the shaft is the reference or 0 degrees, is this "proper" angle 7.5-8.5 on either side, or 15-17....I just cannot find a source that explains how to measure this. P.S. - I understand shapes of blades will differ for a variety of screw slots....but like in your Watch Repair Lesson #7....how do you know what's wrong, if you don't know what's right? Fantastic series!
Hey Alan, Great question. Personally I wouldn’t really worry about the angle because it could change for every different screw. What matters is how the screwdriver fits the slot. If you have a screw with a wide slot but is very shallow, the angle would be different than a screw with the same slot width that was deeper. Or reverse the scenario. I would always sharpen the screwdriver so that the flat sides of the blade were flat and correct to each other, then holding the screwdriver upright, adjust the edge of the tip to fit the depth of the slot. Screwdrivers will often need to be corrected when switching from one caliber to another. Once you get your process down, it should only take a couple minutes.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I had rubber bands holding my tweezers instead of actually adjusting them like in your bonus tip. Just a suggestion/idea: I saw on another vid that using aluminum oxide films (3M) are a good alternative to sharpening stones....so I bought a 30 micrometer one for $6 and it works great. It was a great alternative because I didn't have the $$$ for good stones.
Where were you when those irreplaceable tiny screws were launched into space, huh? 😂😂 Excellent video! I do run a piece of 220-320 grit sandpaper lightly inside the tweezers to improve gripping, is that okay? Thank you for tip on adjusting the tweezers tendon/opening! Love your videos!
I use a small block of accurately squared hardwood with 0.5mm - 2.5mm holes drilled through to act as a jig to dress the tip of screwdriver blades. It has improved the flatness and squareness of the tips and makes sizing a tip to the slot a breeze. I'll stick with this until the AlexZen kicks in! Great channel. Thank you for taking the time and effort.
Note that Alex is behind a table that looks too tall. It's not - it is a height that allows him to have his eyes and arms approach the watch or movement holder in comfort. As for sharpening, over the years I have accumulated a couple of hard Arkansas stones, some cheap abrasice ones, ceramic rod sharpeners, two kits for knife sharpening each with good stones in holders, and my favorites for a quick knife edge the DMT brand diamond folding sharpeners, a green and red. I wonder when Alex will mention lifters for watch hands, or gear pullers, other tools? I'll stick around to find out.
Hey there Ammo, I sound like you have the sharpening stones handled. 😃 As we start moving into basic repairs, I’ll be introducing more tools and products that I use. Hope you follow along.
I was about to purchase a sanding stone to sharpen my facial tweezers but w/the info you provided here, I think the 400 grit sandpaper will do just fine. 🙂 I have had these tweezers for many years & haven't been able to find a spare...they look like 🤏🏼teeny pliers w/a flat edge like that flathead screwdriver & I love them bcuz they're easy to handle bcuz of their looped finger handles. Thank you so much! 😊
Your videos are fantastic. They are focus on technical information and useful tips. Well narrated and each video is well planned. There is a wide community of hobbyist that really seek for this kind of information… I am one of them!
Thanks Man. I love a good watch entertainment video as much as the next guy. They get people excited and interested in Horology which is great, BUT people sometimes people jump into watch repair thinking that its just going to be easy as 1,2,3. Now, this isn't rocket science but there are things you should know before working on grandma's watch. That's where the idea for "It's about F*****g Time" was born.
Beautiful video. I discovered the trick to hold the parts lightly the hard way :P Just a quick suggestion, could you bring the mic closer to you so the audio comes out a bit louder please?
Thanks Alex for these tips. I don't seem to have do as much of this since to moving to my big bucks Bergeon screwdrivers set as I did with my cheap chinese set so I guess you do get what you pay for also my Bergon tweezers are holding up much better.
Awesome video. So many practical tips. I can't believe I never thought of the method you showed to reduce the force needed to have the tweezers close. That's a game changer for me. Thanks again!
I watch this series periodically and have it running in the background just to "write to the hard drive" of my brain the best practices I should always follow to keep developing my skills.
Thanks so much for the videos, these are great. Question, I have a set of whetstones for sharpening knives. Do you think these would serve for shaping tweezers/screwdrivers as well?
A trick I picked up is to stick my sandpaper to either a small piece of sheet glass or broken chunk of polished granite countertop. You can usually come away with a cutoff from big box stores or stone works (whatever is closer) for free or next to nothing. They will generally both be sub .001 distortion on the polished flats and works wonders on anything you want to make flat and square regardless of it being screwdrivers or cleaning up and truing head castings for model steam engines.
I use a round Arkansas stone and slight it lightly between the tips of my tweezers. It creates a small amount of extra grip. Thanks for the video Alex👍
Yes it is. If you take a piece of sandpaper, like 360-400 grit and fold it over, you can pull it between the tips to put some “teeth” on them. The exception would be tweezer dressed for hairspring work which spoils be polished to prevent scratching the hairspring.
I usually recommend the St36 to cut your teeth on. Learn on a working movement. Learn how to perform a service so the watch runs as good or better as It did when new.
These are some of the best tutorials on watchmaking on RUclips. That’s saying a lot, because there are LOTS of good videos. But yours are concise and very well and presented, so in 20 minutes I learn more than another that runs for more than an hour! I hope yours rise to the level of success that the best have achieved, because I think they are in that league. Bravo!
Thanks Paul. That makes all the work worthwhile.
Couldn’t agree more!
This.
Thanks very much for doing these videos. They cover the basics very clearly and the bonus tips are great!
We are wrapping up the basics and will be moving into repairs, adjusting and regulation. I hope you stick around.
@@watchrepairtutorials I'll be here!
The principles here are so helpful! I'm still waiting on the rest of my sharpening tools, so using this video as a guide, I free-handed a very light dressing of my tweezers and my two screwdrivers with some 400-grit paper. I used my fingernail to hold the tip down flat.
Even just this made a BIG difference in handling of the parts. It feel much better. In fact, if someone else tries this, I recommend 800-grit sandpaper to start out, because with 400 it only took me 5 strokes on each side to smooth and thin it out. Slower is better!
Nobody talks about really but sizing screwdrivers for the screws you are working on is watchmaking 101.
Many watchmakers will have multiple sets of screwdrivers fitted to a particular manufacturer like ETA or Seiko.
In these cases, there's more consistency in one manufactures screw sizes so less dressing is required but when you are working on many styles of watches like a pocket watch one day and an ETA move to next day you'll be dressing screwdrivers a lot.
@@watchrepairtutorials Yeah, I remember you saying that! I don't have a full set of screwdrivers, just gathering them as I need them, so I suspect I'll end up with multiples of certain sizes way before I get a full set.
Top! thank you very much.
You are welcome! Nice beard
You remind me of my local watchermaker, thanks for all the great content you give us!
Thanks IM. I hope you follow along on this journey.
Super excited for the next video. I'm going to be picking up tools over the next few paychecks to get started!
That’s awesome. The next video will. E coming out today. Thank you, thank you
Thanks! very helpful tips. Keep up the fantastic work
I appreciate you, thank you
I've been a collector for a while but have recently gotten into actual watchmaking instead of just collecting. Your videos, in my opinion, are the best on RUclips. You don't just take things apart and put them back together with some light banter to break up the quietness. You explain things in detail, so we understand the why!! I've watched other videos and walked away scratching my head. I saw your videos on this playlist on working with the ST36, and with your help, I was able to fully disassemble and reassemble the movement without issue!
I've found my teacher and go-to! These videos are amazing, please keep it coming!
Question for you - how do you know which screwdriver is the best for the screw you are dealing with? The sizes are so close, I find myself second guessing which to use!
Get use to my name, I've got a ton of questions coming your way!
The screwdriver tip should be just less than the width of the screw. This is true in almost all cases.
@watchrepairtutorials okay, that's good to know! So, just short of the width of the screw. The tip should sit in the slot touching both sides, not the bottom of the screw. I'm trying to watch all your videos before I bomb you with questions. I'm also signing up for your online course once I am proficient with the free stuff you got on here!
@@KrimNL10DenZ perfect. 👍
This is amazing. No one teaches these types of techniques. Thanks so much.
And thank you for sitting through an awful video. I was brand new to this whole thing.
Absolutley the best watch content maker on youtube. Im so happy i subscribed. 👍🏻
So, my brother, so am I. I appreciate it the vote of confidence. See you soon.
These tutorials fits like a glove, keep on it. Brazilian hug!
Thank you! Will do Brazil
Hi Alex, new to your channel (the guys at Watch Repair Talk turned me on). Having just watched your 2nd video, I think I need to tweak my new screwdrivers and tweezers. I've ordered a job lot of junk movements with shock mounted balance staves and a vial of cap stones for practice after pinging stones and springs off into the universe. Looking forward to watching the rest of your videos!
Hey Gary,
It’s awesome having you here with me. If you follow along I will teach you how to be a better watchmaker.
@@watchrepairtutorials Thanks Alex, I'm planning to tend to my tweezers and ordered a screwdriver holder to roll over my white Arkansas stone.
you are perfect bro !
I appreciate that!
Hey Alex. Great stuff on your channel! I have a bit of a weird question, maybe its just me not being used to flathead screwdrivers but how do I know when I need to reshape a screwdriver vs when I just am using the wrong size?
So the first thing is you want to use the widest blade that doesn’t hang over the edge of the screw slot.
Then the tip of the blade should not touch the bottom of the screw slot. If it does, the blade does not sit on the edges of the screw slot and it will slip out.
The easiest way to detect this is if the screwdriver blade moves around in the slot.
@@watchrepairtutorials Thank you! That is great info for me as a beginner like me
Tool hunting is not too easy here in Germany I think, there's a lot of stuff that is not super cheap on amazon, can easily spend a couple hundreds before starting and it's still a hit and miss about the quality. Sounds tempting though, try to get just the basic kit and have a crack at it, can always upgrade if I would end up liking it. Great videos!
p.s. we have different offering on amazon, often the links don't yield anything meaningful just 50 similar chinese items
It is a problem that unfortunately has no easy solution
Should have watched this before even starting. Most get in to the disassembly straight away but getting the Tools ready first and especially the tweezers with the least amount of pressure possible is so much more important, thank you very much
you're very welcome.
Always a big help u have saved me so much time and money. Thank you for all the help
I hope to be remaking these videos soon. Thanks for suffering through.👍
@@watchrepairtutorials never Suffering always a big help keep up the great job
Man, as a (super) amateur, this series is FANTASTIC! Thank you so much Alex for putting the time into creating the videos. Much appreciated!
You're very welcome Aladino
where were you 15 years ago-learned that the hard way😆
Amanda,
I think you are the first women to join my channel. I’m happy you are here. We often forget there are many talented “Women with Loupes” 😊
My 95 year old grandfather was a career watchmaker. He recently passed and I inherited a lifetime of watch repair tools of the trade. EVERYTHING lol. I’m going to start as a hobby and hopefully progress from there. Thanks for the videos!
Thanks for sharing Justin. It sounds like you have a pretty good head start
You're a very good teacher👍
Thanks 🙂
You are welcome!
I've been following your work for a while now, and I'm impressed how far you've came with the editing and content.
I have to say, this was super helpful tips. I have that instinct of holding tight with my tweezers, I'll install follow your advice and close them up a little.
I gotta say, I was trying to spot that beautiful Doxa haha. Keep up the good work!
Hey Hey Hey man. So glad you found the channel. I am going to make a watchmaker out of you. 😁
Man, this channel is criminally underrated. Thanks a lot for knowledge!
Hey man, just remember, you are one of the first. Well get there. Just wait till we get through all the basic stuff and get to the real work.
Yeah, I bet! But the value is already tremendous for us mere mortals (got courage to try and one chinese cheap training watch with ruined hairspring works! Now learning how to do stuff properly.)
These videos are great! Thanks for doing this! I would be happy to contribute to a patreon for these kinds of videos
Wow, as a complete novice, still virgin, this rabbit hole is MUCH deeper than I thought...
Hey Michael, Don't get overwhelmed. Take it on video at a time. Learn it and move to the next.
@@watchrepairtutorials For sure, the video thing is a must for the novice. Thanks, I shall try not to 😅
Given how many people probably take watchmaking up as a hobby, then realize it’s too difficult, expensive, or time consuming I’m surprised there aren’t a lot of tool sets being offered for sale online. Maybe they get snapped up super quickly though and I just don’t see them.
I have to be honest and say this with all respect: when you said you're in America and mentioned 100th or1000th of a millimeter I was overjoyed 🤩🤣
Thank you again for a great video 👌🏼
I remember when I was a kid the American school system decided that we were going to switch over to the metric system. That test lasted one year.😂
@@watchrepairtutorials Oh heck 😂That must've been fun.. one can only assume for some it was an eye opener but it's apparent for the majority it was too much hassle as you say it didn't last..
my schooling also went through a couple of curriculum changes - I don't recall what they were exactly but therein maybe lay the problem in addition to my already squirrel brain
Cheers, and again thank you 👍🏼
Great tips, thanks for sharing with us newbies, Alex. PS, I'm quite jealous of your work space and would love a tour video going through all of your tools and equipment sometime. Thanks!
Hey buddy thanks. I hope it will help you in your handling of parts. Yea, I will put that in the list of videos.
I like the technique for making the tweezers closed that's pretty clever
Wonderful...teaching us all respect our equipment, is setting us for the right mindset to produce quality work..👏🏾
It all starts with the basics and then you build your skills from there. Thanks for the support.
This channel is going to grow fast thank you for doing these videos
Stay tuned. Thanks for the support.
I'm so glad I happened upon your videos Alex as I'm about to start my post-retirement watchmaking hobby! I'd have likely given up in frustration without your training & bonus tips. Thanks!
Hey man,
Never to late to jump in.
Welcome aboard. 👍
Good stuff! Thanks for the write-up as well. Narration is a bit on the quiet side but still clear.
Thanks man. Working to fix sound issues.
Found your channel. Immediate Sub and a fantastic anti-ping tip there on the tweezers. Many thanks. Rushing off to dress tweezers like this. (had too much time on hands and knees on carpet with torch!!!)
Welcome aboard!
Is the gritt of the sharpening stone the same of the sanding paper? 400-450? If the sharpening stone is wider than your can I damage the wheel of the sharpening holder screwdriver tool?
I’m not sure what the grid is probably around 4 to 500. If you’re doing this on sandpaper, since the wheels are rolling over it, I doubt there would be very much damage at all.
I wish the volume were higher. I had a lot of trouble hearing you.
No doubt. My second video was pretty bad. I think I have worked out the audio problems now. 😀
I reccomend trying the "enhancer for youtube" browser extension. It let's me boost the audio up to 10x. There's quite a few extentions that do the same, the one I use has an icon that looks like a magicians wand and it's free.
Let me translate to all my hockey guys if you’re into this. Parts pinging off=hands of stone. If you’ve got those soft hands, you’re golden. If you lead the league in goals and assist you’ll be good at this. If you lead the league in penalty minutes, maybe look at a different hobby.
That’s funny, I don’t care who you are
thank you very much
You are welcome my friend. The videos get better so keep going. 🙏
I´m so glad I discovered your channel. I´ve seen a lot of instructional videoes and have started to buy the essentials to try servicing watches myself. What I´ve missed is down to earth, simple instructions logically explaining how and why. You offer it, and do it well!
Hey my friend, it’s awesome to have you here. Let me know if you need anything.
Alex
This is the second video I have watched. very interesting. Thank You (UK)
sorry about the poor quality. That was the second video I made. I promise you they get better.🤙
Alessio Complimenti sto traducendo tutte le lezioni
Thanks. Let me know if you need anything.
Thank you for making these videos. Excellent work.
I am looking on getting started with watchmaking and this has been a great place to start.
The first videos are going to cover the basics, the movement systems, how to lubricate pivot jewels, the escapement, balance jewels, different methods to clean parts and how to assemble, check systems how to use a timegrapher and what and how to inspect.
Then we will move into trouble shooting with real life examples.
I will also cover how to use a staking set, Jeweling tools as well as lathe work when we get into the more advanced repair.
Thank you for the video Alex. More good and useful information!!
Wow that’s an oldie but a goodie
@@watchrepairtutorials I’m getting there. Seriously a lot of good information. Been trying my hand at this for a long time but retired from regular job two years ago and can devote more time.
This inspired me to look closely at my set of tweezers, after my first attempt at picking up a jewel launched it into orbit into some far away universe... Sure enough all of the tips were uneven. I followed your instructions and now they are probably far more capable to successfully pick up a jewel than I am at this point as a beginner! This is a fantastic series; thank you!
Thank you Ray, I hope it helps you on your journey.
I agree with bassbone on the sound. I see that you responded and said you are working on the sound issues. Excellent info and tips. I will be excited to see what future content you produce. Cheers
I have a ton of videos planed. Thanks for the support.
Singer sewing machine oil works great for your Whetstone/India stone. Its cheap, readily available and works well for screwdriver and tweezer dressing.
Thanks for sharing. -Alex
Thank you for sharing and jumping right into it. When you say “dont think you can easily
repair a 100year old watch”, I just love to hear some real talk like that. I was about buying some old vintage watches, but you made me think twice, thanks you for that experience shortcut.
Peace ✌️from Bosnia
Hello my friend. First, sorry about the quality of the early videos. I was just starting and didn’t know anything.
I thing you will find with me is that I try to be real with no fluff.
Let me know how I can help
@@watchrepairtutorials no need to say sorry, the information is important ( its my new hobby so I still dont know what im getting my self into ). By the way, just lost my firs screw today. Damn.
I found your channel recently and I've been _devouring_ your videos. I still haven't done a full service of any movement, but with your help (and the help of others here) I feel I'm just about ready to terrorize my first movement. I'm still not sure where I'm headed with this! Is it just a hobby or will I make some money at it? I have no idea; all I know is that my interest isn't fading. I'll stay tuned!
Have fun with it and let me know if you need anything.
No disrespect but someone will be making money if you take up the hobby, the watch tool sellers ;) Do it for fun, if you can then make money, great.
@@jimwatchyyc of course you can say that about almost any hobby, right?
Great series Alex!! Thanks for sharing your knoledge, experience and wisdom. I'm sure there's heaps still stored in your memory banks just waiting to come out. In due time and as the situation dictates I'm sure.
Love the exercise of picking shepherd's springs and end cap jewels. Do that with 15 reps and 3 sets and you'd be a pro. All power to you!
You are so kind, thank you my friend
You've earned it! Keep it up and I'll keep it coming!
Wow thanks brother. Let me know if you need anything. 👍
Thanks for the tips on tweezers and screwdrivers. Got any helpful hints on how to remember where screws go????
Sure do. First thing is look at them when you take them out. Many screws have distinctive features.
For example, most of your bridge screws will be the same size and shape. Some screws have a chamfer undercut and the plate they come out of will be undercut. Of course, the two largest screws belong to the ratchet wheel and crown wheel with the crown wheel screw being reversed thread.
When you get to your disassembly group, your parts by the systems that they belong to. The your system parts together like for the keyless works, the motion works and train.
Massive improvement in video quality over the 1st video, well done!!! Great content as well, especially because you started off with the basics. Many RUclipsrs (myself included) want to kick off showing our chops instead of focusing on the audience.
Thanks my Friend. I am working on the audio issues now. The post production work is pretty hard, no a learning process that I just need to get right. Appreciate you.
@@watchrepairtutorials Hehe, I hear you about the post production part - it’s my least favorite! It takes more time than it takes to do the actual recording. But it gets easier over time once you’ve nailed down a good workflow. Having people like what you do does make it worth slogging through, and I think you have a good concept so it’ll be worth it I promise.
Hi! Thank You for all you do.
I've learned a lot, thank you.
Question, I have a watch I'm working to Repair.
I need Shepherd's hook and a hair spring.
Can you help me where to look for these parts (in the USA)...?
Thank you for your time.
Hairsprings are not sold for watch movements. Shepard spring are best found in assortments. Watch this video I did. ruclips.net/video/viq9-V1sv7M/видео.html
Sharpie ink on screwdriver blades got the like, bonus like for tweezer adjustment. aloha.
Thanks as always. Happy New Year to your and your family.
Awesome stuff thank you for posting
Iam learning something every time I watch your vids.thank you for the time you put in .
I will. Thank you
Have you tried parallel screwdrivers and if so are they worth the extra cost? Or can you even find any that small?
I have never worked on a watch so I don't know anything.
I believe all watchmaking screwdrivers are considered parallel tip.
Could you please tell me which parts of the watch need to be lubricated with the appropriate type of oil? Can I have the oil code information for each part, please? I'm a new student
Of course, if you’re working on a modern movement, there are tech sheets available that list the recommended oils and lubricants for the different parts of the movement but if you’re working on something manufactured before say around 1970 you’re not gonna find text sheets. So the general rule for the train of wheels is barrel arbor, 2nd and 3rd wheel HP 1300, 4rth wheel escape wheel and balance pivots get 9010. The pallet stones are lubricated 9415.
Then any parts that sit on a post or slide across each other, metal to metal contact get either 9504 or D5. I prefer 9504.
I have done lubrication videos that are in my beginners playlist.
Thanks him for useful sharing , I hope you make many good videos about your profession
@@watchrepairtutorials Hi Alex, I have watched quite a few of your videos and they are very educational. Thank you for your way of teaching. When I go to Moebius website and look at their lubrication chart they want us to use a lot more types then what you recommend as a base line.. Is that in your opinion just marketing to make us buy more or is there some merit to the 11+ types they want us to use?
@@watchrepairtutorials Also, where is the best place if any to engage in a factual conversation with you?
@@micnolmadtube not necessary. It’s a combination of marketing and extremely small gains. What’s more important is getting the application of the basic lubricants perfect. That will have a much bigger impact on your service, then investing in a bunch of specialized lubricants. I mean you could literally have a different oil for every wheel in the train.
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge!
thanks for stopping by
marquez. May I ask what country you are from and are you an english speaker or do you translate
@@watchrepairtutorials I'm from Austria / Europe. Thanks for asking but for me, no translation is needed.
I hope the audio improves...
I'm old and my hearing ain't so good.
It does
How as a beginner learner can know repair automatic watch?
Do you have a this type of video?
This series walks through the basics of watch service. I also did a video on servicing the different types of automatics.
@@watchrepairtutorials
Take love brother ❤️
Excellent video. I wish RUclips would allow multiple thumbs up…😊
Wow, I wish I knew this 20 years ago. Thank you!
It’s never to late. Thank you Steve
This is great. Thanks so much
Glad it was helpful!
Question on angles: I've read between 15-17 degrees is the "proper" angle. Angle relative to where? If the length of the shaft is the reference or 0 degrees, is this "proper" angle 7.5-8.5 on either side, or 15-17....I just cannot find a source that explains how to measure this.
P.S. - I understand shapes of blades will differ for a variety of screw slots....but like in your Watch Repair Lesson #7....how do you know what's wrong, if you don't know what's right?
Fantastic series!
Hey Alan,
Great question. Personally I wouldn’t really worry about the angle because it could change for every different screw.
What matters is how the screwdriver fits the slot.
If you have a screw with a wide slot but is very shallow, the angle would be different than a screw with the same slot width that was deeper. Or reverse the scenario.
I would always sharpen the screwdriver so that the flat sides of the blade were flat and correct to each other, then holding the screwdriver upright, adjust the edge of the tip to fit the depth of the slot.
Screwdrivers will often need to be corrected when switching from one caliber to another.
Once you get your process down, it should only take a couple minutes.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I had rubber bands holding my tweezers instead of actually adjusting them like in your bonus tip. Just a suggestion/idea: I saw on another vid that using aluminum oxide films (3M) are a good alternative to sharpening stones....so I bought a 30 micrometer one for $6 and it works great. It was a great alternative because I didn't have the $$$ for good stones.
Hey man, whatever works for you. There are a lot of different ways to do it. The point is you just need to dress them. Nice having you here.
Great ❤
Thank you so much! ❤
You're welcome 😊
Where were you when those irreplaceable tiny screws were launched into space, huh? 😂😂
Excellent video! I do run a piece of 220-320 grit sandpaper lightly inside the tweezers to improve gripping, is that okay? Thank you for tip on adjusting the tweezers tendon/opening! Love your videos!
Yes, I’m actually surprised I didn’t put that in the video but it was one of my first ones. I do the same good point.
Liked & subscribed.
Would you recommend polishing brass tweezers after dressing?
It certainly isn’t necessary. The only time I polish tweezers is if they are going to be used for hairspring work.
I use a small block of accurately squared hardwood with 0.5mm - 2.5mm holes drilled through to act as a jig to dress the tip of screwdriver blades. It has improved the flatness and squareness of the tips and makes sizing a tip to the slot a breeze. I'll stick with this until the AlexZen kicks in! Great channel. Thank you for taking the time and effort.
Hey man if that’s working I love it.
Brilliant some of my screw drivers are over 100years old, my Great Grandfathers. This clip really helped, I've ordered a screw driver holder. cheers
Wow that's pretty cool. I'm not sure I have even seen 100 year old screwdrivers. How great is it to work with those?
Note that Alex is behind a table that looks too tall. It's not - it is a height that allows him to have his eyes and arms approach the watch or movement holder in comfort. As for sharpening, over the years I have accumulated a couple of hard Arkansas stones, some cheap abrasice ones, ceramic rod sharpeners, two kits for knife sharpening each with good stones in holders, and my favorites for a quick knife edge the DMT brand diamond folding sharpeners, a green and red.
I wonder when Alex will mention lifters for watch hands, or gear pullers, other tools? I'll stick around to find out.
Hey there Ammo,
I sound like you have the sharpening stones handled. 😃
As we start moving into basic repairs, I’ll be introducing more tools and products that I use.
Hope you follow along.
I was about to purchase a sanding stone to sharpen my facial tweezers but w/the info you provided here, I think the 400 grit sandpaper will do just fine. 🙂 I have had these tweezers for many years & haven't been able to find a spare...they look like 🤏🏼teeny pliers w/a flat edge like that flathead screwdriver & I love them bcuz they're easy to handle bcuz of their looped finger handles. Thank you so much! 😊
You’re very welcome
Learning something on each and every video of yours! Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience!
Glad to hear it! Let me know if you have any questions
Your videos are fantastic. They are focus on technical information and useful tips. Well narrated and each video is well planned. There is a wide community of hobbyist that really seek for this kind of information… I am one of them!
Thanks Man. I love a good watch entertainment video as much as the next guy. They get people excited and interested in Horology which is great, BUT people sometimes people jump into watch repair thinking that its just going to be easy as 1,2,3.
Now, this isn't rocket science but there are things you should know before working on grandma's watch. That's where the idea for "It's about F*****g Time" was born.
super, Thanks
Keep watching I have a whole playlist just for you
Beautiful video. I discovered the trick to hold the parts lightly the hard way :P Just a quick suggestion, could you bring the mic closer to you so the audio comes out a bit louder please?
Yep those first couple videos were pretty rough. They get better, I promise
Thanks Alex for these tips. I don't seem to have do as much of this since to moving to my big bucks Bergeon screwdrivers set as I did with my cheap chinese set so I guess you do get what you pay for also my Bergon tweezers are holding up much better.
Yes sir butttttt, eventually they will need some touch ups.
Great videos thanks, first time I’ve seen that explained clearly. I have work to do on my screwdrivers and tweezers now!
Once you get in the habit of doing these things, it will improve your game for sure.
Great series very enjoyable thank you
Awesome video. So many practical tips. I can't believe I never thought of the method you showed to reduce the force needed to have the tweezers close. That's a game changer for me. Thanks again!
That’s awesome Peter. I hope to see you again brother.
I watch this series periodically and have it running in the background just to "write to the hard drive" of my brain the best practices I should always follow to keep developing my skills.
That’s awesome. Let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks so much for the videos, these are great. Question, I have a set of whetstones for sharpening knives. Do you think these would serve for shaping tweezers/screwdrivers as well?
Oh hell yea. Try the courser one first. They should also work for dressing the screwdrivers as well. Thanks for joining me.
A trick I picked up is to stick my sandpaper to either a small piece of sheet glass or broken chunk of polished granite countertop. You can usually come away with a cutoff from big box stores or stone works (whatever is closer) for free or next to nothing. They will generally both be sub .001 distortion on the polished flats and works wonders on anything you want to make flat and square regardless of it being screwdrivers or cleaning up and truing head castings for model steam engines.
Yes sir,
Great tip. I have some small 6 x 6 pieces of glass that I picked up that also work well as you pointed out
I use a round Arkansas stone and slight it lightly between the tips of my tweezers. It creates a small amount of extra grip. Thanks for the video Alex👍
Perfect. I use sandpaper but what you are doing works just as good.
Another great video for all of us who are just starting up with hobby watch fiddling! Thanks. 😀
Thanks I know the quality of the 1st videos was rough.
Great video, working my way through your channel content. Thanks!
Yea man. I’m working on Lubrication right now.
Thanks for sharing your tips Alex, highly appreciated 👍👍
No worries!
Thank you for this great tip..... get it? Seriously, your help is much appreciated.
LOL, I do. Thanks 😊
Thanks for this, just reviewed again and dressed out all my tweezers and screwdrivers
Hey JP,
Hey man that’s going to help you a lot.
I keep my stone by my bench and am always adjusting for different calibers.
Hope to see ya again.
I read somewhere that it is helpful to slightly roughen up the inside surfaces of tweezers to help holding jewels.
Yes it is. If you take a piece of sandpaper, like 360-400 grit and fold it over, you can pull it between the tips to put some “teeth” on them.
The exception would be tweezer dressed for hairspring work which spoils be polished to prevent scratching the hairspring.
Thank-you so much Sir!
Thank you for posting these videos and sharing real world tips and knowledge
Lots more to come. Thanks
this is an excellent channel, keep up the excellent vids...... do you take on watch repair....
I’m retired now, and only take on work from a few select clients that I have had for many years.
Hi, Thanks a lot. Regards from Barcelona.
Spain checking in!!😄
Nice to see you Jordi.
Thank for all the tips, got some tools on the way to me now. Will practice on Elgin pocket watch.
I usually recommend the St36 to cut your teeth on. Learn on a working movement. Learn how to perform a service so the watch runs as good or better as It did when new.
How do you fix the duckbill though? Like grind it all off?
Just reshape it with you file or stone.
What pliers should a watchmaker have? Thanks
You will not be using pliers very often with the exception of a good pair of side, cutting nippers for cutting down watch stems.
Very helpful video - thank you for taking the time to make it!
My pleasure! I hope to remake some of these older videos pretty soon
Pure gold! Thanks Alex.
Thanks brother.