This was an interesting watch, initially it was given to me by customer whom had problems getting a missing winder button.  This should have been an easy repair for most watchmakers/repairers.  I promptly replaced the button with another gold button but on winding the watch wasnt working.  It then transpired from the customer the previous repairer had struggled to get into the watch and broken the button attempting it.  I quickly dis-assembled the watch correctly by removing the glass. Subsequently realised the watch was in fact not a mechanical movement but a quartz movement after notifying the customer I serviced the movement and replaced the battery.  The customer is now a very happy with his repaired/serviced watch unfortunately I couldn't remove all damage from the dial which was added by the previous 'repairer'.

The name polymer is given to all materials that contain many monomers. Monomers are basically very tiny chains which cannot be seen by the naked eye, the monomers are usually suspended in a liquid. To change a monomer to a polymer it needs to be polymerised. The process of polymerisation can be complicated or simple but in general all monomers can be polymerised. The process of polymerisation can dictate the type of material obtained (this is especially true with ethylene. Depending on the type of polymerisation process the material can be transformed into either a low density Polyethylene or a high density Polyethylene or a permeation of the two.

In general a polymer can be broken down into two areas. Thermoplastic and Thermoset.

A thermoplastic material can in theory be heated and formed and re-heated and formed an infinite number of times. In practice this isn't exactly true as during normal processing and reheating process degradation is usually evident within the material. This in turn gives a decrease in mechanical properties as a plastic is reheated.  Thermoplastics are generally the commodity plastics at present due to there easy processing characteristics and general low costs.  Such materials include nylons, polypropylene's, PE's, ABS, polystyrene's and polycarbonate's to name a few.

Thermosets however cannot generally be reformed, this is due to a change which takes place under heat and pressure. This change produces cross links within the material which in turn keys the polymer chains together and thus removes any opportunity for the material to be reformed.   Such examples can include Urea formaldehyde, phenol formaldehyde and natural rubber.

I have now added more details on my Micro Manufacturing Tab, I now have the capability of CNC machining small parts.  My intention is to keep this side of the business to small components.  I also have the capability of making small aluminium injection mould tools with the capability of moulding plastic parts from these tools.

If you require more information let me know.

Complete service on a Omega Seamaster 007. Including new rotor, new mainspring.  Complete dis-assembly with ultrasonic cleaning, re-oiling and set back into beat using Microset 3.   Bracelet scratches removed, watch returned to a very happy customer.

On acquiring repair and maintenance of the clock it soon became apparent the strike of the clock wasn't working.  The culprit was a broken spring which basically caused the bell to strike.  I obtained a new spring and this was quickly remedied.  Just hope the locals don't find the clock too loud now as the new spring is a little stronger than the old one :)

It gives me great pleasure to state that I am now the keeper of the Stratford American Fountain Clock. I have been working with a close colleague whom has been maintaining this clock for a number of years, he has now passed it over to myself.