Tuesday, February 24, 2009

How Do You Clean A Wristwatch?

By Debra Brian Hunt

While cleaning wristwatches is best possible by a practised person, you can manage it at home if you enjoy tinkering with mechanical things .You might not want to do this at first on a pricey or a dear wristwatch which you love, as you will most likely mess up the first watch you work on. Get a cheap one to practice on till you get perfect.

To begin with, make certain you have a place to practise. A big table that is clear will be good, or it would be even more wonderful if you have an apposite workstation in your garage where you can do this peacefully. Include a white sheet on top of the table prior to beginning, since this will not only make it convenient to see the little bits and pieces, but will also thwart parts from bouncing off the table when they fall.

On top of this, you will need very good lighting in the room. You should also add a lamp, (fluorescent would be ideal) to the table so you can get some direct light. The next thing you need is a good screwdriver set. Make sure you get a good quality set as this will not damage the screws on the watch.

Moreover, you should also have a tray to keep all the parts you take out of the watch on. It would be perfect if this has portions built into it, and as you strip the watch start placing the pieces from right to left so you don't get fix up later on. You also need a good pair of tweezers. This will be indispensable to handle the minute parts, and make certain you fit them back into the watch precisely.

You will also need cleaning supplies. If you are serious about this hobby, you can buy proper ultrasonic parts cleaners from online, but in the start you can just use Naptha. This is the ingredient that makes up lighter fluids, and evaporates fast without leaving a residue. Pour a very small amount in a cup and then soak all the parts in this for a few minutes.

Then, you need to use a little brush, paintbrush, or makeup brush, and brush the sections and then take them away from the liquid and let them rest on a towel or filter paper and allow them to dry.

You will also need to obtain oil, such as Moebius to oil the watch sections. To do this, you need to have an oiler which is thin wire including a flat side. In order to see what you are doing, you need to have a magnifying glass. Procure a blower to help you get rid of dust from the sections, and get a hands remover to appropriately do away with and place back the posts while you clean the watch.

To begin with, unbolt the back of the watch and open it up. After you have done this, you require letting down the mainspring which is what keeps the watch working. The next thing to eliminate is the movement, followed by the hands and ultimately the dial. Continue removing pieces till you are left with the skeleton of the watch with you. Now put all the parts in the cleaner solution and wait a while.

After this, put the sections back the way you removed them making sure you do it in order right. Wind it and twist the lid back on and notice if it is functioning. - 16651

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