kingkitesurf

Hihi it's so funny how you sometimes 'over imagine' how things would look on guru's end. Somehow I imagined you as the imortal soul who had a glass room, sterilized, with TL lights much like a hospital... So much for fantasy... You are a human after all with a cosy room where you have all your professional stuff at hand... I could have thought of that myself...

For what I heard about the ETA 2836 and 2824 is that when it has the -2 in it (2836-2), it is a chinese assembled but from original parts (which might very well also be produced in China). The full gold versions idem dito. Words go that the nikkel version really got it's QC and assemblage in Swiss. They can be bought at 80$ approx at Ofrei. Then there are the imitations of the ETA. those are all Chinese but also use look alike parts etc. They have the measurements but are different than ETA. Factories are Seagul, Chi whatever brandname they have. Is this all true?

Man that signature picture drives me crazy... Get another cuz this makes me concentrate on other things than your fast running movement...

LT What I did with the 1665 MBW was use the eBay 55$ retaps. Just get the old tube out with a counterscrew (left turn thread with sharp threads...). Retap the hole with WD40 or 3-1 oil... half turn at the time and back again to get the chips out (not to damage new threads)... Do not countersink. When tapped rinse the case and hole to make it grease free!!!!! Now the tube screws in but will get hard to turn by hand when on 75%. I screwed the crown on the tube before with two iron rings so it does not screw all the way up the tube. That way you will be able gain momentum and grip to screw the tube 100% in the case using needle nose pliers (protect the crown with a cloth on it). Of course drip the tube threads with some 'loctite' or equivalent before fitting it and don't forget the rubber seal. When screwed on leave the watch for a night. In the morning...unscrew the crown, fit the other seals and you are set. I tested it on waterproofness... the tube and crown are you least worries for leaks... Supersealed. Good luck.. The job takes an hour with retapping and all.

Darn, I hope to be in that DW club soon. My first DW VJ23 order (over 6 weeks ago) got confescated by his government and unlike other dealers on the board he does not resend a watch until it get's delivered... I had ordered it with an extra movement...He only accepts WU. $450 completely down the drain!!! He kept communicating good though but a loss is a loss. And yes it is the real DW in Asia and not the US based scammer (HWILG). Now I reordered another one (fingers crossed), and he promised me to have it disguised when sent. It's been over two weeks and I am getting really nervous... Maybe I win more when trying my luck in the Casino! In the end I hope to be a clubmember (within reasonable cashflow) If it works ou I will try the VJ72 kit... Do you run risk with sending that as well? Cheers Job

Sorry to hear this. I think everybody knows who we are talking about... Saw your earlier post too ... This guy screwed up with other members in a Breitling deal earlier. A little sneak it is . Anyway... It seems like he broke of the bits trying to drill the holes. Probably a HSS bit and not a Cobalt. I do quite a few mods myself and smoothing out and drilling the lugholes is very easy. I would personally finish drilling the lugs but you can also just smooth them. Take 200-400-600 waterproof grain sanding paper and grind it down by hand (starting 200 up to 600) only pressurizing on the lughole spot. Then take polishing compound and polish it. If you do not have this take Brasso and after that Sterling polish (for sale on every streetcorner). For the movement... new 2836's go for 60$. Have a good look first because it might be something simple. Before you let it get repaired consider a new movement. It should really be an easy job but if you don't want to take on the challenge I offer you to smooth and drill the holes and fit gen springbars for free and have a look at the movement for you. If a new one should be fitted just pay for the movement and I put it in. I am in Amsterdam (Europe) so this could be a bit tricky with customs but if you use regular airmail it works fine (had two different watches arrive within three days). Maybe someone located closer to you wants to help out also... Saves you stress of mailing the watch. Anyway let me know. Good luck...

Mine is the mystery movement one (should be on the way).. so the vj23 should fit. I can also order the DW VJ72 case but I will try and find a vj72 first...

Randy, I managed to buy this one. I received the Roamer and it is fantastic as is.. I don't feel like stripping it for a DW. I will keep looking for a VJ72.

Using a standard battery charged screwdriver/drill from Makita with 1,2mm and 2mm cobalt bits. I have not spilled a single bit on MBW cases yet thanks to using WD40 oil in the hole a few times per drill session.

I heard that about him before but he had a good reason and it all turned out well as I understood. So don't worry yet. A week is nothing.

It is money well spend... and to be completely honest... The flat #39 is more beautiful than the superdome. I have both but like the flat better... Heflands has flat #39 look alikes for 10$ but you will see the difference with the 100$ gen. Bigger magnification/ distortion, deeper color prisma and beveled edge. If it's worth it is your call. IMHO it is.

It must feel so good to 'overhaul' the engine... I haven't got the guts, tools and skills yet... Respect!

Thanks guys. Yeah my improvised crystal press has cost me $4,50 and works better than I had hoped for. The sewer plastic connection ring had an exact 32mm innerring and is extremely thick strong plastic. It even clicks on the metal crystal ring... Lucky shot (I wanted to cut a hole in wood first). The gen #39 really looks much better. I now will take on my DRSD and make the gen #39 superdome fit... Wonder how that will look... It looks as if the gen crystal magnifies a little better and has a deeper color spread... Just makes the watch so much more intense and realistic. I noticed it today since some people took a long stare at the watch... before they never did it so obvious. I think gen crystal is by far the mod with the biggest bang for the buck. The caseback engraving look fake out of the box. They are laseretched and black filled. To tight and clean... Getting rid of just the black paint leaves a straight engraving. You have to rough it up a little and repolish the caseback. Here is a pic of the standard caseback (right) and the redone one (left). Underneath you see a gen.

The work on my White 1665 are done... - Gen crown and tube - Lugholes drilled + gen springbars - Gen Tropic #39 light-dome - CG reshaped - Vitagised bezel insert - Caseback reworked - Case smoothed out - Waterproof seals Putting crystal inplace Result

Please inform everybody here HOW he is... Der Otto!!

Did you try the 3 names Avitt gave... AT has some I guess. Further I am sure that DW would have included them in the kit? But do I understand you have used thoes up for your VJ23 project? I have exactly the same project going on... Very nice!

Aha you are the Milano Italy guy... Are these DW cases?

Now this is the look I really like... A bit puffy the right color and grain... A bit blurred out around the marker... looks like tritium that has aged... Did you use Nightcolor only with no water / pigment or ocre... Nice job IMHO. I will try and do the 1665 soon....

I have a rep source for the nuclear cell technology for the engine... somewhere in North Korea I heard... It is under development though...

I think that goes for modern Rolexes in particular... Vintage Rolex lovers are watch enthousiasts for sure! Those are pieces just like the Porsche 911... It will stay functional and beautiful forever... They are, however, way overmarketed and overestimated for the price... Hence the reason for me to buy MBW's and mod them and enjoy their beauty. Just my 0,02$

WTF is a JAXA

TTK auctioned one on behalf of this forum lately Ask him if he has more...

Funny thing is that I used the Ebay device to retap my MBW 1665 case... I use the 24-7030 tube from Cousins with the long shaft. Gen crown fits perfectly and all seals are present. However screwing the tube in the case goes well for the first 5 handturns then gets stuck... I can probably push through with 'a tool' or with the crown on, but am afraid breaking it off. I expected it to go smooth till the end since I rethreaded. Obviously this vice is the same Avitt uses to rethread... What do I do wrong or do you have the same heavy last turns...?

Does anybody have experience with 'Holiday123 Hobby collection' as a seller on ebay. I bought the Rolex tube insertion tool there but he never came through. Does anybody have a better solution to insert the tube? When I screw the crown on to insert it will get so stuck that it wont work. really need a tool for it I guess. Suggestions?

Oh yeah Bill, You are in well over your head...