Estimated delivery: Tues. 24th Oct - Tues. 5th Dec.

No breath holding...

 

They gotta make ‘em first, maybe??

 

I'm glad this thread has bumped up to the top. This seems like a good time to amend my above comment about the possible use of a longer JB Champion bracelet.

In doing a bit of research on the Gordon Cooper watch along with the JB Champion bracelet that is installed on it, it appears that both of the JB Champions he wore on his Mercury mission were surgically lengthened.

Thanks to @SpeedyPhill and some of his scanned images I noticed an odd looking line running across the bracelet about 3/4" below the end piece. In comparing the bracelet stored at the NASM and the scanned images I can now see where the additional length was added to Cooper's Bracelet.

Here is one of the images @SpeedyPhill posted of Cooper wearing two JB Champion bracelets with the odd lines running across the bracelets.



Here are two enlarged images showing the lines. The second one is credited to @SpeedyPhill as well.





Now looking closely at the original JB Champion bracelet in the possession of the NASM you can see where the length was added creating the line observed in the original image. While the inserted bracelet mesh is the same there must have been some difference on the finished surface that caused the light from above to reflect the light differently creating the appearance of a line across the surface.

The following images are credited to the NASM.







I know this is more than anyone needs to know about the Cooper JB Champion bracelet but there you have it.

 

1mm hole in bearing seems awful thin for a spring bar especially one with a gap. Also it seems to me you are trying to keep the outer edge of the end link from rubbing on the lug. Bronze bushing or o - ring seems to me what you want. Roller bearing is to isolate outer race from inner race ie rotation along the length of the spring bar. For side to side isolation roller bearing seems useless.

 

Real World experiment in progress, hence my posting

O-ring: YES, GOOD!!
Bearing: INCONCLUSIVE for now

I am not a scientist but I slept well last night.

 

Bearings come in different configurations for different applications. They can be made to handle radial loads (as you are assuming) or thrust loads, or as most do a combination of the two.

The bearings shown in this thread are ball bearings, not roller bearings, but your concern is valid - these will take some thrust loads but are meant primarily for radial loads, and for keeping the parts from rubbing on each other I don't think will be a good solution personally.

A thrust roller bearing is more suitable, like this:



But a tapered roller bearing could work also:



Now I'm off to sooth the trauma from seeing photos of, and talking about bearings...painful experience after working for a company that made bearings for a couple of decades.

Not sure they make thrust roller bearings small enough, and I know the company I worked for didn't make tapered roller bearings small enough for this. Made some you could walk through the cone (inner race) but nothing that small. We did buy up a company that made tiny ball bearings - I used to keep this one in my wallet to show people - ball point pen added for scale:



Cheers, Al

 

So, O- rings reign.

 

Not yet, but looking more and more like it. The thrust roller bearing looks good but I can't find a 1x3x1mm.

 

Like those.

Just ordered the M2 of these and with a little filing of the outer could work.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/M2-M20-...hash=item4b24da342c:m:mdfBfLtNYZvS_8YuCYpPQuQPurchases made through these links may earn this site a commission from the eBay Partner Network

 

I bought several years ago on a bunch of Omega, parts new old stock constellation cases, bracelets, spring bars and washers. I have always thought that these washers were for the exact purpose being discussed in this thread if anybody wants them pay for postage and they are yours .

 

might as well. PMd you.

 

Sold!

 

Unsold - cost of shipping to Australia didn't excite me so up for grabs again.

Thanks Vercingetorix for the generous attempt though. Much appreciated.

 

And arrived

 

any result yet ?

 

Onto it tomorrow downunder time. but on first glance looks good. Certainly wont stand out like the proverbial dog's spheres as the black rubber seals do.