Watch Mainspring Winder DIY

In this video, I'll show how I make a very simple and cheap DIY watch mainspring winding tool.
All you need is pin vise, pieces of Perspex and few drill bits.

[@galaxygalaxy4389]

One important comment for those who are about to use this solution - Winding-up the mainspring into the Perspex (6:20 - 7:30) can be challenging. As you can see, I'm using one hand to turn the pin vise while the other hand is making sure the wounded part is attached and not jumping out of the hole. A potential solution for that is to attach the barrel cover together with the barrel arbor to the pin vise. This way the barrel cover will keep the wounded part always attached. Practically, I couldn't do it since the barrel arbor is very short, so attaching them together did not leave enough space to the pins of the vise to hold strong enough. I'll be happy to hear if someone have other ideas to overcome this issue. Last but not least, thank you all for spending time watching my video and providing fruitful and valuable comments. thx!

[@yoninikaroni]

Amazing knowledge! thank you for sharing your wisdom with us,and make clock repairing easier for us hobbyist!

[@galaxygalaxy4389]

thx, my pleasure.

[@enpetitsmorceaux]

Brilliant! I especially like that your solution prevents the deformation of the spring hook by using the actual arbor instead of a too-large or too-small winder arbor.

[@galaxygalaxy4389]

Thank you very much for highlighting the bonus about the arbor - I even wasn't aware about it. thx :)

[@boydsargeant7496]

Thanks so much! Great idea! I will give it a go. Did you find that small bits of Perspex get in the spring or barrel? What thickness Perspex did you use?

[@Van_Der_Lay_Industries]

Hello and greeting from Australia! I just wanted to say I love your idea. I am a beginning amatuer watchmaker, and I cannot justify spending thousands on professional winders at the moment. I believe your creation will be perfectly usable to restore my first few watches. Thanks so much for sharing.

[@galaxygalaxy4389]

hi, glad to hear you like the idea and welcome on board to the world of watchmaking hobby, it's awesome :)

[@tomevans6582]

Wow! Ingenious solution to this problem. Thank you so much for this video. Brilliant idea

[@galaxygalaxy4389]

thx, I'm happy to hear that :)

[@grahamhall2662]

great! it is a serious advantage that you can also see the process through the Perspex.

[@galaxygalaxy4389]

Thx, I didn't think about this aspect, thx for highlighting 😊

[@mamba777jv]

BRAVO!! Ingenious design. I'm looking for my Dremel and buying perspex sheets as we speak. The best part is that the arbor is involved in the winding saving a step when using the typical winders.

[@galaxygalaxy4389]

thx, I'm really happy hearing you like this solution and looking fwd to use it. thx!

[@ernestbileux2796]

A BIG THANK YOU for this idea so brilliant and so simple! I was about to decide to buy a Chinese set which would still have cost me 180 bucks for very occasional use! I saw, I made the tool in 15 minutes, I tested, it works so well! Test done with an automatic movement spring and no worries!

[@galaxygalaxy4389]

thx, I'm happy to hear that it works and can help others. thx 🙂

[@treetopspider]

You are an absolute genius. I'm sure that over time you will perfect this even further. Well done

[@galaxygalaxy4389]

Ohh you went too far🙂 looking at your channel seems that YOU'RE the genius & talented. thx!!

[@neilmiller6261]

Thanks for sharing your idea, I’ll be trying it out today. As for fitting the barrel lid perhaps fitting an extension using the arbours threaded hole? Or alternatively screwing another small piece or Perspex next to the 9mm hole that could rotate over the hole to manage the spring.

[@galaxygalaxy4389]

Screwing another small piece or Perspex - that's BRILIANT!! I'll definitely add this for my next watch service project. thx🙂

[@dizwilliams5334]

This is genius! I'm making one right now. Oh, need some perspex, er hmm, sure I had some somewhere 🤔.

[@joseraulbuarquecosta3994]

Really onde great tip to avoid damaging the main spring.😊 Thanks.

[@galaxygalaxy4389]

Thank you very much, glad that you like it.

[@ernestbileux2796]

First service on Seiko Bell Matic. Everything went admirably well. I sacrificed a barrel to make a tool to wind the mainspring. The arbor is topped with a thin washer. The advantage of this mainspring winder and the tool I made is that the mainspring can be inserted from both sides making the whole thing very universal without worrying about turning left or right. All mainsprings can be wound on the same side. The mainsprings do not have any particular meaning, so simply insert the mainspring into the barrel on the correct side as you would with a new mainspring delivered in its small support. Awesome !

[@galaxygalaxy4389]

Glad to hear you find it working as expected ++ Interestingly, I've also serviced a BellMatic about a year ago, and that was the point where I was going back and forth looking for a simple way to insert the mainspring which I finally did by manually by hand without tool :(. The main learning from that service was that I must find a solution. So I did 🙂. thank for elaborating about your implementation/enhancement.

[@chrisjohnson4165]

Great idea! Very simple to make a strip with various diameters. Thanks!

[@galaxygalaxy4389]

thx, glad to hear you like the idea. thx.

[@martinstabb7059]

This is a genius solution. I’ve ordered my Perspex and hope to be winding my mainsprings properly in short order. Thank you.

[@galaxygalaxy4389]

thank you, I'm really happy to hear you are about to adopt this solution. thx :)

[@AVEEGEELIK]

wow, this is a smart DIY solution. It saves a lot of money not having to buy the Bergeon winders, which are insanely expensive (like everything from Bergen)

[@Dragomo-David]

Thank you, thank you so much I started this hobby fixing watches and I was having problem because it’s too expensive. I watch Winder thank you so much I can make this.

[@galaxygalaxy4389]

hi go ahead with this lovely hobby hope you find the video helpful, thx :)

[@Neil.intrude.allowed]

An superb and inexpensive solution. Got to be worth a try and others could be made up if needed.

[@galaxygalaxy4389]

thx 😊

[@corneliobouis4305]

This is a very interesting solution. I could recommend to make a shim of 0.5mm carboard to lay below when you push the spring out a little so it doesn't fly out. Also make a piece of round perspex to push out the spring into the barrel. A very ingenious idea ! Btw did you try it with an automatic mainspring (with a bridle at the end)

[@galaxygalaxy4389]

Yes, the shim sounds a very good idea since the mainspring can easily fly away. Regarding a round perspex to push the spring I've already commented that I don't have such tooling. I didn't try it on automatic mainspring and I'm afraid it will not work straight forward, mainly due to lack of such precise pusher. thank you for the valuable feedback :).

[@nikolasbolos640]

​@galaxygalaxy4389 The drill bit 9.00 mm you used and got a 9.22 mm hole turned on it's rear side is such a precise pusher

[@jjcj6463]

Hello, congratulations, is a great idea, very ingenious. I have put it into practice using a circle template used in schools, to have various measurements. Thank you very much from Spain. (Sorry I´m using an automatic translator)

[@galaxygalaxy4389]

thx and good luck while using my solution :)

[@milivojmilosevic1172]

Brilliant ! You could use the spring barrel cover to push the spring into the barrel.

[@corneliobouis4305]

Since the hole is smaller than the barrel I don't think the cover will fit. He can make a round piece of the correct size to push it out. Love his idea btw

[@galaxygalaxy4389]

@@corneliobouis4305 correct, the barrel cover is by definition wider than Perspex hole since finally it has to go into the barrel. I can tell that indeed, pushing the mainspring from the perspex into the barrel is somehow challenging due to lack of such a "pusher". I can't produce such a precise pusher with my home tools...

[@milivojmilosevic1172]

@@galaxygalaxy4389 You are right. I see it now.

[@andyhansen3117]

Thanks for such a great solution to this common task in watchmaking! What size pin vise do you recommend for this job? Thanks again and have a blessed day!

[@galaxygalaxy4389]

thx :) I'm using an old pin vise which I don't have the exact specifications. However, I did some measurements and it can handle arbor of 1.3mm to 2mm. It looks to me that it can handle most of men size wrist watch. thx and have a nice day too :)

[@blackieray5621]

Smart idea when you need a solution in a pinch!

[@galaxygalaxy4389]

thank you :)

[@onlyvintagewatches]

interesting idea. Some improvements: you could make several different holes one aside the other on the edge of the perspex, to recreate the different barrel dimensions.

[@galaxygalaxy4389]

Indeed, that could easily expanded for other barrel sizes. Thank for highlighting!

[@onlyvintagewatches]

@@galaxygalaxy4389 that is the idea. I would also avoid Perspey, or acrylic, since with time the inner wall will get scratched and leave small debris on the mainspring, which inevitably will end inside the barrel. A good solution is to recreated the plate with the mainspring holes, for several barrel dimensions, in metal, and have the inner wall of the holes polished. This would ease the winding process, avoid debris of perspex, and have a much more cleaner and smoother operation. A CNC machine shop could do this easily. They could also create metal "stomps" to push the mainsprings inside the barrels. Just an idea.

[@galaxygalaxy4389]

@@onlyvintagewatches you're absolutely right. Metal is better and in fact I found it quite difficult when pushing the spring into the barrel since Perspex is not smooth as metal. And another challenge is to push the spring by a screwdriver unlike the dedicated tool that being pushed by "piston". Last but not least, by using a CNC is we are not talking about DIY home made affordable solution :). Anyhow, thank you very much, I enjoyed each and every input you just shared!

[@onlyvintagewatches]

@@galaxygalaxy4389 with a drill and proper tools and some patience you can also do it at home....

[@stevenm6775]

Lol that is what he is showing, he’s just using one size as an example. Notice how he has plenty of room to add different sizes as needed, he even has the hole towards the corner as if to make room for future sizing.

[@arkorott]

Super smart. Will try it. Thank you

[@chrisbtoo]

Ingenious! I think I will give this a try!

[@galaxygalaxy4389]

thx, happy to hear that, good luck 😊😊

[@fredflintstone8048]

Good idea.

[@galaxygalaxy4389]

thank you :)

[@ivanku673]

Great idea

[@galaxygalaxy4389]

thx 😀😀

[@andreagulli4558]

This is the answer to one of the worst issue for those hobbist watchmakers that till now had to struggle winding up manually the mainspring. To keep the mainspring in place while winding up, we could try by using a screw with cut head to hold the arbor into the vise. This could leave sufficient space to maintain the barrel cover over the arbor itself preventing the hook to be out of position.

[@galaxygalaxy4389]

Well, that sounds a good idea! we can use the pin vise to tighten that headless screw and by that getting kind of extended arbor. Fantastic thx :)

[@fredfarnackle5455]

Great idea! Thanks.👍

[@galaxygalaxy4389]

thx😊

[@MultiCasull]

Obrigado.

[@SuperFlatrock]

What is the part you inserted into the pin-vice to catch the mainspring?

[@galaxygalaxy4389]

Barrel arbor

[@DA-jw6nm]

Better than nothing

[@PLakaXRy-fw2so]

I have heard you should never touch those springs with your bare fingers

[@galaxygalaxy4389]

Indeed, but in this video it was done only for practicing. When installing back to the movement, I always wear finger cots. thx!

[@zerocontent3171]

This is a terrible practice on several levels, one should never touch any part of a watch/clock movement with bare skin, it leaves oils from human skin behind that contain salt which can cause stains and rust. Now as far as the plastic plates are concerned, unless you are only ever working on one type/size of mainspring and the larger hole is just a tiny bit smaller than the barrels inside diameter then you run the risk of over winding the spring causing it damage or breaking it.

[@ivanku673]

Same as my last comment, any normal person should know this is a demo, no meaning to challenge bare skin!

[@galaxygalaxy4389]

Indeed, this is a demo and in real service I would always use finger protectors. This kind of solution is tailor made to specific barrel. The thing is that it is very easy to produce for other sizes. thx.

[@markwade1376]

There's alway one holier than thou 'expert' which can't resist putting a downer on someone's creative thinking. Personally I think it's a fantastic idea, just wish I'd thought of it🤔

[@oldTimer-x3r]

The reason you use watch mainspring winders is so your fingers do not touch the spring as this can cause contamination due to the oils in your skin. You are touching the spring nearly all the time. I suggest you use finger cots.

[@galaxygalaxy4389]

Hi, this video was done only as demo, of course in real life I do wear finger cots.

[@oldTimer-x3r]

@@galaxygalaxy4389 Then you said have said so or better still wear them.

[@galaxygalaxy4389]

@@oldTimer-x3r Yes, I fully agree with you, thank for the feedback!

[@ivanku673]

I think any normal person should know this a demo@@oldTimer-x3r