Cameron Weiss is a master communicator. The tempo of his speech is the best I have EVER HEARD! Listening to this video is a joy and makes me think I can actually clean my collector's watch! If I take the expensive top off and find it too full of grime, I may contact him to clean it.
It is truly inspirational that a professional watchmaker is recommending hand cleaning, while most amateurs and TH-cam charlatans are singing praises for ultrasonic cleaning. Keep up the good work. Also, I subscribed after watching the first video, partly because you didn't ask to subscribe.
I'm a amateur and use hand cleaning and a cleaning machine from the 70s but hand cleaning is a must for me! The machine is just extra and it heat dries the parts which is more important than the rest of the machine for me.
Wow! This was very helpful. Well, I'm in your position, just wanting to clean a few special watches (for a while, at least). I've been following Alex Hamilton on TH-cam, typing out his 17 tutorial lessons, also other presentation of his. Long and short: I've already spent a couple thousand dollars, a cleaning machine, food dehydration machine, oils and greases, screw drivers--bunches of stuff. I don't regret much except $150 on the ultrasonic machine. It's fairly large, 15, I think. I was going to put stuff in jars. Wish I had heard your simple presentation before some of my purchases. I also cherish old fashion approach except when it's just too much of a waste of time and redicilous. (I love my band saw.) Anyway, I'm very, very grateful for your presentation. Alex suggest a 4-jar switch out, rotation. I understand from you that things CAN be simplier! Very, very helpful!
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As a hobbyist, I really enjoyed watching this video. Great watch channel, learning so much from your videos.
i like what you said about students having to clean components by hand first. Kind of like the Karate Kid - wax on, wax off. Start with basics and respect for what you are doing. Thx Cameron!
thank you for all your help and knowledge that you are giving us because I just stared at a service center and the only and lead tech does not like to show and teach and just leave him hanging and /or just working the simple stuff and I am stuck just changing whole movements and battery and never anything deeper
I had been researching vintage pocket watches for many years before I actually decided to start servicing those watches. What I found from Day One was the tendency to be working with One Eye always on getting the job Done. I have since chosen to think of what I do as something I am engaged with and not just someing I am "doing". I am sure commercial folks would have a difficulty thinking this way...but since I adopted this attitude my enjoyment and skillset have both improved significantly. FWIW
Thank you that was very helpful, I was starting to dive down the cleaning rabbit hole and its attendant high cost. I'm now happy to take the basic jar and brush method.
Use a small brush and hold the small parts with tweezers while submerged. Watch the video to see some examples of cleaning by brush and solvent method.
I started cleaning by hand at first but later built a simple machine using a overhead lab stirrer to spin 3D printed parts baskets in mason jars. I pre-clean to loosen up the hardened oils on the movement parts and jewels first. I notice that you keep the balance attached to the plate when cleaning. I was wondering if there is the possibility of damage to the hairspring from the spinning in the machine.
Very good idea! The hairspring will be fine as long as no other parts are washed with it that will knock into it. The hairspring should still be attached to the balance wheel and the balance wheel should be attached to the balance bridge/cock and that should be attached to the mainplate. This will keep the balance and hairspring safe during cleaning b
Ok, so now i know what i can use to clean by hand. I do have a question regarding lubrication though, what oils would you recommend for someone who just wants to service their personal watches, just to get their feet wet in the hobby, but doesn't have a lot of money for the high end oils? Are there any lower cost alternative oils you can recommend?
There are cheaper watch lubricants available than the newer full synthetic lubricants, but you can buy the modern Moebius lubricants in such tiny quantities that it isn't that expensive to use the good stuff.
Will denatured alcohol loosen pallet stones and the impulse jewel if you use it to clean the fork and balance? I had read that it will dissolve shellac.
To dissolve shellac the denatured alcohol will need to be heated and it takes some time to dissolve. So you are safe cleaning the pallet fork of an older watch that uses natural shellac.
I use denatured alcohol for hand cleaning by brush in the glass jar. In the automatic cleaning machine I use Elma branded cleaning and rinsing solutions.
Hi Cameron, I’m starting on my journey to learn watch making as a hobby to basically repair and restore vintage watches. Just wanted to ask, what solvent was you using to manually clean the watch parts?
Denatured alcohol for this application is what I choose. You could use 99% isopropyl if you really want to, but it will cost more and it will be harder to source locally.
Cameron Weiss is a master communicator. The tempo of his speech is the best I have EVER HEARD! Listening to this video is a joy and makes me think I can actually clean my collector's watch! If I take the expensive top off and find it too full of grime, I may contact him to clean it.
I’m an apprentice in watchmaking and servicing at a local shop, and this was very informative and insightful, thank you for the detailed video!
It is truly inspirational that a professional watchmaker is recommending hand cleaning, while most amateurs and TH-cam charlatans are singing praises for ultrasonic cleaning. Keep up the good work.
Also, I subscribed after watching the first video, partly because you didn't ask to subscribe.
I'm a amateur and use hand cleaning and a cleaning machine from the 70s but hand cleaning is a must for me! The machine is just extra and it heat dries the parts which is more important than the rest of the machine for me.
Wow! This was very helpful. Well, I'm in your position, just wanting to clean a few special watches (for a while, at least). I've been following Alex Hamilton on TH-cam, typing out his 17 tutorial lessons, also other presentation of his. Long and short: I've already spent a couple thousand dollars, a cleaning machine, food dehydration machine, oils and greases, screw drivers--bunches of stuff. I don't regret much except $150 on the ultrasonic machine. It's fairly large, 15, I think. I was going to put stuff in jars. Wish I had heard your simple presentation before some of my purchases. I also cherish old fashion approach except when it's just too much of a waste of time and redicilous. (I love my band saw.) Anyway, I'm very, very grateful for your presentation. Alex suggest a 4-jar switch out, rotation. I understand from you that things CAN be simplier! Very, very helpful!
As a hobbyist, I really enjoyed watching this video. Great watch channel, learning so much from your videos.
i like what you said about students having to clean components by hand first. Kind of like the Karate Kid - wax on, wax off. Start with basics and respect for what you are doing. Thx Cameron!
thank you for all your help and knowledge that you are giving us because I just stared at a service center and the only and lead tech does not like to show and teach and just leave him hanging and /or just working the simple stuff and I am stuck just changing whole movements and battery and never anything deeper
Thanks so very much for sharing your knowledge with us 🙏 awesome 👏
I had been researching vintage pocket watches for many years before I actually decided to start servicing those watches. What I found from Day One was the tendency to be working with One Eye always on getting the job Done. I have since chosen to think of what I do as something I am engaged with and not just someing I am "doing". I am sure commercial folks would have a difficulty thinking this way...but since I adopted this attitude my enjoyment and skillset have both improved significantly. FWIW
Thank you that was very helpful, I was starting to dive down the cleaning rabbit hole and its attendant high cost. I'm now happy to take the basic jar and brush method.
Thank you for the videos. I don't understand though how you can clean small parts with brush? For example some of the jewels.
Use a small brush and hold the small parts with tweezers while submerged. Watch the video to see some examples of cleaning by brush and solvent method.
Really enjoying, So calm!
Thanks for sharing! ❤
Thanks for this easy method to clean watch movements.(from Beirut)
Maraheb, what movements do you work on ?
I started cleaning by hand at first but later built a simple machine using a overhead lab stirrer to spin 3D printed parts baskets in mason jars. I pre-clean to loosen up the hardened oils on the movement parts and jewels first. I notice that you keep the balance attached to the plate when cleaning. I was wondering if there is the possibility of damage to the hairspring from the spinning in the machine.
Very good idea! The hairspring will be fine as long as no other parts are washed with it that will knock into it. The hairspring should still be attached to the balance wheel and the balance wheel should be attached to the balance bridge/cock and that should be attached to the mainplate. This will keep the balance and hairspring safe during cleaning b
Is it ok to put the jar with denatured alcohol and parts halfway into an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner for a few minutes?
Yes, that is fine and sometime very necessary. Just remember that with heat in the ultrasonic, the alcohol will evaporate quicker than usual.
Ok, so now i know what i can use to clean by hand. I do have a question regarding lubrication though, what oils would you recommend for someone who just wants to service their personal watches, just to get their feet wet in the hobby, but doesn't have a lot of money for the high end oils? Are there any lower cost alternative oils you can recommend?
There are cheaper watch lubricants available than the newer full synthetic lubricants, but you can buy the modern Moebius lubricants in such tiny quantities that it isn't that expensive to use the good stuff.
Excellent video!
Will denatured alcohol loosen pallet stones and the impulse jewel if you use it to clean the fork and balance? I had read that it will dissolve shellac.
To dissolve shellac the denatured alcohol will need to be heated and it takes some time to dissolve. So you are safe cleaning the pallet fork of an older watch that uses natural shellac.
Great, thanks a ton for the reply and advice!
Great insight and very helpful.
Nice one mate, thanks!
What solutions do you use share with us thanks
I use denatured alcohol for hand cleaning by brush in the glass jar. In the automatic cleaning machine I use Elma branded cleaning and rinsing solutions.
Hi Cameron, I’m starting on my journey to learn watch making as a hobby to basically repair and restore vintage watches. Just wanted to ask, what solvent was you using to manually clean the watch parts?
I use denatured alcohol for this.
Denatured Alcohol or Isopropil Alcohol, which one is better? or Naphta?
Denatured alcohol for this application is what I choose. You could use 99% isopropyl if you really want to, but it will cost more and it will be harder to source locally.
Rather than denatured alcohol, is xylene an option for cleaning?
I don't know, I like denatured alcohol for this, so I have not tried other things.
@ You’re here! Cool! Can I pick your brain a bit more? This time about lathe work?!
Good information...
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I am so scared I am going to screw it up...😅