[TheForge] Cleaning and Lubricating( almost on subject )

[Andrew Vida]

David Childress wrote:
> My good pocket watch has died.  The repairman says it just needs
> cleaning. 

	You would probably be shocked to see what can make its way into a 
"sealed" watch case.

 > Unfortunately cleaning would be $100.  The watch may be
> worth $125.  Where should be some way that I could clean and oil it
> myself.  The repairman says that the watch was designed to be cleaned
> and adjusted every six months.  I think that means that there should
> be an easy way to clean and oil this peice of "fine" smithwork.

	When I was a kid, I used to hang out with the local watchmaker.    For 
cleaning he would remove the movement from the case, place it into a 
fine basket and immerse it into a blender-like device filled with 
benzene to let it swirl for about 15 minutes.  Movement comes out clean 
as a whistle.  Clean out the case as well.

	Next thing to do is oil all the bearings.  This is done with a watch 
oiler.  These come in various sizes and you can easily make your own  by 
forging pointed flats of differing sizes on the ends.  They are designed 
to deliver minute quantities of lubricant to bearings.  Over lubricating 
the mechanism will introduce extraneous friction.

	As for adjustment, there are different types and to be honest I no 
longer have any idea how they are done, save for the balance wheel and I 
cannot tell from what you wrote if that is it.  Sorry.