making mainspring winder

Tyro clockmister

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Oct 17, 2003, 7:26:35 AM10/17/03

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Hi everyone in clockland, has anyone drawings of how to make a mainspring
winder ? these items seem quite expensive and if I knew a little more about
them I could make one, my model engineering skills are better than my clock
repair skills,any help or ideas please.
many thanks Colin

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Airy R. Bean

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Oct 17, 2003, 8:28:13 AM10/17/03

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Be cautious that you don't also make an inadvertent
mainspring unwinder.....

"Does your watch have a lifetime's guarantee?"
"Yessir. If it goes wrong, the mainspring flies out
and slashes your wrist."

Tyro clockmister <colin....@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
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The Baron

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Oct 17, 2003, 1:51:05 PM10/17/03

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Tyro,
Save your money, collect old newspapers, scrap aluminum etc. then buy
a winder, don't make one. When you buy one make sure that it will do all
four things that we ask a winder to do, wind and unwind both barrel and open
springs. If it won't do all of these things then it is an anchor weight.

Philo

"Tyro clockmister" <colin....@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
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dAz

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Oct 17, 2003, 11:53:05 PM10/17/03

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On Fri, 17 Oct 2003 21:26:35 +1000, Tyro clockmister wrote:

> Hi everyone in clockland, has anyone drawings of how to make a
> mainspring winder ? these items seem quite expensive and if I knew a
> little more about them I could make one, my model engineering skills are
> better than my clock repair skills,any help or ideas please. many thanks
> Colin
>
>

I made one 15 years ago when the only ones around were those "english
style" spring winders which I have never trusted and the very expensive
Bergeon winder which works like a watch mainspring winder, it pushes the
woundup spring into the barrel, it need to be used with a lot of care as
well because the spring can fly out.

I made mine with a tap spanner because of the jaws which are made to hold
a square, this is brazed on to a 4" x 1/2" bolt, shopmade reversable
ratchet wheel, etc.

the only problem I had was sourcing the tubing for the barrels, a couple
of years ago I found I could buy just the barrels for the "Webster" winder
so that solved my problem.

anyway the upshot is that today I wouldn't bother making one seeing there
are plenty of good ready to use spring winders on the market
http://www.bhi.co.uk/hints/mspwdrs.htm

the Ollie Baker one is quite good, laRose has that for $192, has the added
avantage the keys it uses can be fitted into a plastic handle and be used
for let down keys.

the one labled as the Meadows and Passmore mainspring winder, is sold as
the Webster Clock mainspring winder in the laRose cat for $103.85

both of these use a tube to transfer the mainspring in and out of the
barrels, quickest and safest method I know of, also does't distort the
springs

dAz

Tyro clockmister

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Oct 18, 2003, 1:10:13 PM10/18/03

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thank you one and all food for thought.
"dAz" <da...@nonspam-zip.com.au> wrote in message
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Lurker

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Oct 23, 2003, 3:59:15 PM10/23/03

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"Airy R. Bean" <m...@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:3f8fe...@mk-nntp-1.news.uk.worldonline.com...

> Be cautious that you don't also make an inadvertent
> mainspring unwinder.....
>
> "Does your watch have a lifetime's guarantee?"
> "Yessir. If it goes wrong, the mainspring flies out
> and slashes your wrist."
>

I see:

G.A.Evans, Director, Out And About Systems Ltd
Software Consultancy for Telecommunications, Real Time and ATE
13 Hardens Close, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15 3AA
(01249) 651897

THE REAL NAME OF "AIRY BEAN" is as knowledgeable and helpful on horology as
he is on radio (and other things technical).

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