Replacing the movement on a Vostok Europe, Expedition North Pole -1 Watch

I had an interesting job in the workshop today, which was to replace the movement on a Vostok Europe - Expedition North Pole -1 watch

Full Photograph album of the replacement movement

The Expedition North Pole watch was named after the first Soviet, manned, drifting polar station. The North Pole-1 polar station was opened on June 6, 1937, some 20 km from the North Pole and operated for 9 months during which the ice floe travelled 2,850km.

The expedition ended 75 years ago.

The movement is a Japanese-automatic Movement NH35A – 5955195 Made by SII (Seiko)

When replacing the dial, I could not line up the date numbers thought the dial window!

Can you spot the difference in the old movement and the new replacement movement?

The numbers on the date rings are printed 90% to each other. So I had to exchange the date rings.

Job Done

Completed the rebuild of Waltham Pocket Watch Model 1883

Today I completed the rebuild of Waltham Pocket Watch Model 1883 - Movement 8911964.

Reset the roller table on the balance staff and then refitted the hairspring.

Photograph album of the rebuild of movement

Replaced the complete balance on movement, and it started ticking straight away!

Replaced the complete balance on movement, and it started ticking straight away!

Found some hands to replace the missing ones, so will run the movement for a week to let it all settle down then check and adjust timing.

Next on the to list is to manufacture a couple of keys for the two Model 1883 Waltham Pocket watch movements I now have running in the workshop!

Two Model 1883 Waltham Pocket watch movements 

Waltham Pocket Watch Model 1883 - Movement 8911964 start of the rebuild

Waltham Pocket Watch Model 1883 - Movement 8911964 start of the rebuild.

So now the movement is completely stripped down to its fifty-nine parts, it’s time to clean all the items well.    

 

All the items have now been cleaned and ready for reassembling.

All the items have now been cleaned and ready for reassembling.

Photograph album of the rebuild

With the train wheels fitted and oiled, now they are moving freely. 

Train wheels fitted and oiled, now they are moving freely. 

Next, the mainspring was lightly greased and replaced in the barrel.

Mainspring was lightly greased and replaced in the barrel.

Barrel refitted with the click, and now winds correctly.

Barrel refitted with the click, and now winds correctly.

Replaced the Balance wheel without hairspring and roller table so I could test that the deep cleaning of the jewels and pivots now let the Balance wheel run freely, which it does! 

Waltham Pocket Watch Model 1883 - Movement 8911964 deconstruction

Waltham Pocket Watch Model 1883 - Movement 8911964 deconstruction

7 Jewels (Screw Set) – Grade: A.W.Co.

(Year of Manufacture: 1898)  Run Quantity: 7,000 - Size 18s - 42mm

Movement Configuration: Open Face. Movement Setting: Key. Plate: Full Plate

Hairspring: Breguet – Adjusted: No.

Movement Finish: Brass (Gilt).  Winder on back (Key)

Hour Hand on a good Dial.

Movement dust cover. No

Deconstruction video made up of photographs from stripdown of the movement.

On stripping down this scrap movement I found the following items that need attention.

Firstly the whole movement is rusted up, the mainspring and balance wheel did not move.

During the deconstruction, I found the mainspring had been fully wound up and this caused the click to be jammed on ratchet wheel, plus the barrel was stuck to the barrel bridge by dried out grease!

After carefully taking and train wheels out from the movement due to them being very tight in the pivot holes, it is clear the whole movement had been over oiled, and because the movement had not been used for a long in oil had dried out and everything had become stuck.

One Dial and case screws are missing, and the roller table on the balance staff is loose.

So now the movement is completely stripped down to its fifty-nine parts, it’s time to clean all the items well.

1883 Model Waltham Pocket Watch brought back to life

1883 Model Waltham Pocket Watch Movement no 14304394 Brought back to life!

The eBay scrap movement was completely stripped down and cleaned.

1883 Model Waltham Back to Life

Needed a new mainspring and top balance jewel.
Now back to life, all I need for the movement is a Second Hand.

With a replacement second hand found, the movement is now finished.

Photograph album of the rebuild

I found an old Pocket Watch case which I hope to use with this movement. The case is marked Dennison Watch Case, with the stamps of ALD (Aaron Lufkin Dennison), the hallmark of the lion passant (.925 purity), the Anchor (Birmingham), letter h (1907), and the case number 2776. So the case is a Waltham Pocket Watch model size, it will need a replacement button and crystal.

Old Pocket Watch Case

1883 Model Waltham Pocket Watch Movement no 14304394 Deconstruction

Video of the deconstruction of a Model 1883 Waltham Pocket Watch made up from photographs from the strip down.

Watchmaking: "What Makes a Fine Watch Fine" 1947 Hamilton Watch Company

I found this old film on YouTube, its worth a watch for the interesting insight to the Hamilton Watch Company after the old time "Adverts".

Watchmaking: "What Makes a Fine Watch Fine" 1947 Hamilton Watch Company

Practice of Making a Balance Staff

I spent a bit of time in the workshop today having a practice at making my first watch Balance Staff.

This photograph album and video are relating to my first “practice” of making a Balance Staff out of 1.4mm Blue Steel on my Vintage Telco Watchmakers Lathe.

Link to the photograph album

The Balance Staff is to replace a worn staff on a Model 1908 Waltham Pocket Watch.

Everything went OK until I turned one pivot down to less than 0.2mm, at which time I think I pushed too hard with the hand graver and it broke off.

Don't think I did too bad for my first attempt at making a watch Balance Staff!

Now to practice again!

JKA-Feintaster Watchmakers Precision Gauge.

Today arrived my new Kafer JKA-Feintaster Watchmakers Precision Gauge. Which I purchased new from Kafer in Germany through Mapra technic in January 2019.

JKA-Feintaster Watchmakers Precision Gauge.

Instruction leaflet translated from the German text.

JKA-Feintaster Watchmakers Precision Gauge.

Unimat SL 1000 Lathe Tools and Accessories wooden boxes

Today I completed my two homemade wooden boxes to hold the Unimat SL 1000 Lathe Tools and Accessories.

My two homemade wooden boxes

 Along with the tool cutters, centre drills and small engineers square boxes. 

My two homemade wooden boxes

Now all the boxes are held on one shelve in the workshop.

Made Chuck Keys for the Unimat SL 1000 Lathe

I tried out my new knurling tool today on the refurbished Unimat SL 1000 Lathe.
After turning down the steel rod to the correct sizes, I knurled the handles for grip.

Knurling the handles on chuck keys.

 I made two chuck keys, and a headstock shaft key. 

Knurled the handles on chuck keys.

 I knurled the handles for grip. 

Headstock shaft key

I think they turned out ok.