As someone looking to dip their toe into watchmaking, this video was incredibly clear and helpful. Thank you for the wonderful guidance. If I stick with this as a hobby it will be in no small part thanks to people like yourself.
I am so glad I found your Chanel. I like your calming way of talking. You talk to people and not at people. I am slowly watching all your videos. Keep up this great work. (UK)
Absolutely mesmerising…have loved watches for years and was looking at learning about the insides..have ordered some broken watches to learn about the internal workings and watching your video will be like having you next to me and guiding me…cheers for the video
The movement I use in the video is the ST36z I would recommend picking one of these up to follow along the videos . It's easier to learn a working movement so you can see how things should be operating .
Great video. The clearest explanation I have seen on what each part of the keyless does. The assembly tips are gold. I should have a 6497 clone movement in a couple of days to start my learning process. Got a screwdriver sharpening stone and an arkansas stone and will be dressing my new tweezers and screwdrivers as you have shown.
I’m a school teacher who is eyeing watch repair as a quiet, peaceful hobby. Your dialog in these videos are extremely good at sharing not only the what but why. I have an ST36 coming tomorrow I was going to explore and then found your channel. Thank you!
I hope this video series helps to get you started. The fact that you are starting with the ST36 tells me that you are on the right path for learning unlike many people who jump into vintage pocket watches with no clue where to even begin. Learn then practice. Learning how the parts should work together will enable you to see when something is not right. Reach out if you need anything. -Alex
@@watchrepairtutorials thanks, Alex. Yes, the way you moved from part to part was akin to the knee bone is connected to the thigh bone (in the most respectful comparison!) I tune pianos and this feels similar but on a very micro size!
I am just starting the hobby and received my st36 yesterday evening. Right now I tried disassembling and reassembling the keyless work as an exercise. Unfortunately I managed to break the settings lever screw. I guess I’ll keep practicing on the movement and we’ll get another one when I feel more confident
Awesome channel, finally a good channel covering everything you need to know to start working on watches yourself. Not too long, not too short, only about watches and nothing else. Great useful tips and tricks. Keep up the good work!
Thank you Mark. Watch repair can be a little daunting when you first start getting into it so take your time, learn the basics, practice and you will succeed, no problem. Let me know how I can help.
Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. You are an excellent teacher. I am just starting to learn about watches. I’m 81 years old and am not planning to start a new career just trying to keep learning. Thanks
Mr Rivera that’s excellent my friend. I myself never stop learning and it’s great that at 81, your mind is still open to a little education where you can find it. Like they say, use it or lose it.
Sir, thank you for such quality and understandable lessons. I sincerely hope that real (read mechanical) watches will still return to their place in addition to this powerful and modern technology, and that watchmaking will revive like in the good old days. Best regards !
Awesome, I recently started collecting vintage HMT watch. I am interested in learning the servicing the watch. Your video teach us the most critical things that no one else reaches. Thankyou
I know nothing about watch repair (which is why I'm here) but I do recognize excellent training and educational material...which is just what your videos are. Thank you.
Finally find a great tutorial! I was planning to get a watchmaker course but wasn't able to find a school near enough... Your videos work as classes as well. Pretty straight forward, neat and well done. Fantastic job of vulgarisation. I'll get the tools and the mouvement in the near future and start that new hooby with your help! Thanks!!!
Hi Alex, Thanks for making these videos! I got into watchmaking as a hobby recently after inheriting several automatic and manual vintage watches from my grandma. I bought a clone ST3631 6498 movement on eBay and the screws were SO tight. I worked on a cheap pocket watch movement I already had before that, so I know they shouldn’t be that tight. They were also TINY. The crown wheel had three teeny tiny screws holding it in. I’m pretty tenacious, so I’m not going to say I was about to give up, but I was getting frustrated. Then I remembered your video on screwdriver sharpening. I followed your directions and fitted the screwdriver to the teeny tiny slots, and it worked! I finally had the leverage to loosen the overly tightened screws! Thank you so much! I’m really enjoying following along with your videos and getting sucked into the world of watchmaking.
Hello Emily, First, let me say it’s great to hear from the women. Sometimes names may not translate, so if I’ve got that wrong, I apologize. Horology is it incredibly interesting field of study especially if you like problem-solving. It’s very simple until it’s not. Here’s a couple bits of advice that I’ll give you. The first is to remember that everything matters. In micro mechanics, even the smallest things, when not done, could have a big impact on how well the movement is able to operate. The second would be to take your time. Learn the fundamentals and build off of that. You first want to learn how to properly service a watch as improper service techniques can introduce faults that were not present before. Take your time and enjoy the ride . Alex
Perfectly explained!! I can't see how you could improve on that video. Excellent close-ups on camera work, accompanied by what feels like your best buddy speaking over your shoulder telling you how to do it correctly. Perfect. Thank you.
I love these instructional videos. They are some of the best on TH-cam. Most videos just break down the watch and put it back together without explaining anything. These videos are invaluable. I've learned more from one of these videos than watching 10 hours of other restoration videos. Thank you for making these.
@@watchrepairtutorials I'd love to see a breakdown of some advanced complications like chronograph or perpetual date. There is very little information covering these things on TH-cam.
Thank you so much for this video. I hit a roadblock, wanted to give up and take my disassembled project to the local watchmaker, but now decided to give it another try. That way I will take it to the local watchmaker a bit later!
Just want to say thank you for all your knowledge now I know I am not Wasting time and money on junk and your microscope video big help and all your video are top Notch A+++ thanks you have a fan for life
@watchrepairtutorials I appreciate that just ordered the Oh microscope set up that you have will be hear this week and have a pocket watch to start my wach making Journey thanks again
I'm just at the very start point of this journey. Thanks for a fantastic and very clear explanation of what goes on in this part of the watch. Very much looking forward to learning more through your videos. 👍 ⌚
Hey Kenny, It’s always recommended to start with a new watch so that you can learn how things should be. Take your time to learn the basics and everything else will make more sense as you get further into service and repair. It is very important that you can do a proper service before trying to tackle repairs. Amplitude is king and everything associated with high amplitude is directly related to how well you clean, inspect and lubricate the parts.
Love the way you explain all steps to be taken. Clear audio, good video footings. In other words, a super Video. I will find myself an old watch and repeat all your steps myself. Greetings from The Netherlands, Europe.
Thank you Jan. The movement I am using in these videos is the ST36. I would recommend getting on of these first so you will be seeing the exact same parts you see in the video while you learn how the work together. Hope to see you here again
This is a great video. I’ve watched it at least a dozen times as I prepare to work on my own projects. I compare it with books, photos, and what I see in the watches I have so I can try to understand what I’m going to (hopefully) do. I can’t thank you enough.
Following along. Wristwatch Revival got me interested and you have inspired me to get the tools and knowledge needed to actually do this myself. Excited!
Thank you very much for going into the comprehensive detail, which you do. The explanations are just perfect. These are awesome videos. Mark Maddison, from Johannesburg, South Africa.
Thank you for the tip on tightening these tiny screw. I have some watches the stems don’t come out at all to set the time or run when wound up so I’m learning what to do to get these old gems running again.
Awesome series. Just a couple of months in and tried to change a stem that was broken. Learned the hard way why you dont fully unscrew the setting lever screw. Taking it slow now before my first deep dive and learning the parts and how they work. Your videos are a blessing. Mahalo.
Did you know that by not properly tightening the screws that that could affect amplitude if the screw is loose on a bridge plate? In watchmaking everything matters, including how tight the screw is.
Such a good lesson! I just started this as a hobby, but unfortunately I’m from Bulgaria and we don’t really have much of a society here to help out a rookie, not to mention that 95% of the elements don’t have a Bulgarian name. So I first thought of names of the elements just for me, so I can remember which is which in my notes, but now I see the resemblance between the different elements in different mechanisms and I started photographing them and labelling them with the help of your channel and few others. Thank you for the great content!
Please have a lesson on how to properly oil those annoying Incabloc stones, especially how to handle the retaining KIF, Novodiac triangle looking springs (super small) without breaking them and how to prevent capstone jewels from flying into the next dimension. It looks so simple watching a skilled watchmaker do it, but I find doing it yourself is an exercise in futility. Awesome lesson!
His previous video on How to Shape Tweezers and Screwdrivers for Watchmaking was a big help. Properly dressed tweezers is essential when holding jewels for cleaning. Otto Frei sells a set of 5 complete incabloc assemblies for practice for around $6. I stick them in some rodico and take apart and put together. Much better than losing parts of a good watch.
Great to have you here. After we go over the motion works, power train and escapement, there are 3 different methods of cleaning parts I’m going g over, then I’ll cover the lubrication of pivot jewels, the pallet fork and of course the end stones. Stay tuned
@@watchrepairtutorials Will this cover manual cleaning? Even an old used Elma cleaning machine is big money. I have seen people mention cleaning with pegwood, but never an example of it. Great videos so far!
working on my first watch and certainly did not pick an easy one being a Bulova 11ACAC. I could not figure out why the stem wasn't triggering any the setting lever...the screen on the other side :-). Super clear tutorial as always. Thank you!
Awesome stuff mate, best explanations I've seen to date. I do camera repairs as a hobby so naturally I've now become interested in something even smaller and more complicated haha. I'd never actually heard of that screw tightening tip before, really good to keep in mind. Better than splitting the heads off haha.
Thank you very much for an informative lesson on the keyless works. I accidently wound the screw a bit more than needed to remove the stem on my ST36, and, you guessed it, lost the yolk and groove position. I am confident that I can now reset and correct the keyless works and get the watch up and running. I am making my own custom watch and and was sizing the stem length when it happened. Thank you again.
Hiah! I had found very interesting your channel, I am a watch repair enthusiast, I love watches, I had followed your previous two lessons and I would like you explain a little bit about the right height position, how tall the work table should be, how to fix it, etc. Tools are essential and how to fix and keep it perfect but work position is to me crucial, please give me your thoughts and expertise about. Thanks in advance
Welcome aboard! I plan on making a video about that exact subject. Your shoulders should be just above the table top so that your arms are pretty musty horizontal. Using a chair that has adjustable height makes it easier to dial in your position.
Lost the spring of my first pocket watch size disassembly and reassembly practice. Wish I had seen this video beforehand. Also lost another small part due to not having a proper work environment. Next thing i'm doing before anything else is getting a dedicated spot for watch repair and making sure the vicinity has nothing that will make finding dropped parts any more difficult than it needs to be. Thank you for this video it was extreemly helpful and informative!
Tbis is a great video. Unfortunately my setting lever screw broke in half and I'm unable to find a replacement. I'm very sad as i was really excited for this movement
Good tip on keeping the Setting Lever Spring a bit loose to allow to pull the spring and hook up to the lever pin. They do break easy too if given excessive force.
great videos! I've been watching a lot of watchmaking/watch restoration videos for the past months.. I understand most of the names of the different parts and what they do by now, but they have never been as clearly explained as in your videos. I am trying to avoid getting into watchmaking as a new hobby (because I have too many expensive hobbies already ;)), but it's getting more and more difficult each day to not just buy a set of good tools, oil and grease and an inexpensive clone movement just to "give it a try". definitely subscribed and on to the next video in your playlist ;)
It can be an expensive hobby depending on the movements condition. If they are non-runners, then you will start getting into more specialized tools i.e. jewel and staking sets
@@watchrepairtutorials I was unaware, but I can picture why it would be important to get it right. A lot to learn for sure. I'm watching each vid several times before moving on to the next. I'm really impressed by the am scope, but that's a ways away yet. I'm on the hunt for a bench and sturdy table at present. Have a boatload of prescription bottles (comes with the territory), they should make for good storage containers.
@@GregJGreen Take your time and ease into it. When looking for a work bench, remember your working height with loupe. You don't want to be all hunched over. That will suck real fast
@@watchrepairtutorials I hear what you're saying. I've always had a tendency to get ahead of myself with things that intrigue me. Truly appreciate the red flag to slow it down a few notches. I've been riddled with arthritis for quite some time, my bone density sucks. Had one work related injury after another and it reached the point where my doctors wouldn't release me to go back, so I had no choice but to go out on a disability retirement. I used a bed tray at the watch shop I hung out at years ago to bring clocks closer to eye level and still felt it occasionally the next day. I will grab a bench if I should come across a great deal and put it in the garage until I figure out how to proceed.
@@GregJGreen I made one of mine from 2-12 inch wide kitchen cabinets with a butcher block top. It's got drawers and doors for storage and sits about 27 inches high
This video is 👍👌. So much information clearly explained and demonstrated. Thanks very much. Is there a book you recommend for beginners? I would like to familiarise myself with the basic terminology.
I'm also looking to learn watch repair as a hobby and was searching for what movement to acquire to follow along with your YT lessons as well as the patreon tutorials. I thought I saw it a week ago on one of your pages but now I can't find what you recommend, until I got on this page and saw one of the comments. So is it the 6497 or 6498? I believe they are essentially the same. For some reason i seem to recall you talking about the ST36 or ST3600 or something. Anyway, from what I've see so far skimming a couple of your videos I like your style and will sign up for the patreon tutorials.
If you’re just starting out, I would recommend the ST36 which is a clone of the ETA 6497. The ETA 6497 cost about $250 versus about $35 for the ST 36. The one caveat is that you cannot buy parts for the ST36 and parts, 4697 we’re not compatible. With that in mind, I would probably buy two St36, I want to work on in a back up in case you lose a part. If you don’t lose it, you can always resell it.
As a mechanical watch enthusiast, I loved your channel. Since there is no Turkish source, when I translate the automatic English subtitles into Turkish, it translates very clearly. All I ask of you is that you continue to tell the same. This way it translates into Turkish more accurately. Thank you very much in advance. I follow with pleasure.
Türk Kardeşim. "Sizden tek istediğim, aynı şeyi söylemeye devam etmenizdir" dediğinizde, bu iyi tercüme edilmemektedir. Daha iyi yapmak için neye ihtiyacım var?
@@watchrepairtutorials i agreed with him and he wanted to tell you that terms of watchmaking are not translating in correct way. it is kind of getting easier to when we know the exact correct terms like international terms then we can translate it by turkish horologist sites or whatever. So i would like to thank you for myself too with your videos and the other channels i bought my tools and started to dissamble. it is kind of tricky now when the movement has a date function^^ but i think i will get over it.. so lots of love from turkey.
✨✨ Get Your Copy of my eBook, The Secrets for Adjusting Watch Rates ✨✨ ➡➡PDF DOWNLOAD watchrepairtutorials.com/ebook/ ⬅⬅ ➡➡Available on Kindle & Soft Cover @ geni.us/4x8C (Amazon) ✨✨Watchmaking Courses and Training ✨✨ ➡➡ watchrepairtutorials.com/watchmaker-course/ ⬅⬅
Boy I wish I watched these videos before I disassembled a pocket watch. It was already broken, so no great loss haha. Edit: Can you recommend any reading or textbooks? I bought DW Fletcher's Watch Repairing as a Hobby. It contains a lot of fantastic hand drawn diagrams but the text itself isn't organized very well. The drawings remind me of the How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive handbook from back in the day.
probably one of the better ones is the Bulova school of watchmaking. It was used to trade watchmakers back in the middle to late 40s but still very good . Text books like the theory of Horology are not how to books" No book is ever going to cover everything that you need to know but that's a good one.
Check on my video's on lubrication. I teach how to lubricate individual types of parts so you don't need to have a tech sheet. The m,ovement in these video's is a ST36
Hi Alex, just wanted to say thank you for your extremely informative work educating the rest of us. I’ve just recently decided to try my hand at watch making and have watched the first three videos in your series (along with probably hundreds of other videos over the last 6 months). One question, does it matter which type of beginner movement I should buy? ST36, ETA 2801, ETA 6497, ETA 6498-2 or will any of the above be fine? Thanks, Russell.
Any would be fine as long as they are new. Learning from a new movement allows you to work on the basic skills needed to service a movement correctly in order to then move into repairing non running movements. Let me know if you need anything, ok
Great videos. I can't stop watching them. I have done some watch restorations and when I'm start disassembling them I put the parts in small stainless steel mesh containers organized by the blocks they belong. Ex: all parts, including screws, from the automatic winding block go to one container, all parts from the keyless work go in another container, all from train wheels block in another container, and so on. I use this method so I don't mix the parts, including screws, so I later know where which part goes during the assembly. This method works fine but it has the disadvantage of these 10+ containers taking up a lot of space, thus I have to use more cleaning solution. In videos from professionals, they mix screws, plates, gears all in a few containers and then they know where which part goes during reassembling. Is there a tick to find out where the parts goes if they're mixed? What method do you use? Thanks
I use small mesh baskets for the most parts and group parts by system and sometimes even break systems into smaller groups. I do this not so much because I am trying to keep track of screws but so that I don't ever crowd the parts. This is especially important when using water based cleaning systems in an ultrasonic. Watchmakers today, typically specialize in a brand or brands and quickly become familiar with what screw goes where. Some of it is common sense, bridge screws are usually the longest, some screws are extra large, like crown and ratchet wheel screws, some are extra small, some screws have a shoulder or bevel, some have a domed head or are polished. My general advice is to slow down. Look at each screw as you are taking it out. Is there anything special about it. Is it part of a matching set? Also realize if you are watching a youtube video, searching for the right screw is usually cut out.
Thanks again for the quick response (as always) Good advice. I keeping separating parts by systems in individual basket meshes. This method will definitely save me time and headaches later during reassembly. @@watchrepairtutorials
As someone looking to dip their toe into watchmaking, this video was incredibly clear and helpful. Thank you for the wonderful guidance. If I stick with this as a hobby it will be in no small part thanks to people like yourself.
Well, thank you. I hope to see you around here again.
I am so glad I found your Chanel. I like your calming way of talking. You talk to people and not at people. I am slowly watching all your videos. Keep up this great work. (UK)
Thank you so much!😊
Absolutely mesmerising…have loved watches for years and was looking at learning about the insides..have ordered some broken watches to learn about the internal workings and watching your video will be like having you next to me and guiding me…cheers for the video
The movement I use in the video is the ST36z
I would recommend picking one of these up to follow along the videos .
It's easier to learn a working movement so you can see how things should be operating .
Great video. The clearest explanation I have seen on what each part of the keyless does. The assembly tips are gold. I should have a 6497 clone movement in a couple of days to start my learning process. Got a screwdriver sharpening stone and an arkansas stone and will be dressing my new tweezers and screwdrivers as you have shown.
Alright brother, welcome aboard.
Lots more to come.
I’m a school teacher who is eyeing watch repair as a quiet, peaceful hobby. Your dialog in these videos are extremely good at sharing not only the what but why. I have an ST36 coming tomorrow I was going to explore and then found your channel. Thank you!
I hope this video series helps to get you started. The fact that you are starting with the ST36 tells me that you are on the right path for learning unlike many people who jump into vintage pocket watches with no clue where to even begin.
Learn then practice. Learning how the parts should work together will enable you to see when something is not right.
Reach out if you need anything.
-Alex
@@watchrepairtutorials thanks, Alex. Yes, the way you moved from part to part was akin to the knee bone is connected to the thigh bone (in the most respectful comparison!) I tune pianos and this feels similar but on a very micro size!
I am just starting the hobby and received my st36 yesterday evening. Right now I tried disassembling and reassembling the keyless work as an exercise. Unfortunately I managed to break the settings lever screw.
I guess I’ll keep practicing on the movement and we’ll get another one when I feel more confident
Awesome channel, finally a good channel covering everything you need to know to start working on watches yourself. Not too long, not too short, only about watches and nothing else. Great useful tips and tricks. Keep up the good work!
Welcome aboard Mr O’Grady
The most comprehensive explanation and demonstration I have ever seen. You are an outstanding instructor/teacher.
Thank you Mark. Watch repair can be a little daunting when you first start getting into it so take your time, learn the basics, practice and you will succeed, no problem.
Let me know how I can help.
@@watchrepairtutorials Thank You so much.
A great tutorial, I have one of these that I want to learn on. Can’t wait to go take it apart with my newly sharpened screwdrivers
Awesome, so glad to have you filling along. The next lesson will be out in about 3 days. Sounds like you watched lesson 2.
What a wonderfuly clear and concise video, just the best ...
Thank you kindly! 👍
When first starting out I used to use plastic bag and over the springs
Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. You are an excellent teacher. I am just starting to learn about watches. I’m 81 years old and am not planning to start a new career just trying to keep learning. Thanks
Mr Rivera that’s excellent my friend. I myself never stop learning and it’s great that at 81, your mind is still open to a little education where you can find it.
Like they say, use it or lose it.
Sir, thank you for such quality and understandable lessons. I sincerely hope that real (read mechanical) watches will still return to their place in addition to this powerful and modern technology, and that watchmaking will revive like in the good old days. Best regards !
Unfortunitly the majority of watchmaking is controlled by the manufacturing companies but there is plenty of room for good independents.
This is a great, in depth video. I’m looking forward to exploring your other lessons as I await arrival of the movement
Thanks Alex. Watch one and apply what was covered until you have it down then move to the next. Thanks brother.
Love the bonus tip!
Glad you liked it!!
Awesome, I recently started collecting vintage HMT watch. I am interested in learning the servicing the watch. Your video teach us the most critical things that no one else reaches. Thankyou
Thanks for watching Keshav
I know nothing about watch repair (which is why I'm here) but I do recognize excellent training and educational material...which is just what your videos are. Thank you.
Glad to help Bubba 😊
Thanks. A good explanation of the crown wheel and now I see why it is left handed threaded.
Glad it helped
Finally find a great tutorial! I was planning to get a watchmaker course but wasn't able to find a school near enough... Your videos work as classes as well. Pretty straight forward, neat and well done. Fantastic job of vulgarisation. I'll get the tools and the mouvement in the near future and start that new hooby with your help! Thanks!!!
Let me know if there is something that doesn’t make sense to you or that is not clear
Thanks Alex. The struggle is real, but you’re a huge help for me.
Man I love hearing that! Thanks buddy. I'll see you in the next video.
Thank you very much! Greetings from Hungary!
Beautiful sir. I love hearing from viewers from other countries. Many blessings to you and your family.
@@watchrepairtutorials Thank you very much, we wish you the best!
Hi Alex,
Thanks for making these videos! I got into watchmaking as a hobby recently after inheriting several automatic and manual vintage watches from my grandma.
I bought a clone ST3631 6498 movement on eBay and the screws were SO tight. I worked on a cheap pocket watch movement I already had before that, so I know they shouldn’t be that tight. They were also TINY. The crown wheel had three teeny tiny screws holding it in.
I’m pretty tenacious, so I’m not going to say I was about to give up, but I was getting frustrated. Then I remembered your video on screwdriver sharpening. I followed your directions and fitted the screwdriver to the teeny tiny slots, and it worked! I finally had the leverage to loosen the overly tightened screws!
Thank you so much! I’m really enjoying following along with your videos and getting sucked into the world of watchmaking.
Hello Emily,
First, let me say it’s great to hear from the women. Sometimes names may not translate, so if I’ve got that wrong, I apologize.
Horology is it incredibly interesting field of study especially if you like problem-solving.
It’s very simple until it’s not. Here’s a couple bits of advice that I’ll give you.
The first is to remember that everything matters. In micro mechanics, even the smallest things, when not done, could have a big impact on how well the movement is able to operate.
The second would be to take your time. Learn the fundamentals and build off of that. You first want to learn how to properly service a watch as improper service techniques can introduce faults that were not present before.
Take your time and enjoy the ride . Alex
Helped me correctly reassemble the keyless works on my 6497 clone, thank you!
Perfect. that’s what I love to hear
Perfectly explained!! I can't see how you could improve on that video. Excellent close-ups on camera work, accompanied by what feels like your best buddy speaking over your shoulder telling you how to do it correctly. Perfect. Thank you.
Wow, thank you so much
I love these instructional videos. They are some of the best on TH-cam. Most videos just break down the watch and put it back together without explaining anything. These videos are invaluable. I've learned more from one of these videos than watching 10 hours of other restoration videos. Thank you for making these.
You my friend, JUST MADE MY DAY and have inspired me to make even better videos. Thank you so very much.
@@watchrepairtutorials I'd love to see a breakdown of some advanced complications like chronograph or perpetual date. There is very little information covering these things on TH-cam.
@@illuminatii604 Its coming but we have a lot to cover before we get to that material.
@@watchrepairtutorials I look forward to watching them all. Great job.
Amazing video as always. Thanks for explaining keyless works
You're welcome!
Just an excellent presentation that makes watch repair look doable.
Thanks my friend
Thanks so much for explaining not only the disassembly and reassembly, but also the functionality. Really helps tie it all together.
Cool brother thanks
Thanks for this very informative video. Very new to watch repair .I have been stumped on how to reassemble.Problem solved..
That’s what I love to hear. Thank you.
Thank you so much for this video. I hit a roadblock, wanted to give up and take my disassembled project to the local watchmaker, but now decided to give it another try. That way I will take it to the local watchmaker a bit later!
Come on now Dmitriy, you can do it.
Really appreciate this series. Great to learn from someone who knows and can teach.
My pleasure!
Just want to say thank you for all your knowledge now I know I am not Wasting time and money on junk and your microscope video big help and all your video are top Notch A+++ thanks you have a fan for life
Glad to help William. You can always reach out if you need anything.
@watchrepairtutorials I appreciate that just ordered the Oh microscope set up that you have will be hear this week and have a pocket watch to start my wach making Journey thanks again
Very very constructif for to learn ... thank's a lot
You are most welcome
Top Notch Video...
Thanks as always.
Thanks for keeping it simple with excellent explanations. Brilliant Video. UK.
Very welcome
These are excellent videos. Thanks!
You're very welcome Tony
Thank you Sir! This is so much better and clearer than any book or video I have read/seen so far. You have a new fan...
Hopefully you’ll see a video quality improve as you go along. I know the first ones were pretty rough, but thanks for hanging in.
I'm at my 3rd video and this is amazing. Thank you sir!
You're very welcome!
Wow, I'm starting to get it! Thank you so much.
Very nice. I hope all this is helping.
I'm just at the very start point of this journey. Thanks for a fantastic and very clear explanation of what goes on in this part of the watch. Very much looking forward to learning more through your videos. 👍 ⌚
Hey Kenny,
It’s always recommended to start with a new watch so that you can learn how things should be. Take your time to learn the basics and everything else will make more sense as you get further into service and repair.
It is very important that you can do a proper service before trying to tackle repairs.
Amplitude is king and everything associated with high amplitude is directly related to how well you clean, inspect and lubricate the parts.
@@watchrepairtutorials Thanks for taking the time to reply. 👍⌚
Love the way you explain all steps to be taken. Clear audio, good video footings. In other words, a super Video. I will find myself an old watch and repeat all your steps myself.
Greetings from The Netherlands, Europe.
Thank you Jan. The movement I am using in these videos is the ST36. I would recommend getting on of these first so you will be seeing the exact same parts you see in the video while you learn how the work together. Hope to see you here again
@@watchrepairtutorials Thans for the tip, i'll try to pick one up from Ebay.
This is a great video. I’ve watched it at least a dozen times as I prepare to work on my own projects. I compare it with books, photos, and what I see in the watches I have so I can try to understand what I’m going to (hopefully) do. I can’t thank you enough.
Awesome, thank you. There’s a lot more in the playlist.
This is good stuff for me I'm learning.
Glad to help
Following along. Wristwatch Revival got me interested and you have inspired me to get the tools and knowledge needed to actually do this myself. Excited!
Wow. Let’s do this !!!
Thank you very much for going into the comprehensive detail, which you do. The explanations are just perfect. These are awesome videos. Mark Maddison, from Johannesburg, South Africa.
I think you are my 2nd viewer fro SOuth Africa. That’s awesome. Thank You.
this is what I like, simple and clear. Well done
Awesome, thank you!
Thank you for the tip on tightening these tiny screw. I have some watches the stems don’t come out at all to set the time or run when wound up so I’m learning what to do to get these old gems running again.
That’s awesome. Let me know if you have any questions or if I can help.
Awesome series. Just a couple of months in and tried to change a stem that was broken. Learned the hard way why you dont fully unscrew the setting lever screw. Taking it slow now before my first deep dive and learning the parts and how they work. Your videos are a blessing. Mahalo.
mahalo nui loa my friend
Great video , I'm an electronics tech who always had an interest in watches ....STILL can't believe how tiny this stuff is !!! great info here .
Your background will serve you well, especially since you worked under microscopes.
@@watchrepairtutorials Any books or manuals you'd recommend ?
@@frankporfidio9813 Bulova school of watchmaking.
Very good video and explanations, thanks a lot
Thanks my friend.
Fantastic stuff - love that final tip on tightening screws.
Did you know that by not properly tightening the screws that that could affect amplitude if the screw is loose on a bridge plate? In watchmaking everything matters, including how tight the screw is.
Thanks for the tip for using rodico to stabilize the setting lever before screwing it down, that move had vexed me for a while!
I'm so glad I found your channel. You have a very enjoyable teaching style. I'm starting at video one and working my way up!
Andy, Thats awesome man.
I made this playlist for this vary reason. I hope it helps you and if you have any questions dont hesitate to ask.
Alex
Excellent!!! Thanks!!!!!!
You bet!
Alex,
Thank you. Great explaination of the parts and their functions.
Thank you sir !👍😊
Just starting out in this superb hobby ...... Your videos are simply superb !!! Thank you.
Welcome! Check out our website for more information
Thank you Alex for sharing this valuable knowledge, the tutorial is just marvellous. Even newbie like me can follow it step by step.
You're very welcome!
Nice job! That was very easy to see and follow.
Thank you Mike. Lots more to come.
Such a good lesson! I just started this as a hobby, but unfortunately I’m from Bulgaria and we don’t really have much of a society here to help out a rookie, not to mention that 95% of the elements don’t have a Bulgarian name. So I first thought of names of the elements just for me, so I can remember which is which in my notes, but now I see the resemblance between the different elements in different mechanisms and I started photographing them and labelling them with the help of your channel and few others. Thank you for the great content!
That’s an interesting problem. So you are saying that the names of the parts do no translate to the Bulgarian language?
Please have a lesson on how to properly oil those annoying Incabloc stones, especially how to handle the retaining KIF, Novodiac triangle looking springs (super small) without breaking them and how to prevent capstone jewels from flying into the next dimension. It looks so simple watching a skilled watchmaker do it, but I find doing it yourself is an exercise in futility. Awesome lesson!
His previous video on How to Shape Tweezers and Screwdrivers for Watchmaking was a big help. Properly dressed tweezers is essential when holding jewels for cleaning. Otto Frei sells a set of 5 complete incabloc assemblies for practice for around $6. I stick them in some rodico and take apart and put together. Much better than losing parts of a good watch.
Great to have you here. After we go over the motion works, power train and escapement, there are 3 different methods of cleaning parts I’m going g over, then I’ll cover the lubrication of pivot jewels, the pallet fork and of course the end stones. Stay tuned
@@watchrepairtutorials Will this cover manual cleaning? Even an old used Elma cleaning machine is big money. I have seen people mention cleaning with pegwood, but never an example of it. Great videos so far!
@@craighawley3920 yes sir.
I am going to show you 2 ways to manually clean watch parts. Its going to be a good one. Great to have you.
working on my first watch and certainly did not pick an easy one being a Bulova 11ACAC. I could not figure out why the stem wasn't triggering any the setting lever...the screen on the other side :-). Super clear tutorial as always. Thank you!
Nice work! Did you get it figured out?
@@watchrepairtutorials I did yeah!
very well done, thank you sir
Thank you kindly!
Love these videos. Where were you 2 years ago
Retired
@@watchrepairtutorials lol
Thanks for the tips.
No problem!
Awesome stuff mate, best explanations I've seen to date. I do camera repairs as a hobby so naturally I've now become interested in something even smaller and more complicated haha. I'd never actually heard of that screw tightening tip before, really good to keep in mind. Better than splitting the heads off haha.
Thanks Dorian, check out the playlist. Lots of information for you.
Best video I’ve seen. Thank you.
Thank you my friend.
Thank you very much for an informative lesson on the keyless works. I accidently wound the screw a bit more than needed to remove the stem on my ST36, and, you guessed it, lost the yolk and groove position. I am confident that I can now reset and correct the keyless works and get the watch up and running. I am making my own custom watch and and was sizing the stem length when it happened. Thank you again.
That’s awesome to hear.
Good luck. The ST36 is a great movement to work on.
Thank you for this lesson Meister Alex.
No worries my friend
Hiah! I had found very interesting your channel, I am a watch repair enthusiast, I love watches, I had followed your previous two lessons and I would like you explain a little bit about the right height position, how tall the work table should be, how to fix it, etc. Tools are essential and how to fix and keep it perfect but work position is to me crucial, please give me your thoughts and expertise about. Thanks in advance
Welcome aboard! I plan on making a video about that exact subject. Your shoulders should be just above the table top so that your arms are pretty musty horizontal. Using a chair that has adjustable height makes it easier to dial in your position.
Tyvm for these videos, god send 🙏
I hope this short series of videos helps you to get started in the right way. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you need anything.
Thanks again Alex. Working my way thru them. More good information.
Fantastic, well illustrated,Thank you very much.
Glad you liked it!
Your videos are bloody fantastic.
Glad you found my videos. I hope they help.
Lost the spring of my first pocket watch size disassembly and reassembly practice. Wish I had seen this video beforehand. Also lost another small part due to not having a proper work environment. Next thing i'm doing before anything else is getting a dedicated spot for watch repair and making sure the vicinity has nothing that will make finding dropped parts any more difficult than it needs to be. Thank you for this video it was extreemly helpful and informative!
Thats a spart way to approach it Daniel. Good luck
Outstanding video...just learning and this is so incredibly helpful. Thank you
Thank you Bob. I’m sure you’ll have a lot of questions so let me know if I can do anything to help.
I learn more every class. 👍
I’m glad I can help, even if it’s only a little bit.
I'm just starting out with watch repairs, this was an excellent tutorial, thanks
Nice to have you here Adrian
Tbis is a great video. Unfortunately my setting lever screw broke in half and I'm unable to find a replacement. I'm very sad as i was really excited for this movement
Well, the great thing about learning on these movements is the relatively so I would just buy another one, and keep going man.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge, it is very helpful, keep up the good work!!
Oh my Dude, thanks for checking in Shane. Stay tuned I got a lot more coming.
Good tip on keeping the Setting Lever Spring a bit loose to allow to pull the spring and hook up to the lever pin. They do break easy too if given excessive force.
Going by your screen name I would say this hobby is right up your alley.😀
great videos! I've been watching a lot of watchmaking/watch restoration videos for the past months.. I understand most of the names of the different parts and what they do by now, but they have never been as clearly explained as in your videos.
I am trying to avoid getting into watchmaking as a new hobby (because I have too many expensive hobbies already ;)), but it's getting more and more difficult each day to not just buy a set of good tools, oil and grease and an inexpensive clone movement just to "give it a try".
definitely subscribed and on to the next video in your playlist ;)
It can be an expensive hobby depending on the movements condition. If they are non-runners, then you will start getting into more specialized tools i.e. jewel and staking sets
I really wish that your lessons were out a few years ago. I learned the hard way - trial and error.. mostly error lol
I wish they were as well. Thanks Stephen
THANKS
Glad you liked them Greg.
Now I know how to properly tighten the screws, been wondering about that.
Ah yes. Tightening screws. So simple yet so important. Did you know that not tightening down a bridge properly can lower the amplitude?
@@watchrepairtutorials I was unaware, but I can picture why it would be important to get it right. A lot to learn for sure. I'm watching each vid several times before moving on to the next. I'm really impressed by the am scope, but that's a ways away yet. I'm on the hunt for a bench and sturdy table at present. Have a boatload of prescription bottles (comes with the territory), they should make for good storage containers.
@@GregJGreen Take your time and ease into it. When looking for a work bench, remember your working height with loupe. You don't want to be all hunched over. That will suck real fast
@@watchrepairtutorials I hear what you're saying. I've always had a tendency to get ahead of myself with things that intrigue me. Truly appreciate the red flag to slow it down a few notches.
I've been riddled with arthritis for quite some time, my bone density sucks. Had one work related injury after another and it reached the point where my doctors wouldn't release me to go back, so I had no choice but to go out on a disability retirement. I used a bed tray at the watch shop I hung out at years ago to bring clocks closer to eye level and still felt it occasionally the next day.
I will grab a bench if I should come across a great deal and put it in the garage until I figure out how to proceed.
@@GregJGreen I made one of mine from 2-12 inch wide kitchen cabinets with a butcher block top. It's got drawers and doors for storage and sits about 27 inches high
This video is 👍👌. So much information clearly explained and demonstrated. Thanks very much. Is there a book you recommend for beginners? I would like to familiarise myself with the basic terminology.
Thank you so much. The Joseph Bulova School of Watchmaking , Watch Repair Training Manual
I'm also looking to learn watch repair as a hobby and was searching for what movement to acquire to follow along with your YT lessons as well as the patreon tutorials. I thought I saw it a week ago on one of your pages but now I can't find what you recommend, until I got on this page and saw one of the comments. So is it the 6497 or 6498? I believe they are essentially the same. For some reason i seem to recall you talking about the ST36 or ST3600 or something.
Anyway, from what I've see so far skimming a couple of your videos I like your style and will sign up for the patreon tutorials.
If you’re just starting out, I would recommend the ST36 which is a clone of the ETA 6497. The ETA 6497 cost about $250 versus about $35 for the ST 36.
The one caveat is that you cannot buy parts for the ST36 and parts, 4697 we’re not compatible. With that in mind, I would probably buy two St36, I want to work on in a back up in case you lose a part. If you don’t lose it, you can always resell it.
As a mechanical watch enthusiast, I loved your channel. Since there is no Turkish source, when I translate the automatic English subtitles into Turkish, it translates very clearly. All I ask of you is that you continue to tell the same. This way it translates into Turkish more accurately. Thank you very much in advance. I follow with pleasure.
Türk Kardeşim. "Sizden tek istediğim, aynı şeyi söylemeye devam etmenizdir" dediğinizde, bu iyi tercüme edilmemektedir. Daha iyi yapmak için neye ihtiyacım var?
@@watchrepairtutorials i agreed with him and he wanted to tell you that terms of watchmaking are not translating in correct way. it is kind of getting easier to when we know the exact correct terms like international terms then we can translate it by turkish horologist sites or whatever. So i would like to thank you for myself too with your videos and the other channels i bought my tools and started to dissamble. it is kind of tricky now when the movement has a date function^^ but i think i will get over it.. so lots of love from turkey.
@@noxijenzs I understand. Be safe my friends.
✨✨ Get Your Copy of my eBook, The Secrets for Adjusting Watch Rates ✨✨
➡➡PDF DOWNLOAD watchrepairtutorials.com/ebook/ ⬅⬅
➡➡Available on Kindle & Soft Cover @ geni.us/4x8C (Amazon)
✨✨Watchmaking Courses and Training ✨✨
➡➡ watchrepairtutorials.com/watchmaker-course/ ⬅⬅
Boy I wish I watched these videos before I disassembled a pocket watch. It was already broken, so no great loss haha. Edit: Can you recommend any reading or textbooks? I bought DW Fletcher's Watch Repairing as a Hobby. It contains a lot of fantastic hand drawn diagrams but the text itself isn't organized very well. The drawings remind me of the How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive handbook from back in the day.
probably one of the better ones is the Bulova school of watchmaking.
It was used to trade watchmakers back in the middle to late 40s but still very good .
Text books like the theory of Horology are not how to books"
No book is ever going to cover everything that you need to know but that's a good one.
@@watchrepairtutorials Right on, thanks! Yeah I was just looking for something a little more organized, and a little less like prose, you know?
Subbed Excellent tutorial!
I’ll see you in the next video Bruno. Thanks buddy
Nice one. Please post a video on how to lubricate ST36.
Check on my video's on lubrication. I teach how to lubricate individual types of parts so you don't need to have a tech sheet. The m,ovement in these video's is a ST36
@@watchrepairtutorials thanks
Grazie per la lezione purtroppo riesco a capire poco perché sono italiano ma i video sono comprensibili e ancora grazie
Aiuterebbe se ci fossero i sottotitoli o preferiresti una trascrizione
Love the breakdown and explanation. Thanks!
Thanks brother
amazing video.
Thanks for the visit. Keep Going
Top
great videos, keep em up
Glad you like them brother. There's more coming
Really like your videos! Question: Is there a tool to replace the winding stem while letting down the main spring?
For older pocket watches where the stem is part of the case, there are keys you can insert into the square hole
Great video! 🕐⚙️🍸
I hope it helps my friend
Hi Alex, just wanted to say thank you for your extremely informative work educating the rest of us. I’ve just recently decided to try my hand at watch making and have watched the first three videos in your series (along with probably hundreds of other videos over the last 6 months). One question, does it matter which type of beginner movement I should buy? ST36, ETA 2801, ETA 6497, ETA 6498-2 or will any of the above be fine? Thanks, Russell.
Any would be fine as long as they are new. Learning from a new movement allows you to work on the basic skills needed to service a movement correctly in order to then move into repairing non running movements.
Let me know if you need anything, ok
What would be the best movement for an absolute beginner to start learning? Thanks a lot!
ST36 is the movement I use in the videos. I recommend it for all beginners. Great for learning the basics. Study it
Great videos. I can't stop watching them.
I have done some watch restorations and when I'm start disassembling them I put the parts in small stainless steel mesh containers organized by the blocks they belong. Ex: all parts, including screws, from the automatic winding block go to one container, all parts from the keyless work go in another container, all from train wheels block in another container, and so on. I use this method so I don't mix the parts, including screws, so I later know where which part goes during the assembly.
This method works fine but it has the disadvantage of these 10+ containers taking up a lot of space, thus I have to use more cleaning solution.
In videos from professionals, they mix screws, plates, gears all in a few containers and then they know where which part goes during reassembling. Is there a tick to find out where the parts goes if they're mixed? What method do you use?
Thanks
I use small mesh baskets for the most parts and group parts by system and sometimes even break systems into smaller groups. I do this not so much because I am trying to keep track of screws but so that I don't ever crowd the parts. This is especially important when using water based cleaning systems in an ultrasonic.
Watchmakers today, typically specialize in a brand or brands and quickly become familiar with what screw goes where.
Some of it is common sense, bridge screws are usually the longest, some screws are extra large, like crown and ratchet wheel screws, some are extra small, some screws have a shoulder or bevel, some have a domed head or are polished.
My general advice is to slow down. Look at each screw as you are taking it out. Is there anything special about it. Is it part of a matching set?
Also realize if you are watching a youtube video, searching for the right screw is usually cut out.
Thanks again for the quick response (as always)
Good advice. I keeping separating parts by systems in individual basket meshes. This method will definitely save me time and headaches later during reassembly.
@@watchrepairtutorials