My FIRST Watch Repair: 45 yr old Bulova Accutron!
Vložit
- čas přidán 5. 09. 2024
- This video shows me doing what I thought was a simple battery change on a recently discovered 1976 model Bulova Accutron model 219 watch that my father received in 1979 for 25 years of service to Goodyear. He retired from Goodyear after 37 years of service. The watch has a gold plated back cover with his name, 25 years of service, and the date 1979 engraved on it.
I find out pretty quickly that although a new battery brings the second hand to life, the minute and hour hands were not moving. A detailed thread on the National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors website showed me exactly what the problem was (linked below).
0:47 Disclaimer
1:56 Batteries: 1.55v Silver oxide 344 vs the 1.35v mercury oxide 343
2:52 Battery Replacement
4:20 Discovering the minute & hour hands don’t move
4:34 What’s wrong explained / disassembly begins
7:09 Showing the Center Wheel Assembly
7:38 Removing the Date Bridge, Date Indictor, & Date indicator Detent
8:48 Removing the Date Trip Spring, Yoke, & minute wheel
9:29 Mis-diagnosing the bad Center Wheel Assembly
10:21 Problem explained & cleaning the corrosion
11:46 Showing the bad Center Wheel Assembly
12:27 New Center Wheel Assembly w/ P/N explained
13:53 Re-oiling the Center Tube & installing the new Center Wheel Ass’y
15:36 Showing the differences between the model 218 & 219
16:36 Installing the new Setting Wheel, Minute Wheel, Yoke, & Setting Lever
21:17 Installing the Hour Wheel, Calendar Trip Arm Ass’y & Date Indicator Detent
24:34 Installing the Date Trip Spring & Date Indicator wheel
26:37 Installing the Date Bridge & Date Indicator Detent Spring
29:02 Testing & Explaining the date trip action
31:09 Watch hands alignment & installation
333:47 Cleaning the watch with Thinking Putty (similar to silly putty, a Rodico replacement)
34.19 Re-installing the Setting Stem & battery
34:35 Fabricating a new Battery Strap from a Paperclip
36:33 Bump starting the Index Wheel
37:15 Summary, showing the working watch with some matching clothes, belt & shoes & my grandfather’s working 100 year old pocket watch!
Note: I realize running a pocket watch that probably hasn’t been run or serviced in 50 years is a bad idea. I only partially wound it once, and I probably won’t run it again until it gets to be professionally serviced. The pocketwatch shown is a Waltham Model 1892 PS Bartlett grade 17 Jewel size 18 pocket watch.
National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors website article:
mb.nawcc.org/t...
There 3 videos on CZcams by My Retro Watches that showed how to take apart and reassemble a model 218, which is nearly identical to my 219:
"Bulova Accutron 218 Disassembly Tutorial":
• Bulova Accutron 218 Di...
"Bulova 218 Accutron Tuning Fork Watch - Assembly Part 1":
• Bulova 218 Accutron Tu...
"Bulova 218 Accutron Tuning Fork Watch Assembly Part 2":
• Bulova 218 Accutron Tu...
This video on DIY Watch Club showed me how to re-install watch hands:
"Watch hand installation detailed guide part 1: Hour and Minute hands (movement with date)":
• Watch hand installatio...
Next time I will be more careful with not leaving parts on the watch that can fall off, and being more cautious to read small text on the watch, and I'll also wear those little finger rubbers they all seem to wear.
Music Credit: CZcams Audio Library
I'm a Bulova graduate and have been repairing Accutrons since 1970 (50+) years for both the trade as well as private clients. Very good video and super great pics...One big constructive advice- get rid of this eyebrow tweezers so you won't have parts flying..
Followed this video to repair my 219 railroad approved, works great now after having the same issue. Thanks for the walk-through, and references for where to buy parts. Great video!
Wow, my hat off to you Robert. Being into watches for the past two years, and accumulating a ton of watch tools, watching you (no pun intended) repair your watch with non-watch tools was painful, especially setting the hands with something weird looking made up tool of some sort. But it all worked in the end. So you have way more reasons to be proud of your work than anyone of us. Great job well done.
LOL, thank you! I'm glad I tried it, but next time I'll take it to a pro.
Next week on Robert Powers CZcams channel: "okay hey guys so long story short I'm going to be giving open heart surgery a go today, I couldn't find anyone to use for this so we'll be doing it on myself, let's see how it goes!"
I don't know anything about watches but it's always fun to watch your endeavors in these kinds of things that tend to be too intimidating for post people to attempt ^ ^
ROFLMAO!
Wonderful effort. Please wear a mask when servicing tuning fork mechanisms. Always use titanium tweezers. Use rodico to lift parts and last but not lease never touch the edge of index wheel. Never demagnatize the watch as a whole. Onle the separate parts except the tuning fork.. a must for accutrons
I had no clue going into this how complex it is. I have massive respect for people that actually work on watches. I'm fairly certain you won't see me attempt this again!
@@CobblerBob Dear Bob, i am sorry to have appeared harsh. aim was not to be critical please. No one except an exceptional watchmaker would attempt an accutron movement that too successfully as you did and made a wonderful annotated video as well. I only wanted to share what I learnt during my course with accutrons. You have a clean n steady hand, you must take your skill further. Very few people who can service these watches lef now. God bless you dear.
I have been wearing a non-functional watch for years. The time is on my phone, my watch looks really cool.
Hats off to you Bob, you chose one of the hardest most delicate of watches to cut your teeth on! I own four tuning fork watches including a similar one to this beauty. That dial is fantastic with the company logo on. It being such a special watch and even though you did a fantastic job with the paper clip fix I really would get the correct part and fit it, this beautiful watch deserves it. To go even further. At some point I would really suggest you send it to a watchmaker who specializes in Accutrons and have it serviced as they really benefit from a full strip down, clean and lubrication and this being an heirloom piece it’s really worth doing! Oh, and the shake or gentle tap to get them going is quite normal!
Thank you, and great ideas on all fronts.
Well I'm very impressed after having watched the whole thing. I was one of the voices that told you this is not a DIY thing.
1. It looks like you used magnetized tools. That made the job easier, but had this been a true mechanical movement you'd now have another issue, your watch would be magnetized. Old accutron movements weren't all that sensitive to magnetism so you're ok, but if this had been a true mechanical watch probably the mainspring would be magnetized and the watch would be running wildly fast or slow. Since we live in a world of magnets I actually own a degausser. They only cost like $10 or something on amazon/ebay. If you're going to start collecting mechanical watches it's a good investment. It's saved me having to send watches away a few times.
2. It can be more damaging to over lubricate than to under lubricate. I don't know if you've done either, but that's one of the things to look for on old mechanical watches, oil stains are one of the top signs that it was serviced by someone who doesn't know his/her craft. Another is screws that are stripped/starting to be stripped.
3. As russ said you should get into modding watches. You're excellent with your hands and everything aside you did an amazing job. If you want advice on tools for modding you can hit me on facebook messenger anytime. I've been down that path and made a few mistakes of my own.
Wow, I have seen other watch guys using non-magnetic or demagnetized tools, but I had no idea it was that important!! Amazing tips! I tell you, I think I learn more by posting a video than any other way sometimes.
Been repairing watches for years
You did a fine job 🙂
Thank you!!
I can’t believe you did that with the tools you had.
LOL!! It was quite a learning experience.
Mechanical watches have been one of my favorite things for almost 30 years My first one was a cheap beat up Timex and then it went from there started buying them at tag sales and places when you could still go in like buy something from somebody with money and not over the internet but my watch collection has grown I have some Longines ultra chrons some other Swiss models and a couple of accutrons that I've recently been messing with again and it's fantastic that under a microscope you can see how that escapement works just a vibrating fork pushes those little index fingers to release the index wheel 1 tooth at a time it's so small and so accurate you wonder how they mass-produced them.
Wow Bob! Enjoyed this one! Not only you repair shoes but timepieces now :)
Thank you for sharing your experience to fix accutron watch. Even if it is not professional, your passion is awesome!
You're welcome! It was a great experience, but honestly not one I'm eager to repeat, LOL.
Congratulations on your perseverance and for having a go with no experience or proper tools. Nice outcome .🌟
Great stuff I as well have my dad's Accutron 214 made in 1967 .I have to use the 1.35 volt battery.lol Old watches,old shoes .old radios and straight razors Great vid Happy New Year
Thank you! Happy New Year! Although I've never tried a straight razor... maybe that's next?
Respect! Choosing an accutron for your first watch repair is quite a challenge…
Thank you! I liked the experience, but I'm not itching to repeat it! LOL
Chose one of the more challenging watches to work on for a amateur attempt God bless you.
A very cool video!!! Well done.
Thank you very much!
Lots of fun, very well done, very informative !
.
nice job lol that paperclip is great 😂
Thanks 😅
Max Hetzel turned mini tuning fork vibration into micro rotory motion. Nuff said!
Very impressive work. I've been working on mechanical watches for a few years and only recently dove into working on an Accutron. You did an amazing job on researching the problem and the fix, and carrying out the repair. Since I still have to install the date indicator detent spring, your technique should come in handy. You made it look pretty easy once you pinged the first spring. Oh, and now I have to check into the setting wheel orientation. I used to install these with the chamfer up but read somewhere that the chamfer should be down. I installed mine with the chamfer down. At least I'll only have to remove the date bridge and yoke spring if I was in error. BTW, the watch looked great with your shoes. Cheers.
Thank you. I don't honestly think I'm going to attempt it again though!
Oh hell yeah! I started with watches and jewelry before moving on to leather goods. Good for you!
Thank you! I kind of went the opposite way!
Pleased my videos helped you. Well done on getting your 219 working again!
Thanks for this video! I think mine has the same problem with the rust. The crown seems to be in the set position and won't click into place. The second hand moves and the watch huns like yours did, however, the minute hand doesn't move. Pretty excited to get into it!
Just be careful... I'm pretty handy and this was TOUGH. So tough that I really do not plan on doing another one! Next time I'll just take to a watch repair specialist.
You did great but proper tools you need and you used waaaay too much oil. Well done, BTW, love your granddad's watch. Adrian
LOL, it was a fun experience, but honestlty not a hobby I think I am going to persue further.
@@CobblerBob that's a pity, it's a fantastic hobby with a lot of pain, though worth it. Adrian
Shoes are awesome.👞
ought a lot of watches in 'lot's' some ran and some did not. changing crystals and batteries was as far as I would go. maybe a stem/crown. But.. a ton of more or less worthless mechanicals had me buying some rudimentary tools. I had/have a dozen or so working Accutrons. and maybe a dozen parts watches along with parts Recently (like you) I figured what do I have to lose? one has the same problem as yours but I have a bunch of parts/donor watches. While I am at it I want to change the dial to a minty black one I have and nice hands that I will re lume along with a red second hand. Frankenstein for sure but.. it will look and function more to my liking. Even heavy gold filled the watch was never worth a lot with the sum of the parts worth more than the watch itself. Seeing you do it with automotive tools? I got no excuse.. one thing tho... screwdrivers are a good investment. I have good tweezers but can still use the ones that were dime store ones that I ground down to points.
I’m glad I did this, but I’m honestly not eager to do it again! Thanks for taking time to comment, and like you said… what do you have to loose?
It's hilarious how whenever a small piece moves suddenly it just seems to blink out of existence.
L-O-L, the spring? YES. It launched so fast it was in frame one frame, and OUT of the shot the next! 😆
@@CobblerBob They’ll find Jimmy Hoffa before they find that spring
@@CobblerBob under micro, it says on the shoulder of those springs' Born to fly! '🤣🤣
Advice on tweezers, even hobbyist watchmakers will spring for what is the most important tool in their toolbox, OK you don't have to spend £100 on a pair of Horotec or Bergeon ones, I have found quite good Mechanic's tweezers from Aliexpress and a set of Medentra dental tweezers with one pair of very long and fine and the other a "tooth puller" which has a serated grip in each tang abs brilliant for pulling out stubborn stuff and I paid £4 for the pair of Medentra's and I think £8 each for my Mechanics. The long and fine Medentra's abs king of placing screws and made from the highest grade surgical stainless steel too.
As a first effort you did fine.. but you do realize Amazon has 24 hour (or same day in some cases) delivery - on things like watchmaker's tweezers? And they aren't expensive. Every time I saw the tweezers home into play I started squirming. Now you'll realize you're hooked, which leads to a lot of watches mysteriously arriving in the mail..
Hey bob! Totally off topic, but I’m doing two leather dress shoe overhauls and I need some assistance, both are dating from the 1920s and 1950s respectively. Could use your guidance while I undertake these tasks
Sounds interesting Steve! Feel free to email me at robertpowers1972 at gmail dot com.
If I saw an eye surgeon approach surgery with a excavator, I wouldn't be horrified anymore....
LOL
u can tell alot about a man by his shoes-- clean/ style an do they go with ur attire? job interview, women notice these things/ very important! men also notice, but are less of my concern
Смазку ложит как в кашу