General shop equipment…

[tmac1956]

All:

While I have aquired most of the basic watch repair tools, (screw drivers, files, tweezers, Inverto staking set, lathe, Jacot Tool, various pliers/cutters, hammers, spare parts, poising levels, depthing tool, spring winders, manual watch cleaning stuff, watch oil, clock oil, mainspring grease, oilers, etc., etc.), I will shortly be purchasing additional equipment to set up my own little home shop. Any input you can give regarding additional equipment that I might need is appreciated as I’ve never done anything like this before. (I will eventually be moving into learning clock repair as well.)

General Shop Stuff (Not including additional lathe tools):
1) AmScope AmScope Cordless LED Top and Bottom Lights Stereo Microscope 20X-40X
2) L.S. STARRETT L.S. Starrett 52580 4″ 1/8″ Drive Pins
3) Craftsman Craftsman 12” Drill Press with Laser and LED Light
4) Craftsman Variable Speed 6″ Grinding Center (21154)
5) Scheppach 10″ Wet Grinder/Sharpener System
6) Commando Products, Inc. Commando Grinding Wheel Dresser with Flat Diamond Coated Surface for Truing Grinding & Deburring Wheels
7) Craftsman 4 in. Drill Press Vise, General Purpose
Trend Trend FTS/S/P 220-Grit Fasttrack Preparation Stone, Black
9) Portable Watchmakers Vise & two Vice Bases
10) Trend Trend FTS/S/P 220-Grit Fasttrack Preparation Stone, Black
11) COMBINATION INDIA STONE: This stone has a fine Grit on one side and a medium grit on the other side.
12) Mounted Hard Arkansas Stone
13) Various Gravers
14) Heavy Duty Magnetic Pickup Tool
15) SWISS-MADE SAWFRAME and Blades
16) TTC TTC Precision “V” Blocks & Clamps – Model: VBF-1 Maximum Capacity Of Vee: 1″ DIMENSIONS : 1-3/4″x 1-5/8″x 1-3/8″
17) Gyros 93-16103 Mini Tap & Die Set w/Tap Wrench and Die Stock – 16 pcs.
18) RSR ELECTRONICS RSR ELECTRONICS DGMRT Digital micrometer
19) NEIKO Neiko Stainless Steel 12 Inch Digital Caliper with Large LCD Display – SAE/Metric Conversion
20) L.S. STARRETT 240 Series Pin Vises – 51138
21) Craftsman 29 pc. Black Oxide Point Drill Bit Set
22) Promax Promax 79057 Measuring Tool Set, 6-Piece
23) General Tools Mfg Co In General Tools 18 Round Head Protractor
24) Adjustable Steel Shop Stool With Round Seat
25) Ultrasonic Cleaner
26) Various C clamps and Vice grips
(Benches not included in the list)

Jocot Lathe Stuff:
1) WINTERGREEN OIL 1 OZ
2) A pure, polycrystalline ruby, without bond – Flat #220 4×1/4×1/8″ Fine
3) Falcon Pencil Stone Holders 02Z-MSC1100
4) UNIVERSAL PIVOT FILE / BURNISHER 31.01710 LH

Thanks!
tmac

[arutha]

Hi Tmac,
after reading through a list like that it is hard to remeber what you do and dont have. You will find that as you go you will need tools for certain jobs, some can be made quite easily while others have to be bought. One thing I did notice missing was loupes? Do you have these or some form of magnification other than the scope? Pithwood and pegwood, rodico, rags. A good quality set of drill bits that go from 1mm to 6mm in .1mm increments can be very useful.
Paul.

[willofiam]

I am with Paul on this, magnification and lighting are essential and can be frustrating in finding the best for you, I have gone thru several different types of magnification devises and I am still not completely happy, glad I have not stuck a bunch of money into something I dont like, As Paul suggested, you will find out the more important tools as you go. I am not sure what #14 is, but be careful with magnetism around watches and clocks. I have a garage full of tools from my previous business, they do some good but for the most part are useless for watch repair, if you are patient ( I am not) and start small , add as you go, I think in the end you will be happier. Also I do not know if you have worked on any watches yet but after toying with a few you will most likely get a better handle on what you really need. Blessings on your adventure, How much more fun can it be???? William

[tmac1956]

All:

I have virtually all of the watch repair tools (well all that I can presently afford). I just didn’t want to take up too much space listing them. But since you asked (and I’ve never put together a list for insurance purposes), here they are…

2-work benchs
2- bench lamps (one 3 bulb floresent, and one solid-state bulb)
French Screw drivers (9 pc)
1-hand made hair spring collet tool
Stainless tweezers (7 pc.)
1 set diamond jewelers files
Assortment of:
Gold filled pocket watch crowns
timing washers
screws
Watch cleaning products:
7- 1/2 pt. mason jars
Naptha
Denatured Alcohol
Accetone
Amonia
Tincture of green soap
Amonia
Distilled water
Beutane torch
Alcohol lamp
1 – Stainless steel divider
2 – stainless steel compasses
1 dial brush
1 set General nylon brushes
1 brass brush
Jewel hole feeler gauges
Mainspring Dennison gauge
2 movement size gauges
Deuxieme gauge
Art brushes (natural hair)
Pocket watch bow mandrel
Vintage pocket watch bow milling machine
Pithwood logs
Boxwood saw dust
Peg wood
Bench vise
Eye glass frame with 2 lopues – 20x
2-5x lopues
2-10x loupes
2-20x loupes
Loupe holding head band
Head set magnifier
Safety glasses
3 small brass cleaning baskets
Auto parts drying basket
Dremel 4200 with extra attachements
Assortedplastic parts containers
2 jewelers Polishing cloths
2 chrome plated poising tools with built in level (Levin)
Crystal remover with holder
Plunger type roller remover
C&E roller remover (for staking set)
H&R duplex roller remover
Bergeon No. 2810 roller remover
Plunger type cannon pinion puller
2 – vintage brass movement holders
6- various size movement holders
Various cup type movement holders
Case dent remover block and hammer
Mashall mainsrping winder
2 – vintage K&D vise held mainspring winders
Screw driver blade sharpener
Graver sharpener
Micrometer
Caliper
Vintage balance screw undercutter tool
Non-powder surgical gloves
Watch paper
2-glass movement covers
Presto hand remover
Presto pinion remover
Various styles of watch hand removers
Lever hand remover
Vintage Shellac warmer
6 prong jewel wrench
10 prong slever wrench
1 set – vinatge crown reamers
1 set – vintage crown taps
Set of six bench keys
Small India stone
3 way sharpening oil stone (course/medium/fine)
Honing oil
Mylar dial protectors
Roidco
Xacto blades holders and saws
Vairious Pin vises
Rubber caseBezel remover
Moebus Watch oil, clock oil, and mainsrping grease
Swiss metal oilers (5 sizes)
Demagnitizer
Assortment of watch crystals
Assortment of mainsprings
Small and regular balance wheel calipers with wrenches
Stainless dental mirror
Stainless dental probe
3 bench blocks
1 brass balance tack
Vintage French watch depthing gauge
Vintage brass counter sink and burnisher set
Jacot lathe
1-burnishing file
1- handmade burnisher
Large bottle of One-Dip
Brasso
Tarnex
3in1 Oil
Pentrating oil
Plastic syringe with 30 gage needle
Levin lathe
Various brass rods stock
Various Starrlett collets
RDGTool 4 way chuck
2 dead center collets
1 drill chuck collet
3 way slide
1 end plate
1 rubber mallet
2 jeweler sawS and blades
3 vice grips pliers
2 rubber work mats
1-Set micro twist drills (.3mm – 1.0mm)
Various pliers and cutters
1 vintage watch hand holder pliers
Specialty vintage bow pliers
Bew bow closing pliers
2 Inverto staking sets
17 Inverto (pretty complete)
18B Inverto with jeweling attachement (Complete)
Assortment of sandpaper squares
1-foot/inch calculator
1pk each – steel and brass pivot rods

Reading/Video materials:
The Watch Makers Lathe by Ward Goodrich
Practical Watch Repairing by Donald de Carle
The Watchmakers Staking Tool by George G. Lucchina and Archie B. Perkins
TM 9-1575 War Dept. Technical Manual Wrist Watches, Pocket Watches, Stop Watches,and Clocks
The Pocket Watch Restoration Maintenance, and Repair by Christopher Barrow
Watch Crown Manual by Henry B. Fried
Proper Use of the Watchmakers Graver By William J. Bilger
The Top 300 Trade Secrets of a Master Clockmaker by J.M. Huckabee
Bestfit Genuine Swiss Material Guide Book
Illustrated Manual of American Watch Movements – E. & J. Swigart Co.
Tascione Ultimate Video Series
Master WAatchmaking – Chicago School of Watchmaking
The Watch Repair Course by John Tope
Clockmaker Watchmaker Basics by John Tope
Fundamentals of Watchmaking – Elgin Watchmakers College Watch Repair Course Mike Barnett
The Watch Repairer’s Manual, Henry B Fried, 1973, Watchmaker, Repair Book
The Jacot Lathe (AWCI) DVD – by Ron DeCorte

Pheeww…

So, the first list is really sort of shop like stuff – tools like Bob used in his Learn to Turn vids.
tmac1956

[david pierce]

Tmac,
look at all of the Youtube videos, and other internet sources, of seasoned professional watchmakers and check out their set ups. Also look at adds for watch repair shops such as BOWERS in Atlanta Georgia and look at their repair benches. My impression is that the longer these guys work on this stuff, the fewer tools they actually use. Since I am an incurable gadget freek that certainly takes all of the fun out of it for me. That is probably why I never see any of these guys smiling.
david

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