Made a box to hold reloading essentials, and replace a beat up cardboard box. Used reclaimed wood from a big chest I took apart. Handles were cut from a 2x4.
After a lot of videos and tinkering with my own watches I have bought a couple watches and cleaned and made minor repairs . Long learning process and a lot of tools before I am anything but a tinkerer but really enjoy working on watches.
This one I just cleaned and replaced the crown.
This one I had to replace the case do to one of the lugs was worn through at the spring bar hole and cleaned the movement. Watch runs great.
I guess the next step is to buy an expensive watch to repair but staying in the cheaper end of the pool until I am a ton better.
Have an American Heritage I am in the process of reassembly on now.
Also have a Pocket Ben that I have rescued from the trash bin. Got it taken apart cleaned and in running order as long as it is in the proper position. Hair spring is bent and rubs to a stop. Have not tackled a hairspring but have been watching videos on straightening them out and figure a cheap pocket watch is a good place to learn .
I guess the next step is to buy an expensive watch to repair but staying in the cheaper end of the pool until I am a ton better.
Have an American Heritage I am in the process of reassembly on now.
Also have a Pocket Ben that I have rescued from the trash bin. Got it taken apart cleaned and in running order as long as it is in the proper position. Hair spring is bent and rubs to a stop. Have not tackled a hairspring but have been watching videos on straightening them out and figure a cheap pocket watch is a good place to learn .
Very cool
Yessir! I do not have the steady hands for that stuff. I barely survive inside an electrical cabinet. It always amazes me how people can do that stuff.
Today I repaired two AR lowers. A member was kind enough to let me use his jig to drill the holes but, for some reason the holes for the selector/ safety lever were egged on one side. I thought it wouldn't be a big deal but, it made the lever bind up. So, I drilled the bad ones out, milled a shoulder in the hole, made plugs to fit the holes, and redrilled them centered to the holes on the opposite sides. Now the levers move freely
Right now I'm working on repairing this mess.
The rotten wood is getting replaced with pressure treated lumber and it's all getting sprayed with um, let's say "old school" termite killer.
The rotten wood is getting replaced with pressure treated lumber and it's all getting sprayed with um, let's say "old school" termite killer.
Reading the title, I remembered the most unusual thing I ever repaired.
Back in 1999, I was manager for an electronics repair and calibration facility.
When UPS made a delivery of something old or unusual, the tech-savvy would be calling me, "hey, you're going to work on this, it has tunes in it."
One day, they bring an unopened box to my office. "Why are we getting this?"
Package from BUDWEISER in New York.
Open it up and the strangest looking Fluke meter I have ever seen is inside.
A note, "please, if you can repair and calibrate, let me know." Bill
I go through all of my Manuel's and find no such model. I called Fluke main office. Tell the CS what I am looking for. Hear some click, click, click typing. She starts laughing. "Give me an hour, my computer just goes back to 1946. That s/n is way lower than anything I show."
About 45 minutes, I get a call. "Found a 1936 service manual on microfish. It is in the mail. Have fun"
Ask her if they have a new replacement?
Yes, $11k each.
Get the service manual. Open it up, find bad components, go to Radio Shack and pick up a handful common electronics, $9.
An hour later, it is working.
Next morning, 2 hours calibration complete.
Call Bill. Find out, he had been the instrument tech at the Bud plant, 2 blocks from us, i had worked with him on other projects. He had been transferred. Let him know the meter was fixed.
He was ecstatic. Seems Budweiser had 114 of those in use and "a closet full" of broken ones. He sent me 2 meters every week for 5 years.
We were bought out by a larger company and everybody was terminated on Friday.
Somehow, every computer was cleared and every customer contact missing and every manual disappeared.
I was hired by a competitor on Monday. Customers notified and 61 of 62 moved with me. The one moved over, 6 months later.
Do whatever it takes to keep Bud brewing.
Back in 1999, I was manager for an electronics repair and calibration facility.
When UPS made a delivery of something old or unusual, the tech-savvy would be calling me, "hey, you're going to work on this, it has tunes in it."
One day, they bring an unopened box to my office. "Why are we getting this?"
Package from BUDWEISER in New York.
Open it up and the strangest looking Fluke meter I have ever seen is inside.
A note, "please, if you can repair and calibrate, let me know." Bill
I go through all of my Manuel's and find no such model. I called Fluke main office. Tell the CS what I am looking for. Hear some click, click, click typing. She starts laughing. "Give me an hour, my computer just goes back to 1946. That s/n is way lower than anything I show."
About 45 minutes, I get a call. "Found a 1936 service manual on microfish. It is in the mail. Have fun"
Ask her if they have a new replacement?
Yes, $11k each.
Get the service manual. Open it up, find bad components, go to Radio Shack and pick up a handful common electronics, $9.
An hour later, it is working.
Next morning, 2 hours calibration complete.
Call Bill. Find out, he had been the instrument tech at the Bud plant, 2 blocks from us, i had worked with him on other projects. He had been transferred. Let him know the meter was fixed.
He was ecstatic. Seems Budweiser had 114 of those in use and "a closet full" of broken ones. He sent me 2 meters every week for 5 years.
We were bought out by a larger company and everybody was terminated on Friday.
Somehow, every computer was cleared and every customer contact missing and every manual disappeared.
I was hired by a competitor on Monday. Customers notified and 61 of 62 moved with me. The one moved over, 6 months later.
Do whatever it takes to keep Bud brewing.
Last edited:
Got the bad lumber out. Replaced with good lumber. Everything was cut tight enough that every board had to be tapped into place but not so tight that it was difficult. At one point I had most of the new lumber fit into place and not a single screw holding any of it in.
I also got the damaged wiring replaced. And gave the whole thing a good coat of that "old school" termite killer.
Some of the lumber I left may not be pretty but it is still solid. On the side I spliced there is a 2x8 scab that goes at least 3 ft past the joint both ways and has 10 3" screws on both sides of the joint. Plus it is offset and ties to the 2x4 framing as well. It shouldn't go anywhere.
Tomorrow I have to nail the tin on the outside back down, recaulk the window, replace the insulation, put the plywood paneling back on, and trim the window.
The fact that this is the woodworking shop sure makes it convenient having all of the tools and saws right there.
I also got the damaged wiring replaced. And gave the whole thing a good coat of that "old school" termite killer.
Some of the lumber I left may not be pretty but it is still solid. On the side I spliced there is a 2x8 scab that goes at least 3 ft past the joint both ways and has 10 3" screws on both sides of the joint. Plus it is offset and ties to the 2x4 framing as well. It shouldn't go anywhere.
Tomorrow I have to nail the tin on the outside back down, recaulk the window, replace the insulation, put the plywood paneling back on, and trim the window.
The fact that this is the woodworking shop sure makes it convenient having all of the tools and saws right there.
Last edited:
I got this really cool Seiko Automatic 17J on eBay for a steal. The serial number dates it to June 1974. The day wheel was not working, which it stated in the auction. It has now repaired, but I saw that the watch was incredibly dirty inside.
There wasn't any lubrication left to speak of, and what could be found was very old and had gummed up the workings. There wasn't any markings on the inside of the case back, so I'm guessing that this watch had never been serviced. It has been taken completely down to every individual part, spring, and screw.
I'll hand it to Seiko, they managed to redesign the internal parts of the day and date complications, and really simplified it. With the limited number of watches I've worked on, this is easily the most efficient use of parts I've come across yet. I've been using lighter fluid as a cleaning agent and 99% IPA as a rinse thus far (common practice), but have some industry specific cleaning solutions coming in next week. Rather than cleaning by hand (which has been done on everything thus far) I've got plans to make my own cleaning machine rather than spending mountains of money on buying one. Some of the folks on one of the watch forums I frequent have come up with some really innovative solutions that seem to work rather well. I've got just about everything needed, but have about $15 worth of material coming in that should allow me to complete the setup (using an old drill press as my motor!).
Once all that is done I'm hoping to try my hand at case polishing and really give this old watch a second life. It is really cool, but think it is a bit small for me personally. I have pretty large wrists but it would look awesome on a normal sized person. It was purchased because I thought it'd be a fun project.
Hopefully in a few weeks there will be some photos to share with you all of the finished watch. I have a work trip starting next weekend that is going to put this thing on hold for a bit.
There wasn't any lubrication left to speak of, and what could be found was very old and had gummed up the workings. There wasn't any markings on the inside of the case back, so I'm guessing that this watch had never been serviced. It has been taken completely down to every individual part, spring, and screw.
I'll hand it to Seiko, they managed to redesign the internal parts of the day and date complications, and really simplified it. With the limited number of watches I've worked on, this is easily the most efficient use of parts I've come across yet. I've been using lighter fluid as a cleaning agent and 99% IPA as a rinse thus far (common practice), but have some industry specific cleaning solutions coming in next week. Rather than cleaning by hand (which has been done on everything thus far) I've got plans to make my own cleaning machine rather than spending mountains of money on buying one. Some of the folks on one of the watch forums I frequent have come up with some really innovative solutions that seem to work rather well. I've got just about everything needed, but have about $15 worth of material coming in that should allow me to complete the setup (using an old drill press as my motor!).
Once all that is done I'm hoping to try my hand at case polishing and really give this old watch a second life. It is really cool, but think it is a bit small for me personally. I have pretty large wrists but it would look awesome on a normal sized person. It was purchased because I thought it'd be a fun project.
Hopefully in a few weeks there will be some photos to share with you all of the finished watch. I have a work trip starting next weekend that is going to put this thing on hold for a bit.
Last edited:
