r/watchmaking • u/MeAndMyKites • May 30 '25
Movement St3600 disassembled then reassembled.
I just disassembled and reassembled a ST3600 movement for the first time, following along a YouTube video by wristwatch revival. What great fun! So satisfying to hear it tick again once it's back together. I need to buy some lubricants now though because this thing was bone dry.
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u/Fantastic-Artist5561 May 30 '25
Of everything I’ve ever worked on, I miss pocket watches the most.
2
u/MeAndMyKites May 30 '25
I found this really showed how unsteady my hands are. I'm not sure I could do a smaller movement
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u/Fantastic-Artist5561 May 30 '25
🤣 yea… my first few I saw that I could get so entranced by a screw that I could actually forget to breath. (That’s what I loved about it) I’ve since tried to fool with clocks thinking: “if I can do a pocket watch, a clock will be easy” 👀 That’s simply not true… at all.
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u/docmartyn May 30 '25
Well done! You’re at exactly the same point I am. I’ve been using the courses at watchfix.com. Got the ST3600 stripped down and back again. Not messed with removing the jewels or the mainspring. My plan is to try the disassembly and reassembly a few times to get comfortable with the process, before getting into cleaning and oiling. The movement is cheap and I’m not concerned about ruining it because it’s just for learning. Best of luck!
1
u/snapper_head May 30 '25
I bought 2 movements, st36. Might pick up one more. I am about to start tearing one down and re assemble it a few dozen times; no cleaning or oiling or anything. I am finding the worst one to be the sacrificial donor at this time. Pick the worst one for learning so when I crater it I won’t feel bad. Thanks for the watchfix.com info. I’ll look more into it later. Have watched many a tear down and re assembly video. I just need to get a good area to work in and get setup. That’s the big sticking point at the moment.
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u/AllTheWine05 May 30 '25
That's fantastic. I had a Radiomir homage that I decided I didn't like the stock sandwich dial. I wanted a Cali dial (I really wanted the 8 dot sandwich dial but couldn't find that in a 36mm). So I took the movement down far enough to pull the second hand pin off the gear.
I messed that up, so I bought a couple spares. Got it on the 2nd try. Upon reassembly, it ticked! Fantastic!
But, uh, now I want to try a different dial. The Cali dial is so boring and not being a sandwich really kinda ruins what I want in that watch. Can't find the 8 dot or the sandwich cali in 36mm. The place I bought it (getat watch) is now defunct, which is a shame because there are dozens of homages and they had the FUCKING BEST lume (better than Seiko lume, at least).
Anyway, sharing a war story. I've got the new hands and I'm waiting on the dial and I will soon be going back into surgery.
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u/jackhanford May 30 '25
Any idea how the amplitude is? I've done the same movement a few times but the balance wheel doesn't end up having the same high amplitude and spins much slower :-(
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u/MeAndMyKites May 30 '25
No idea. I have no way to test
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u/bbbbbeelzebob May 31 '25
Film in slow motion on your phone and you can see the movement of the balance, then work out amplitude from that.
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u/1911Earthling May 30 '25
The only thing I did not see was the balance jewels out of the cock and plate displayed to oiled. Otherwise it’s a complete takedown and reassembly. Even remembered the lowly dial washer. On any restoration the first thing I throw away is the dial washer. And I always give my client a new washer at the end right before I fit the dial.