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Thread: Not Car Boot Sunday !!

  1. #1
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    Not Car Boot Sunday !!

    Still doing the car boots and found some amazing stuff. Few watches though, with the exception of an MsF radio controlled wristwatch for 50p.
    It cost me an extra £3.00 for a 3 volt battery. Probably one of the most accurate watches I've ever owned.

    I did buy a Canon 40D digital camera for £8.00, yes eight pounds ! But it needed a service.

    Luckily I have a pal at Luton Cameras who owes me a favour or two, so he restored it for £100.00.

    Now I have a great camera and am learning how to use it.

    Discovered something called a 'wireless remote' and a 'tripod'.

    Hence the brilliant photos !!

    But that's not the whole purpose of this post.

    I was recently sent a stunning J le C Master Compressor Chronograph for repair. What's 'Compressor' about it eludes me!

    Answers on a postcard please.

    First thing I noticed is that the chrono hand doesn't go back precisely to zero. I find that really irritating.



    Whoever put this back together did not work for J le C. Either that or Quality Control was having the day off.

    Then I discovered that one of the balance pivots had 'mushroomed'.

    For the uninitiated that means that the end of the pivot has had a sharp shock, enough to make the pivot end look like the top of a mushroom.

    I polished the end of the pivot with 3M papers and the balance oscillated well in both dial up and dial down.

    Also the top chrono wheel jewel was cracked. fixed that no problem.

    Annoyingly, a shim is used to take up the lack of endshake of the balance wheel. a practise more commonly seen with Sekonda !

    Whoever last re-assembled this movement may have forgotten to put it back, hence the mushrooming.



    Anyway, I dismantled the rest of the watch not knowing what still hidden faults might be there.

    Put the movement in baskets and then through my fantastic Japanese ultrasonic cleaning machine.



    So far so good. Put the movement back together minus most of the chrono work and timed it in five positions.

    Watch was fine. went like a train (like the TGV, not an English train). Great result in all six positions.

    So Iadded the chrono stop work, put the watch movement back loosely in it's case and pressed start for the chrono. The watch stopped dead.

    Oh no. Heart sank.

    The guy who owns this watch is on holiday and the last report I sent him was that it is running well.

    I hope he's reading this so that the news is broken gently and amongst friends.

    Evenin' 'squire !

    So I called one of my old J le C colleagues in CH. He has now retired but told me of a known problem with the chrono wheel.

    Seen below in the centre of the movement. Chrono and 4th wheel on the same pivot with a damper (brake) joining them.



    The chrono wheel also acts as the fourth wheel in the watch and when the chrono is not running the second wheel on the staff, slips around so that the watch still goes with the chrono turned off.

    Unfortunately the problem with the wheel is that the brake is too hard. So the chrono wheel does not allow it's fourth wheel part to slip and the watch stops.

    Result is that J le C will probably not supply me with a new chrono wheel (haven't asked them yet but don't want to risk losing my free box of handmade J le C chocs at Christmas !!), so I've asked my engineer to fix the existing one.

    He is on holiday til the 14th September, so I'm holding my breath til then...almost.

    So here I am now, watch mostly in pieces and stored safely til my engineer returns.

    And running short of Valium !



    I will update when the wheel is fixed.

    Any prayers gratefully accepted.

    Thanks for reading this.

    Brendan.

  2. #2
    fascinating Brendon, I look at these posts and wonder how on earth you work all these things out!
    My prayers are with you for a successful outcome.

  3. #3
    Master DB9yeti's Avatar
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    Brendan, I believe the 'Compressor' refers to the crowns - JLC call them 'Compressor Keys' IIRC as turning/locking them compresses the gaskets making the watch watertight.

  4. #4
    Master hellominky's Avatar
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    Another brilliant thread, thanks for taking the time to post

  5. #5
    Grand Master Neil.C's Avatar
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    So interesting.

    Thanks for posting Brendan.
    Cheers,
    Neil.

    My Speedmaster website:

    http://www.freewebs.com/neil271052

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by DB9yeti View Post
    Brendan, I believe the 'Compressor' refers to the crowns - JLC call them 'Compressor Keys' IIRC as turning/locking them compresses the gaskets making the watch watertight.
    Thank you for that info DB9. I thought it might be a hint to Mercedes owners !

    A bit pretentious though !

    B.

  7. #7
    Master aldfort's Avatar
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    Fascinating post and a great diagnosis.

  8. #8
    Master RossC's Avatar
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    Brendan, a thread like this is not only really interesting, but a great advert for your work. Despite JLC not giving out parts to third parties, it's great to see the lengths you're going to, to provide an effective service and repair.

    I'd be more than happy to send you my JLC for a service and avoid the well reported Richmont indiscretions and waiting times.

    I hope your engineer comes up with the solution.

  9. #9
    Hi Brendan, it isn't a JLC movement. It is a FP (now Blancpain) used by AP and others. The wheel is pre lubricated however it can be cleaned and fresh oils applied. The wheel is referred to as a clutch wheel chronograph and by placing pressure you can open up a small gap to re lubricate it using HP 1300. If you understand how the wheel works then you will see what I am referring too. Good luck

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jammt79 View Post
    Hi Brendan, it isn't a JLC movement. It is a FP (now Blancpain) used by AP and others. The wheel is pre lubricated however it can be cleaned and fresh oils applied. The wheel is referred to as a clutch wheel chronograph and by placing pressure you can open up a small gap to re lubricate it using HP 1300. If you understand how the wheel works then you will see what I am referring too. Good luck
    Thank you Jammt for that really useful post.

    I know Frederic Piguets factory, having worked for Blancpain in Lausanne.

    I now have options.

    Thanks again.

    Brendan.

  11. #11
    Thanks Brendan, read and noted. On the plus side I did have a great holiday!
    I have to say to everyone else that the service so far from Brendan has been excellent. Not only do you get a watch serviced/repaired, you also get a fascinating insight into the work involved which I have never received from anyone else.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Danstone View Post
    Thanks Brendan, read and noted. On the plus side I did have a great holiday!
    I have to say to everyone else that the service so far from Brendan has been excellent. Not only do you get a watch serviced/repaired, you also get a fascinating insight into the work involved which I have never received from anyone else.
    Thank you Danstone,

    That's the best compliment ever !

    I am practising watch photography with my Canon40D.

    Hopefully it will produce an interesting record of some of the more unusual watches I repair.

    Brendan.

  13. #13
    Everyone as a trade and maybe sometimes you'll do a job that's not really your trade but you think yes I'll have a go,but messing about with watches like that with all the different parts,not a chance,amazing how it goes back together with no spare bits left

  14. #14
    Master Geralt's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Webwatchmaker View Post
    ...He is on holiday til the 14th September, so I'm holding my breath til then...almost.
    Enjoyed that. Thanks for posting. Folks have all year to take a bloody holiday. Why is it that they generally take them when you want something?! Typical.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by mk1974 View Post
    Everyone as a trade and maybe sometimes you'll do a job that's not really your trade but you think yes I'll have a go,but messing about with watches like that with all the different parts,not a chance,amazing how it goes back together with no spare bits left
    Not necessarily LOL.

    It's easy to forget the little lever which stops the balance when you pull the crown out to set the time !

    Brendan.

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