trailboss

Not only stunning but VERY close to 1:1. A tru super rep as somone said. The rose gold an black one is stunning and as close to perfect as reps get. It's on my very long list of wants. Col.

great list mate! I gotta try to track down a MVT for a 30yo sports100 chrono sooner or later so this will be a good place to start. Col.

The Ebel Discovery The DeWitt Academia The Time Walker Or the GMTIIc (hand stack excepted) Would proberly be as close as you can get. The Ebel is perfect (execpt for pushers about .5mm too long) and the DWA and TW are so close it doesn't matter. None of these three are EVER going to get called unless you're dumb enoughto hand 'em to an AD. It would take a fair old WIS to pick the hand stack of the GMT while on your wrist as well. CGs still arn't perfect either but the're very close. Col. You know, the more I look at the Time Walker the more I like it. Damn it, another on the list.

Super glue ain't that super. The cheap ones in particular. "Propper" ACCs like Hot Stuff or Zap do much beter but still ain't right for this job. ACC glues (super glue) are quite fragile and bond best on a totaly ridgid surface which, for the purpose of this exercise your bezel isn't. Special primers can be bought to enhance the bonding power of ACC glues and should be used for any serious bonding. For this I would use Sikaflex 221 after roughening the serfaces to bit to give some bite. After applying the primer (not necessory but it helps) just the meerest smear will do. A thin, uniform coating is what your after. Just enough to form a continues layer between the two surfaces. Failing that the afore mentioned Gorilla Grip will do at a pinch. Wonderfull stuff, wish you could buy it here. Col.

Well, there you go. My bad. Due to edit rule I can't fix that so if somone who can please would that would be nice. Col. PS: Yeah, Yeah, I'll pony up the funds sometime

gplracer: as far as tools go Google will provide an almost unlimited supply of merchants. Otto Frei has a great range of top shelf stuff and a lot of bargain but good tools as well. At a guess a basic set would run something like this (those of you who know better please jump in): Tools. A set of 9 or 12 jeweller’s screwdrivers with replaceable blades: neither the cheapest nor the best. In between will do nicely. Something to remove screw on case backs: Either a sticky ball or a three gang case back remover. Stay away from the two pronged ones. If you have Rolex either the ball or a set of Rolex case back tools will be necessary. Josh carries a set of these at a reasonable price tho I have seen similar cheaper. A set of strap/bracelet tools: The stuff you need to remove straps and bracelets including a spring bar tool and a pin punch. A bracelet holder is worth it's weight in gold as well and costs a few dollars. If you but a set of bracelet tools it will include one. A couple of really good pairs of tweezers: Don't skimp too much on these. You need to pick up really tiny bits and pieces here so they must be up to the job. A straight and an angled pair should do for starters. Fine pliers: If you don't want to shell out on a set of jewellers pliers Sidchrome make a range of good miniature pliers at quite a reasonable price point. Anywhere good automotive tools are sold I should think. You are going to be using these mainly for bending/folding/snapping tuff like MVT clamps or stems so it's important that a reasonable amount of torque can be applied to the jaws. Hand removal tool: You must have this to successfully remove hands. Nothing else really works. A dial protector may be useful as well but a sheet of paper will do at a pinch. Hand replacement tool: A chunk of thin SS flat with a hole in one end. Make one if you want. Rodico: Jewellers blutac, invaluable for everything from reinstalling hands (better than tweezers IMO) to cleaning dials or even just keeping parts in place on the bench. A jeweller’s loupe or two: You need some help seeing to do some of the finer work in changing a MVT. A 5x and a 10x should cover basic requirements. Cheap and cheerful will do for now. A loupe holder may be a good thing as well. Case and MVT holders: Oke, ajoe proves you really don't need holders but believe me having the case or MVT securely held in a small vice makes things a lot easier. You will need a case holder and a MVT holder of the correct size. 10 to 12.5 lingue covers most of our MVTs. You will need one of those small hobby vices to hold them in. A vacuum attached one will do the job. A hand press: A pen shaped device with nylon/urethane tips on the ends. Used for pressing small parts such as second hands into place. A piece of smalldiameter (5mm) hardwood or nylon dowel with a .8mm hole in the end makes a suitable substitute. Pin punches: Three or four pin punches in at least 0.7 to 1.0mm if they didn't come with your band set. You will need the small one to release the stem. Dust blower: Necessory for removing dust from inside cases and off dials and MVTs. A very soft brush is also handy. With the exception of the Rolex case openers (use a sticky ball instead) you should pick up that lot for under 150USD and covers all you could need to open a watch and change the MVT or dial/hands plus change bands. Consumables. A basic set of consumables is next on the list if you are going to do a bit of work. Spring bars: an assortment is 20-25 bucks and will last you for ever. You will need two sets. An end link/case set and a set of the short bracelet ones. Case seals: as above. A case back set with both flat and round seals and a crown seal set. Screw assortment: save the heartache of loosening that screw by having an assortment of common watchmaking sizes available. Various other parts sets are available as you progress further into your hobby. Individual sizes of all sets are available in packs of ten or so for refilling kits or just buying the sizes you know you will need. Lume: It's not particularly expensive neither are generic hands so buy some of both and practice. UV glass glue: Want to be sure that crystal is water tight? UV glass glue is used in gens to bond the glass to the case. Once it's in there tho it may well not be coming out in one piece. The Seiko one is good. Oils and greases: Resist the temptation to buy oil, oilers, oil pots etc until you have started to pull down MVTs to the stage necessary to oil them. When you do, buy separate oil pots rather than multi ones to prevent cross contamination and excess dust caused by having all oils exposed at once. Oilers are one time you can afford the best so buy Bergen. Don't skimp on oil quality either. Remember even the smallest amount will last you a hell of a long time so buy "the good oil". Anything Otto sells should be fine. As for oil pots, they’re a lump of plastic with a small depression in it and a lid so buy cheapies. Movements: Apart from the A7750 the MVTs in our reps (the CN ones anyway) are under fifty bucks and a lot under 25 if you do you research so Keeping a couple on the shelf is not out of the question. Even the A7750 should be under 150. Links, link pins and band parts: Keep 'em sorted and labelled. A good collection of these makes life a lot easier down the track and you may just be able to make someone’s day by supplying the link they need to wear their new pride and joy. Other stuff. A work bench: you need a good work area wether it be the kitchen table of something more permeant. You should have a chair that sits you at a hight that suits you and makes the job comfortable. Light: Good lighting is very important. You need to be able to see what you are doing at all times. If you have a dedicated bench a single batten fluoro on the wall three feet or so above bench height is a good start. A LED clip on cap light is a cheap extra at 5 or 6 bucks. A big illuminated goose neck magnifier is nice if the budget stretches that far. Storage: Most of the kits come with their own multi compartment storage boxes and you need to buy some more for stuff like you’re now growing collection of band parts, clasps etc. The little glass lidded alloy tins favoured by the beading fraternity are perfect as well. Don't forget a home for all those new tools. Alloy attach

LOL, no probs, just go out and buy a D90. You will never have trouble photographing anything ever again. You may, however, have quite a bit of trouble with your bank manager . . . But sincerly its great mate. I hope your wife understands how lucky she is to have a man who is puting his heart and soul into his wedding the way you are. 'tis a rare but good thing and I wish both of you many years of happyness together. It's easy to see how much all this meens to you. Your exitment is palpable, your enthusiasem unbounded, your attention to detail minute and the level of anticpation you feel is infectious. You need a laptop, a wirless card and a webcam mate and we can all come! Regards, Col.

Wow, I'm impressed once again at the broad and deeep knowledge base here. I must rember to give you a hoy robbie before I buy from Bergies somtime this season. I feel a suit and a pair of shoes coming on. TJ: Don't sweat it mate. It's not your tie the only other important person there that day is going to be concerned with. Col.

Well done phillM! And well done to Ajoe of cause. Great stuff mate. Very usefull. This is gunna be a great help shortly. A hell of a lot of work but this will be appreciated for years to come. Post of the month for shure and possibly POTY. Col.

Hi Billa. Sorry to take so long to reply. Just saw this since we arn't cloging up your bin anymore. AFIK the Diastars are all the same. Think there's only one make. Nothing wrong with Watcheadens one. It's fine, go for it. Col.

One other advantage of Homer is the he both carries parts for and services what he sells. He offers full service and repairs. Very few reps use a Sea-Gull tourby MVT. Most, including the Million Smart ones sold by Homer use the Liaoning 5010 MVT. As stated parts and service for these are available thru Homer. The Sea-Gull ST-82, a common axis tourbillon is used where this type is used in the gen. Not so much the ST-80 'cause the 5010 is cheaper and of the same flying carrousel type. Both the ST-80 and 82 are now available in automatic. Tho a fair bit cheaper the 5010 is still a reliable MVT sold in it's hundreds of thousands every year however if you can get what you want in a Sea-Gull all the beter. I think that would add a hundred so to the price however. I also understand that D4M over at RWI is planing to have a tourby available somtime first quater '09 as well. Not shure at this stage wether it's going to be unbranded or his own brand. It will be a 5010 based watch and the price will be very good indeed knowing D4M. I could tell you what a 5010 MVT is actualy worth in lots of 50 plus but Homer or Narika may want to shoot me That and I'm too lazey to dig the titbit out of the info pile at 1AM on boxing day Hope this is of some help. Regards, Col.

Well that explains the mess when I walked in the door. I was blameing IAbounty and Onz for the beer cans. Did you guys happen to invite SeanF? I found a naked midget behind the couch. And who was the smart ass who drew the groucho 'tash and glasses on JB's portrait in the foyer? Nice to see you'r an honest lot tho, the money in the till matches the depleation of our bar stock in fact there's thirty bucks too much. That will cover cleaning the rug. BTW, whoever threw up on it, Dude, see a doctor. Now! The neibours said the noise wasn't too bad and they quite enjoyed the sound of RobbieG trying out Luthier's newest creation. You thike the house PA fellas? All vintage Fender and Marshel, not a transister in sight. Smooth ain't it? The owner of the sheep can claim it from recption during office hours. If OscarMadFish hasn't eaten it. I told him not to. I'm realy not shure where it's been. Likewise somone forgot a blond about 5'8'', size 7 wearing a black cocktail dress. Well, carrying one anyway. Ask nicely and Demsey may give her back. Anyway thanks for not makeing too much mess and come back anytime guys. It's been boxing day for 20 odd minutes here now so I supose that's that for another year. Now it's time to start sobering up in time to start again on new years. Col.

On behalf of the Members, Admins and Mods of RWG1.1 I would like to take this opportunity to wish the Members, Admin and Mods of RWG2 a merry Xmas and a happy, safe and prosperous new year. Thanks are especially due to TT for allowing us to mess up his bin whilst the board was down. Without that to use as a bolt hole we would never have stayed together and got the old place up and running again. Please everyone, play it safe over the holidays and try not to do anything stupid. Above all remember: If you drink and drive, you're a bloody idiot Stay home and get rotten instead. Regards, Col. RWG1.1 Team.

So when do we see you in Oz TT? Col.

You are all damnably lucky. That place is beautyfull and so is the town. Have a great time guys. How about a few more EU folk poping in? I can't belive more folk are not partakeing of the fun. There are cheaper places to stay in town I'm shure. No one from GB yet, or Holland. In fact for amusement I sugest somone kidnaps Onzenuub and takes him along Col.

Robbie mate, if a town has 200 thou and only 30K perments of cause you will have a higher than normal number of watch smiths. If that many winter only there's a much higher than normal base income in the area. Haveing said that, yes, there's somone allmost anywhere. A small place is happy to get all the work they can and don't go in for snobery, they can't afford to. Col.

I like it. I normaly wouldn't go for SS and a silver dial but that works realy well. Not so sold on the PVD yet which, if you know my tastes is rare as I usualy like the stuff. May be better IRL me thinks. I think a different dial color might help sway me. PVD gold or silver maybe. The band I do like just not shure this watch works with blk dial and bezel. Like to see both black and silver/white dials in TT gold.TT rose gold and black dial would be rather nice I think. Full RG even? Maybe on a nice strap. Col.

You've got one. "The new guy" (see puggsy's post above) does lume. From the sounds of it there's not much he can't do. If anyone's tried him out yet how about sharing? And if not, somone's gotta bite the bullet. A simple relume would be a good try out. A Pam would be better Col.

Sorry mate, To busy for me. Great piece of design but not my taste. Cheers for those who have been waiting for it tho. It appears your wish is granted. Gees, that was quick! Col.

Not bad at all Hike. Listen to those two above. They know stuff. Nice choice of camera you lucky bugger! Col.

If I had the faintest idea I'd be happy to tell you That seems a big dial for a Sea Master. Were there two gen sizes? One things for shure. Somone here will know and should be along soonish. Nice job on the lume BTW. Col.

As has been said the bracelet on these is a ripper. I reckon you would spend a cpl of hundred to get this as close as possible. By that I meen AR, new insert/pearl and a lume job. From memory the lume on a UPO ain't too bad as reps go, brighter that a lot of 'em but a good dose of superlumninova will allways be an improvement. Chieftang for AR HERE Several members will do lume, depends where you are who would be best. No doubt whoever does the lume can do the insert , a crown tube and chk/ajust the MVT for you. Since it's basicly the same MVT (asuming you get a ETA) as the gen reliaibilty is not a problem. Even my Asian 21J Noob keeps good time (+ about 6 sec a day, just outside of COSSOC) and an ETA should be around the same as gen (less than 5sec a day). You can also but the gen dial for these from Otto Frei so as long as you buy the correct model you can have that installed as well if you like. Even with the gen dial and a new crown for under a grand you have a watch that's all most identical to the gen and just as reliable. With a decent crown tube I'm shure there is no reasom this cound not be water proofed to 50-100 meters. Anyone done a proofing job on these yet fellas? Col.

Mate those sre mainline gold prices for shure but scrap, hot or blood gold is a hell of a lot cheaper than the fine gold price esp in far east. Some of this grey market gold can be only a quarter of gold price. Even legit 14k is far cheaper than the fine or 24k price quoted on that site. The gold price is geting silly tho. !235AUD an ounce! Cripes.I rember how shocked we were when it hit 500 years ago. Pity I ran out of Kruger Rands some time back Col.

Doesn't look like an ETA to me. Too rough. Even looks low grade for Sea-Gull who produce some quite nice MVTs. This does not appear to be one of them. The Zigmeister? Pugs? RA? FM? Col.