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SHOP TRAIHIHG
JOB GUIDTf

LESSON
19
ColtetingHairsprings

Sections385 - 386

CHICAG9 SCHOOT OF lrlt*T(HfrtAKlHc

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this pageintentionaltyleft blank
Secfion 385 MASTER\TATCHMAKING Lesson19

SEC.385---Centering Collet

rn
I.he results obtained when
truing a hairspring in the round or eentering the collet
are theoretieally the same. As the student beeomes more
profieient at his trade many of the elementary principles
he has learned will fade into the backsound. This is
very evident in truing hairsprings in the round. The
average watchmaker cannot begin to equal the speed of
a factory trained man when it. comes to truing a hair-
spring, A faetory trained man ean true a hairspring in
the round and flat (sometimes rrith one bend) in a,
surprisingly short time. They average upwards of 200
a day. This speed comes only with constant practiee.
?he illustrations to follow shorv some of the common
errors found when a hairspring is out of true in the round
or when colleting a hairspring:, and the closer the student
gets the center of the collet to the theoretical center of
the hairspring the less work he will have in truing the
hairspring on the wheel^ It is possible to make these
coffections so exact that when the hairspring is put on the
wheel it does not need any further corrections. Ifowever,
this is the exception rather than the rule. It is, therefore,
of the utmost importanee that the student learn now the
elementary principles of truing a hairspring in the round.
Lerson19 II{ASTEI WATCHMAKIHG Secttun385

At the expense of repetl

tion let it be understood that
when a hairspring is true in
the round the exaet center
of the hairspring and. the
center of the collet are one
and the same. In figure 19-1
the center of the hairspring
is located at the inner end
of the spiral and if the cen-
ter of the eollet eoncurred
rvith this center the hair-
spring would be tme in the
round.

Figure 19-2 ilustrates an

enlarged view of the collet
and inner eoils of the hair-
spring. The small dot in the
eenter of the collet is the
theoretical center of the col-
let and hairspring, In order
to illustrate that the removal
of an excessamount of een-
ter eoils does not in any way
affeet these centere,a dotted
line is shown from the out-
side eoil to the collet. This
proves that any hairspring
can be trued perfectly in
the round provided there is
enough spacearound the col-
let. The student must learn
to visualize this.
Sectbn 385 MASTERWATCHMAKING t-6otr 19

The following illustrations

show by the two blaek dots
the theoretical centers of the
collet and hairspring respec-
tively. It is easy to see the
direction in which the collet
must be moved in order to
make these centers coincide.
Figure 1.9-3: The center
of the collet is to the left of
the hairspring center due to
the inside coil being too far
from the collet where it
leaves the eollet. Closing this
space until it appears as in
figure Lg-Z will center the
collet. A pair of hairspring
tweezers placed in the ap-
proximate position shown
and carefully elosed would
bring the desired results. Fis. l9-3

Figure 79-4: The center

of the collet is to the right
of the hairspring: center due
to the inside being too close
to the collet as it leaves the
pinning point, Inserting the
taper pin between ihe collet
and the inner eoil will force
collet in the proper direction.
Refer to and compare with
figure L9-2.
Lesson19 MASTER1VATCHMAKING Section 385

Figure 19-5: The tweezers

placed in the proper position
and twisted in a manner
which would bring thg cen-
ter of the collet toward the
theoretical center of the
hairspring would be the first
correction. If in making this
correction the center of the
collet should swing slightly
to the right of the hairspring
center, it may be moved into
the correct position with the
taper pin.

Figure L9-6 : To move the

center of the collet toward
the hairspring eenter place
tweezers in approximate po-
sition shown and make the
bend. In all probabilrty the
center of the ccllet will swing
toward the left slightly mak-
ing necessary another bend
similar to figure L9-3. Check
with figure 19-2.
Sctiil 35 MA:!TtN, WATCHMAI$NG trsr 19

Fieure 19-?: The center of

the collet should move easily
and quickly to the hairspring
center by plaein g tweezere
in approximate position
shown. In this case the best
results would be obtained by
applying pr'essrure bo the
tweezers in order fu flatten
the curve of tjhe hairspring
between the tweezers slighL
ly. Cheek with figure l9-2-

rb- r9-7

Figure 19-8: The amount

of space between the inside
eoil and the collet is exces-
sive and with the tweezerg
placed in the approximafu
position shown carefully ex-
ert just enough pressure to
close this space. In so doing
another bend similar to th.e
one illustrated in figure 1g-?
may be required. Check with
figure 19-2.

Fig. t9-8
Lesmn 19 MASTER
WhT€HlvlAKlNc Se*ion 385

Figure Lg-g: The tweezers

placed in the approximate
position shown should enable
the student to bring the cen-
ter of the collet directly over
tbe bairspring center easily.
Compare with figure t9-2.

Figure 19-10: This bend is

made similar to figrrre 19-9.
Compare with figure L9-2.

Fig.19-10
Section386 MASTERWATCHMAKING lescon 19

SEC. 386;Colleting the Hoinspring

hese illustrations should

help the student when determining the procedure re-
quired to bring a collet to cenfur. This is true not only
when preparing to true the hairspring in the round but
also when colleting a hairspringi. ff the student has a
fairly good conception of the location of the ccllet center
with the hairspring center it will be lrelpful when colleting
a hairspring.
Colleting a hairsprins is a job that the watchmaker
is not often required to do in this day and age of modern
watch repairing" Most new hairsprings coure colleted and
are selected to fit the collet shoulder properly. At times
it is neeessary to replace a eollet when some carelees
watchmaker has endeavored to fcree & eollet over &
collet shoulder which is too large, which usually causes
the collet to crack,
Lp:loil 19 i4ASTERWATCHMAKING *ctisn 7%

?he collet is a emall split collar made

CIf spring: brass, figure 19-11" Direetly op*
psslte the slot in the e,cllet is a emall hale,
illustrated.by the dott*d lin*, largie enough
to receive the inner end of the hairqpring
pri*r fu pinning.
The small tapered brass pin illustrated
Fis.l9-ll in figrure 19-12 ic used t* pin the hairspring
in ttre collet, ?hey mey be purchased tram
a eupply house under the name sf hair-
spring atud pinr,

STUD PIN
fig. tf-tl

At times the watchmaker is called upon desired, A piece of br*ss wire of a small
to file his oryn stud pins ar tapered pins diameter is held in a pin vise and alternate*
of, similar design. Figure 19-19 illustrat*e ly rotsted with the left hand. while in the
how this may be done. A small bloek cf
notch of ths hardssod blcek. The file
wood, preferably hard wood, has a notch
ilustrated by the dottsd line is movBd light-
cut in it n'ith the edge of a file. The deepest
end is tcward the front and tapers up the ly back and forth over the rvire until the
block depending upou the length of tafer pin is formed.

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ris. 19-13
Section385 MASTERWATCHMAKING l-esson 19

When working on the collet or pinning

the hairspring to the collet the collet can
be held on a tempered tapered steel pin
cr a broaeh, figure L9-L4. The pinning hole
should be cleaned out with a srnall broach
before attempting to pin the hairspring.
Always try the pin in the hole in the
collet before attempting to pin the hair-
spring. It should go through the collet sim-
ilar to pin illustrated in figure 19-15.

COLLET
T

ris. 19-15

Fis. 19-14
Lesson19 MASTERWATCHMAKING Section385

It is sometimes necessary
to break out the inner coil of
the hairspring in order to
get enough space between
the coil and the hairspring
to true ii properly. Figure
19-16 illustrates a hairspring
with the collet placed direct-
ly over the eenter of hair-
spring. Breaking the coil at
the point where dotted line
joins solid line will allow
enough space for the collet.
Break at this point by using
two pairs of fine pointed
tweezers held veriical with
the points close together,
twisting back and forth"

A portion of the inner

coil will be bent in the man-
ner shown in figure 19-77,
to form the tongue. The
Iength of this tongue should
not exceed the length of the
hole in the collet. It is formed
by holding coil with a pair
of hairspring tweezers and
bending with taper pin. The
tweezers are represented by
the two black dashes and the
taper pin by the. dot.
$ection386 MASTERWATCHMAKING Lnson 19

With the eollet in place

on the taper pin or broach
which you will hold in your
left hanrl, insert the tongue
of the hairspring into the
hole in the collet, figure
19-18,

Fig.l9-I8

fn order to keep the hair-

spring level you may use the
forefinger of your left hand
as a guide, Ietting the hair-
cpring rest upon this finger
until the brass pin is in place,
fisure 19-19.

Fig.l9-I9
Lesson19 MASTERWATCHMAKING Section386

The pin may be forced into place

with a pair of heavy tweezers in
the manner shown in figure 19-20.
However, before forcing the pin in
as far as it will go make certain that
the inner coil is parallel with the
top or bottom of the collet as shown
-
- TWEEZER in the upper illustration in figure
19-21. In this illustration the body
of the hairspring is held below the
Fis.l9-20 hole in the collet by the pin which
has not been cut off as yet, but the
inner coil is parallel wiih the upper
'When
edge of the collet. the pin is
cut off the body of the hairsPring
will resume its position in the same
RIGHT plane as the inner coil.
The center and lower illustra-
tions, figure lg-21, show the inner
eoil out of position prior to forcing
the pin in as far as it will 9o. If the
hairspring is pinned properly it will
wRot,lG not require much truing in the flat.

WRONG
Fig"I9-21
Section385 MASTER\MATCHMAKING l-esson19

There are other methods of pinning the hairspring

to the collet antl every watchrnaker uses the method he
prefers, usually the one he adopted rvhen learning the
trade. No matter what method is used the student or
watchmaker must use the greatest of care not to make
a slip and ruin his work" This is very true when cutting
off the pin after it has been forced into place. One of the
oldest methods of performing this operation is with a
small eharp knife or heavy ranor blade" If carefully
executed it will a$sure the workman of a clean job and
there is no danger of leaving the pin protruding.

The collet is held in plaee on the

taper pin and the end of the knife
blade is worked across the pin in
a sawing m&nner. Orlly the very end
of t he b l a d e i s u s e d . T h e b l a d e i s
CUf <
used tangent to the collet at the pin
which is illustrated by the dotted
line in the upper illustration of
figure t9-22. When the pin is cut
almost through the remaining por-
tion may be removed with the
tweezers. Fis. l9-?2

The lower illustration in figure 19-22

shows why only the tip of the blade is
used. Any further lowering of the blade
would endanger the body of the hairspring.
Lesson19 MASTERWATCHMAKING Section 386

NIPPERS ..,.

Fig. 19-23

Arrotfrer method of cutting

off the pin is shown above. The jaws of the nippers are
ground especially for this purpose and should not be used
for any other purpose than cutting small brass pins. The
cut off is made before the pin is pushed into prace. The
protruding end may be renroved in the same menner
making certain that the nippers are as close to the collet
as possible. The methods explainecl above are the same
as will be used when pinning the outside coil of the
hairspring to the stud.
Sectlo,'l 5e6 {supplenent } [rdr$tffi T{AT0Ii[fiAKING Ipssoa 19

(Note - fnsert in lesson text 19)

CoJ.leting the lfalrspring

if the ccilet that 1s ln the watch fits comectly and is not ilalmged,, the sprlag
shou1c1bereco11etedqg@Your11notethatho1elnco11etiuto
rrrhich hairspring ls pinned. is not generally sentered between top and botton of
collEt, Tbe location of this hole and the fact that you ar6 flttlng a flat
hai.rspllng deteruines r.thich slde of the collet is tbe top. Tha top is the slde
to vrbich the ptnning hoJ-e is closest" This applies to fitt{rg flat hairsprlngs
only; the opposite ls true whes fitting an overcoiled spring. If collet needs
replacemaato select a collet that eonpares $ritb the origina).; i.e", coruect elze
to ftt collet seat, sgis height of collet, hairspring plnalag hole ir sane
posltion, etc,

g6 2L68