lanikai Posted June 28, 2008 Report Share Posted June 28, 2008 If I am posting this in the wrong section. ... please move me ... I thought it would be better served in the Rolex section.. thanks in advance.. Last night I removed 2 mags from crystals that I cannabalized from my reps... for chiefs "next " AR run..YES<.. he is going to be doing our mags for the GMTIIc .... there are somethings that one should be aware of if you have not done this before.. First of all I tried to use "steam" but my kettle does not produce enough pressure.. so.. I ended up using my cigar torch.. you can get this at cigar shops.. craft stores .. or little "MOM and POP" stores.. guess what else they use it for.. but i digress.. so as I held the crystal with my jewelers tweezers... I applyed the flame to the crystal on the back side of the mag... you actually need to heat the crystal up quite a bit.. in fact more than I thought..or maybe I heated it up too fast ..and too much.. And not thinking it through and "preparing" for the worst case senario.. like I alway's do with my business..."Prepare for the worst... and hope for the Best" .. is my mantra.. Well this time I didn't..... so there was a rather loud "POP" and the mag went flying off the crystal.. so the hunt was on.... long story short .. i found it.. luckily.. So learning through my blunderI took off the next one in front of my bed with all the pillows piled in the corner.. I faced the pillows and when the pop came the mag was caught with the pillows.. it was a lot easier to retrieve.. btw I did 2 for "redundency".. in case i mess the first one up... Oh one more thing.. i did not realize these crystal held HEAT for soooo long........ DON'T ASK Good Luck.. I cannot wait until the AR'd mag is on the GMTIIc !!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest carlsbadrolex Posted June 28, 2008 Report Share Posted June 28, 2008 So how bad were the burns??? Hope not too bad. I have a kitchen torch that I suppose is quite similar to the one you used. I shall try this over the weekend. Thanks for the info Lani! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanikai Posted June 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2008 So how bad were the burns??? Hope not too bad. I have a kitchen torch that I suppose is quite similar to the one you used. I shall try this over the weekend. Thanks for the info Lani! .. luckily I have very calloused fingers.. especially the tips of my digits.... so the first thing I did.. is grab my ear lobe... btw.. do this and you will take 90% of the heat from yor finger immediately.. re. your ear lobe is fat and sucks the heat right out of the fingers.. no you don't alternately burn your ear.. it just gets a little warm... so the callouses got a little singed but no cell damage.. thanks anyway make a lot of room for the crystal to end up where you can find it.. and there is no residue on the crystal or the mag .. so I'm thinking the adhesive to put it back must be pretty clean.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P4GTR Posted June 28, 2008 Report Share Posted June 28, 2008 I tried to use "steam" but my kettle does not produce enough pressure maybe I heated it up too fast ..and too much.. I took off the next one in front of my bed all the pillows piled in the corner.. I faced the pillows pop I did 2 HEAT for soooo long This is a watch forum sir! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanikai Posted June 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2008 This is a watch forum sir! OHHH.... ...................................Hey P... look .. come look at this....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted June 28, 2008 Report Share Posted June 28, 2008 I have 2 questions -- 1. Did you remove the crystal from the case before heating it? 2. I believe the cyclops on the gen is Plexiglas (plastic), which I would expect to melt if alot of heat or flame was applied to it. So is the cyclops on the GMTIIC not plastic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sssurfer Posted June 28, 2008 Report Share Posted June 28, 2008 My favourite tool to remove cyclops is a solder iron, as it allows to bring heat quite exactly where you want. E.g., I would not like putting direct flame on AR coat. And I absolutely subscribe to lani's advice about the thermal capacity of watch crystals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanikai Posted June 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2008 I have 2 questions -- 1. Did you remove the crystal from the case before heating it? 2. I believe the cyclops on the gen is Plexiglas (plastic), which I would expect to melt if alot of heat or flame was applied to it. So is the cyclops on the GMTIIC not plastic? It is advised that you remove the crystal from the case .. before heating it.. I just assumed this I used 2 other reps as the mag on the GMT is juuuuust a hair to tall.. the gen GMCIIc .. it's mag is not as high off the crystal as the rep It pops right off.. so make sure you are pointing the cyclops towards a bunch of pillows.. preferably not synthetic.. cotton is best.. synthetic material will melt into the mag.. like getting plastic on a hot muffler.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sander Posted June 29, 2008 Report Share Posted June 29, 2008 Good tip, thanks, Few questions: How do you install it back again Does this also work for Panerai I thought Rolex doesn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanikai Posted June 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2008 Good tip, thanks, Few questions: How do you install it back again Does this also work for Panerai I thought Rolex doesn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Star69 Posted June 29, 2008 Report Share Posted June 29, 2008 i used a simple candle - you only have to clean the crystal a bit after the job Frank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cskent69 Posted June 29, 2008 Report Share Posted June 29, 2008 I would love to have this done for my GMTIIC but don't have the skills. I wish someone would offer a service for this type of thing - in conjunction with the Chief for the AR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fakemaster Posted June 29, 2008 Report Share Posted June 29, 2008 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanikai Posted June 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2008 I would love to have this done for my GMTIIC but don't have the skills. I wish someone would offer a service for this type of thing - in conjunction with the Chief for the AR. If your thinking of sending it to a member to do.. its bestto check with the mambers here to see if this person is known.. better safe than sorry.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highoeyazmuhudee Posted July 8, 2008 Report Share Posted July 8, 2008 remove the crystal and let it sit in acetone. it should remove the glue that holds cyclops for easy push off without the risk of fire and burns. acetone is found in nail polish remover, and some are 100% acetone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanikai Posted July 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 remove the crystal and let it sit in acetone. it should remove the glue that holds cyclops for easy push off without the risk of fire and burns. acetone is found in nail polish remover, and some are 100% acetone yes the expensive nail polish remover is 100% pure.. stores removed the surfboard brands of 100% .... cracking (no pun intended) down on the drug labs availability.. is this method OK for the AR to follow ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poopypants Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 so actually... removing the mag is all about the PILLOWS!?!?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanikai Posted July 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 so actually... removing the mag is all about the PILLOWS!?!?! Thank you from the peanut gallery..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highoeyazmuhudee Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 yes the expensive nail polish remover is 100% pure.. stores removed the surfboard brands of 100% .... cracking (no pun intended) down on the drug labs availability.. is this method OK for the AR to follow ?? not sure about AR, but you CAN reglue a new one with UV after an acetone treatment. better ask the man himself about the AR and acetone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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