Watch Parts Dryer.

JimInOz · Oct 9, 2016

So after slacking off for so long, I decided to finish one of my projects. All of the stripping had been done and I just needed to put the parts through my watch cleaning machine. Although it’s fitted with a parts dryer, I didn’t like the thought of the rinsing solution dripping onto the very hot heater below, even after being spun dry in the jar.

I needed a hot air dryer, but the ones available are a bit expensive for a hobby, so I looked around the house to see if I could find anything that could be turned into a watch parts dryer. Luckily I just happened to find just the thing in the pantry, and the other half in Annie’s bathroom.

I already had a modified pop-top tin can with a small inside lip that was the perfect size to hold the baskets. All I had to do was make some holes for the can and the dryer.

First to get rid of the pesky handle with a Dremel wheel.

With all of the useless bits removed, I could mark out the holes and start cutting.

I didn’t have a sheetmetal punch, so I had to improvise with a downlight hole cutter with a sharpened and hardened blade. The lid was clamped to the drill table and I slowly applied the blade. It was a bit scary with that big bar whizzing around, lucky my hair isn’t long enough to get caught up in it.

Success, a nice neat hole.

Just need to clean up the edges and fit the can into the lid.

The next hole in the side of the can was a bit harder and scarier. I couldn’t clamp it under the drill so I used a hand drill with the tin on a block of wood in the bench vice.

After holding my breath and wincing, I ended up with a clean hole in the side to allow the drier to direct air into the tin.

A quick clean of all of the parts and it was time for a functional check. With the dryer on low heat and low speed, a gentle stream of air is forced through the basket.

Even after 5 minutes, the temperature was steady between 37 to 41 degrees.

Well now that I’ve finished that, I’d better put it to use.

Canuck · Oct 9, 2016

Provided you do a spin cycle after the final rinse, there is no problem using the heater on a cleaning machine to do your drying. The parts dry faster if they spin during the drying cycle. That's what the impeller above the basket is for! I've used a centrifugal machine for drying after ultrasonic clean and rinse, for decades with no problem.

wsfarrell · Oct 9, 2016

Nicely done!

JimInOz · Oct 10, 2016

Canuck
Provided you do a spin cycle after the final rinse, there is no problem using the heater on a cleaning machine to do your drying. The parts dry faster if they spin during the drying cycle. That's what the impeller above the basket is for! I've used a centrifugal machine for drying after ultrasonic clean and rinse, for decades with no problem.

I understand that, it's just that I think the forced warm air is more efficient after using my cleaning machine dryer a few times and finding parts were still damp even after the recommended time.

Maybe the heating element in my machine is on the way out. I could repair it but finding the correct resistive wire coil would be problematic these days.

Plus, I'm sure hair dryer technology has advanced much more in the 60 years or so since my cleaning machine was made. 😁

Canuck · Oct 10, 2016

Now I understand why you found an alternative! You indicated in your post,"very hot dryer", but now you say "the heating element in your dryer is on the way out!" The fact that you still have signs of dampness after a cycle through your cleaning machine's dryer element leads me to ask what you are using as a final rinse? I use L & R # 3 rinse, and I find it is totally dry after 3 to 4 minutes of spinning in my Mastermatic dryer unit.

Archer · Oct 10, 2016

Yep - the rinse you use will certainly impact how well the parts dry. This is one of the main reasons I don't use Zenith cleaning and rinse solutions - the rinses would never be dry when the cycle on my machine was done with Zenith solutions, but with L&R rinses there's never a problem.

Can use whatever method you like I guess, but I don't see a huge difference between moving the parts through the warm air (cycle in the cleaner) or moving the warm air through the parts (jury rigged dryer). If anything I would suspect that the jury rigged cleaner may not work as efficiently (given the same temperature and time), since you could have parts laying on each other trapping in moisture. So you may have to heat longer to get the drying effect fully completed.

Although your machine is certainly old, the concept of time and temperature still applies for drying. Most newer machines still use the same method so spinning a basket over a heating element.

Cheers, Al

timjohn · Oct 10, 2016

Excellent solution, but beware of wild-haired women using random power tools on your watch collection.

JimInOz · Oct 10, 2016

Canuck
Now I understand why you found an alternative! You indicated in your post,"very hot dryer", but now you say "the heating element in your dryer is on the way out!" The fact that you still have signs of dampness after a cycle through your cleaning machine's dryer element leads me to ask what you are using as a final rinse? I use L & R # 3 rinse, and I find it is totally dry after 3 to 4 minutes of spinning in my Mastermatic dryer unit.

Archer
Yep - the rinse you use will certainly impact how well the parts dry. This is one of the main reasons I don't use Zenith cleaning and rinse solutions - the rinses would never be dry when the cycle on my machine was done with Zenith solutions, but with L&R rinses there's never a problem.

Can use whatever method you like I guess, but I don't see a huge difference between moving the parts through the warm air (cycle in the cleaner) or moving the warm air through the parts (jury rigged dryer). If anything I would suspect that the jury rigged cleaner may not work as efficiently (given the same temperature and time), since you could have parts laying on each other trapping in moisture. So you may have to heat longer to get the drying effect fully completed.

Although your machine is certainly old, the concept of time and temperature still applies for drying. Most newer machines still use the same method so spinning a basket over a heating element.

Cheers, Al

Thanks for the replies gents.

I thought it may be on the way out due to the parts not drying completely. Therefore, I've checked all of the wiring and tested the little hot plate in the bottom of the chamber and it heats up quickly with no air going through it so all seems to be OK there.

I think you have both given me a lead to the problem.
I'm using Zenith for rinse jar one and two. I think I'll get some L&R to use in the final rinse jar and see if that improves things.

How far should I lower the basket into the chamber?
My instruction don't say. For the jars it's obvious but for the heater/dryer I've only been lowering it until the top of the basket is level with the top of the chamber. Should it be fully down?

Thanks again for your responses.

Cheers

Jim

Archer · Oct 11, 2016

I don't see why it would not go all the way down - mine does for a few minutes at the start of the drying cycle, then raises slightly and spins a bit longer before stopping - sort of a cool down period so you can grip the baskets right away without them being too hot.