Watch hand installation detailed guide part 2: Second hand setting (Challenging!)
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- Опубліковано 6 сер 2024
- This is the second part of a 2-part beginner's guide on how to install watch hands.
In this video, we'll discuss in details how to install the second hand. Three popular methods are covered in this video:
- Method 1: Place a broached/broken in second hand on the correct shaft, then loosely set the second hand.
- Method 2: Position second hand in place, then keep it there using the hand installation tool. Check positioning with loupe, then loosely set the second hand.
- Method 3: (Common among watchmakers but very difficult for beginners) This method requires the watchmaker to feel for the height difference between the smallest post and the minute wheel's post.
We hope this guide can help you with one of the most challenging steps to beginner watchmakers.
Key content timestamps:
▶00:00 - Introduction
▶00:43 - Optional exercise for balancing the second hand
▶01:36 - Method 1: Simply place the hand onto the shaft
▶02:34 - Method 2: Use hand installation tool to keep the hand in place
▶03:04 - Method 3: Feel for the height difference between the smallest post and the minute wheel's post
▶03:45 - Quick check on the loosely set second hand
▶04:06 - Setting the second hand to the correct height and level
Relevant videos to watch hand setting:
▶ Watch hand setting part 1: Hour and Minute hands ( • Watch hand installatio... )
▶ Watch hand setting part 2: Second hand (this video)
▶ Watch hand removal guide ( • How to remove watch ha... )
▶ Basic second hand installation troubleshooting ( • Hand installation trou... )
DWC watch shown in this video: DWC-D01A with Seiko NH35(A) (shop.diywatch.club/collection...)
Watchmaking tools/equipment required for this video:
▶Hand installation tool
▶A pair of tweezers
▶Rodico
▶Loupe (3-5X should work)
▶Hand removal tool
Join us to explore the possibilities of at-home watchmaking! We are working on everything from assembling/modding watches, regulating movements, and even bluing your own steel watch hands at home!
▶At-home watchmaker's shop: shop.diywatch.club/
▶Instagram (@diywatchclub): / diywatchclub (we have a weekly giveaway)
▶Facebook: / diywatchclub
Happy watchmaking! - Навчання та стиль
I wasn’t sure if i was mentally challenged or it was just difficult. After watching this video I now know it’s both.
Thank you for the video. I bend my seconds hand and just closed the project with no seconds hand. I didn’t have another second to waste
Great part 2 of the tutorial. Great visuals, graphics alog with clear and concise instruction. Thanks again.
Incredibly helpful. Used method one for my first ever build and it took me less than 60 seconds.
What truly brilliant videos this and part 1 are, I’ve learnt so much from them for my first ever hands mod, the graphics help so much too they really really do and the voiceover is so calm and easy to understand the points made, thank you so much for taking time to make these vids, I’ll watch a few more times each to feel fully confident on my SKX, thanks 😁
Excellent video, great photography and clear instructions at an appropriate speed. Full marks. Off I go to set my hands now...
At last someone that can explain all the details of this tricky procedure. I’ve watched several videos and they are all a bit hit and miss. Thanks, I may pluck up the courage to change a broken SKX movement now rather than just selling the watch for parts.
Glad it was helpful!
An excellent video series Very helpful for those with interest in the craft. For me, this was one of the most stressful aspects of watch building when I first started , I like to use rodico to hold the hand to position over the post and then press on and check for level / alignment
This is easily the best tutorial on this I've seen. I've done this exactly one time and while it works I wasn't happy with the results. Watching your video I now understand why I'm not happy and better yet how to approach correcting it. Thank you for posting this. It's needed and appreciated.
Hi, thanks for the video, it helped me a lot, I got stuck after fitting the hour and minute hands so I watched your video for a re appraisal. What I actually did was hold the second hand in position on the tool with Rodico just to get it loosely on the post, then removed the Rodico before pressing, your video helped!
Best video so far 👌 👏 🙌 😍
Amazing explanation
What a difference with a good teacher
THANK YOU!! Amazing video, and at just the right time for me.
detailed and easy to understand explanation, thank you
I used method 2 on my most recent mod. It helps being eye level with the movement to see the pinion. I also swapped the day/date wheels from white to black for the first time ever on this build.
Great Video, thank you so much!
Exceedingly well presented regarding both video presentations associated with watch hand installation. I've demolished several hands and have done irreparable damage to a dial in an effort to learn a good technique. You can rest assured that the destroyed parts were sacrificial in nature and purchased as learning aids. This video has set me on the path to finally achieving success at the most dastardly of reassembly tasks. Well done and thank you. Sincerely, A retired Parachute Rigger easing his nerves with a new (rather pricey) hobby.
excellent video - helped me replace the Ronda movement in my mondaine quartz swiss railway watch. Really detailed explanations with great close up video. Thank you!
Glad it helped!
Great tutorial videos with good video angles so we know exactly what we are supposed to be doing.
Glad it was helpful!
This is an excellent guide.
Excellent tutorial thank you
Thnak´s for the tips.
I like the outline bar you put at the top of your video. Wish more had this organization thought out ahead of time.
Thank you! It took quite some time for me to make that bar into the video, glad you like it!
This is suuuper helpful. Thanks. Watched this, then put together my first watch, forgetting most of the advice here haha. Came back, watched it again, and now have a much better appreciation for what you are saying, and what tools I need. The hand-held hand application tool seems to provide much more feel than the "mounted" style press one. And have ordered some, as well as a decent loupe. Think my next build will be a big improvement, process wise, than my first. Really excellent series.
Glad you enjoyed it! Good luck with your next build!
I’m just starting out learning to do a watch mod for fun and have been watching a lot of mod videos. I’m most nervous about hand installation, and parts 1 & 2 here are super helpful. Thanks for taking the time and effort to make these instructional videos. Much appreciated! 👍
Thank you, and have fun with your mod!
Thank you!!!
Thank you for this video
Thank you. So kind to share your knowledge
Glad it was helpful!
Why didn't I see this video before attempting my first mod? I just damaged my movement beyond repair. 😭 I thought the seconds hand had a pin, but on the hand itself. I never saw the little pinion inside the cannon pinion tube. Or the super tiny hole in the tip of the seconds hand pin. Its a Seagull ST16, so it can be replaced cheaply, but I hate not having my favorite watch until I get a new movement. I've been looking around, and I see no spare parts for this movement, maybe is because is so cheap to begin with.
So, big lesson learned, and it won't happen again. Definitively a skill worth to master. Thank you so much for the super detailed video.
It is indeed challenging! It's good to learn with a cheap movement like Seagull. Hope you finish making your watch soon! And do let us know how it goes!
@@DIYWatchClub I will, and I'll post it on both my channels as well.
I love the idea of making a watch by ourselves , I hope your work grows and becomes more popular.
people need to see this such idea and talent . Keep up the great work .
Also you have earned my sub
Thank you for your kind message. We are working hard to get more content out soon, so stay tuned!
Im a beginner and wow I can’t thank enough for this video. I don’t know how many set of hands I ruined trying to do my vintage watch mod . Great video thanks
Glad it helped!
Thank you.
I have build my very own automatic watch because of ur tutorials. I made mistakes and watch over again. I learnt and now I have my first automatic nice watch. Thank you!
That's awesome to hear! Have fun with your watch!
Great video. For setting the second hand I put a tiny bit of Rodico on the tip of the setting tool so the second hand sticks to the tool, this frees up my other hand to hold a loupe/magnifier so I can see if the second hand tube is seating on the movement post.
Yes, this is definitely the way to set the seconds hand - especially on a Seiko movement with the hand a really tight fit onto the pinion. You can view the dial from the side and place the hand onto the pinion and set quite firmly without any risk of damage.
Before I send my watch to pay someone to change out the second hand. I want to ask Ickler in Germany if they could change out the second hand so it has lumination, I wanted to see how hard it is. Very interesting to see how it's done.
I bought a pretty expensive pilot watch and assumed wrongly that the second hand would have illumination. The hands and all the indexes have illumination and I really wanted the second hand to have it as well.
Thanks Kirk
Very nice series of video. Everything is good: camera setup, details with which everything can be seen, explanation. keep doing it and you will find your audience.
Glad you liked it! We are making more of these tutorials, stay tuned!
I've just found your instructional videos and they're very well done indeed. Excellent in fact.
I'd like to share my own seconds hand setting method which utilises the same tool as you plus a tiny piece of rodico on the end which allows me to pick up and place the seconds hand without needing to steady the hand with a pair of tweezers.
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you much
if anyone happens to watch this video because they are struggling quite a lot with the second hand and are pretty new- if your not 100% sure that it is the right way up then turn over the hand and try the other side. My second hand has a piece sticking out of it which made me think it was the bottom but it was actually the top which gave me about an hour and a half of trouble before mistakenly putting it on the other way around.
best video detail i ever watch... keep it up....
Thanks! We are hard at work making more videos, so subscribe and stay tune!
Thanks
Great video mate, spend a couple hours trying to set a second hand like a noob, looking forward to using these techniques tomorrow. Subscribed, cheers!
Good luck with it!
@DIY Watch Club Thank you! I did it yesterday and successfully installed the seconds hand! Along with upgrading the movement to an NH36 and the crown/stem. Method 3 helped to get a feel for the correct position and height. Thanks again!⌚😎
@@Tennisfiles Glad to hear that! Now time to enjoy your new watch!
Love this tutorial, very clear and loads of pedagogy behind it. Easier said than done, but still, all the steps are there for a novice to start his/her way.
Could you mention where to find that little tool-plate holder thingy that you use? I'm looking on sites but not that easy to find.
Many thanks again!!
Thank you for your encouragement! The thingy can be found if you google something along the line of "watchmaking tool mat", something like this www.amazon.com/Jewellers-Tools-Watchmakers-Rubber-Bench/dp/B01F3ZZ402
I find the most challenging part of setting the second hand is with a quartz movement. That is to set the hand exactly at the index marks when it ticks. It doesn't matter with a mechanical movement, but with quartz movement, it would look sloppy if the second hand does not stops at the index marks. I usually have to do it several times to get it right. Any tricks you can share?
I'm still trying to figure the best method for placing a second hand on a quartz movement so it lines up with each tick mark.
Excellent video. The watch I am trying to fix is a vintage (60s) Timex marlin. My second hand does not have that tube that would fit onto the post. It just has the hole. So it falls off or rubs against the minute hand. Do you think that possibly it's an aftermarket hand intentionally made without the tube? (Or, do some companies make the second hand w/o the tube?) Thank you.
Amazing video 👍
Thank you! Cheers!
@@DIYWatchClub ygfzipjwnvmx
I have seen some small presses that should put perfect vertical pressure on the hand as you press it. Would you recommend that setup for a novice?
That cut hour and minute hands for a cross-section visual aid is pure genius!
Grab the hand with your tweezers, properly place it on the pinion, push in place with the flat/other end of the tweezers. And for those asking why not set the hand at the 12:00 position, the only reason to do that is if you want to test the hand is not touching the minute hand while installing it.
How do you remove the crown and stem after wards?
hi! a small question, does the second hand need to be pointing to twelve, along with the hour and minute hands? thank you
Hello! Great video. I have a couple of watches that are great apart from the hands, any tips on how I can accurately measure the size of the watch hand post diameters? Thank you and keep up the good work!
Best way is to find out the movement caliber and then seek out the information online. Measurement can be inaccurate for various reasons.
@@DIYWatchClub awesome thank you very much!
@@DIYWatchClub hello again! Took your advice and looked up the movement, it's an FHF 96 17 Jewel. It gives the hand measurements as 1.30 x 0.90 x 0.21 mm. I assume this is the post diameters? Also where would you advise to look for hands? Just plain black ones I feel would work well. Thank you for all your help.
Man, I hate that particular second hand. Like, where's it pointing? It's giving me the eebie jeebies 😂
That's the neat part, it points the way you want, you can either have a normal second hand with a counterweight that looks like another hand or a really short second hand with and incredibly long counterweight.
😂 I like your thinking
I need some help. My watch the 'green pin' from the module broken, can I fix it using super glue to reattach for the second hand? Thank you for your reply
I can align the second hand but it WILL NOT stay affixed. I'm afraid to press down too hard with the hand tool but it seems that any amount of pressure isn't enough. Made my watch without the second hand :/
I would like to get the same eye loupe. What is the model number and magnification?
The loupe in this video is Bergeon 2611. Magnification is 3x (but this model has an aluminium ring that allows you to change the lens to up to 7x). We don't have it in our store yet but you should be to get it elsewhere
May i please ask how to make diy movement holders🙏🙏
Interesting question, we will add this to our to-do list of videos, so subscribe and stay tuned!
Is there a guidance tool that someone with shaky hands such as myself could use?
We do have one: shop.diywatch.club/collections/watchmaking-tools/products/diy-watch-club-second-hand-install-setting-tools-for-seiko-movements-tmi-nh34-nh70-nh75-nh35
Soooo, question. I modded my SNK805 from the 7s26 movement to a NH36A, due to the 7s26 failing.
Using the stock face and hands, I rebuilt my watch on the new movement.
For some reason, my watch, fully wound up, will spontaneously stop ticking. I just removed and reinstalled the hands, using your videos, but I still have the same problem. The whole movement will lock up, as if out of power. Oddly, I know it is movement has energy, because the SLIGHTEST tap on the crystal of the watch, will free the second hand up to start ticking again.
Even with the movement out of the casing, held by a movement vice, the second hand stops. There is no contact between hands, nor between the hands and the face. Since the movement is out of the case, I know there isn't contact with the crystal either.
More often than not, when the second hand "stops", there is a very slight oscillation to it, as if it is twitching, but doesn't have enough energy to overcome a stop?
Thoughts? Insights? You said damaging the second hand shaft is the most common damage your students make, but didn't explain what that damage might look like. Did I bend the second hand shaft?
Have you tried removing all the hands and see if the movement still spontaneously stops? You can look at the swing of the balance wheel to determine if it is still running. That way you can determine if it is a hand related issue or not
@@DIYWatchClub DIY, no I have not tried to run the movement without hands, but in some trial and error, it seems the movement ran reliably for 45 minutes without the second hand installed, when it locked up after about ten minutes with the second hand installed. I might try pulling the SHand and see if the movement is reliable without it, and if not, try your method of running handless and looking for a bound up balance wheel/stoppage.
Thanks for the insight, I will keep you posted.
I been trying to get the second hand on for an hour now it’s just impossible
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥💯💯💯💯💯💯
I just butchered my seconds hands ! Ordered another one!
I didn’t place a seconds hand because I didn’t have another second to waste trying to figure it out (after I bent it 😅)
Wouldn't it be a better idea to have the seconds hand in perfect allignment with the other two?
I just have noticed that none of these tutorial videos seem to do this. Is it possible to loosely set the seconds hand and then rotate it to be in alignment before you set it?
Sorry don't know how I missed your question...! This is a good question. Reason for not needing to align the second hand is that usually for mechanical movements, the second hand moves several times per second, like 6 times per second or more. Each step of its move is 1. too small and 2. too fast for human eyes to see whether it's align to the mark or not, and with its small steps, it'll likely land on the marker by itself. You'll need to align the second hand if 1. you are installing second hand for a chronograph for its flyback to the zero second and 2. for quartz movement that beats once per second.
@@DIYWatchClub Well i don't mean perfect perfect allignment i mean not like, off by 20 seconds. I see people put the hour and minute hand at the 12 oclock position with the second hand hacked and they put the second hand on at 4 or 6 position like you did here.
I"m just wondering why don't people mount all of them more or less in allignment?
@@nunyabusiness9056 There's no downside to not aligning it and it's easier. Simply that.
@@nunyabusiness9056 I don't understand why he said "there's no downside to not aligning it". Assuming your watch is non-hacking, isn't this your only chance to make sure the second hand is straight up when the minute hand is straight up?
@@robertbrandywine I know. I was working on my first service and repair and it was a 7s26 movement it was driving me a little nuts that when the second hand was straight up the minute hand was in the middle of the ticks. Ended up letting it run out of wind and resetting the hands properly.
I'm confused why the seconds hand would not need to be set when it is in position aligned with the hour and minute, at 12 o'clock. It seems if you set it randomly then how would the second hand end up at 12 when the minute hand is on a minute marker, as it should be?
With a hacking movement (like the NH34) you can simply hack the movement with the second hand pointing at 12 and then set your minute hand to point directly at any minute marker. Then your hands will all line up properly as minutes and hours roll over.
@@sabr77Finally an answer I can understand. As a newcomer to watch collecting and being very interested in my first build this was the detailed reasoning I needed. Thank you. So...for a more complete answer...I assume with a non-hacking movement, you'd need to align the second hand to get a good result.
I’ve never built a watch but I have a nonhacking 7s26 in an skx and I simply sweep the minute hand into position pointing directly at a minute marker right as the second hand is moving past the 12. That way the future minutes line up with their markers as the second rolls over. The downside is that you can never perfectly synchronize with the atomic clock but at least your minute hand will track right. And your watch time should be able to be within +/- 30 seconds of the atomic clock.
I'm trying to assemble my first watch but after putting the seconds hand it didn't start working 😕
it might be what the video mentioned at 3:15, that the hand is not on the post but rather next to it. another reason can be the movement is simply not wound up
I used to be able to do this. But at the moment it just is not working out for me..... Mine eyes aren't what they used to be! 👀
A loupe would help!
Usually I smack the second hand once with a little rubber mallet and its gucci
Why don't the hour, minute, and seconds hands all have to be aligned straight up?
In most mechanical movements the second hand beats multiple times per second. There's no harm in aligning the second hand, but in reality each second hand tick is so short and so quick that people hardly notice the alignment. And more often than not, because each tick is so small, there will been a tick where the hand is more or less aligned with the other hands.
I bent my post :'(
PS would you recommend the hand held hand-setting tools like you have rather than the static press for a beginner?
We prefer the hand held tools over the press. The press has the advantage of little to no deviation on the horizontal direction, so it's easier to keep the hands level. If you know what you're doing you can standardize the exact height of each hands as well. But the hand held tool allows for more sensitivity and freedom, does the same job at a cheaper price, and trains your hand not to rely on machine to maintain control. As a beginner, you'll probably find the hand held tool to be a more rewarding experience to use than the press. But if you're a professional or you're making watches in a large volume, a press definitely makes your life easier
@@DIYWatchClub Thanks very much. That’s really helpful advice. Much appreciated!
I just snapped my AR60015 seconds hand stem while trying to straighten it with tweezers, im such a noob its funny......
How do you see where it’s resting 😢😢😢 I can’t see shit
Im trying put thr seconds on my quartz miyota, and its fucking impossible. I seriously cant get it in the whole no matter what
I've just broke the second hand 😢😢😢
Just started but want to quit the hobby already bro wtf is this second hand man, thanks for the video but my hands are not stable enough to do this 💀
Boo hoo go cry and keep your quitters mentality to yourself.
This step legitimately made me quit the entire hobby. I’m out!
I’m going to be modding a my watch soon , I’m dreading the removal / installation of the hands process .
@@Enoch-GnosisI was scared at first I’m still very new but just take your time man don’t rush as you will mess it up I did my first couple of times you’ve got to have a lot of patience when it comes to the watch game you’ve got this bud 💪🏻
@@WATCHTHISORIGINALthank you I’m going to order extra set of hands just incase 👍🏼
@@Enoch-Gnosis if you are in the UK bud Iv got piles of hands you can have if you can cover shipping
soooooooo frustrating seiko@@@!!!
I use either an old biro ink tube or a drinks straw from a drinks carton to place the handset onto the cannon pinion. Insert the hand into the tube, locate on to the pinion and gently press into position. Stops the hands from flitting away somewhere. I have problems with Rodico. JANBOY. RN. Rtd.
For installing the second hand, instead of usung tweezers I insert the hand (or hands) into a drinking straw from a drinks carton, or an old biro ink tube, as far as the hole or pinof the hands. this prevents the hand from flitting away while you press the hand / hands onto the cannon pinion. JANBOY. RN. Rtd.
That's a nice life hack!