Need tips for making a hairspring

Posted: Sun Apr 04, 2010 10:33 pm     Post subject: Need tips for making a hairspring

This is not the first time I get a Schmid clock for repair missing the hairspring. This clock imitates a 400 day clock using a 4 ball plastic part as balance. The period of oscillation is 4 seconds (one tick every 2 seconds) so the hairspring for this balance is very thin and soft.

There is no original or reproduction replacement for this hairspring anywhere. I need to get any ordinary alarm clock hairspring, stretch it, make the wire thinner and then remake the spiral form.

Big problem is this last step.
I spend hours of tiring work with tweezers to make the spirals turn by turn and no matter how carefull I am the result is no more than reasonable.
I also tried to simply wind the wire on the collet - like a mainspring - but got only a big mess.

Has someone some tip to make this in a practical manner with better results? Please?