Basel world week

Basel world 2018 launched this week, even though it is only half size compare with previous year we are still looking forward to join the event. Next week is Easter, we try to wrap up our current work to a certain stage so we can enjoy the coming spring break. 

CJ making rachet wheel for his own restoration project.

Before making a reall one, it is always good to try making a brass prototype.

Sif fine tune flatness of the wheel.

Felix adjust pallet jewel.

How to properly apply epilam on escapement.

What is Yi-ting looking at?

This is what we are looking at for the whole week, to precsely adjust division between balance, pallet fork, and escapement. Picture shows the division between guard pin and safety roller.

Eero finished the winding stem for his own restoration project.

It all comes down to the escapment and balance!

This week we started learning about the escapement and the balance, how it is all connected in the watch.
We learned how to adjust the pallet fork to the escape wheel and the balance, for example in what division it's supposed to be in, how to remove the shellac of the pallet fork with the alcohol, add the shellac and how to adjust the jewels in the fork, also how to move the axel up and down.
So we guess that soon we will be able to understand the watch completely not maybe 100% but it's getting closer and closer.

Here we are disolving the shellac in alcohol.

Looking at how we should place the pallet fork in the Horia tool in order to move the axel up and down.

We all got a chance how to see how it looked like.

You gotta have the right anvils for the work you are doing, Yi-ting is making a new anvil to fit her work.

Here we can see how the perfect shellac on the pallet fork is supposed to look like.

If the jewels make a straght line when they are put together impulse plane to impulse plane, we can assume both angles are the same, and no risk of mixing them up since they are the same on both sides. 

Flea Market, Bushing, Tool Auction

Last weekend we visited an antique flea market to look for some tools we may need in the future. Also this week we visited a factory which had closed and were auctioning their tools and machines which are ready for sell. It was very interesting to have an inside look at a factory like this to see how a watchmaking factory would look like and to learn what machines and tools they use during production.

Some machines we don't really know how they work.

Next week we'll start to manipulate the escapement. We will learn how to properly select pusher and anvil to remove and instal shock absorbers.

Here we also share some of our trouble shooting work in our daily life. CJ had a problem of a damaged thread in the mainplate. Instead of replacing a whole mainplate we have to find practicle solutions to fix it. We decided to make a bushing to friction fit in and create a new thread. it was a really a good exercise where we were able to combine our micromechanics skills with watchmaking.

Damaged thread for barrel bridge.

CJ turn a bushing which could friction fit to the hole he reamed from the original thread.

Making a thread after friction fit the bushing.

You think this is finished?

After Henrik's magic finishing, it's really hard to tell where bushing is.

New Student, Geartrain Lubrication and Cannon Pinions

Last week, we all survived our first exam for this semester, winding, setting and greatrain exam. It is not as hard as we thought it could be, and it was just about being careful for small details. This week We are still working on our movements that we have been working on to overhall the parts which we already learned, and we also learned how to oil the geartrain jewels and cannon pinions. These two oiling need lots practice to make the oil at the perfect amount. Hope we could get used to this oiling asap.
Last weekend, we had a Finish watchmaker join us to learn restoration techniques. There are fewer places to teach watchmakers restoration today so he came to us and learn it in order to do the restoration job. He learn the process of restoration and new micromechanical techniques to make parts, and he is defintitly coming back to learn more. It  is really good to know that there is a school willing to teach something that most schools are abandoning. Hence, we are welcoming all people who are interested to learn more.

Finish watchmaker turned a windingstem.

Nice thread!

Students checking the setting of the removal of the tapered pin in the hollow cannon pinion system.