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I snagged the tapered cutter new off fleabay for under $20/shipped. It's solid carbide so it should last forever on these cases. I had originally bought it to attempt to repair some CGs that looked like I had filed on 'em but I chickened out since there would have been some welding and other stuff involved and it was a Yuki case so I was really scared of making it worse or ruining it. I think I may try to "stretch" the CG tips on my cartel 5513 once I get my Argon bottle re-filled...

I use lacquer thinner to take off the excess Gorilla Glue "seepage" on the insert and bezel. Actually a fingernail will also work... The insert should be anodized so most solvents will not harm it.

Unfortunately the outsides need to be done the "hard way" but I usually have a bit easier time with them.

Jeks - You were batting 1000 until you threw in the combo machine - they are usually a PITA... I have converted the small HF lathe you pictured to CNC and I have a larger conventional. The small lathe pictured would be all somebody would need to do watch related stuff like bezels, movement spacers, etc. The small mill would be very nice for CG work, lug holes, etc. The sneaky part about machine tools is you almost have to spend as much on tooling as you did for the machine!

I hate doing CGs. I would rather somebody beat me with a 2x4 than to file on CGs. Today I tried to come up with an easier and more predictable method, for me anyway. One of my problems is that no two sets turn out the same and only about half of them look presentable. In fact, I have long since refused to do CGs for people - PERIOD!!! I needed to prep a case for an upcoming project and the Shades of CGs Past started haunting me. I had ordered a 1/4" carbide end-mill with a 5 degree taper a while ago in preparation for trying this so I thought now would be as good a time as any. I first removed the tube and clamped the case onto my lug drilling fixture and milled the inside of both "ears" with the angled cutter: Then I centered the tube hole under the spindle: I then switched to a 5/16" cutter and "plunged" down through the center: I will have to admit that they turned out a lot better than they would have if I'd filed on 'em! Thanks for watching!

I love cheap!! Takes me back to my roots except that I considered a $70 rep a mid-price model... I wouldn't worry about the glued in crystal as you are probably going to replace it anyway, right? Just toss the bare mid-case in a container with lacquer thinner and let everything dissolve.

I put on another set of hands and tinted them a bit closer to the dial markers. The pics make the hands look a lot darker but they are very close in real life...

I think R should buy some machine tools!!!

Nice simple design. Loose the date complication and it would be perfect! You can't hardly beat a Datejust on a Jubilee either... or oyster...

M, with the crown on that side is this meant to be a "left-handed" watch? Rather interesting...

Bitchin' watch, M!! What ya gonna make out of it?

As much energy is it took for him to put together the Daytona Franken he should give that old thing to me and build a shiny new one!!! I kinda know how he feels as I've pretty much built everything I can afford...

Thanks, R, I am flat-out of Jubilees right now! Gonna have to order some...

Got in my Clark 25-116 crystals so stuck one on this morning. I decreased the height about .050" since the construction is not gen-like and it basically sits in a groove in the top of the rehaut. I then epoxied the crystal into the groove. I might could have took off a bit more but since it's glued in I'm gonna live with it. The date mag is very nice and I can actually read it! Here's a couple follow-up shots.

Totally incorrect 1680...

And if you are wondering about removing the entire pusher then some are pressed/glued into the case and others are threaded...

I've found that on all of the rep cases I have the rehaut will accept the plexi crystal and the only difference is the bezel. The "plexi" bezel has a slightly larger ID and is not as tall. This watch was made from a 2824 rep case that originally had a sapphire crystal. The Clark crystal and gen bezel were a direct fit.

Ubi, I have two gen cases for plexi crystals with lug-holes and no engraving...

Sorry, I coulda swore they said 455B! Old eyes...

The bracelet looks a bit suspicious to me since the 455B on the end-links are usually what come on reps. Also, none of my gen cases have any kind of engraving on the case-back, but they are lug-hole cases so maybe this is something new? It does look nice, though...

Nanuq, he was asking how to get the crystal on not how YOU would vintageize it!

More Silver Linen action with gen Tudor...

The Jubilee looks suh-weet!

Great looking watch, R!! I wear mine about half the time...