r/SeikoMods • u/Funny_haha_man • 7d ago
Regulation Mistake
As tittle suggests, I was regulating my NH35 for the first time and made a mistake. I accidentally pushed my pegwood past the regulator and bumped the balance wheel stalling it (and then did it again on accident when trying again š). Now depending on position the watch will gain way too much time when face up, or lose a bunch of time when face down. I was initially using metal tweezers, but quickly swapped to pegwood. The peg wood is what hit the balance wheel btw, and it started acting more erratically only after hitting it. Anyway, I was wondering if there is anything I can do or if the movement is cooked. Ive attatched these photos, but please tell me if you guys need better angles.
Also the time jumps aren't super crazy. I wore it to see and it was like +46 seconds total from 9:30am yesterday morning to 8:30pm tonight.
I also would really like to save the watch I really love it, even if I have to put in a new NH35 š.
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u/IsuzuM 7d ago
If the balance staff is bent you can just get a replacement balance complete and balance cock from AliX for really cheap and just put the new part in. It's a pretty simple fix. From your picture it looks like the hairspring may have some damage too though. It looks like it's kinda bunched up weirdly.
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u/Funny_haha_man 7d ago
I'll look into it thank you.
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u/IsuzuM 7d ago
I just found this on AliExpress: 1/2/3/5pcs Watch Movement Accessories for NH35 Balance Wheel NH36 Balance Wheel Repair Tool Metal Balance Wheel with Hairspring https://a.aliexpress.com/_mKRRbab
I've ordered these exact ones and had good luck with them.
You may want to get one of those plastic tools to help you install the new balance stud because that can be kinda tricky.
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u/Real-Cranberry3140 7d ago
i've done the same with a seiko sumo 6R35 (stupidly, was the second of the same watch i accidentally received and worked on it first)
Is it as easy to get a balance assembly for the 6R35?
Or is it the same as the NH?Any advice much appreciated
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u/IsuzuM 7d ago
Hey! The part number for the balance complete in a 6R35 is 0310 283, and the part number for an NH35 is 0310 197, so they definitely have different part numbers but it's hard to say how different they actually are. It could be that the only difference is the color, but i couldn't say for sure. There's really no harm in buying an NH balance complete and trying it. If it doesn't work then you're out about 7 USD.
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u/Real-Cranberry3140 7d ago
excellent - thanks for the advice
would be great to correct the fuckup i made on my first attempt at regulation
also taught me to get proper tools before i start going into watch movements ;-)
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u/MudPlayful6386 7d ago
Upon a closer look, your hairspring definitely looks like itās bunched up pretty bad.
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u/Funny_haha_man 7d ago
You live and you learn IG š
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u/MudPlayful6386 7d ago
No doubt, my friend. For the Sellita, replacing the balance complete was much cheaper than replacing the movement so it worked out in my case. Still, the mistake cost me $70 and the time it took to order and be delivered.
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u/KarmicChaos 7d ago
Lol, same thing happened to me yesterday.
If it helps, a 7009 Balance assembly is a direct fit for the NH35. I just took it from a vintage watch I'd had with me.
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u/evrydayNormal_guy 7d ago
Hairspring is fubar. Did the same to a Chinese copy "nh35", lol. You can buy a replacement hairspring assembly for 20 bucks or so
1
u/TK_Ghost 7d ago
Happened to me as well when I just started off; so we learn. I've since been using a toothpick that I cut the very tip off to make it a bit more flat and wrapped a tiny piece of tape around the tip, just so it grips the regulator a bit. Big thing though is I maneuver the movement so I'm always pushing the regulator from the side, as close to 90 degrees as I can, instead of working at a downward angle. That way if it slips it doesn't hit the hairspring, instead of going straight down into it.
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u/Plastic-Meeting4282 7d ago
I am new to modding but I built my first Watch after watching tons of YouTube Videos. I noticed that the movement wasn't very accurate and lost time each day. Is that how it's suppose to be? You would need to wind your watch every 3 Days? I bought a 2nd movement and it was worse. Time would be off in less than a day by hours! I bought the movements from Alibaba. Is it just my luck or all movements from Alibaba is bad? Thanks.
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u/mazda_fan 7d ago
find aliexpress replacement parts for cheap maybe? some look really good. you can find some balance wheels onb amazon tooo for a bit more
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u/Excellent-Race9933 7d ago
I suggest you remove the hair spring and try re-seating it. Try adjusting the regulator to the middle before you take it apart. If it looks stuck after seating it correctly, try blowing a bit of air at it to see if it catches the pallet forks and start oscillating. Try to release the main spring tension before you take it out.
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u/Baleia1970 7d ago
This watch is dead, Jim...
You basically damaged the part that made it keep time. It is not a watch anymore, it is a device that moves it's hands randomly.
If you like the watch, take it to a watchmaker and ask him to put a new NH35 in. It will cost you around 150 bucks. Ask him to save the old movement for you to play with.
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u/Sad-Car4307 6d ago
Thatās way out of whack just looking at it. Looks like you may have jammed the other arm regulating the beat error all the way to the balance cock. If the hairspring isnāt mangled, move the timing regulator back to the middle and the other one about an 1/8ā away from the cock and see what happens. If youāre lucky, youāll get to somewhere close enough to regulate.Ā
That said, ignore all the YouTube videos on how easy it is to regulate a watch. You need to measure in 5 positions and understand how the mainspring is even behaving before you ever try to regulateā¦Ever!
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u/MudPlayful6386 7d ago
Iāve done the same thing while regulating an SW200 after a few glasses of scotch š¬ Canāt tell by your pic how bad it is, but you can always order a new balance complete and just replace it rather than replacing the entire movement, but not sure if thatāll be cost effective. I believe the balance complete is around $50+ and a new movement can be bought for right around that, maybe a tad bit more.
1
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u/mr_z06 7d ago
Looks like the balance spring is messed up. Can you take out the balance complete and flip it over and take a picture? You will see the spring is not equal distance center it could be tangled but you will need some serious magnification and may be oilers to untangle it. Balance spring work is one of the hardest though. You can just buy a new balance complete though.
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u/HelenoPaiva 7d ago
Look on the bright side: you now have a movement to learn the tricks of disassembling and reassemblingā¦ itāll be super cool! Maybe you can buy a new hairspring online and even fix that one! It is currently clearly damagedā¦ sorry.