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     Old_school Tinkerer Username: Old_school Post Number: 60 Registered: 04-2011 Rating: N/A |
The art of making springs is an old trade. The music wire will work, but it is very strong & maintains a memory as such. I have tried to use music wire on a watchmakers lathe, oh boy. It took several attempts to get the hardness out of it. I picked that up a a hobby store, they are gone now. Old guitar strings is another possibility. You need to learn the process of tempering & hardening steel, by heating to a cherry red letting it air cool, then cleaning it off & blue it. Turn, bend, shape, & re-temper for the hardness desired. This may be found in an old watch or clockmakers course book at the library I should think, if they have not tossed them yet. Before anything gets tossed I dismantel it for the springs, screws, washers, & the where did it go clips, E clips. Then the springs are cobbled an used at a later time. The hairsprings from the 1800-1940's were primarily a high carbon steel. The steel would be drawn through a die to reduce it's size and the desired shape, rectangular side view. When the shape was there, they cut them to a desired length, rolled them into a barrel, three or four intertwined to a chamber. Then seal the openings with, I think it was a soap, not exactly sure at the moment. Then, the little chambers (made of German Sliver as I recall) were placed into a batch of hot coals & I think it was left over night, again I would have to do the research. Pulled out & tested for strength for the proper count as it is called. This method was replaced by tempering the hairsprings in either mercury or extra virgin olive oil. Nivorx in Switzerland is one of the last firms still making the hairsprings & mainsprings for watches, they also make specialty wires, like the heating elements in aircraft windshields. They draw the wire through a diamond die in an oil bath & the rest of the rolling & cutting is mechanized, neet to see. They temper the springs in large pottery electric style kilns in an inert gas (trade secret, I know what they use, but will honor there wishes to keep it a secret, it was labeled on the control panel). If you are curious, see if you can find a break down of the $ amount the Swiss take in for those toys they make, it is stagering, as the volume is very low and the profits are very rewarding for them compared to the rest of the planet. I still like my old Hamilton & Illinois pocket watches. Ok I got a little carried of on another topic, sorry. The Best, Mike.... |