# Making Your Own Watch Winder



## allaboutmusic

I've been looking at watch winders for a little while now - I'm getting to the point now where I struggle to keep my automatics running purely by means of my daily rotation. 

Watch winders seem pretty pricey, even the inexpensive ones cost at least 40 quid for a single winder that can be switched between rotations in either direction, and go up from there. I'd want at least a two-watch winder (or two singles), so I'm looking at close to 100 quid for a device that basically rotates slowly for a few hours before stopping. Plus, I keep reading about winders that stop working after a few months of use.

Hence, I'm thinking about making my own watch winder.  My idea is to mount my watches on a large rotating circular holder, and mount it to a constant-velocity motor (such as from a cheap old turntable) using a belt-drive arrangement that will provide similar rotation speeds to a commercial watch winder. Because the rotation speed will be so low, the turntable motor should easily have enough torque, and turntable motors are easily and inexpensively replaced. Connect it to an automated on-off switch (such as you use to operate your lights when you're on holiday), and you basically have a uni-directional watch winder, right?

This also has the advantage of scalability. Adding a new watch is as simple as adding a new watch.

What do you think? Feedback appreciated.


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## SnapIT

There is more then one way to skin a cat. 
No cats were harmed in the production of this photo!! ;-)
When you get down to it there are endless possibilities. 
Go for it, it might just work.










Photo credit..from somewhere on the internet a couple of years ago. Sorry that's as close as I can get.


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## meta4ick

allaboutmusic said:


> Hence, I'm thinking about making my own watch winder.  My idea is to mount my watches on a large rotating circular holder, and mount it to a constant-velocity motor (such as from a cheap old turntable) using a belt-drive arrangement that will provide similar rotation speeds to a commercial watch winder. Because the rotation speed will be so low, the turntable motor should easily have enough torque, and turntable motors are easily and inexpensively replaced. Connect it to an automated on-off switch (such as you use to operate your lights when you're on holiday), and you basically have a uni-directional watch winder, right?


:::eyes fluttering:::

:::almost losing consciousness:::

Whoa. That little self-anesthetizing trick really does it!

You're asking me what I think? I say spend less quid and buy some Legos and call it a day.


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## cyclefreaksix

This appears to be similar to what you are describing:

http://showcase.netins.net/web/patrickd/winder/Homemade Watch Winder.html


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## cyclefreaksix

http://www.geocities.com/dbfritts2001/watchwinder/Homemade_Watch_Winder.htm


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## HoustonChris

Oh, that is so cool! Man, I love Legos. When I was a kid, I considered them the perfect toy (or at least they would be if they were fireproof). This just shows I was right. I'm going to the toystore tomorrow.


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## dbluefish

Allaboutmusic, there is one possible problem with the turntable idea. I have one of those inexpensive watch winders(US$40) and while it runs fine, it's number of cycles is slow so the autos do not stay wound correctly. Or least this is the way i remember someone on these forums explaining it. So I find I either set and reset my watches or, wear two at once, take the stares, and at least have two of my watches wound correctly. The cost for a good winder, or at least a reasonable cost, is around US$400. Don't have that right now.

So good luck on whatever you do and I agree, the Leggo thing looks great.

paul:-d


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## eqdok2007

Orbita has a nice database on the suggested # of turns per-day (and directions) for the various watch movements. IMHO, this list is invaluable for DIY watchwinder makers:

http://www.orbita.net/pages/17101.htm

Question:
Apart from the constant wear on the rotor of the auto-wind mechanism, whats the risk of having a watch on a winder turning 24/7 ? If not 24/7 how about 12 hrs a day constantly winding? Severe mechanical damage or wear a few years down the road?


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## SnapIT

Hi,
Take an average requirement of 800revs per day at say 30 rpm gives you about 27 minutes of winding needed to apply the 800 revs. Therefore even it you drop that to 15rpm the total active time is about 1 hour per day with the balance of the time stopped. Well engineered winders wind for a period then rest the watch distributing the required revs over a 24hr period in small doses of 10-15minutes winding at a time.


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## particleman

Kinda funny to read this thread. I was just playing with legos. I'm trying to build a new lego clock. Anyways I had to take some quick pictures of my winder. I needed a winder & didn't have fifty bucks but I had plenty of legos;-)




























You can see my first clock & other lego stuff at
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?m=banana

Cheers Chris


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## SnapIT

Nice job! I'd like to see it in action. 
How long did it take and what sort of control logic did you build in?


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## particleman

SnapIT said:


> Nice job! I'd like to see it in action.
> How long did it take and what sort of control logic did you build in?


SnapIT, Thanks for the compliment! Sorry I don't have any videos recorded at the moment. As far as logic I may eventually hook it up to a lego rcx. The rcx is a small computer programmable brick that has 3 sensor inputs & 3 outputs. But for now I just turn it on & let it run for about a 1/2 hour each direction.
Cheers


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## jle123

Not sure if these are quality watch winders, but my friend and I split a dozen of these: Price was cheap, and if one broke, I use another one !

http://www.top-one.com/watchdealers/alainleblancwatchwinder/


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## watchman19

i love it


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## watchman19

cyclefreaksix said:


> This appears to be similar to what you are describing:
> 
> http://showcase.netins.net/web/patrickd/winder/Homemade Watch Winder.html


Like that heat shrink brother


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## ej0rge

I've thought about this myself, considered using a 1rpm motor pulled from an old wall-powered analog clock for example. 

It's possible to get gear-reduction motors at low RPM speeds too. A turntable motor is a good idea potentially because it's already set up for a belt drive and *should have pretty smooth motion. 

If you have any amount of electronics ability it should be semi-trivial to work out duty cycle and reversing (just in case you have some unidirectional automatics) with a handfull of 555 timers and some relays. 

But i think in order to be really pleased with myself, I'd have to build a mechanical clockwork watch winder. Something that runs on a falling weight like grandma's old cuckoo clock. That way i can still tell people with a straight face that my watch runs on gravity.


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