Title: The Watchmaker and his Lathe
Author: H. Jendritzki (1959/1982)
ISBN: 978-3-939315-59-9 / 9783939315599
Facts: Reprint Berlin 2018, 96p, format 21 x 26 cm, Paperback (Perfect Binding)
Language: English
Book about the lathe for watchmakers
In 2003, our publishing house began its activity with the revised edition of the watchmaker’s lathe book by Hans Jendritzki “The watchmaker and his lathe”. This revision was intended as a watchmaker’s lathe manual for the training of watchmakers and was written accordingly. Now the time has come for a thorough revision, specifically taking into account the non-professional.
To this end we were able to secure the services of experienced watch specialist Severin Rikl as co-author. It is therefore not surprising that the size of the lathe manual for watchmakers on the use, care and maintenance of a lathe has grown by approx. 30%. (115 p to 152 p, 370 fig. to 510 fig.)
The book about the watchmakers lathe was not only restructured and expanded to include several more chapters and an index, but was also verified line by line and illustration by illustration. In addition, as a Vector lathe was available to us, we were able to use this for new photos and descriptions.
The lathe manual is suitable for all owners of micro lathes and swivel chairs!
Table of contents and sample pages
(approx. 400 kB/ reduced resolution)
Book about the basic components of a watchmaker’s lathe
The lathe book by Hans Jendritzki “ The watchmaker on the lathe” focuses in detail on the basic components of a watchmaker’s lathe. It discusses e.g. the headstock, tailstock, graver rest, cross slide, and jaw face plate of a watchmaker’s lathe.
Book about the individual items of the watchmaker’s lathe
The watchmaker’s lathe book devotes a long chapter to the individual items of a watchmaker’s lathe, such as for example the headstock, the tailstock, the graver rest and its operation, the hand rotary cutters and the cross slide.
Book about the revolve mechanisms on the watchmaker’s lathe
The rotation between tips, rotation of index tips, the eccentric rotation, rotation of the balance and counter shafts, the winding mechanism … : all these aspects and more are described in the 6th chapter of the watchmaker’s lathe manual.
Book about the manufacture of screws on the watchmaker’s lathe
Equally, a chapter of this book about the lathe is devoted to the manufacture of screws on the watchmaker’s lathe.
Book about the regulation and drive of watchmaker’s lathes
How do i regulate a watchmaker’s lathe? What form does the motor drive of a watchmaker’s lathe take? Over 10 pages of answers to these and many more questions on the use and maintenance of a watchmaker’s lathe can also be found in Hans Jendritzki’s book.
Book about the mechanical maintenance of a watchmaker’s lathe
An extensive chapter of the lathe book addresses the question of maintenance on a watchmaker’s lathe. It deals with both the body of the watchmaker’s lathe as well as for example the pulley, bearing and tailstock spindles and jaw face plate, and many more.
Book review by Jürgen Eichart on the watchmakers lathe book “ The watchmaker and his lathe”
The 2003 publication of the Hans Jendritzki / Michael Stern book “The watchmaker and his lathe” concerning the use, care and maintenance of a watchmaker’s lathe has recently been revised, updated and newly edited in collaboration with watchmaker Severin Rikl.
A positive first impression, upon leafing through the book, is given by the large proportion of clear photographs and descriptive drawings. Mathematically speaking, this works out at almost 4 illustrations per page, thus “breaking up the grey”.
The texts describe these pictures. They come partly from old company catalogues. The more antiquated terminology and expressions are due to the age of the original edition, but do not in any way lessen our understanding of the given topic.
Over nine chapters, the interested reader - watchmakers but also a new target group of handymen, amateurs and model makers - learns all about small watchmaker’s lathes, their single components, their proper use and good maintenance. Precisely this, and the necessity never to overtax these lathes are essential in order to maintain the value of such a tool.
Almost all older lathes, which can still be easily acquired today in good used condition, but also newly released watchmaker swivel chairs (e.g.Bergeon, VECTOR, Schaublin and others) are presented in the watchmakers lathe book, and their differences, drives and characteristics discussed.
After an introductory explanation of the construction of such a lathe, its rotation technology is of course explained, it only differs from larger lathes by the smaller size of its parts. It soon becomes apparent that these lathes can almost only be used for the production of very small parts.
The chucks of a watchmaker’s lathe, from lacquer discs, specific shapes of face plates and lining, broaches to the main clamping devices, american collets, are described in detail and both their strengths and their limitations discussed.
Then follows a detailed description of all the most important tasks a watchmaker undertakes on a lathe in order to produce or repair watch parts. This information may be used as a source for any similar work.
In today’s age of cross slides, the ancient technique of engraving with a hand-filed graver on a graver’s rest has all but disappeared. It is however good to have at least heard of it.
In many places in the lathe manual there are suggestions on how one might oneself build quite simple machine parts and accessories.
Also important: a comprehensive Index of literature, keywords and sources features at the back of the lathe manual for the use, care and maintenance of the watchmakers lathe.
I also appreciate that useful references to internet sites are given in many places.
The amateur lathe hand will use this book, alongside other similar publications, as a source of information and a textbook. No workshop should be without it, one gets a feel for the intricacy of the work, I highly recommend the lathe manual for owners of both micro and table lathes.
Jürgen Eichart
