General mainspring questions
Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2018 10:45 am
I always like to find out what other people do often before I do it. The experience on the Forum is extensive. I just put in a new mainspring in an Imperial No.2 machine I bought in a dilapidated state a few years ago. The machine is running right now but a bit slow; I need to adjust the governor.
My first question is this: The mainspring I put in is new. It had the iron retaining ring around it. That is, the spring was bound by that ring. I managed to push the spring into the barrel with the retaining ring still on until it fell loose. However, the outer hole did not catch onto the the rivet on the side of the barrel. I took the spring out and wound it in place by hand, first catching the rivet with the spring hole before wrestling with the rest of the spring. I hope that makes sense.
Now I have another Columbia that needs a new spring. And I have another new spring with that same retaining ring. I now think to take that ring off before I insert the spring into the barrel. I'm interested in knowing what other people do: do they (1) insert the spring with the retaining ring on, (2) take the retaining ring off, or (3) do something else (like sending it off to Ron Sitko).
My second question is this: Now that the Imperial No. 2 is running, albeit with a new mainspring, is it ready to rip? Or should I only partially wind it for some period of time (e.g. a few days) to let the spring "settle in", whatever that might mean.
I now wait for the collective wisdom of the Forum.
My first question is this: The mainspring I put in is new. It had the iron retaining ring around it. That is, the spring was bound by that ring. I managed to push the spring into the barrel with the retaining ring still on until it fell loose. However, the outer hole did not catch onto the the rivet on the side of the barrel. I took the spring out and wound it in place by hand, first catching the rivet with the spring hole before wrestling with the rest of the spring. I hope that makes sense.
Now I have another Columbia that needs a new spring. And I have another new spring with that same retaining ring. I now think to take that ring off before I insert the spring into the barrel. I'm interested in knowing what other people do: do they (1) insert the spring with the retaining ring on, (2) take the retaining ring off, or (3) do something else (like sending it off to Ron Sitko).
My second question is this: Now that the Imperial No. 2 is running, albeit with a new mainspring, is it ready to rip? Or should I only partially wind it for some period of time (e.g. a few days) to let the spring "settle in", whatever that might mean.
I now wait for the collective wisdom of the Forum.