Hobbiest buying basic lubricants and associated tools - check my shopping list?

[ej0rge]

I am an amateur kitchen table tinkerer and i think i am ready to service my first practice movement.

Over the weekend i disassembled a non-running vintage orient handwinder, swabbed up the excess oil and crud with rodico, reassembled the train, and it runs - so, i think the next step is proper cleaning and lubrication. And maybe finding a case, dial, and hands for it.

I have read a lot about oil choices. I'm trying to keep my budget as limited as i can reasonably manage, so Moebius products are probably off the menu.

It would appear that i can get away with purchasing a general purpose watch oil for the majority of pivots, a very thin watch oil for pallet stones and the like, and a grease for winding parts.

I plan to service wristwatch movements in the 8 to 14 ligne range, and mostly closer to 11 than anywhere else. Pocket watch movements may happen in the future but i have no specific plans there (they just don't hold as much interest for me).

So far, the oil shopping list appears to be:

Nye watch oil (aka Nye Fulcrum Watch Oil, etc)
Novostar L

and either Nye PML Stem Lube, Novostar Winding & Mainspring grease, or Novostar Barrel Grease. I'd like some input on the grease question specifically.

Oiling pins seem to frequently be sold in sets of 3 or sets of 4. I'm guessing that any of these sets, granted that i don't get the very cheapest one out there, should be adequate.

A 3-divot oil cup w/ cap also sounds like a reasonable investment at this point.

I understand that i may want to have some pithwood buttons and pegwood on hand.

If anyone can suggest a supply house that might also sell a small quantity of an actual watch cleaning solution, that would be appreciated. Most of the websites I've visited seem to sell in gallon or greater quantities.

I already have reasonably decent A&F screwdrivers and I'm considering getting the proper implements to sharpen them.

I believe i have most of the general watchmaking tools i could reasonably expect to need, but if you feel that there is an item frequently overlooked, I'm very open to suggestion.

Thanks all for any advice, and for putting up with such a rank amateur as myself.

[Biased&Critical]

Peruse Ofrei.com.

I use a set of Bergeon oilers from there that was $8, set of 6, they work perfectly. I got my red glass oil cups there as well, also work just fine and were quite economical.

I buy Moebius on the bay, you can get the little vials (which go a looooong way when used properly) for like $20 or less. It's a sound investment.

[JohnInMinnesota]

I purchased a "starter set" of all the oils/greases deemed necessary from Ofrie.com ( 1 Moebius Oil Kit MOEBIUS OILKIT-1 $210.20 $210.20) Yes, that's $210.00. I thought about asking someone to split the order with me... you know, half of each vial for half the costs, or 1/4 of each... the amount of lube will last me a long time! I hate waiting for stuff like this when I need it though, so I just ordered it and will hopefully pay for my costs some day :)

Maybe some other hobbyist (or 3) here is interested in splitting the costs with you in this way. I found that "Michael's" craft store has some nice glass (hard plastic?) small containers with tight fitting snap on plastic lids that would work great as containers for the split. Then, as you use up one or the other of the lube, like the silicon grease for case gaskets for example, you can just order another tube of that.

The other concern is the shelf life on oils as noted by many posts. I'm not so terribly concerned about it, storing them in dark cool places in their tightly sealed containers, but it is a concern with natural oils. Splitting makes sense here too.

John

[ej0rge]

I understand that we generally want to use the best possible tools and supplies to do the best possible work, and that in no way has watchmaking ever been a cheap endeavor (indeed, I have come to understand that the cost of tools alone justifies a watchmaker's hourly rate, moreso than most any other service industry) - but this is just something I'm approaching as a technical challenge. Something difficult that is within my abilities, which can provide a few satisfying hours of tinkering every week.

I am also acutely aware that my interest in watchmaking as a hobby could fade.

The scenario I'm asking about is one where i get to spend maybe $75 on basic lubricants and lubrication tools that allow me to produce running movements that should be essentially reliable for limited use over maybe a 5 year window. And that already seems like a lot of money.

[lysanderxiii]

Nye Synthetic is comparable to Moebius 9010, and just as good, it just ain't Swiss....

Nye PML is good grease for keyless works and the like.

[JohnInMinnesota]

I think for your intentions getting a tube of Nye synthetic lube and one tube of medium weight grease, along with some silicone grease would be sufficient. The oils used in complications are chosen/formulated for their viscosity and where they will be used in the power train, and the qualities of adherence and non-spreading etc. Keep it simple... you'll always be able to use those three lubricants on other hobbies...

John

[ej0rge]

I currently don't have any plans to service anything high grade or more complicated than day-date mechanisms.

If i started tinkering on movements that have a value greater than a bottle of oil I'd certainly consider getting some of the more specifically recommended lubes.

I of course have all sorts of other lubricant-related questions, but i do understand that the viscosity is all about force vs. speed.

The one movement I've taken apart was literally swimming in what may very well have been WD40 when i got it. I find myself wondering what the tiny spring in the calendar mechanism should have been lubricated with - i thought it was permanently attached to the wheel it sits on until i attempted to swab away the oil with rodico.

[halfapie]

Maybe some other hobbyist (or 3) here is interested in splitting the costs with you in this way.

John

Sign me up! I am totally up for doing a split pot of quality oil. They have a limited shelf life anyway and I doubt that I will use it all before it expires.

[pithy]

Sign me up! I am totally up for doing a split pot of quality oil. They have a limited shelf life anyway and I doubt that I will use it all before it expires.

Hey π/2, are you kind of a late bloomer? What took you sooooooooooooo long to get into it?

Inquiring minds want to know.

[halfapie]

Hey π/2, are you kind of a late bloomer? What took you sooooooooooooo long to get into it?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Interesting, you're the first to recognize that my username is related to pi / 2.

Until recently I didn't really realize the importance of oiling my movements--probably because until recently I only had relatively new watches with new movements. SO, my 'watchmaking' on mechanical watches was limited to doing things like changing dials and hands, removing scratches on my cases and replacing broken crystals.

Also, I started watch collecting with LCD watches (click on my username and visit my homepage), where oil is definitely not necessary. Although I do have gasket grease for use on waterproofing the LCD watches.