I have watched countless watch restoration videos but how the motion works intermesh with the keyless works never really made a lot of sense to me until I saw this. I finally get it! lol. Thank you so much.
Just got a seagull 36 movement in a few days ago and have been doing the assembly/disassembly along side your vids. Thanks for the great content, never realized this world was so interesting
Awesome video as usual WS. You cover things in detail that other instructional videos will just gloss over. Also, nice microphone upgrade! Your audio is about 10,000x better now, so big thank you from us viewers for that. Stoked for more episodes, you're a terrific teacher! 👍
I appreciate the kind words my friend. It’s amazing the difference when you learn to point the mic in the right direction. 🤣 plus a little audio editing on the back end.
I really enjoy and appreciate the amount of detail in these videos. Not only the "hows," but the more important "whys." Glad I found this channel as it has filled in some of the gaps in knowledge that I didn't really know I had.
There are 2 things you will hear me say over and over, “ everything matters” and “You don’t know, what you don’t know. The first relates to literally everything we do in servicing and repairing watches. The smallest things can have a big impact on your results. The second one is kinda the point to these whole series of videos. If you don’t know how to sharpen tweezer’s or fit a screwdriver to a screw, you don’t even realize why you can’t pick up a spring or you have a parts shooting across the room, you don’t know why. If you can’t get a stem to lock into the movement and you don’t know that the setting lever has a pin that locks into a groove in the stem, you can’t figure out what’s going on. “You don’t know what you don’t know. Glad it makes sense.
Just found your channel and I absolutely love the way you teach!! Your knowledgeable, very informative, write down to the point and very easy to follow! I smashed the like button and I subscribed! I just started binge watching! I’m a 63-year-old, disabled, retired female with a lot of time on my hands, no pun intended lol
just started watching and learning. love it! Now I understand how tight/lose the cannon pinion is and how the crown can set the time because of that. Thank you for putting these videos together!
Very clear and right to the essential. Even though english's not my first language, i've manage to understand pretty much everything (with some pauses too...) Thanks again!
Love the videos! I’ve been a watchmaker for almost 20 years and enjoy getting ideas and opinions from other watchmakers because in this industry you never stop learning. There’s always more than one way to do things!
great respect dear sir. Some time ago I came across your channel and it has already become my favorite. I also follow a couple of others, but what you can see is...something that is not found in others. You are quite honest, open and you know how to transfer your knowledge to us very well. I started watching from the very beginning and thank you for existing. A big greeting from Germany.
You are one of the super teachers. Your dedication to teach is very appealing . You not only do shower us with valuable detailed information but you also pour out your love to teach. God bless you . I highly appreciate your work.
Is your channel fairly new? Cause it should have millions of views and I'm sure it will. I'm just getting into the technical part of horology. I've collected for many years but love actually taking the movements apart and figuring out how each one transfers power and maintains a steady rate over the release of power from the mainspring. Your videos have been such a great help in putting these movements back together and having them actually work again. Thanks for taking the time to create your content. Hopefully I can give it a shot one day.
Yes it is and thank you. The reason people don’t put out content like this is because there really is a limited amount of people that ACTUALLY want to put in the time to learn from the ground up. People want to just jump in without and start fixing stuff before they understand what it is they are trying to fix. But that’s ok, we are moving in a positive direction. I will say that the people have found the channel seem to get it. I hope you follow along.
@@watchrepairtutorials very true but there is something about watchmaking that attracts people who aren't even into watches to view this type of content. I hope it takes off on you and I'm sure it will.
@@watchrepairtutorials Hey Alex I bought a “17Jewels Mechanical Movement for Seagull ST36 Wristwatch Hand Winding 6497 Watch” off ebay. Let me know if I bought the wrong ST36.
First video of yours' I'm watching and you got me hooked with "so hard that you bend the fuckin' thing" 🤣🤣 love it👌🏼 Thank you for such a clear and concise video - definitely helped to solidify some theories my brain made up 🤘🏼😅
@@watchrepairtutorials I reckon they're pretty darn good - but i guess as with the field of watchmaking; improvements are generally smiled upon. Thanks again for your content and feedback 🤟🏼
Such a "timely" set of lessons for my budding interest in mechanical watches. I've been binge watching other videos and vacillating on buying a popular "Watch Repair" video course or trying to learn from watching others service watches. Your explanations of the details of each part, how they function together, tips on assembly and where to be extra careful are just perfect. Towards the end of Lesson 3 I was wondering how tight to set screws then "Bonus Tip". During Lesson 4 I was wondering about the expense of various Presto tools then "Bonus Tip". It's great to find a teacher who realizes the simple details that beginners need to know. Thanks for producing this series! What size or number are the brass or bronze tweezers? As a complete noob, I have no idea what a #2, #3, or #5 looks like or which to buy for a starter set.
Thats Awesome man thank you. I guarantee you will be a better watchmaker if you follow along. The Bronze tweezers I use are the Bergeon 7451.PM.S5 and are just classified as a fine tip. There is not a lot of options in Bronze but if you can do the 45-50 bucks for a pair they are pretty awesome. I know in Dumont for example that a pair like the 00 are really beefy, thick tweezers that are good for something like heavy parts but suck at picking up screws. I use them sometimes for holding cap jewels while oiling them but they probably would not be at the top of a "Need now list". As the number increases, the thinner the last inch or so of the tweezer becomes. A # 5 Dumont is like a freaking needle. Not really useful as a overall working set because there is just not much holding surface. I like the Dumont 3C, which is a good all around working size, good for really tiny screws as well as most parts in wristwatches. Sometimes they can be challenged in pocket watch sized movements. That's where the Bronze is really nice. I also like smaller tweezers in my hand, so if you have hands like baseball mitts keep that in mind. 😉
I've never seen a better video describing the motion works. Answered a lot of my questions that I didn't even know I had. I swear these videos will go down in history for future ametuer watch makers like myself.
Very good video! I love that you do it step by step for each part like the keyless works and motion works. They are very different in your watch and my pocket watches that I use for training but I understand how they do they same job in the different styles and that is just so cool knowing that "Ah, mine does this same job but in this different way"
Thought to check with you , Do you have any idea why ST3600 movement always shipped with hour-wheel and cannon pinion of same height. I orderd my third movement in eBay , I have received it with 2mm hour wheel that completly coveres 2mm pinon, same as previous 2 movements.@@watchrepairtutorials
Awesome lesson! I love how you break these down in manageable chunks of information. Two questions for you. First, can you use a Presto Watch Hand tool, which looks really similar to the tool you have, to remove the cannon pinion? The only difference I see is my tool has a metal shaft down the middle with a spring on it (presumable to help with watch hand removal). Second question, when you put that spring back in, you held it down with your finger, but once in place, you took your finger off and then put the setting level jumper back on. How concerned do I need to be about that spring flying off when I take my finger off and put the setting lever jumper back on? I'm just really concerned, with my luck, that the spring will fly off as soon as I take my finger (or whatever ) off the spring.
The hand removing tool is different. Get a canon pinion remover. You need to be very concerned about any spring flying away. Its probably the number one issue for new watchmakers. If it is installed all the way down into the mainplate it will be fine.
I'm not a very sharp tool, but I learned more from 4 of your motion works tutorials then months of other sites and books, not to p in your pocket but you are an awesome teacher, I hope you still doing this stuff.
I started to follow your videos, and it is so easy to digest, the way you explain, in a language common to everyone. Indeed no choice sometimes, we have to use technical wording for it, but this is the learning part of it. It all makes it overall so interesting and motivating, highly appreciated, thank you.
The burgeon cannon pinion remover presto tool, Pretty much identical to the one you have, Except it has a green knob on It, is going for about $75 on Amazon. I still prefer it to the other type They have with the long handle, I feel I have better control and visibility with it.
So, the rotation of the center wheel should rotate the cannon pinion, while the opposite way should not happen. And it's all done by the friction between the cannon pinion and the arbor of the center wheel being the correct amount. That's interesting. There should have been a very precious machining done on those parts then. Also, I wonder how they do the calculations for the correct diameter for those parts, in order to make sure that they can always trust on the friction there doing the job as expected. Because even if for a portion of the movement of the center wheel, the cannon pinion does not move (I mean if it happens to slide over the center wheel arbor, instead of moving with it), it will affect the accuracy of the watch. So, each time we set the time, the cannon pinion slides over the arbor of the center wheel. Is it realistic if I assume that in an old watch the wear created by these slidings can decrease the friction between the cannon pinion and the arbor of the center wheel, resulting in the rotation of the arbor of the center wheel not rotating the cannon pinion properly? For example the arbor of the center wheel sometimes sliding over the cannon pinion, resulting in 1 full rotation of the center wheel being translated to, for example, 55 minutes on the minute hands (instead of 60 minutes). I mean can such a scenario happen in real life?
Yes cannon pinions can loosen over time and cause lose of time on the dial even the the watch may be performing well on a timing machine. Correcting the friction of the cannon pinion is a fairly common repair. Also this is but one of several different ways the power is transferred to the cannon pinion. Sometimes the 2nd wheel is offset. The cannon pinion is friction fit into the center of a wheel which is turned by a pinion on the second wheel. This wheel turns as the watch is operating and then the CP will slip when setting the time. Either way this slipping is what’s allows the time to be set while the watch is running.
I normally have a phobea against hairy people but.I get over for your stuff because of the quality of the info... And the delivery. " don't fuckin bend it"
Superb explanation on the keyless works. I have two questions: 1. The miniute hand is fixed on the canon pinion. Then, why is it not called the miniute wheel like the hour wheel where the hour hand is fixed? 2. I have seen movements where there is one intermediary wheel. In your video, there are two intermediary wheels. Any specific reason why? Please enlighten me on the above. Thanks for this really engrossing video. God bless.
Good question, "canon pinion" comes from the Latin word "canon," which means "rule" or "law." In the context of watchmaking, the canon pinion was named after its function as a regulating element that sets the "law" for the movement of the watch hands. The number of intermediate wheels is a movement layout or design decision.
Thanks for the explanation. Please make a video only on the escapement wheel if you have not done it already. Looking forward to more of your educative videos.
Is presto tool also used for removing the lancets? I have a presto tool and I used to remove lancets, but It is difficult to use it to remove the chronograph ones. I thought ni the Bergeon tool is more fit for this. Please correct me if I am wrong.
Hello, thank you for your very informative videos! Do you know why the minute wheel always has 3 holes (sometimes it has less but it always has an opening)? It's something that's been puzzling me for a long time and I just can't work it out! Thanks ;-) (I use a translator, I'm French)
I would be done simply to reduce the mass of the wheel. It’s the reason you see the train wheels cut out only leaving the spokes. It more important for the power train to have lighter wheels and. It as less important in the motion works.
Thank you for responding so quickly! Indeed, that's a good reason, I hadn't thought of all that, one less mystery ☺ Otherwise, on the advice of your last video, I ended up buying a Seitz 👍
How do you keep track of all the screws and where they go when reassembling.every video I have watched the screws are thrown in the same cleaning baskets.
Hey Tim, When you first start out, pay close attention to the screws as you are taking them out. It’s a good idea when you are learning, to use a parts tray big enough so that you can have a spot for each part of the movement. That way you can keep the screw with the part it came out of it for example, you can group components like the click, click spring and screw all together. Depending on what movement you are working on bridge screws may all be the same, the screws for the pallet bridge and balance cock may be the same. Some screws are countersunk and some sit in on top off the part. After awhile it will become second nature.
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The cannon pinion slips when setting the time ... awesome! I wondered how setting the time worked without forcing the train of wheels to spin like crazy. Thanks for your great lessons.
Yea, in this example the cannon pinion is held in place to the center or 2nd wheel while the movement is running normally, and then when changing the time the minute wheel rotates both the cannon pinion and hr wheel so the hands move. Brilliant right?
Hi Alex, quick question: if I’m looking for a presto tool and don’t want to buy several to start with, am I better off with the Bergeon 30636-1 Presto #1 or the Bergeon 30637-2 Presto #2? I was planning to buy a set of hand removal levers like the Bergeon 30027, but perhaps to start I can get away with just one of the above? Thanks as always.
Well the 30636 is a hand removing tool and the 30637 is for removing cannon pinions right. Personally, I use Horotec levers for removing hands , but you could even go less expensive if you wanted. The key is polishing the underside to a high gloss. Even though you would still use plastic to protect the dial, it there any nibs on the metal it could cause damage. As far as the cannon pinion tool, the cheap Chinese one work fine, but if you want a higher build quality there Bergeon is the way to go.
Hey Alex - loose cannon pinions aren’t uncommon. Have you done a video anywhere in your series showing techniques for safely tightening them without destroying/crushing the tube? I have one on my bench right now and I’m wanting to learn. There’s an expensive Bergeon 4733 tool for the job, but I’m wondering if there are ways of doing it without that (expensive) tool. Maybe you’ve covered this already. Thanks!
I haven't done a video on RUclips but i did one in my watch repair course. The Seitz Jeweling set has a set of lanterns that can be used very precisely as you can make adjustments in 1/100's of a mm. There are also some vintage stand alone tools but I have not used any of those so I'm not sure how accurate they are.
Does this watch have a center seconds hand because I thought the pinion or shaft of the center wheel was hollow to allow the seconds hand to slip into the end of it?
@@robertbrandywine the second hand is always attached to the fourth wheel pivot. Sometime the fourth wheel extends through the Center wheel arbor, Sometimes it’s at 6 o’clock and sometimes it’s at 9 o’clock. It just depends on how the maker arranges the train of wheels.
So the whole motion works speed is controlled by the minute wheel via gearing ratios? What defines how fast the minute wheel turns? I presume it's the escapement? Sorry, bit confused. Do you know of any good videos/articles which explain the exact chain of events from start to finish?
In a watch, the motion works refers to the gears that transfer power from the movement to the hands of the watch, specifically the minute and hour hands. To break down your question: What controls the speed of the minute wheel? The speed at which the minute wheel turns is indeed a result of the gearing ratios, but it is ultimately regulated by the escapement and the balance wheel. These components ensure that the entire gear train moves at a controlled rate. Here’s how it works: The mainspring provides the initial power, which is transmitted through the gear train. The escapement and balance wheel control the speed by releasing the stored energy from the mainspring in precise increments, allowing the gears to turn at a steady rate. The gearing between the wheels (including the center wheel, third wheel, and escape wheel) determines how fast each wheel turns. What determines how fast the minute hand moves? The center wheel completes one full rotation every hour and drives the minute wheel. The ratio between the gears in the motion works causes the minute hand to move one full revolution for every hour. So, while the escapement regulates the overall speed, the actual movement of the minute wheel is due to the gearing ratios between the center wheel and the other gears in the motion works. Chain of Events in a Watch Movement: 1) Mainspring stores energy. 2) The energy is transferred through the gear train (from the center wheel to the escape wheel). 3) The escapement regulates the release of energy in small increments. 4) The balance wheel oscillates, controlling how fast the escape wheel turns. 5) This controlled release of energy turns the center wheel, which then moves the minute wheel via gearing ratios. 6) The minute wheel drives the hour wheel to display the time. This is a basic explanation of how a simple watch movement works.
@@itzhaccroitoru4082 Also verstehst du offensichtlich Englisch oder übersetzst irgendwie nicht, was ich sage. Ich frage deshalb, weil ich mehr Menschen erreichen möchte.
@@watchrepairtutorials Very smart question ! Every job has your own tools.If I don't understand in English ,I translate into German or Rumanian. Ich bin 82 Jahre alt,und das ist mein Hobby.
Hi Alex, I had an issue because I didn't check the keyless system after working on it. In my case, an intermediate wheel was misaligned with the center of the jumper plate hole, causing everything to get stuck. I managed to set the rest of the watch, but the balance wheel wouldn't run. During the troubleshooting process, my mainspring broke, so I'm not 100% certain about the cause of the failure. My question is, if the setting lever is in the set-time position, should it reduce the amplitude or even stop the movement altogether? Since the mainspring attempts to move the keyless system, why do hacking movements require a lever to stop it?
When asking about a movement problem, always start with what the movement is. There are thousands of movements and what may be true for one is not true for another. The important thing here is the lesson that you learned about not checking a system before you move on to the next. This is watch service 101. Had you checked the keyless before moving on it may have prevented the problems that you encountered. How you were able to break a mainspring during a troubleshooting process is a mystery to me unless you are forcing something that you shouldn't have been. Lesson 2 To answer your question, the setting lever has nothing to do with amplitude or stopping the movement from running. To affect amplitude at the balance wheel, the part either needs to be in the escapement, balance wheel, the powertrain or come in contact with a part connected to the powertrain creating friction that shouldn’t be there one of these systems. Secondly, you have it backwards the winding pinion which is turned by the stem turns the crown wheel which turns the ratchet wheel which winds the main spring not the other way around. The setting lever only keeps the stem from being released and controls the yoke’s position. Thanks for the question
@@watchrepairtutorials Thank you very much, Alex!! It's a Landeron 48. I broke the mainspring because when I saw everything stuck, and couldn't find a way to release the tension, I removed the bridge, which caused it to release suddenly. When I tried to wind it again, I realized the arbor was loose (the end of the mainspring was broken). My logic was that with the crown out, the power train would have to overcome the canon pinion or move almost all of the keyless mechanism, and that's why we should have a lower amplitude, the same for movements with a calendar. I find it hard to understand how it doesn't cause more friction :S
Really nice videos. I just started getting interested in watch repair. I'm going to start with an ST36 movement and follow your videos step by step- thanks so much! I need to get the tools first also and I found your video on tools extremely helpful.
I’m glad. Don’t get me wrong. There will be other tools that you need to get as you go along. The tool suggested in the initial video are just to be able to start learning on the ST 36. Hope to see you again, Shawn let me know if you have any questions or if there’s anything I can do to help. Alex
Great video! I actually counted the gear teeth to verify the reduction ratios of the minute to the hour! Never really understood the motion works before but your explanation was very clear. And your videos are fun to watch (pardon the unintentional pun).
@@watchrepairtutorials Twelve to thirty six (3 to one reduction) then ten to forty (four to one) results in twelve to one or twelve rotations of the minute hands to one rotation of the hour hand. Also odd number of gears/pinions to ensure both the minute and hour hands rotate in same direction (clockwise of course!)
As I make my way through your content (because it is extremely approachable) a question arises that I'm hoping you know the answer to. Most recommendations I've seen immediately recommend Swiss Bergeon tools or say it's okay to get really cheap tools from China and then step up to Bergeon tools. I have other hobbies and there's always a "moderately" inexpensive option. What is it for watch repair tools? Is there no reliable watch tool maker that isn't as expensive as Bergeon but isn't as cheap and disposable as the tools coming out of China? Also, I have found specific suppliers out of China for some of my hobbies that produced excellent tools for my hobby, since my hobbies are often ancient ones (calligraphy, for example, has top-quality pens coming out of China *and* some garbage). I'm just curious as to if horologists know of manufacturers that produce longer-lasting tools but not as expensive as Swiss tools.
Bergeon is the easy answer because nobody can question their quality in most cases. There are other brands out there that offer a more reasonable price but it all depends on which specific tool you are looking to buy. Often the best options when precision is not an issue are Chinese versions as an example. There are other brands, like Swiss brands like Horotec that offer lots of quality tools, some priced less than the equivalent by Bergeon and sometimes the Chinese version is good enough. What specific tools are you looking at specifically.
Just discovered your channel. You do an awesome job of explaining things in great detail. I’m thinking of getting into watchmaking as a hobby and your videos will be of great help. Thanks for doing a great job. BTW, fellow North Carolinian here.
"Don't do it so hard that you bend the fuckin' thing" - love it 😀
It’s a long story, how all that came about
Man that was gold.
I have watched countless watch restoration videos but how the motion works intermesh with the keyless works never really made a lot of sense to me until I saw this. I finally get it! lol. Thank you so much.
Glad it helped. It can be a tricky thing to explain but it's a key piece in the puzzle.
2:09 “Don’t do it so hard you bend the fuckin’ thing.”
I wasn’t expecting that. That was hysterical.
Sometimes you just have to get peoples attention to make a point stick.😄
Without knowing you have become my teacher thanks greatly appreciate it.
Oh Eduardo, thank you brother. I have an interesting video coming out this weekend. Stay tuned
@@watchrepairtutorials got the bell on sir looking forward thanks for the great videos
Just got a seagull 36 movement in a few days ago and have been doing the assembly/disassembly along side your vids. Thanks for the great content, never realized this world was so interesting
That’s awesome. Much more to come, bud.
I never trust anyone who doesn't drop occasional f-bombs. Great video!
LOL
First time Ive watched this excellent Tutorial , clear and precise and love the direct talk makes it real
Awesome, thank you!
Awesome video as usual WS. You cover things in detail that other instructional videos will just gloss over. Also, nice microphone upgrade! Your audio is about 10,000x better now, so big thank you from us viewers for that. Stoked for more episodes, you're a terrific teacher! 👍
I appreciate the kind words my friend.
It’s amazing the difference when you learn to point the mic in the right direction. 🤣 plus a little audio editing on the back end.
I love Alex, I hope I can be as patient and concise as him some day. Also he somehow makes me laugh during a watch tutorial.
That’s a new one. I’ve never had anyone say that.😉
I really enjoy and appreciate the amount of detail in these videos. Not only the "hows," but the more important "whys." Glad I found this channel as it has filled in some of the gaps in knowledge that I didn't really know I had.
There are 2 things you will hear me say over and over, “ everything matters” and “You don’t know, what you don’t know.
The first relates to literally everything we do in servicing and repairing watches. The smallest things can have a big impact on your results.
The second one is kinda the point to these whole series of videos. If you don’t know how to sharpen tweezer’s or fit a screwdriver to a screw, you don’t even realize why you can’t pick up a spring or you have a parts shooting across the room, you don’t know why. If you can’t get a stem to lock into the movement and you don’t know that the setting lever has a pin that locks into a groove in the stem, you can’t figure out what’s going on. “You don’t know what you don’t know.
Glad it makes sense.
I’am new to this game and learned to keep system separate and in the end they all fit togeather. This is what you taught me I thank you.
Keep working your way through those videos there's a lot of gold nuggets of information for you.
Watches are just amazing. Thanks for the explanation. I will have to check out your other tutorials!
Rob
Glad you like them!
Just found your channel and I absolutely love the way you teach!! Your knowledgeable, very informative, write down to the point and very easy to follow! I smashed the like button and I subscribed! I just started binge watching! I’m a 63-year-old, disabled, retired female with a lot of time on my hands, no pun intended lol
Hey again. Welcome to the club. I’ll be turning 64 in August.
Love the theory you begin with and love the ending tips. Both are Invaluable, thank you for the great lessons..
just started watching and learning. love it! Now I understand how tight/lose the cannon pinion is and how the crown can set the time because of that. Thank you for putting these videos together!
No problemo. Understanding is half the battle.
Your explanations are so down to earth and understandable. Thank you.
Very clearly explained as usual. Thanks.
Glad it was helpful!
thank you Alex! I am looking to get into watch making and these videos are exactly what I was looking for.
Go for it. Let me know if I can help.
Very clear and right to the essential. Even though english's not my first language, i've manage to understand pretty much everything (with some pauses too...)
Thanks again!
You are most welcome my friend
Great videos, love the very occasional expletive.
Much appreciated my friend, much appreciated.
Love the videos! I’ve been a watchmaker for almost 20 years and enjoy getting ideas and opinions from other watchmakers because in this industry you never stop learning. There’s always more than one way to do things!
I’m totally agree. When you close your mind to other techniques you become stagnant.
Feel free to add any wisdom on the videos you watch
Alex. You are one badass watchmaker. Love your videos, very informative.
Come on man, I am a pussy cat.😉
Thanks Alex! Another great and hugely informative video.
My pleasure! Thank you, Rich
great respect dear sir. Some time ago I came across your channel and it has already become my favorite. I also follow a couple of others, but what you can see is...something that is not found in others. You are quite honest, open and you know how to transfer your knowledge to us very well. I started watching from the very beginning and thank you for existing. A big greeting from Germany.
So nice of you. I love my German friends. I hope to see you again here
You are one of the super teachers. Your dedication to teach is very appealing . You not only do shower us with valuable detailed information but you also pour out your love to teach. God bless you . I highly appreciate your work.
Thank you so much
So great. Thanks for the clear explanations
You're very welcome Bruce. 👍
I like it , because nobody else explains the details.
Thanks, the details help don’t they?
Excellent no nonsense tutorial
Glad it helped
Is your channel fairly new? Cause it should have millions of views and I'm sure it will. I'm just getting into the technical part of horology. I've collected for many years but love actually taking the movements apart and figuring out how each one transfers power and maintains a steady rate over the release of power from the mainspring. Your videos have been such a great help in putting these movements back together and having them actually work again. Thanks for taking the time to create your content. Hopefully I can give it a shot one day.
Yes it is and thank you. The reason people don’t put out content like this is because there really is a limited amount of people that ACTUALLY want to put in the time to learn from the ground up.
People want to just jump in without and start fixing stuff before they understand what it is they are trying to fix.
But that’s ok, we are moving in a positive direction.
I will say that the people have found the channel seem to get it.
I hope you follow along.
@@watchrepairtutorials very true but there is something about watchmaking that attracts people who aren't even into watches to view this type of content. I hope it takes off on you and I'm sure it will.
You are a great teacher ❤🙏🏼🙏🏼
Thank you! 😃
@@watchrepairtutorials
I'm planning to get the certificate by September 💪🏻
best teacher...
Learnt a lot today ! Good video ! Thanks.
Hey Ron. Check out the basic’s playlist.
@@watchrepairtutorials Yes, I have, very interesting. 👍🏼
You will be my Sensei. I just hope I can keep my hands steady. Aloha
Aloha my friend. I’m ready, let’s do it.
Brilliant video, thank you.
Hope it helps in your understanding of mechanical movements
Thanks Alex, plan to get a ST36 for practice.
who you bought it from. All St36 movements are not the exact same. if you wee to nee to get another one, you want to get it from the same vendor.
@@watchrepairtutorials Hey Alex I bought a “17Jewels Mechanical Movement for Seagull ST36 Wristwatch Hand Winding 6497 Watch” off ebay. Let me know if I bought the wrong ST36.
“Don’t bend the fuckin thing” 😂 I love these
Wonderful thank you for your effort
My pleasure!
Brilliant channel
Thanks my friend.
Hi Alex, Another enjoying and informative video. Ralph 👍
Thanks awesome Ralph, thanks for following along
Thank you!
Amazing content... thank you
My pleasure!
First video of yours' I'm watching and you got me hooked with "so hard that you bend the fuckin' thing" 🤣🤣 love it👌🏼
Thank you for such a clear and concise video - definitely helped to solidify some theories my brain made up 🤘🏼😅
Hopefully the videos get better.
@@watchrepairtutorials I reckon they're pretty darn good - but i guess as with the field of watchmaking; improvements are generally smiled upon. Thanks again for your content and feedback 🤟🏼
I’ve really been enjoying watching your channel. I love how you just tell it like it is. Learning so much. I agree, “Don’t bend the fucking thing.”😅
LOL. You know that right. Thanks Marc
Sir I am from Pakistan and you are my master
I appreciate you watching. Are you flowing English or do you translate?
English
@@uncellcare1561 perfect my friend. Thanks for following along.
Great video and explanation.
I really appreciate your teaching method. Thank you.
Godspeed and Blessings for you and yours.
Merriest of Christmas'.
Your newest subscriber.
Thank you. Merry Christmas to you and yours. 🎅
Another video that makes me rethink how i do stuff on watches. Love it!
Thanks Olof.
Such a "timely" set of lessons for my budding interest in mechanical watches. I've been binge watching other videos and vacillating on buying a popular "Watch Repair" video course or trying to learn from watching others service watches. Your explanations of the details of each part, how they function together, tips on assembly and where to be extra careful are just perfect. Towards the end of Lesson 3 I was wondering how tight to set screws then "Bonus Tip". During Lesson 4 I was wondering about the expense of various Presto tools then "Bonus Tip". It's great to find a teacher who realizes the simple details that beginners need to know. Thanks for producing this series!
What size or number are the brass or bronze tweezers? As a complete noob, I have no idea what a #2, #3, or #5 looks like or which to buy for a starter set.
Thats Awesome man thank you. I guarantee you will be a better watchmaker if you follow along.
The Bronze tweezers I use are the Bergeon 7451.PM.S5 and are just classified as a fine tip. There is not a lot of options in Bronze but if you can do the 45-50 bucks for a pair they are pretty awesome.
I know in Dumont for example that a pair like the 00 are really beefy, thick tweezers that are good for something like heavy parts but suck at picking up screws. I use them sometimes for holding cap jewels while oiling them but they probably would not be at the top of a "Need now list".
As the number increases, the thinner the last inch or so of the tweezer becomes. A # 5 Dumont is like a freaking needle. Not really useful as a overall working set because there is just not much holding surface.
I like the Dumont 3C, which is a good all around working size, good for really tiny screws as well as most parts in wristwatches. Sometimes they can be challenged in pocket watch sized movements. That's where the Bronze is really nice.
I also like smaller tweezers in my hand, so if you have hands like baseball mitts keep that in mind. 😉
Just taking a quick look I first disagreement is love the Bergeron cannon pinion remover it is worth it! easy to use and no damage a bargain 😃😃😃😃
ahhhhhh our first disagreement. 🥹 For someone at this stage of the game though, it might not be the wisest purchase if money is tight.
I've never seen a better video describing the motion works. Answered a lot of my questions that I didn't even know I had.
I swear these videos will go down in history for future ametuer watch makers like myself.
Wait are you on the Payroll ? 🤣 Its these
Very good video! I love that you do it step by step for each part like the keyless works and motion works. They are very different in your watch and my pocket watches that I use for training but I understand how they do they same job in the different styles and that is just so cool knowing that "Ah, mine does this same job but in this different way"
Exactly. Once you understand the way the System works, you will recognize it in different caliber’s.
Great job explaining how it works, wish you make a video on date works,
I am finishing up the video on automatic movements now and the day/date complications are next.
Excellent....
좋은 영상 감사합니다.
You are most welcome.
Thanks!
You got it Matt.
One day INSHAALLAH I will be successful in this beautiful and amazing field
Keep it up my friend.
Sir I will try my best@@watchrepairtutorials
Thankyou so much sir
Most welcome
Nice One!👏👏👏👏
Thank you! 😊
Thought to check with you , Do you have any idea why ST3600 movement always shipped with hour-wheel and cannon pinion of same height. I orderd my third movement in eBay , I have received it with 2mm hour wheel that completly coveres 2mm pinon, same as previous 2 movements.@@watchrepairtutorials
Another great one my man. Videos are getting better and better with each release!
Thanks, I feel like I might be making a breakthrough. I have something special for you in the next one.
@@watchrepairtutorials sweet! I can’t wait my man
thank you!
You’re more than welcome
THANKS
Love the detail in your video. Thank you so much!
You are so welcome!
Nice video
Thanks
Thanks
I appreciate you supporting the channel. Thank you
Like the comments above, i like the authenticity of the 'fkng'. Subscribed.
Lol Hell yea
Awesome lesson! I love how you break these down in manageable chunks of information. Two questions for you. First, can you use a Presto Watch Hand tool, which looks really similar to the tool you have, to remove the cannon pinion? The only difference I see is my tool has a metal shaft down the middle with a spring on it (presumable to help with watch hand removal). Second question, when you put that spring back in, you held it down with your finger, but once in place, you took your finger off and then put the setting level jumper back on. How concerned do I need to be about that spring flying off when I take my finger off and put the setting lever jumper back on? I'm just really concerned, with my luck, that the spring will fly off as soon as I take my finger (or whatever ) off the spring.
The hand removing tool is different. Get a canon pinion remover. You need to be very concerned about any spring flying away. Its probably the number one issue for new watchmakers. If it is installed all the way down into the mainplate it will be fine.
fantastic 🤤 , would it be possible to do someday a video comparing different motion works mechanisms?
Why do you think that would helpful?
@ well, so far Ive only found 2 (the one in the video, and the coaxial so the seconds is in the same axis), but I was wondering if there are others
I wish I had seen these when I first started.
I wish I had a nickel for every time I heard that.😀
Thanks Alex. Another really great video. Would just have liked a bit of commentary on lubes as you went along. Could you add something here please?
I have lubrication video’s in the series.
I'm not a very sharp tool, but I learned more from 4 of your motion works tutorials then months of other sites and books, not to p in your pocket but you are an awesome teacher, I hope you still doing this stuff.
Glad to help! I am making video's and have a whole playlist for you. www.youtube.com/@Its_About_Time/videos
I absolutely love these tutorials! Long live Watch Repair Tutorials!!!!!
More to come Paul
I started to follow your videos, and it is so easy to digest, the way you explain, in a language common to everyone. Indeed no choice sometimes, we have to use technical wording for it, but this is the learning part of it. It all makes it overall so interesting and motivating, highly appreciated, thank you.
I appreciate your words Willy. Hope to see you again.
Where did you get those bronze tweezers?
Great videos!
www.julesborel.com/products/tools-tweezers-bergeon-tweezers/bergeon-7421-pm-b5-tweezer-bronze-non-magnetic-alloy
Fantastic explanation, and appreciate the tool tips. New mic is a good upgrade!
LOL You know what, once you learn how to talk in it it make a big differences
Nice
Very nice
The burgeon cannon pinion remover presto tool, Pretty much identical to the one you have, Except it has a green knob on It, is going for about $75 on Amazon. I still prefer it to the other type They have with the long handle, I feel I have better control and visibility with it.
If you’re talking about the one with the long wooden handle, I agree. I’ve been using this style remover for a long time with no problems.
This is a great series of tutorials I have watched them all more than once.
Thank you Andrew. Let me know if I can help.
So, the rotation of the center wheel should rotate the cannon pinion, while the opposite way should not happen. And it's all done by the friction between the cannon pinion and the arbor of the center wheel being the correct amount.
That's interesting. There should have been a very precious machining done on those parts then. Also, I wonder how they do the calculations for the correct diameter for those parts, in order to make sure that they can always trust on the friction there doing the job as expected. Because even if for a portion of the movement of the center wheel, the cannon pinion does not move (I mean if it happens to slide over the center wheel arbor, instead of moving with it), it will affect the accuracy of the watch.
So, each time we set the time, the cannon pinion slides over the arbor of the center wheel. Is it realistic if I assume that in an old watch the wear created by these slidings can decrease the friction between the cannon pinion and the arbor of the center wheel, resulting in the rotation of the arbor of the center wheel not rotating the cannon pinion properly? For example the arbor of the center wheel sometimes sliding over the cannon pinion, resulting in 1 full rotation of the center wheel being translated to, for example, 55 minutes on the minute hands (instead of 60 minutes).
I mean can such a scenario happen in real life?
Yes cannon pinions can loosen over time and cause lose of time on the dial even the the watch may be performing well on a timing machine.
Correcting the friction of the cannon pinion is a fairly common repair.
Also this is but one of several different ways the power is transferred to the cannon pinion.
Sometimes the 2nd wheel is offset.
The cannon pinion is friction fit into the center of a wheel which is turned by a pinion on the second wheel.
This wheel turns as the watch is operating and then the CP will slip when setting the time.
Either way this slipping is what’s allows the time to be set while the watch is running.
I normally have a phobea against hairy people but.I get over for your stuff because of the quality of the info... And the delivery. " don't fuckin bend it"
Welcome Mr Bolger. Any relation to Whitey
One thing that I do not get it is (I know that is silly) which wheel drives the extended center arbor?? THnx
What is the extended arbor connected to ?
Superb explanation on the keyless works. I have two questions:
1. The miniute hand is fixed on the canon pinion. Then, why is it not called the miniute wheel like the hour wheel where the hour hand is fixed?
2. I have seen movements where there is one intermediary wheel. In your video, there are two intermediary wheels. Any specific reason why? Please enlighten me on the above. Thanks for this really engrossing video. God bless.
Good question, "canon pinion" comes from the Latin word "canon," which means "rule" or "law." In the context of watchmaking, the canon pinion was named after its function as a regulating element that sets the "law" for the movement of the watch hands.
The number of intermediate wheels is a movement layout or design decision.
Thanks for the explanation. Please make a video only on the escapement wheel if you have not done it already. Looking forward to more of your educative videos.
Is presto tool also used for removing the lancets? I have a presto tool and I used to remove lancets, but It is difficult to use it to remove the chronograph ones. I thought ni the Bergeon tool is more fit for this.
Please correct me if I am wrong.
Chrono hands are super tight and can be hard to remove. Without a special remover you are better off just using levers
Hello, thank you for your very informative videos! Do you know why the minute wheel always has 3 holes (sometimes it has less but it always has an opening)? It's something that's been puzzling me for a long time and I just can't work it out! Thanks ;-) (I use a translator, I'm French)
I would be done simply to reduce the mass of the wheel. It’s the reason you see the train wheels cut out only leaving the spokes. It more important for the power train to have lighter wheels and. It as less important in the motion works.
Thank you for responding so quickly! Indeed, that's a good reason, I hadn't thought of all that, one less mystery ☺ Otherwise, on the advice of your last video, I ended up buying a Seitz 👍
How do you keep track of all the screws and where they go when reassembling.every video I have watched the screws are thrown in the same cleaning baskets.
Hey Tim,
When you first start out, pay close attention to the screws as you are taking them out. It’s a good idea when you are learning, to use a parts tray big enough so that you can have a spot for each part of the movement. That way you can keep the screw with the part it came out of it for example, you can group components like the click, click spring and screw all together.
Depending on what movement you are working on bridge screws may all be the same, the screws for the pallet bridge and balance cock may be the same.
Some screws are countersunk and some sit in on top off the part.
After awhile it will become second nature.
Great stuff! Is the presto tool for hands as well?
There is one for hands. I would use the levers as you have better control
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The cannon pinion slips when setting the time ... awesome! I wondered how setting the time worked without forcing the train of wheels to spin like crazy.
Thanks for your great lessons.
Yea, in this example the cannon pinion is held in place to the center or 2nd wheel while the movement is running normally, and then when changing the time the minute wheel rotates both the cannon pinion and hr wheel so the hands move. Brilliant right?
Alex,by Pocket watch is the Canon Pinion olways open,I tried to close wery little with the plier,dan has broken up.☹ .Not easy to get ?
Usually when you’re closing a canon pinion, the adjustment is 100th of a millimeter. They’re special tools to use to keep it from being crushed.
Hi Alex, quick question: if I’m looking for a presto tool and don’t want to buy several to start with, am I better off with the Bergeon 30636-1 Presto #1 or the Bergeon 30637-2 Presto #2? I was planning to buy a set of hand removal levers like the Bergeon 30027, but perhaps to start I can get away with just one of the above? Thanks as always.
Well the 30636 is a hand removing tool and the 30637 is for removing cannon pinions right.
Personally, I use Horotec levers for removing hands , but you could even go less expensive if you wanted. The key is polishing the underside to a high gloss. Even though you would still use plastic to protect the dial, it there any nibs on the metal it could cause damage.
As far as the cannon pinion tool, the cheap Chinese one work fine, but if you want a higher build quality there Bergeon is the way to go.
Hey Alex - loose cannon pinions aren’t uncommon. Have you done a video anywhere in your series showing techniques for safely tightening them without destroying/crushing the tube? I have one on my bench right now and I’m wanting to learn. There’s an expensive Bergeon 4733 tool for the job, but I’m wondering if there are ways of doing it without that (expensive) tool. Maybe you’ve covered this already. Thanks!
I haven't done a video on RUclips but i did one in my watch repair course.
The Seitz Jeweling set has a set of lanterns that can be used very precisely as you can make adjustments in 1/100's of a mm.
There are also some vintage stand alone tools but I have not used any of those so I'm not sure how accurate they are.
@@watchrepairtutorials Thanks Alex. Looks like it might be a tricky fix using only simple tools.
@@zendoc62 the adjustment is so small that you need to be able to control that. That's watchmaking.
Does this watch have a center seconds hand because I thought the pinion or shaft of the center wheel was hollow to allow the seconds hand to slip into the end of it?
This does not. The second hand is at the 9 o’clock position. Some center wheels Have a solid extended arbor.
So how do those get power to the seconds hand? @@watchrepairtutorials
@@robertbrandywine the second hand is always attached to the fourth wheel pivot. Sometime the fourth wheel extends through the Center wheel arbor, Sometimes it’s at 6 o’clock and sometimes it’s at 9 o’clock. It just depends on how the maker arranges the train of wheels.
Okay, thanks! @@watchrepairtutorials
So the whole motion works speed is controlled by the minute wheel via gearing ratios?
What defines how fast the minute wheel turns? I presume it's the escapement?
Sorry, bit confused. Do you know of any good videos/articles which explain the exact chain of events from start to finish?
In a watch, the motion works refers to the gears that transfer power from the movement to the hands of the watch, specifically the minute and hour hands.
To break down your question:
What controls the speed of the minute wheel?
The speed at which the minute wheel turns is indeed a result of the gearing ratios, but it is ultimately regulated by the escapement and the balance wheel. These components ensure that the entire gear train moves at a controlled rate.
Here’s how it works:
The mainspring provides the initial power, which is transmitted through the gear train.
The escapement and balance wheel control the speed by releasing the stored energy from the mainspring in precise increments, allowing the gears to turn at a steady rate.
The gearing between the wheels (including the center wheel, third wheel, and escape wheel) determines how fast each wheel turns.
What determines how fast the minute hand moves?
The center wheel completes one full rotation every hour and drives the minute wheel. The ratio between the gears in the motion works causes the minute hand to move one full revolution for every hour.
So, while the escapement regulates the overall speed, the actual movement of the minute wheel is due to the gearing ratios between the center wheel and the other gears in the motion works.
Chain of Events in a Watch Movement:
1) Mainspring stores energy.
2) The energy is transferred through the gear train (from the center wheel to the escape wheel).
3) The escapement regulates the release of energy in small increments.
4) The balance wheel oscillates, controlling how fast the escape wheel turns.
5) This controlled release of energy turns the center wheel, which then moves the minute wheel via gearing ratios.
6) The minute wheel drives the hour wheel to display the time.
This is a basic explanation of how a simple watch movement works.
I watched twice the lesson # 4 and I have exactly dan.The canon pinion wase asy take out.
That’s great Itzhac. May I ask what your native language is?
The Romanian and German @@watchrepairtutorials
@@itzhaccroitoru4082 Also verstehst du offensichtlich Englisch oder übersetzst irgendwie nicht, was ich sage. Ich frage deshalb, weil ich mehr Menschen erreichen möchte.
@@watchrepairtutorials Very smart question ! Every job has your own tools.If I don't understand in English ,I translate into German or Rumanian. Ich bin 82 Jahre alt,und das ist mein Hobby.
Excellent video as watchmaker in South Africa it took me years to learn all of this . 🙌 Well Done.
That’s awesome I think you’re the second person I’ve talked to From South Africa. Glad you’re with us
Hi Alex, I had an issue because I didn't check the keyless system after working on it. In my case, an intermediate wheel was misaligned with the center of the jumper plate hole, causing everything to get stuck. I managed to set the rest of the watch, but the balance wheel wouldn't run. During the troubleshooting process, my mainspring broke, so I'm not 100% certain about the cause of the failure.
My question is, if the setting lever is in the set-time position, should it reduce the amplitude or even stop the movement altogether? Since the mainspring attempts to move the keyless system, why do hacking movements require a lever to stop it?
When asking about a movement problem, always start with what the movement is. There are thousands of movements and what may be true for one is not true for another.
The important thing here is the lesson that you learned about not checking a system before you move on to the next. This is watch service 101. Had you checked the keyless before moving on it may have prevented the problems that you encountered.
How you were able to break a mainspring during a troubleshooting process is a mystery to me unless you are forcing something that you shouldn't have been. Lesson 2
To answer your question, the setting lever has nothing to do with amplitude or stopping the movement from running. To affect amplitude at the balance wheel, the part either needs to be in the escapement, balance wheel, the powertrain or come in contact with a part connected to the powertrain creating friction that shouldn’t be there one of these systems.
Secondly, you have it backwards the winding pinion which is turned by the stem turns the crown wheel which turns the ratchet wheel which winds the main spring not the other way around. The setting lever only keeps the stem from being released and controls the yoke’s position.
Thanks for the question
@@watchrepairtutorials
Thank you very much, Alex!! It's a Landeron 48. I broke the mainspring because when I saw everything stuck, and couldn't find a way to release the tension, I removed the bridge, which caused it to release suddenly. When I tried to wind it again, I realized the arbor was loose (the end of the mainspring was broken).
My logic was that with the crown out, the power train would have to overcome the canon pinion or move almost all of the keyless mechanism, and that's why we should have a lower amplitude, the same for movements with a calendar. I find it hard to understand how it doesn't cause more friction :S
Really nice videos. I just started getting interested in watch repair. I'm going to start with an ST36 movement and follow your videos step by step- thanks so much! I need to get the tools first also and I found your video on tools extremely helpful.
I’m glad. Don’t get me wrong. There will be other tools that you need to get as you go along. The tool suggested in the initial video are just to be able to start learning on the ST 36.
Hope to see you again, Shawn let me know if you have any questions or if there’s anything I can do to help.
Alex
"that would be called a step-up ratio."
Me, a parrot lover: "Step up!"
Great video! I actually counted the gear teeth to verify the reduction ratios of the minute to the hour! Never really understood the motion works before but your explanation was very clear. And your videos are fun to watch (pardon the unintentional pun).
And what did you discover when you counted the teeth ?
@@watchrepairtutorials Twelve to thirty six (3 to one reduction) then ten to forty (four to one) results in twelve to one or twelve rotations of the minute hands to one rotation of the hour hand. Also odd number of gears/pinions to ensure both the minute and hour hands rotate in same direction (clockwise of course!)
@@johnbyrne9900 👍
As I make my way through your content (because it is extremely approachable) a question arises that I'm hoping you know the answer to. Most recommendations I've seen immediately recommend Swiss Bergeon tools or say it's okay to get really cheap tools from China and then step up to Bergeon tools.
I have other hobbies and there's always a "moderately" inexpensive option. What is it for watch repair tools? Is there no reliable watch tool maker that isn't as expensive as Bergeon but isn't as cheap and disposable as the tools coming out of China?
Also, I have found specific suppliers out of China for some of my hobbies that produced excellent tools for my hobby, since my hobbies are often ancient ones (calligraphy, for example, has top-quality pens coming out of China *and* some garbage).
I'm just curious as to if horologists know of manufacturers that produce longer-lasting tools but not as expensive as Swiss tools.
Bergeon is the easy answer because nobody can question their quality in most cases.
There are other brands out there that offer a more reasonable price but it all depends on which specific tool you are looking to buy.
Often the best options when precision is not an issue are Chinese versions as an example.
There are other brands, like Swiss brands like Horotec that offer lots of quality tools, some priced less than the equivalent by Bergeon and sometimes the Chinese version is good enough.
What specific tools are you looking at specifically.
Just discovered your channel. You do an awesome job of explaining things in great detail. I’m thinking of getting into watchmaking as a hobby and your videos will be of great help. Thanks for doing a great job. BTW, fellow North Carolinian here.
That’s awesome. What part are you in?
@@watchrepairtutorials originally from Goldsboro but live in Fayetteville now.
@@timwallace402 nice .we live outside of. New Bern