Your machine can't check this watch because the beat rate is 4 per sceond-14,400 per hour and the machine isn't designed to pick that up. Even my old Watchmaster couldn't until I sent one of the tuning forks away to be changed. I work on the dollar watch movements from Ingersoll, Ingraham, Westclox. Of course they're wonderful: anybody can make an expensive watch, but it takes real engineering genius to make a cheap one that works.
According to 17jewels and ranfft websites and my obeservatons/calculations, the Times M24 runs at 18,000 bph 5 bps 2,5 hz. And my mobile based frequency checker does also say it is 18,000.
I think that this watch perfectly exemplifies what the word “design” actually means. The true “Design” is about finding the best solution within a clearly defined set of limitations. In this case the “clearly defined limitation” - is the cost of production, or the price point of the piece. And the solutions which were found - are simply brilliant. Quintessential designers at their best! After 50 years the damn thing works, losing a minute or two a day! It probably did not do much better when it came of the production line. I am sure that the designs of the tooling for such tremendous production volume, were just as ingenious and amazing as the watch itself. Thank you very much for your excellent choice of the worthy subject for your video!
Only designers with complete understanding of all the materials and processes involved, can make this sort of mechanism. Whatever scale that may be. Something that is this simple, has taken much time to design. Although the movement reminds me of a 400 day movement of the era.
Yep. “Overbuilt” is easy. Trivial even. But making *this* , and making it possible to assemble it consistently (presumably not by hand)? *that* is hard.
@@JasperJanssen I bet the factory had some kind of little fingers on a rig to hold the top pivots as they sat the top plate on. Then they would slip the fingers out the side as just before the screws went on from underneath, still sitting in the same position.
A 2$ watch that's still *alive* 50 years later, whereas my 200$ samsung had its screen die within a year of purchase. So yeah, maybe I'm becoming a fan of oldschool mechanical or at least analog watches XD
I was in fourth grade in 1945 and got a Mickey Mouse watch for Christmas from my grandparents. For some reason I put the watch on my desk and went to lunch. I was young and not smart. So came back watch was gone. Broke my heart. My husband bought me one for my fortieth birthday, and I love it and it still runs.
I bought one of those in '75. It never ran and I have kept it in a drawer. I took it to a jeweler who said it could not be worked on. So I put it back in the drawer. A couple of years ago I took the back off and found the "innerds" to be maybe fixable. And then I found your video. Mine is a little different in that there is no cover plate after taking the back off. It opens right to the wheels and such. I've kept it in hopes that one day, if I learn enough, that I might be able to take it apart and possibly put it back together with no extra parts left over and have it run after 45 years in a drawer. I thought my grandson might like it. Thanks for posting.
Being a manufacturing engineer for 30 years i have to wonder how the factory originally assembled the movement. I absolutely love your channel, keep up the great vids!
Was going to comment the same. I suspect the factory had jigs to hold the parts precisely in place. If you can find a jig, you could likely repair these movements economically
You're very skilled. You disassemble these watches quickly and you know exactly how they go back together. I'd be taking 40 photos for every step to make sure I don’t forget something.
I’m an engineer. I loved the look inside that Timex. Thanks. I know artfully intricate Swiss movements are wonders, but I’m glad to see truly top industrial manufacturing/engineering excellence like that. I still love my Timex. I have a few nice watches, but on my wrist is almost always a Timex (indigo) because at 3am when the dogs bark, I can push a button and know what time it is and see my shoes because I spent $25 ten years ago. Great video Marshall. Enjoyed it a lot. I just can’t imagine how they made 10,000 of those a day!
This was the watch that made me start collecting watches. First time I saw this was from my grandmother, she was so proud of this watch because it always saves her financially because she usually pawned it in times of need, but after a few years due to hardships, she could'nt buy it back from the shop. I was still young, and if I had the money, I wish I could have bought it back. I miss my grandma, and this watch will always reminds me of her. Thank you for uploading.
Japanese emperor hirohito was such a big Disney fan that a 1974 $20 Mickey mouse watch was his most prized possession he would wear everywhere from day to day use to state functions. He was even buried with it when he died in 1989.
Thank you for admitting that it took you nearly 120 minutes to get that in. Makes me feel a lot better about spending 45 minutes trying to get a bridge on the other day.
The Mickey Mouse watch was my first watch , which my grandma gave, for my birthday. I loved it! I remember just waiting for people to ask me what time it was, so i could tell them the time. My childhood, was in the 70s, s great time to grow up. Timex to me is so Nostalgic, brings back many memories. I wore several Timex watches, i still do.
Yeah, I initially said to myself "What's this crackerjack piece of junk?!?" After seeing it work under the microscope, my opinion has done an about face. This is an engineering and design marvel, something incredibly complicated made within tightly constrained parameters that actually *works* acceptably well for what it is. Wow.
This is the kind of watch you can understand a professional watchmaker saying it's not worth the bother fixing, but with your voiceover (and a bit sped up) it made a good enthusiast video. Well done!
I'm learning to do repairs, and started out fixing these mass produced dollar watch movements. I tried putting them together the way you did, with everything in place, and quickly learned that isn't the right way to go about it. I knew these were made to be assembled quickly, and there was just no way they were assembled in such a manner. So I looked it over carefully, and discovered the balance has a screw on one side. That's the trick. You install everything WITHOUT the balance in place, as it is the piece that never lines up and ends up throwing everything off. Once you have the plate on, you loosen that screw, and can then position the balance into place and get the pivots lined up by tightening the screw. Not only that, but the pivot on the actual balance is setup so that it balances upright with the watch flipped over, which is why you had so much trouble. By installing it last, it will rest upright, and not knock over all of the other gears. You then simply adjust the screw for proper end shake and all that jazz.
I'm super happy you didn't find it beneath you to work on a Mickey Mouse watch because I used to take apart these movements as a kid and never got them back together so for me this is fascinating and super satisfying.
I messed around with restoring this era movement. I found the original Timex service manuals for the M24 And they actually didn’t pull the movements apart to service them. It was just a 5 min swish in lighter fluid, 5 min in alcohol, and then lubricate. Worked shockingly well. I did try and pull them apart like this many many times. Always gave up in defeat because I breathed as you said and watched the pallet fork fly!
Marshall, I'm sixty-one years old, and I have had several Mickey Mouse watches when I was a boy. It was on every kids wishlist the first time we visited The Magic Kingdom (Disneyland)! My first watch was a Timex mechanical movement boys watch, that I received as a gift for my sixth birthday. In the 70's, Timex went to Quartz movements, and flooded the market with cheap quartz watches. Imagine my surprise this year, when I discovered that Timex was making quality mechanical watches, with Twenty-one Jewels. They have two collections, "The Waterbury" and "The Marlin". I bought one of each, and I couldn't have been more pleased with them they cost $87 + tax, and I sprang $15 each for the four year extended warranty ($115 each, delivered). The movement is Japanese with a transparent back, and the calfskin band and stainless steel case is made in China. I took comfort in the fact that the movement is Japanese, as a society, the Japanese have a very strong conviction to quality in workmanship and materials. Perhaps I'm being naive, but I'm not sure I would have bought them if movement was made in China too. Time will tell (no pun intended), as I enjoy the nostalgia of wearing a mechanical movement Timex watch, like the first one I ever owned!
Marshell, Quick story! But first, great video! I am new to watch collecting, and I have along with that an interest in taking watches apart for repairs and such. When I say I am new, I mean, I just went on ETSY last week and bought a half dozen trinket watches to take apart and play with. I am by no means mechanical minded or a tinker of things. Not knowing what I was getting into, I bought a little Mickey Mouse watch for my daughter, fully functioning, from the 60's. I received it today and started taking it apart. (Did I mention it was already working?) I took the plate of and a little part fell out of place. "I can put this one piece back", I thought, not knowing how everything was attached to...air.. Then as I was looking through the loupe. PING! An atomic explosion happened right in front of my eyeball! My heart sank. I did not take a picture before starting to try and reset this one piece. Well after a couple of hours of trying to figure it out, I went to YTU(UA-cam University) and I found you. You are working on a man's watch here, I think. I had a ladies watch! After seeing the order you put the train back together in, I at least had a destination. It took me SEVERAL dozen tries to get everything seated. Many micro explosions happening along the way. LOL. Then the plate! The first try was not successful, but I was able to get it on the second "plate attempt". Yeah!!! After hearing and seeing you talk about how difficult this is, I am very encouraged to think that, if I can beat Micky, I have hope to learn how to handle any watch! If you read this, Thanks. Great video!
Very emotional here, but Marshall you are amazing. IMHO, you are one of only two people in the world that can reassemble this type of movement and get it right. Beautiful job! Thanks for posting a great learning experience.
I just "restored" an official Disney-branded Mickey Mouse watch from about year 2015. It just needed a new battery, and I had to adjust the bracelet to fit my wrist properly. It's a big hit with everyone who has seen it - Not a scratch on the crystal, and it keeps reasonably good time. Excellent video as always, Marshall. I find it fascinating that a working mechanical watch could be manufactured for sale at $2 or so even as late as the 1960s. My first watch was a Timex, in about 1970. It ran well for a while until I lost it. :-)
Thanks for this video. I too had read somewhere that the movement was riveted and that it couldn't be serviced. The reassembly looks incredibly fiddly but hand off to Timex for designing a watch which was different from the others of its day and that is still going 60 years later. Thanks again!
I used to have one, as a kid, { I'm 77 now, ! }, but in all the many house moves, it got lost ! I loved that watch ! Didn't know that you could still get them ! I shall look out for one ! But I won't be taking it apart ! Thanks SO much for showing this one ! Stay safe Stu xx
That watch is in really good shape considering the quality of the build and all. I have to admit, I knew these were never great timepieces, I never realized how, well, Mickey Mouse they really were.
I find this interesting enough to mention my own story. I had one of these in the late 70's and into the very early 80's. I was wearing it while fishing and got it a bit wet. I ... This was the first watch I ever worked on or opened up, and I guess it absolutely killed off my ambition to be a watchmaker :) Little did I know, at age 7, that this movement could not be serviced, other than in the hands of an expert on a mission.
Brilliant video! 👏 My grandmother gave me one of these MM Timexes when I was a kid and I wore it for years - until I saved enough to buy a more upmarket Tissot (which also still works!) As my gran's eyesight failed and she couldn't see her own watch dial properly, I gave the MM Timex and she wore it for years as well. I found it after she died, and it still runs, just! Well, it keeps terrible time, which isn't surprising after 50 or so years, especially without Jewels and no servicing..... Simple, but tough little things. Almost kid proof I suppose! I must dig it out and send it to you 👿 😃
The bottom balance pivot hole is a screw and it can be unscrewed from the back This results in the balance sinking in a bit into the movement, stabilizing it The other gears can be wiggled from the open sides with a tweezer until they pop into the pivot holes Later you can tighten the balance pivot up and oil, so finicky! awesome video and cute watch : )
Another fantastic video! These inexpensive watches can be really tricky to reassemble. I serviced an old Roskopf pocket watch with a similar pin lever pallet and it took HOURS to refit the top bridge. Those pivots just didn’t want to seat. But as you said, it’s a wonderful feeling of success when it finally comes together!
I got one of these kind of watches when I was a kid. It was a more modern version, I think it was a quartz movement. Loved that watch, so cool to see how long they’ve been around
Wow! That was the most counterintuitive watch presentation ever, when one would reasonably expect such a watch to be easy. This presenter portrays seminal work in all his videos’ in subject, expertise, commentary and of course his super photography. Wonderful assistance to a novice such as I, in this, my new and wonderful hobby.
Thanks for posting this. I have one of these on the bench in pieces, so far have not been able to get it back together. Your video is extremely helpful. You have a lot of patience.
I have one just like it. It was bought in the late 60s or early 70s, and it still works. I also have a MM watch from 1935 that works. One of my favorite possessions!
I just bought a non-running M24 movement Timex this morning, having never worked on or seen one. Opened it up and said "WTF?". Very serendipitous that I just happened upon this video this afternoon. After watching this, I think I might just replace the whole movement rather than attempting a repair.
From what I've heard, Timex's recommendation to customers was to take the movement out, and keeping it in once piece, dunk the whole thing in a jar of naphta (Zippo lighter fluid, in other words) to clean it. I don't even think they gave recommendations for lubrication (with hardened steel pivot points and no jewels, they might have been dry since the day they were made)
They did actually produce service manuals for these watches and included recommended lubricants. Originally used Elgin M56B oil or TENNECO #415 oil but later updated it to MOBIUS SYNT-A-LUBE oil.
I think that was an urban myth. I've seen the service manuals that specify lubrication points. That being said Timexs are the lowest priced watches and that method probably would extend their lifespan with a need of a service.
that was from the before times. now we have ultrasonic cleaners that would make short work of cleaning that movement if cleaning is all thats wrong with it.
When I was ten I had a Timex watch nearly this vintage that ticked so loud that I couldn’t sleep unless I placed it into my sock drawer, with the drawer closed. The watch was durable but it kept lousy time. Interesting video.
amazing, this is the first of all the watch repair/restoration videos (by you or anyone else) that was made on a non uber expensive watch brand, thank you for this! 🙏 great work as always!!! 😉
I would really like to speak with someone who actually worked at the bench putting the movement together. There must have been tools made specifically to help line up the wheels and pivots. There is no way that more than 5 minutes was allocated to the build given that Timex spit out thousands per month. Thanks for sticking with this project and not giving up.
Marshall thank you for not saying away from a movement that is constantly called unserviceable. It is surprising at how well they can take a beating and still keep running. Sure they aren't the most accurate or precision watches out there but they will run
If it wasn't for the mainspring, he could just plop the assembled movement in the cleaner. All oiling spots are accessible easily since it's just two plates. Edit: mainspring on them are coated and don't need lubrication. At least when they timex they were.
When I was in the Navy, we had a sign on the ET Shack door of the USS Conyngham that said "Miracles While-U-Wait". I think you have earned that accolade, Marshall.
I used to have that watch! Same brand and all. Came from my uncle when I was a kid, but it got lost along the way over the last 50 years. Wish I still had it!
Congratulations in getting to the end. Sometimes reassembly of something you’ve taken apart is like herding cats. For me, the question that always bothers me is, “how was the assembly was done by the manufacturer?”. Obviously, a watch like this needed to be assembled in under a few minutes to be profitable. My mind wanders looking for answers - was there an assembly jig? - did they apply a distilled water mist and freeze all of the parts in place before laying down the bridge? - a type of wax that was removed by heat? It would be awesome to learn how it was done in the first place.
Wow, that was the first watch I ever owned, my grandfather got it for me when I was very young. Unfortunately my home was burglarized a few years ago and it got stolen, but so cool to see it again and the inner workings of it. Thx for sharing.
I am working on a vintage Timex with the same movement. I considered just throwing the whole thing in lighter fluid but wasn’t sure...now that it is disassembled I will use this video as my reference lol.
I've been inspired by your videos to take a look at a small collection of watches which have been sitting in a plastic bag in a drawer. They are mostly small wristwatches, but there are a couple of inherited pocket watches. I wasn't sure of the safety status of the military one, so I tried the other and it turned out to be something like this Mickey Mouse watch. Basically it has 2 plates, no jewels and a tabbed face. I established the end of the mainspring is broken, and somehow the minute hand is missing. Today I managed to find a possible donor watch in a charity shop for just 5GBP, about 6.5USD.
So many kids in the early 70s got these watches for Christmas. In 1973 I remember two kids showing theirs off on the playground after Christmas vacation.
I admire your patience! I don't have a clue how these were assembled en masse back at the factory. I had Timex watches when I was a kid (not Mickey Mouse though), and the insides looked much the same. They had a red seconds hand as well. Usually they lasted a couple of years or so, I think.
I had a Timex version of this watch that I got when I was 10 or so. Wore it for several years. Wish I had it now, but alas I don't know where it is. What a blast to see one again.
As an old manufacturing hand it's intriguing to wonder how these were assembled in the tens of thousands. Maybe they had a device that you fed parts into that put them in place on one plate and held them while the other plate was attached. It's hard to envisage rows and rows of people doing what you just did.
Yeah, it's all about the jigs and fixtures. I used to design and implement manufacturing processes - it's amazing how the right set of tools makes it all just happen.
Something my old watchmaker boss said to me once when I asked why he had a demagnetizer (given how most watch parts were non-ferrous) probably applies here. He said some of the cheap old movements had steel parts that could get magnetized, and that some were assembled using magnets to hold things in place during assembly and then demagnetized during final assembly and packaging. I'll bet this is one of those movements he spoke about. Note: No, I never became a watchmaker. I had an after-school job in his shop cleaning the display cases, floors, etc. and he taught me a little because I was studying machine shop and machinery design in high school. Sitting here watching Marshall work, explaining things as he goes, is a lot like watching Mr. Constantine, my old Turkish boss, just without some of the Turkish curses when springs go flying.
You just broke a myth over here. Even though you could call it a bad movement, I am still fascinated by engineering. Bare bones, minimal and purely there for function by leaving only essentials. It took some effort to design this.
Effort? Like what? Swiss watchmakers when they start their education can design more complicated and more accurate movements. Vintage timex sucks, nothing more to say.
The idea of mechanical watches is to last. This watch is the beginning of cost savings. Cheap watch with cheap materials. Just like the cars these days :) But i can agree that they put a lot of effort, to make something cheap that is working :D It is somehow craftsmenship!
@@PK2001X you miss the point of these timex movements. its not about complication or highly decorated, high end movements, its about making a movement as cheap, mass producable and reliable as possible. Timex never wants to be Pathek Phillipe, and build impressive watches for tons of money for a few people. Timex wants to produce watches that everyone can afford, so they must be cheap, massproduced and somewhat reliable. And for this goal, you need a lot of skills, not only for whatchmaking, but to create the machines needet, to setup a production line and so on. its funny, that you mentioned swiss watchmaking, because, what saves swiss watchmaking for diying out was swatch, and swatch had the same goal as timex: produce cheap, reliable massproduced and affordable watches with a higly sophisticated production line and automatation on every possible level. swatch even perfectioniced this efford with the sistem51, an automatic watch thats builded completly by machines with no human interactions and held together with just one screw.
My first watch was a Timex my father and I picked out of a case in a drug store in 1970, the year I entered first grade. I had it up until 2003 (a separation from my ex caused me to lose many things I wanted to keep), and in 2003 it still ran and kept decent time. The crystal was so scratched up you could barely see through it, and the band was ragged out, but the dang thing ran.
It is cool that you can appreciate it for what it is. I have seen so many watch collectors go on and on about how anything made by Timex is garbage and should be thrown away. I can see why no one will work on them. I love a lot of the old Timex designs. No one in my life was wearing a Rolex, Omega or even a Seiko. I have memories of Timex and other low end watches.
I think it's cool that something so uncomplicated and inexpensive can still be serviced. My every day wear watch is just a minimalist quartz movement. I just want the time and for it to look decent. I truly appreciate mechanical and all other types of watches and the complications, but sometimes, I just need to know the time and I don't like having to pull out my phone for it when I don't need to do anything else.
I wanted to thank you for posting this. Your video inspired me to service a non-running Minnie Mouse watch with the same movement. I too had difficulty getting all the pivots lined up when reinstalling the rear plate, although I found that removing the balance pivot screw first helped.
I have worked on many things not as small of coarse .But after working on something the first time the second time usually goes a lot better. Knowing what is inside helps a lot. You learn the pitfalls. Very cool video and watch. I grew in the 50's and 60's and haveing a Mickey mouse watch was a big deal for a kid.
Fun job there. Wondering if you may have assembled it upside down, as in, install the movements on the back plate first? There must have been an easy way to get the wheels aligned easily for such a mass produced watch.
I am so glad you worked on this Mickey Mouse watch ! I had one when I was about six years old...circa 1959. It may have been a hand me down from one of my brothers...It was fun to wear...had a red plastic strap.
I enjoy watching you work...I enjoy the fact there is no music (which for some reason, people seem to think is necessary for everything) and most of all, you talk not yell...Well done...I had one of these when I was very young, from memory it got binned when it stopped working...
I have an old Timex on the worldbench with the same movement. I also took it apart and managed to reassemble it. I have a setting lever coming from England, so you can get some parts. I also read that most just back off the balance pivot adjustment 1/4 turn and throw the hole assembly in an ultrasonic then tighten and lubricate. There are also service manuals online believe it or not. Good work.
I have a Mickey Mouse electric from 1971. It does not run and I would give anything to have it running. Mine is the electric Mickey Mouse watch. Wish I could add a picture to this comment. I have some unbelievably cool memories wearing this watch. Thank you for your UA-cam’s. I have watched every one of them some more than once.
Fun game: Take a drink every time he tells us how many screws there are... But seriously I enjoy your videos. They're very fascinating and I enjoy your enthusiasm. Keep it up!
Robert Langdon, the main character in "The Da Vinci Code", wears a Mickey Mouse watch. Now, I shall have to watch it, again. 😁 Great video. You are really cool, man. You are so positive. I like all the new things that I am learning. Thank you.
Lol that’s funny. Ignatius J Reilly, the main character of a Confederacy of Dunces, wears one too. Apparently it’s a common watch in the world of fiction.
I used to do contract work for a local MM distributor and repaired hundreds of these watches. Some used Timex movements but others used BFG and EB calibers. The Timex movements changed over the years and one version used a bronze click which often wore out making it impossible to wind. Mainspring failures were rare. The center post wasn't the same size in all versions so the cannon pinion, hour wheel and hand holes weren't always interchangeable. Some movements weren't able to run again for whatever reason so I found that a quick way to identify the dead ones was to put all that weren't ticking into the cleaning machine. Those that came out ticking were repairable. Needless to say, not my favorite watches to work on but with experience they weren't too bad. IIRC, Timex movements made before the mid 60s were lubricated with Nye's porpoise jaw oil until it was outlawed. Someone mentioned cleaning the movement in lighter fluid and then oiling, but getting at the balance cups wasn't easy without getting oil on the hairspring if the plates hadn't been separated.
I serviced one of these yesterday, but watched your video first. Using your technique of getting the wheels in place and engaged was helpful and I gut it together in about 10 minutes. Lucky I guess. Normally, I use pegwood to hold plates wile aligning wheels, or even just holding steady while installing screws. However, on this watch, I knew I was gonna have to turn it upside down to install the screws, so I just used my fingers to hold the plates together while nudging the wheels in place. Once done, I just turned my hand over and installed a screw to secure everything in place. A little awkward but it worked.
The most interesting part about your struggle getting the movement reassembled is that these were very inexpensive watches so the amount of time required to assemble it would have to be very low. Knowing that, there MUST be a trick to quickly and accurately install the plate over the gear train - it's just that knowledge has been lost over the years. I wonder if Timex might have a historical records department with a copy of the old assembly manual might still be found?
Most likely some very specialized mounting jigs, payed for by pure economy of scale. I can imagine that all the wheels being delivered in some sort of frame holding them together, you put them in all at once. Maybe even indexing on that "spare" holes. Then put the plate on and pull the frame out to the side. Something like that. I agree with you that at that price point nobody would fiddle like that, it has to be dropped in and be done.
My late father was a watchmaker who specialised in Jaeger LeCoultre and Rolex watches (the place that he worked were dealers for both of these brands). He rated Jaeger LeCoultre as way superior to Rolex although he did love Rolex. As with most watchmakers back then they weren’t really appreciated for their skill level and wages were pretty poor, (at least they were over here in the UK) so he used to supplement his income by servicing/repairing watches at home. He used to charge the equivalent of £1.50p (UK) to service a Rolex!!! He used to love the old Timex watches but as you say they were not really cost-effective to repair. He did repair many of them that were treasured watches belonging to kids though. In amongst my collection of watches I have a Zenith El Primero Day,Date, Moonphase chronograph and according to their specs it uses over 20 different types of lubricant in the movement!!! Expensive to service but a fantastic timepiece. Thank you for your brilliant videos, they bring back many happy memories of me sitting in amazement watching my dad at work. Take care.
US Time/Timex must have had some kind of manufacturing jig for positioning the wheel train to install that plate. It looks like the train might be accessible from the sides. It reminds me a little bit of trying to reassemble a Volkswagen transmission.
I just acquired an ingersoll through picking a yard sale last week. The one with the words "Mickey Mouse in red, with white dial and red strap. Still works too
resin printing could probably pull it off, I use a FDM printer however and can tell you it would have no chance at pulling off the tolerances needed XD
Non watch-person here: This would make for an epic sleeper watch! Keep everything but the movement and try to find and fit the most complex movement that would work with it.
Have you read the Timex Service guides? You now you only have to remove the seconds hand, and you get to leave the hour and minute hand on, so they come off with the dial. These are fun to service. Send me a message and I can link you to ALL the Timex service guides. Oh yeah and good luck figuring out how to hold it for some of the procedures. Well said: "Cheaply made in the best way." In fact they hardened the ends of the pinions and pivot holes, and the pins on the escapement were also hardened. There was a lot more enginerding in these than many watchmaker give Timex credit for. Take look they made a TOM of really cool looking watches back in the day.
My wife gave this to me for our first Christmas together...47 years ago. Still have it and it runs quite well. Probably should have it cleaned.
Thats so cool, congrats on almost 50 years together
Your machine can't check this watch because the beat rate is 4 per sceond-14,400 per hour and the machine isn't designed to pick that up. Even my old Watchmaster couldn't until I sent one of the tuning forks away to be changed. I work on the dollar watch movements from Ingersoll, Ingraham, Westclox. Of course they're wonderful: anybody can make an expensive watch, but it takes real engineering genius to make a cheap one that works.
You service them?
@@juanito3pasito said they work in them so likely services them for some purpose.
I have a couple of the Westclocks that need servicing/repairing.
I have a westclox, I'd love for it it to be serviced but you can't service them. They are riveted.
According to 17jewels and ranfft websites and my obeservatons/calculations, the Times M24 runs at 18,000 bph 5 bps 2,5 hz. And my mobile based frequency checker does also say it is 18,000.
I think that this watch perfectly exemplifies what the word “design” actually means.
The true “Design” is about finding the best solution within a clearly defined set of limitations. In this case the “clearly defined limitation” - is the cost of production, or the price point of the piece. And the solutions which were found - are simply brilliant.
Quintessential designers at their best!
After 50 years the damn thing works, losing a minute or two a day! It probably did not do much better when it came of the production line.
I am sure that the designs of the tooling for such tremendous production volume, were just as ingenious and amazing as the watch itself.
Thank you very much for your excellent choice of the worthy subject for your video!
Only designers with complete understanding of all the materials and processes involved, can make this sort of mechanism.
Whatever scale that may be.
Something that is this simple, has taken much time to design. Although the movement reminds me of a 400 day movement of the era.
Yep. “Overbuilt” is easy. Trivial even. But making *this* , and making it possible to assemble it consistently (presumably not by hand)? *that* is hard.
There were almost none that done better than 30 seconds a day when new.
@@JasperJanssen I bet the factory had some kind of little fingers on a rig to hold the top pivots as they sat the top plate on. Then they would slip the fingers out the side as just before the screws went on from underneath, still sitting in the same position.
A 2$ watch that's still *alive* 50 years later, whereas my 200$ samsung had its screen die within a year of purchase.
So yeah, maybe I'm becoming a fan of oldschool mechanical or at least analog watches XD
He is a man of focus, commitment, and sheer effing will. Well done.
It feels like I'm watching ESPN with the great commentary. You definitely make what you do appear fascinating
I was in fourth grade in 1945 and got a Mickey Mouse watch for Christmas from my grandparents. For some reason I put the watch on my desk and went to lunch. I was young and not smart. So came back watch was gone. Broke my heart. My husband bought me one for my fortieth birthday, and I love it and it still runs.
I bought one of those in '75. It never ran and I have kept it in a drawer. I took it to a jeweler who said it could not be worked on. So I put it back in the drawer. A couple of years ago I took the back off and found the "innerds" to be maybe fixable. And then I found your video. Mine is a little different in that there is no cover plate after taking the back off. It opens right to the wheels and such. I've kept it in hopes that one day, if I learn enough, that I might be able to take it apart and possibly put it back together with no extra parts left over and have it run after 45 years in a drawer. I thought my grandson might like it. Thanks for posting.
Can you put some pictures of the innerds of your movement online? I'd like to see them.
Being a manufacturing engineer for 30 years i have to wonder how the factory originally assembled the movement.
I absolutely love your channel, keep up the great vids!
Was going to comment the same. I suspect the factory had jigs to hold the parts precisely in place. If you can find a jig, you could likely repair these movements economically
Wow. Were these produced manually? Love your Channel!
Regards Arne from Denmark.
You're very skilled. You disassemble these watches quickly and you know exactly how they go back together. I'd be taking 40 photos for every step to make sure I don’t forget something.
I’m an engineer. I loved the look inside that Timex. Thanks. I know artfully intricate Swiss movements are wonders, but I’m glad to see truly top industrial manufacturing/engineering excellence like that. I still love my Timex. I have a few nice watches, but on my wrist is almost always a Timex (indigo) because at 3am when the dogs bark, I can push a button and know what time it is and see my shoes because I spent $25 ten years ago. Great video Marshall. Enjoyed it a lot. I just can’t imagine how they made 10,000 of those a day!
This was the watch that made me start collecting watches. First time I saw this was from my grandmother, she was so proud of this watch because it always saves her financially because she usually pawned it in times of need, but after a few years due to hardships, she could'nt buy it back from the shop. I was still young, and if I had the money, I wish I could have bought it back. I miss my grandma, and this watch will always reminds me of her. Thank you for uploading.
But now do you have one?
Japanese emperor hirohito was such a big Disney fan that a 1974 $20 Mickey mouse watch was his most prized possession he would wear everywhere from day to day use to state functions. He was even buried with it when he died in 1989.
That's really amazing.
Thank you for admitting that it took you nearly 120 minutes to get that in. Makes me feel a lot better about spending 45 minutes trying to get a bridge on the other day.
Same here.
The Mickey Mouse watch was my first watch , which my grandma gave, for my birthday. I loved it! I remember just waiting for people to ask me what time it was, so i could tell them the time. My childhood, was in the 70s, s great time to grow up. Timex to me is so Nostalgic, brings back many memories. I wore several Timex watches, i still do.
Yeah, I initially said to myself "What's this crackerjack piece of junk?!?" After seeing it work under the microscope, my opinion has done an about face. This is an engineering and design marvel, something incredibly complicated made within tightly constrained parameters that actually *works* acceptably well for what it is. Wow.
This is the kind of watch you can understand a professional watchmaker saying it's not worth the bother fixing, but with your voiceover (and a bit sped up) it made a good enthusiast video. Well done!
I've done enough of these over the years that I've now stopped doing them. Kudos to you for your persistence. They are frustrating!
I'm learning to do repairs, and started out fixing these mass produced dollar watch movements. I tried putting them together the way you did, with everything in place, and quickly learned that isn't the right way to go about it. I knew these were made to be assembled quickly, and there was just no way they were assembled in such a manner. So I looked it over carefully, and discovered the balance has a screw on one side. That's the trick. You install everything WITHOUT the balance in place, as it is the piece that never lines up and ends up throwing everything off. Once you have the plate on, you loosen that screw, and can then position the balance into place and get the pivots lined up by tightening the screw. Not only that, but the pivot on the actual balance is setup so that it balances upright with the watch flipped over, which is why you had so much trouble. By installing it last, it will rest upright, and not knock over all of the other gears. You then simply adjust the screw for proper end shake and all that jazz.
I had a Mickey Mouse watch like that in 1971, I wore it for years. Thanks for sharing this watch, that I have some old memories with.
Amazing. He said he was an amateur but his skills are pretty impressive to me. Great work.
he did what hundreds of repairmen refused to do: he tried to fix it and discovered the secrets…
Amateur means you just don't get paid. It doesn't mean you're not skilled.
@@johntate5050 AMEN!!!
I'm super happy you didn't find it beneath you to work on a Mickey Mouse watch because I used to take apart these movements as a kid and never got them back together so for me this is fascinating and super satisfying.
I messed around with restoring this era movement. I found the original Timex service manuals for the M24 And they actually didn’t pull the movements apart to service them. It was just a 5 min swish in lighter fluid, 5 min in alcohol, and then lubricate. Worked shockingly well. I did try and pull them apart like this many many times. Always gave up in defeat because I breathed as you said and watched the pallet fork fly!
Marshall, I'm sixty-one years old, and I have had several Mickey Mouse watches when I was a boy. It was on every kids wishlist the first time we visited The Magic Kingdom (Disneyland)! My first watch was a Timex mechanical movement boys watch, that I received as a gift for my sixth birthday. In the 70's, Timex went to Quartz movements, and flooded the market with cheap quartz watches.
Imagine my surprise this year, when I discovered that Timex was making quality mechanical watches, with Twenty-one Jewels. They have two collections, "The Waterbury" and "The Marlin". I bought one of each, and I couldn't have been more pleased with them they cost $87 + tax, and I sprang $15 each for the four year extended warranty ($115 each, delivered). The movement is Japanese with a transparent back, and the calfskin band and stainless steel case is made in China.
I took comfort in the fact that the movement is Japanese, as a society, the Japanese have a very strong conviction to quality in workmanship and materials. Perhaps I'm being naive, but I'm not sure I would have bought them if movement was made in China too. Time will tell (no pun intended), as I enjoy the nostalgia of wearing a mechanical movement Timex watch, like the first one I ever owned!
Marshell, Quick story! But first, great video!
I am new to watch collecting, and I have along with that an interest in taking watches apart for repairs and such. When I say I am new, I mean, I just went on ETSY last week and bought a half dozen trinket watches to take apart and play with. I am by no means mechanical minded or a tinker of things. Not knowing what I was getting into, I bought a little Mickey Mouse watch for my daughter, fully functioning, from the 60's. I received it today and started taking it apart. (Did I mention it was already working?) I took the plate of and a little part fell out of place. "I can put this one piece back", I thought, not knowing how everything was attached to...air.. Then as I was looking through the loupe. PING! An atomic explosion happened right in front of my eyeball! My heart sank. I did not take a picture before starting to try and reset this one piece. Well after a couple of hours of trying to figure it out, I went to YTU(UA-cam University) and I found you. You are working on a man's watch here, I think. I had a ladies watch!
After seeing the order you put the train back together in, I at least had a destination. It took me SEVERAL dozen tries to get everything seated. Many micro explosions happening along the way. LOL. Then the plate! The first try was not successful, but I was able to get it on the second "plate attempt". Yeah!!! After hearing and seeing you talk about how difficult this is, I am very encouraged to think that, if I can beat Micky, I have hope to learn how to handle any watch!
If you read this, Thanks. Great video!
Waiting for dvd
Very emotional here, but Marshall you are amazing. IMHO, you are one of only two people in the world that can reassemble this type of movement and get it right. Beautiful job! Thanks for posting a great learning experience.
Please do more Timex watches! This is the best video on a Timex movement I've seen yet!
I don't know if I want to!
@@WristwatchRevival I don't blame you! Looks like Mickey almost got the best of you!
Yes, this is one of the most inconvenient Timex mechanisms for assembly, I assembled it myself 100 times. Bravo for the video!
Wow 100 times, you are a machine!
I just "restored" an official Disney-branded Mickey Mouse watch from about year 2015. It just needed a new battery, and I had to adjust the bracelet to fit my wrist properly. It's a big hit with everyone who has seen it - Not a scratch on the crystal, and it keeps reasonably good time.
Excellent video as always, Marshall. I find it fascinating that a working mechanical watch could be manufactured for sale at $2 or so even as late as the 1960s. My first watch was a Timex, in about 1970. It ran well for a while until I lost it. :-)
Thanks to this video I got up the courage to take the back off a timex marlin bought off eBay a few years ago. It’s now ticking beautifully
Thanks for this video. I too had read somewhere that the movement was riveted and that it couldn't be serviced. The reassembly looks incredibly fiddly but hand off to Timex for designing a watch which was different from the others of its day and that is still going 60 years later. Thanks again!
I used to have one, as a kid, { I'm 77 now, ! }, but in all the many house moves, it got lost !
I loved that watch ! Didn't know that you could still get them !
I shall look out for one ! But I won't be taking it apart !
Thanks SO much for showing this one !
Stay safe
Stu xx
That watch is in really good shape considering the quality of the build and all. I have to admit, I knew these were never great timepieces, I never realized how, well, Mickey Mouse they really were.
And yet, they still outlive a lot more expensive devices today, which is equally sad and funny
My mom had this same watch. She replaced the strap with a pink one. That memory was just hidden in the recesses of my mind until just now.
I find this interesting enough to mention my own story. I had one of these in the late 70's and into the very early 80's. I was wearing it while fishing and got it a bit wet.
I ... This was the first watch I ever worked on or opened up, and I guess it absolutely killed off my ambition to be a watchmaker :) Little did I know, at age 7, that this movement could not be serviced, other than in the hands of an expert on a mission.
Brilliant video! 👏 My grandmother gave me one of these MM Timexes when I was a kid and I wore it for years - until I saved enough to buy a more upmarket Tissot (which also still works!) As my gran's eyesight failed and she couldn't see her own watch dial properly, I gave the MM Timex and she wore it for years as well. I found it after she died, and it still runs, just! Well, it keeps terrible time, which isn't surprising after 50 or so years, especially without Jewels and no servicing..... Simple, but tough little things. Almost kid proof I suppose! I must dig it out and send it to you 👿 😃
The bottom balance pivot hole is a screw and it can be unscrewed from the back
This results in the balance sinking in a bit into the movement, stabilizing it
The other gears can be wiggled from the open sides with a tweezer until they pop into the pivot holes
Later you can tighten the balance pivot up and oil, so finicky! awesome video and cute watch : )
A great watch, as you said a piece of Americana, and you've wonderfully preserved this neat little icon of a watch.
Another fantastic video! These inexpensive watches can be really tricky to reassemble. I serviced an old Roskopf pocket watch with a similar pin lever pallet and it took HOURS to refit the top bridge. Those pivots just didn’t want to seat. But as you said, it’s a wonderful feeling of success when it finally comes together!
I got one of these kind of watches when I was a kid. It was a more modern version, I think it was a quartz movement. Loved that watch, so cool to see how long they’ve been around
Wow! That was the most counterintuitive watch presentation ever, when one would reasonably expect such a watch to be easy. This presenter portrays seminal work in all his videos’ in subject, expertise, commentary and of course his super photography. Wonderful assistance to a novice such as I, in this, my new and wonderful hobby.
Thanks for posting this. I have one of these on the bench in pieces, so far have not been able to get it back together. Your video is extremely helpful. You have a lot of patience.
kinda makes me admire the workers who put these together in the factory.
I have one just like it. It was bought in the late 60s or early 70s, and it still works. I also have a MM watch from 1935 that works. One of my favorite possessions!
Did these only come out in the 60’s and 70’s really want one just don’t want a fake
I just bought a non-running M24 movement Timex this morning, having never worked on or seen one. Opened it up and said "WTF?".
Very serendipitous that I just happened upon this video this afternoon. After watching this, I think I might just replace the whole movement rather than attempting a repair.
From what I've heard, Timex's recommendation to customers was to take the movement out, and keeping it in once piece, dunk the whole thing in a jar of naphta (Zippo lighter fluid, in other words) to clean it. I don't even think they gave recommendations for lubrication (with hardened steel pivot points and no jewels, they might have been dry since the day they were made)
They did actually produce service manuals for these watches and included recommended lubricants. Originally used Elgin M56B oil or TENNECO #415 oil but later
updated it to MOBIUS SYNT-A-LUBE oil.
I think that was an urban myth. I've seen the service manuals that specify lubrication points. That being said Timexs are the lowest priced watches and that method probably would extend their lifespan with a need of a service.
@@pianofry1138 "Takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin' !" - John Cameron Swayze
that was from the before times. now we have ultrasonic cleaners that would make short work of cleaning that movement if cleaning is all thats wrong with it.
@@BillAndersonNS Ziegrfeid out of Get Smart/
When I was ten I had a Timex watch nearly this vintage that ticked so loud that I couldn’t sleep unless I placed it into my sock drawer, with the drawer closed. The watch was durable but it kept lousy time. Interesting video.
amazing, this is the first of all the watch repair/restoration videos (by you or anyone else) that was made on a non uber expensive watch brand, thank you for this! 🙏 great work as always!!! 😉
I would really like to speak with someone who actually worked at the bench putting the movement together. There must have been tools made specifically to help line up the wheels and pivots. There is no way that more than 5 minutes was allocated to the build given that Timex spit out thousands per month. Thanks for sticking with this project and not giving up.
Excellent video. When all is said and done, the watch lasted nearly 50 years which isn't too bad at all.
This watch most likely ran for a COUPLE, years, and sat in a drawer for 50 years.
Marshall thank you for not saying away from a movement that is constantly called unserviceable. It is surprising at how well they can take a beating and still keep running. Sure they aren't the most accurate or precision watches out there but they will run
Lol! If you can service this movement, you can probably service any movement. Great video!
If it wasn't for the mainspring, he could just plop the assembled movement in the cleaner. All oiling spots are accessible easily since it's just two plates.
Edit: mainspring on them are coated and don't need lubrication. At least when they timex they were.
When I was in the Navy, we had a sign on the ET Shack door of the USS Conyngham that said "Miracles While-U-Wait".
I think you have earned that accolade, Marshall.
Its always amazing how its always the most simple things are the hardest
I used to have that watch! Same brand and all. Came from my uncle when I was a kid, but it got lost along the way over the last 50 years.
Wish I still had it!
Congratulations in getting to the end. Sometimes reassembly of something you’ve taken apart is like herding cats. For me, the question that always bothers me is, “how was the assembly was done by the manufacturer?”. Obviously, a watch like this needed to be assembled in under a few minutes to be profitable. My mind wanders looking for answers - was there an assembly jig? - did they apply a distilled water mist and freeze all of the parts in place before laying down the bridge? - a type of wax that was removed by heat? It would be awesome to learn how it was done in the first place.
Wax does sound like a good idea.
Wow, that was the first watch I ever owned, my grandfather got it for me when I was very young. Unfortunately my home was burglarized a few years ago and it got stolen, but so cool to see it again and the inner workings of it. Thx for sharing.
I think its hilarious that the service manual for these movements says to clean it by dumping the whole thing in lighter fluid
I've a few in now
I am working on a vintage Timex with the same movement. I considered just throwing the whole thing in lighter fluid but wasn’t sure...now that it is disassembled I will use this video as my reference lol.
@@MrGomeazy it's a better idea, kek.
@@MrGomeazy May I ask what the name is of your timex? I'm very interested in messing with one of these movements! 😄
I cannot believe the patience you had in rebuilding that movement.
I've been inspired by your videos to take a look at a small collection of watches which have been sitting in a plastic bag in a drawer. They are mostly small wristwatches, but there are a couple of inherited pocket watches. I wasn't sure of the safety status of the military one, so I tried the other and it turned out to be something like this Mickey Mouse watch. Basically it has 2 plates, no jewels and a tabbed face. I established the end of the mainspring is broken, and somehow the minute hand is missing. Today I managed to find a possible donor watch in a charity shop for just 5GBP, about 6.5USD.
Brilliant video! All watches merit some attention but it's difficult to reach a deeper level of understatement in this case. Luv it!
So many kids in the early 70s got these watches for Christmas. In 1973 I remember two kids showing theirs off on the playground after Christmas vacation.
I admire your patience! I don't have a clue how these were assembled en masse back at the factory. I had Timex watches when I was a kid (not Mickey Mouse though), and the insides looked much the same. They had a red seconds hand as well. Usually they lasted a couple of years or so, I think.
I had a Timex version of this watch that I got when I was 10 or so. Wore it for several years. Wish I had it now, but alas I don't know where it is. What a blast to see one again.
As an old manufacturing hand it's intriguing to wonder how these were assembled in the tens of thousands. Maybe they had a device that you fed parts into that put them in place on one plate and held them while the other plate was attached. It's hard to envisage rows and rows of people doing what you just did.
Yeah, it's all about the jigs and fixtures. I used to design and implement manufacturing processes - it's amazing how the right set of tools makes it all just happen.
I've been wondering the same thing too!
Something my old watchmaker boss said to me once when I asked why he had a demagnetizer (given how most watch parts were non-ferrous) probably applies here. He said some of the cheap old movements had steel parts that could get magnetized, and that some were assembled using magnets to hold things in place during assembly and then demagnetized during final assembly and packaging. I'll bet this is one of those movements he spoke about.
Note: No, I never became a watchmaker. I had an after-school job in his shop cleaning the display cases, floors, etc. and he taught me a little because I was studying machine shop and machinery design in high school. Sitting here watching Marshall work, explaining things as he goes, is a lot like watching Mr. Constantine, my old Turkish boss, just without some of the Turkish curses when springs go flying.
So Mickey Mouse saved Timex. Great history lesson!
You just broke a myth over here. Even though you could call it a bad movement, I am still fascinated by engineering. Bare bones, minimal and purely there for function by leaving only essentials. It took some effort to design this.
Effort? Like what? Swiss watchmakers when they start their education can design more complicated and more accurate movements. Vintage timex sucks, nothing more to say.
@@PK2001X You miss his point beautifully.
The idea of mechanical watches is to last. This watch is the beginning of cost savings. Cheap watch with cheap materials. Just like the cars these days :) But i can agree that they put a lot of effort, to make something cheap that is working :D It is somehow craftsmenship!
@@PK2001X you miss the point of these timex movements. its not about complication or highly decorated, high end movements, its about making a movement as cheap, mass producable and reliable as possible. Timex never wants to be Pathek Phillipe, and build impressive watches for tons of money for a few people. Timex wants to produce watches that everyone can afford, so they must be cheap, massproduced and somewhat reliable. And for this goal, you need a lot of skills, not only for whatchmaking, but to create the machines needet, to setup a production line and so on. its funny, that you mentioned swiss watchmaking, because, what saves swiss watchmaking for diying out was swatch, and swatch had the same goal as timex: produce cheap, reliable massproduced and affordable watches with a higly sophisticated production line and automatation on every possible level. swatch even perfectioniced this efford with the sistem51, an automatic watch thats builded completly by machines with no human interactions and held together with just one screw.
I applaud your patience. In my case I'd thrown the watch around the room already. I build computers, but luckily even the M.2 screws aren't that tiny.
Mon admiration sans réserve pour la patience qu'il aura fallu pour réassembler les deux plateaux ! Hats off !…
My first watch was a Timex my father and I picked out of a case in a drug store in 1970, the year I entered first grade. I had it up until 2003 (a separation from my ex caused me to lose many things I wanted to keep), and in 2003 it still ran and kept decent time. The crystal was so scratched up you could barely see through it, and the band was ragged out, but the dang thing ran.
I did have a Timex when I was a kid and it was riveted.
Simple design = usually means less moving parts = less things that can go wrong
It is cool that you can appreciate it for what it is.
I have seen so many watch collectors go on and on about how anything made by Timex is garbage and should be thrown away.
I can see why no one will work on them.
I love a lot of the old Timex designs.
No one in my life was wearing a Rolex, Omega or even a Seiko.
I have memories of Timex and other low end watches.
I think it's cool that something so uncomplicated and inexpensive can still be serviced. My every day wear watch is just a minimalist quartz movement. I just want the time and for it to look decent. I truly appreciate mechanical and all other types of watches and the complications, but sometimes, I just need to know the time and I don't like having to pull out my phone for it when I don't need to do anything else.
I really like your voice and laugh during fluenly words spoken made so relaxing. Thanks a lot, pls.made more clips.
I wanted to thank you for posting this. Your video inspired me to service a non-running Minnie Mouse watch with the same movement. I too had difficulty getting all the pivots lined up when reinstalling the rear plate, although I found that removing the balance pivot screw first helped.
I have worked on many things not as small of
coarse .But after working on something the first time
the second time usually goes a lot better. Knowing what
is inside helps a lot. You learn the pitfalls. Very cool video and watch. I grew in the 50's and 60's and haveing a Mickey mouse watch was a big deal for a kid.
Fun job there. Wondering if you may have assembled it upside down, as in, install the movements on the back plate first? There must have been an easy way to get the wheels aligned easily for such a mass produced watch.
I am so glad you worked on this Mickey Mouse watch ! I had one when I was about six years old...circa 1959. It may have been a hand me down from one of my brothers...It was fun to wear...had a red plastic strap.
Timex made excellent watches.
I enjoy watching you work...I enjoy the fact there is no music (which for some reason, people seem to think is necessary for everything) and most of all, you talk not yell...Well done...I had one of these when I was very young, from memory it got binned when it stopped working...
I have an old Timex on the worldbench with the same movement. I also took it apart and managed to reassemble it. I have a setting lever coming from England, so you can get some parts. I also read that most just back off the balance pivot adjustment 1/4 turn and throw the hole assembly in an ultrasonic then tighten and lubricate. There are also service manuals online believe it or not. Good work.
I have a Mickey Mouse electric from 1971. It does not run and I would give anything to have it running. Mine is the electric Mickey Mouse watch. Wish I could add a picture to this comment. I have some unbelievably cool memories wearing this watch. Thank you for your UA-cam’s. I have watched every one of them some more than once.
Fun game: Take a drink every time he tells us how many screws there are...
But seriously I enjoy your videos. They're very fascinating and I enjoy your enthusiasm. Keep it up!
Actually nice to see a watch like this , really makes you appreciate the finer ones.
Wonderful fun! Your videos are a constant enjoyment!
I like it. Simple yet it touches the basic restoration of an American icon.
Robert Langdon, the main character in "The Da Vinci Code", wears a Mickey Mouse watch. Now, I shall have to watch it, again. 😁
Great video. You are really cool, man. You are so positive. I like all the new things that I am learning.
Thank you.
Lol that’s funny. Ignatius J Reilly, the main character of a Confederacy of Dunces, wears one too. Apparently it’s a common watch in the world of fiction.
@@SuperDRYDfruit OMG! That is my favorite book! You're right. I can picture him in my mind, his pockets jammed with hot dogs.
Cool.
i was about to ask if robert dropped his off for restoration lol!
One must be very positive indeed to live in Seattle.
@@SuperDRYDfruit I absolutely love that book! Tragic history for the author. Sad, he was brilliant!
I just picked up this watch at my local antique fair for $5. Time is off by at most 45+s. Very stoked with my find and amped on your video!
incredible patience. I would have lost it and bent something in anger. seems like a perfect candidate for a replacement movement.
Deffinitly an interesting challenge to overcome though, and a fascinating story to go with it for us to enjoy
I used to do contract work for a local MM distributor and repaired hundreds of these watches. Some used Timex movements but others used BFG and EB calibers. The Timex movements changed over the years and one version used a bronze click which often wore out making it impossible to wind. Mainspring failures were rare. The center post wasn't the same size in all versions so the cannon pinion, hour wheel and hand holes weren't always interchangeable. Some movements weren't able to run again for whatever reason so I found that a quick way to identify the dead ones was to put all that weren't ticking into the cleaning machine. Those that came out ticking were repairable. Needless to say, not my favorite watches to work on but with experience they weren't too bad. IIRC, Timex movements made before the mid 60s were lubricated with Nye's porpoise jaw oil until it was outlawed. Someone mentioned cleaning the movement in lighter fluid and then oiling, but getting at the balance cups wasn't easy without getting oil on the hairspring if the plates hadn't been separated.
Great repair done. Well done and thanks for such an interesting video.
You are brilliant Mr. Marshall. It is so soothing listening to you.
You're correct, the Fact that theres no Jewel friction and still runs smoothly is Amazing.
Love your color commentary and play-by-play style of voice over to your videos. You have a gift. Looking forward to the next one.
I serviced one of these yesterday, but watched your video first. Using your technique of getting the wheels in place and engaged was helpful and I gut it together in about 10 minutes. Lucky I guess. Normally, I use pegwood to hold plates wile aligning wheels, or even just holding steady while installing screws. However, on this watch, I knew I was gonna have to turn it upside down to install the screws, so I just used my fingers to hold the plates together while nudging the wheels in place. Once done, I just turned my hand over and installed a screw to secure everything in place. A little awkward but it worked.
The most interesting part about your struggle getting the movement reassembled is that these were very inexpensive watches so the amount of time required to assemble it would have to be very low. Knowing that, there MUST be a trick to quickly and accurately install the plate over the gear train - it's just that knowledge has been lost over the years. I wonder if Timex might have a historical records department with a copy of the old assembly manual might still be found?
Most likely some very specialized mounting jigs, payed for by pure economy of scale. I can imagine that all the wheels being delivered in some sort of frame holding them together, you put them in all at once. Maybe even indexing on that "spare" holes. Then put the plate on and pull the frame out to the side. Something like that.
I agree with you that at that price point nobody would fiddle like that, it has to be dropped in and be done.
My late father was a watchmaker who specialised in Jaeger LeCoultre and Rolex watches (the place that he worked were dealers for both of these brands). He rated Jaeger LeCoultre as way superior to Rolex although he did love Rolex. As with most watchmakers back then they weren’t really appreciated for their skill level and wages were pretty poor, (at least they were over here in the UK) so he used to supplement his income by servicing/repairing watches at home. He used to charge the equivalent of £1.50p (UK) to service a Rolex!!! He used to love the old Timex watches but as you say they were not really cost-effective to repair. He did repair many of them that were treasured watches belonging to kids though. In amongst my collection of watches I have a Zenith El Primero Day,Date, Moonphase chronograph and according to their specs it uses over 20 different types of lubricant in the movement!!! Expensive to service but a fantastic timepiece. Thank you for your brilliant videos, they bring back many happy memories of me sitting in amazement watching my dad at work. Take care.
US Time/Timex must have had some kind of manufacturing jig for positioning the wheel train to install that plate. It looks like the train might be accessible from the sides. It reminds me a little bit of trying to reassemble a Volkswagen transmission.
I just acquired an ingersoll through picking a yard sale last week. The one with the words "Mickey Mouse in red, with white dial and red strap. Still works too
I would have loved to see the jig they used at the factory for assembly. I wonder if it's something someone could 3D print.
wouldn't everyone.
resin printing could probably pull it off, I use a FDM printer however and can tell you it would have no chance at pulling off the tolerances needed XD
Interesting idea!
Non watch-person here: This would make for an epic sleeper watch! Keep everything but the movement and try to find and fit the most complex movement that would work with it.
Have you read the Timex Service guides? You now you only have to remove the seconds hand, and you get to leave the hour and minute hand on, so they come off with the dial. These are fun to service. Send me a message and I can link you to ALL the Timex service guides.
Oh yeah and good luck figuring out how to hold it for some of the procedures.
Well said: "Cheaply made in the best way." In fact they hardened the ends of the pinions and pivot holes, and the pins on the escapement were also hardened. There was a lot more enginerding in these than many watchmaker give Timex credit for. Take look they made a TOM of really cool looking watches back in the day.