Horological Adventure

[lightmybriar]

Happy end of the week, all.
This Monday, I will be attending AWCI’s week-long 21st Century Watchmaking Standards class. It is my first official step towards what I hope will be a path ending in becoming a professional watchmaker / watch repair person. Are there any professional horologists here, or even just hobbyists? Just wondering!
Wishing you all a very lovely weekend!

 

[bassbug]

Not sure that this make me an horologist, but I did build this one from scratch.

Edit: Fixed pictures/Al

 

[olkofri]

Images not coming thru.

 

[bassbug]

How about this way?

 

[Chasing Embers]

This interests me. I personally know of only one person that still wears a watch, and the only clocks in my home are the ones on my family's phones. It hadn't occurred to me that many artisan makers and repairmen were still about.

 

[bassbug]

There's something about the ticking of a clock that is magic. Even more so if its driven by gravity or a spring rather than electricity in any form.

 

[saltedplug]

pm Cosmic

 

[scloyd]

Steve, that's pretty cool. Good luck on your journey.

 

[jpmcwjr]

The best present I got for my wife was a grandfather clock last Christmas. Still leaning to remember to wind it every Sunday. The chime (a single bell) is loud and clear, and we both love it, in spite of relying on iPhones for actual time.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Good luck on your journey.

+1

Would love to hear more. Keep us posted!

 

[Chasing Embers]

How about this way?

If that was in my home I'd never leave. Fascinating beyond words. :clap:

 

[workman]

@Bassbug: Wow! That is the nicest woodwork I have ever seen. Are those wheels (I don't know the correct word in english, gear? Cogwheel?) reinforced in any way to keep the teeth from breaking?

 

[olkofri]

Nope, still nothing. Maybe one has to be logged on to Google to be able to see them embedded here.
No worries, though, I've seen it in person.

 

[crashthegrey]

I am in need of a serious watch repair guy.

 

[npod]

I enjoy this post and wish you great cheers on your goal. My a Grandpa was a watchmaker as a young man and later in life he always maintained a watch repair side business. I got his tools after he died. Besides pipes, I collect watches.

 

[bassbug]

Are those wheels (I don't know the correct word in english, gear? Cogwheel?) reinforced in any way to keep the teeth from breaking?

Nope.
Technically, they are called gears, but in the hobby clockmaking world everyone seems to refer to them as wheels for some reason. The wheel are made out of baltic birch because it is dimensionaly stable and much less prone to breaking in the pointy parts.

 

[mikethompson]

Sounds like an interesting new path for sure. I stopped wearing my watch because it didn't agree with dough and batter at work, and then the kids would grab it off me.
I'm sure there is a watch forum somewhere where they are surprised there are artisanal pipe carvers too.

 

[bassbug]

A quick Google search shows at least half a dozen watchmaking or watch repair forums, but I suspect the lightmybriar is already way beyond the average hobbyist level.
Kudos to you though lightmybriar. Its guys like you that keep time honoured (excuse the pun), traditional professions from disappearing.

 

[ssjones]

That is fascinating! When you get ready, I have my grandfathers Elgin pocket watch from the 1920's that needs repair.

I've dabbled a little and found you really need decent tools, or you'll just screw up a wristwatch! (tried to swap quartz movements).
I missed a fantastic opportunity to repair that pocketwatch. My wife's Uncle, owned a shop in Maryland and did service for all the Western Maryland railroad guys. He became too old but still had his tools and full parts inventory. He said that he could guide me and make the repair, it was pretty simple. I didn't follow thru and he passed away, with his tools/parts sold to a repair place in DC. Missed opportunity for sure.
There's a number of decent guys on the WatchUSeek forums. One guy did make the swap on my Accutron quartz chronograph. It had a very nice ETA quartz movement it was worth saving.

 

[olkofri]

Bassbug, how does your watch perform with the changes in temperature and humidity?