Internet Horology Club 185
Working on a Hebdomas style pocket watch

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April 20, 2009, 11:39
Tom Brown
Working on a Hebdomas style pocket watch
Can anyone explain how to remove the mainspring barrel from this Hebdomas style 8 day pocket watch.

Thanks

Tom

rear

April 20, 2009, 11:39
Tom Brown
This is the dial side.

Tom

dial

April 20, 2009, 16:21
Gerald Zimmermann
Tom

First let down the mainspring. Click is slightly visible at top of your photo. Be careful this spring is loooong. The steel disc in the middle is a nut. If should unscrew counterclockwise.(not quite sure about the direction) You need a pair of stable tweezers or round pointet pliers fiting the two holes. During the unscrewing you shoud fix the barrel with your thumb not leting the force effect the click or a tooth of the barrel. After unscewed lift the barrel with care. There may be still a little energy on the spring. If you have to remove the spring be sure there is enough place on your bench or do this on a table. If never worked with this you can hardly imagine the dimension if the unwound spring.

Regard Gerald
April 20, 2009, 17:51
Tom Brown
Thanks Gerald

I have never worked on one before but thought I would give it a try, I do have another mainspring & I see what you mean about the length. I guess to run for 8 days it need s to be that way.

The only time I did one longer was a victrola that had two mainsprings about 30' long, they were fun to unpack & clean, then repack without cutting off any body parts.

Tom