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Ross Simons watch winder

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Klaatu3
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Re: Ross Simons watch winder

Post by Klaatu3 »

Update to my last review, posted May 1st above. (There’s renewed interest in the HUISABH thread as they’re currently selling for $45 US again.) After about 5 weeks of ownership (I have 2 now) I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend these no-name, budget winders. Mine are running reliably, quietly and keeping up to 4 watches ticking along. :)

I keep both winders on the 3rd setting. In this mode the winder starts every 16 minutes, runs for one minute in one direction (CW or CCW), then rests for 15 minutes. The running direction alternates each cycle. At an estimated rate of 8 turns per minute, that should equal about 720 TPD, equally split between CW and CCW.

I set my winders to stagger their start times: one runs for its minute, then the other starts immediately following that. I haven’t monitored them scientifically, but after about a week there was some overlap in the run cycles. This suggests some cumulative variance in timer accuracy between the winders, so they’re not as exact as you’d expect in a Wolf or other more expensive winder. Not really a problem for me, I figure they’re well within the recommended 650-800 TPD for my Omegas.

I’d echo Split-Time’s comment that long-term reliability is the unknown, but at this price point I’m well pleased.
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Re: Ross Simons watch winder

Post by watchpalooza »

Klaatu3 wrote: Sat May 25, 2019 10:27 am Update to my last review, posted May 1st above. (There’s renewed interest in the HUISABH thread as they’re currently selling for $45 US again.) After about 5 weeks of ownership (I have 2 now) I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend these no-name, budget winders. Mine are running reliably, quietly and keeping up to 4 watches ticking along. :)

I keep both winders on the 3rd setting. In this mode the winder starts every 16 minutes, runs for one minute in one direction (CW or CCW), then rests for 15 minutes. The running direction alternates each cycle. At an estimated rate of 8 turns per minute, that should equal about 720 TPD, equally split between CW and CCW.

I set my winders to stagger their start times: one runs for its minute, then the other starts immediately following that. I haven’t monitored them scientifically, but after about a week there was some overlap in the run cycles. This suggests some cumulative variance in timer accuracy between the winders, so they’re not as exact as you’d expect in a Wolf or other more expensive winder. Not really a problem for me, I figure they’re well within the recommended 650-800 TPD for my Omegas.

I’d echo Split-Time’s comment that long-term reliability is the unknown, but at this price point I’m well pleased.
Great feedback. I am so glad these are working out. Incredible deal!
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Re: Ross Simons watch winder

Post by Split-Time »

Klaatu3 wrote: Sat May 25, 2019 10:27 am Update to my last review, posted May 1st above. (There’s renewed interest in the HUISABH thread as they’re currently selling for $45 US again.) After about 5 weeks of ownership (I have 2 now) I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend these no-name, budget winders. Mine are running reliably, quietly and keeping up to 4 watches ticking along. :)

I keep both winders on the 3rd setting. In this mode the winder starts every 16 minutes, runs for one minute in one direction (CW or CCW), then rests for 15 minutes. The running direction alternates each cycle. At an estimated rate of 8 turns per minute, that should equal about 720 TPD, equally split between CW and CCW.

I set my winders to stagger their start times: one runs for its minute, then the other starts immediately following that. I haven’t monitored them scientifically, but after about a week there was some overlap in the run cycles. This suggests some cumulative variance in timer accuracy between the winders, so they’re not as exact as you’d expect in a Wolf or other more expensive winder. Not really a problem for me, I figure they’re well within the recommended 650-800 TPD for my Omegas.

I’d echo Split-Time’s comment that long-term reliability is the unknown, but at this price point I’m well pleased.
Glad to hear that yours is working out. Mine is still purrring along at my office. For $45 I may have to buy another. Not that I really need one, but I spend a lot more on a lot less.
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Re: Ross Simons watch winder

Post by CigarCity »

I’ve had good luck with mine so far. I have one recommendation though. I’m a noob so maybe this is common knowledge for everyone else. When I first put the watches in the winder one of the watches sat just high enough to make contact with the underside of the glass as the winder turned. Unfortunately I didn’t catch this and when I came home from work there was a nice semicircle scratch in the glass (not terrible, but certainly noticeable.). No matter how I positioned the watch it still grazed the glass occasionally ever so slightly. I finally realized that the cushion (term?) that you put the watch on comes with a piece of material wrapped around it (same material that the cushion is made out of.). When I removed that piece of material it fixed the situation, so make sure and check for clearance before you leave it running.
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Re: Ross Simons watch winder

Post by tjcdas »

Guys would a wall outlet timer be a good way to tweek the settings to get lower rotation on the various settings.

Settings 1, 2 or 3 for example seem to be the best for tweeking by setting the timer for being on 12 or 18 hours per day would reduce the rotations by 50 or 25% respectively.
You thoughts

Thanks

Tom

1. clockwise 1 min, rest 8 mins
2. counter-clockwise 1 min, rest 8 mins
3. clockwise 1 min, rest 15 mins, counter-clockwise 1 min, resting 15 mins
4. clockwise 5 mins, counter-clockwise 5 mins, rotate for 1.5 hours, rest 10.5hrs

1st position: 1280 TPD CW
2nd position: 1280 TPD CCW
3rd position: 720 TPD both directions
4th position: 1440 TPD both





Klaatu3 wrote: Wed May 01, 2019 4:33 pm Still impressed with mine for the money spent. As posted in the thread started by Split-Time, I ended up ordering a second winder—at an even lower clearance price. The pair cost me just over a C-note, shipped. I received the 2nd one today and the twins are now nestled on my closet shelf. This should keep me in business with my best autos for a while (I hope).
winderx2-05r.jpg

I didn’t want to deal with two AC adapters & cords. So I got a $5 “Y” splitter which allows both winders to run off the same 6V AC adapter. The cord is actually marketed to guitar players to “daisy chain” multiple effects pedals from the same power adapter. But it works just fine on these winders!
winderx2-04r.jpg

My math may not be exactly right, but here are my estimates of the TPD for the different modes:
1st position: 1280 TPD CW
2nd position: 1280 TPD CCW
3rd position: 720 TPD both directions
4th position: 1440 TPD both

Thanks again to MOT forum members for getting this deal out there.

ETA: The winders came VERY well-packaged from Ross-Simons.

EDITED 5/25 to re-up photos after the site software update.
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Re: Ross Simons watch winder

Post by MoT »

tjcdas wrote: Thu Jan 02, 2020 10:11 am Guys would a wall outlet timer be a good way to tweek the settings to get lower rotation on the various settings.

Settings 1, 2 or 3 for example seem to be the best for tweeking by setting the timer for being on 12 or 18 hours per day would reduce the rotations by 50 or 25% respectively.
You thoughts

Thanks

Tom

1. clockwise 1 min, rest 8 mins
2. counter-clockwise 1 min, rest 8 mins
3. clockwise 1 min, rest 15 mins, counter-clockwise 1 min, resting 15 mins
4. clockwise 5 mins, counter-clockwise 5 mins, rotate for 1.5 hours, rest 10.5hrs

1st position: 1280 TPD CW
2nd position: 1280 TPD CCW
3rd position: 720 TPD both directions
4th position: 1440 TPD both





Klaatu3 wrote: Wed May 01, 2019 4:33 pm Still impressed with mine for the money spent. As posted in the thread started by Split-Time, I ended up ordering a second winder—at an even lower clearance price. The pair cost me just over a C-note, shipped. I received the 2nd one today and the twins are now nestled on my closet shelf. This should keep me in business with my best autos for a while (I hope).
winderx2-05r.jpg

I didn’t want to deal with two AC adapters & cords. So I got a $5 “Y” splitter which allows both winders to run off the same 6V AC adapter. The cord is actually marketed to guitar players to “daisy chain” multiple effects pedals from the same power adapter. But it works just fine on these winders!
winderx2-04r.jpg

My math may not be exactly right, but here are my estimates of the TPD for the different modes:
1st position: 1280 TPD CW
2nd position: 1280 TPD CCW
3rd position: 720 TPD both directions
4th position: 1440 TPD both

Thanks again to MOT forum members for getting this deal out there.

ETA: The winders came VERY well-packaged from Ross-Simons.

EDITED 5/25 to re-up photos after the site software update.
A timer or smart plug with custom schedules would be ideal for that situation.
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Klaatu3
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Re: Ross Simons watch winder

Post by Klaatu3 »

ONE YEAR UPDATE:

Q: Has anyone found an alternate source for these no-name winders?? They're sold out on the Ross-Simons site. :(

It's about a year since I ordered two of these winders from Ross-Simons, and since this thread was started. Happy to report they're still going strong! The only issue (minor) I've had, is I had to glue down part of the interior trim in one, where it had started coming loose. At the clearance pricing (around $100 shipped for both) I figure I've gotten my money's worth already.
- Klaatu3

"I don't have time to set all these &%#* watches!"
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