Jump to content
When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
  • Current Donation Goals

Movement swap.


mastrmindalliance

Recommended Posts

Hi, ok so I have my second rep on the way and I've bought some tools and need to fix my first rep, the n00bmariner.

It's only a few weeks old, but has a few problems I'd like to fix. I had bought some tools just to take it apart to fix the crystal (it's uneven - lower on one side), but now the second hand has stopped ticking so I've bought a dg4813 to replace the dg2813 and Bergon presto tool and will attempt a movement swap.

I've only been able to find this series of vids on youtube

I'm sure there must be something here but have searched and manually browsed and haven't found anything specific except for pulldown.

Can anyone recommend some good (noobfriendly *EDIT - actually doesn't have to be noobfriendly*) tutes/ links etc please?

Naturally I realise now I should have gone with a better movement in the first place so the one I have coming is an ETA.

Thanks in advance and apologies if there's something obvious I'm missing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is a great tutorial made by a guy called Ajoesmith on a movement swap similar to what you are attempting.

I dont know if he has posted that on this site, but he has the tutorial sticked on his section over @ repgeek.

Good luck!

Cheers

Mike

Thanks Mike. I figure I will actually need a little luck. I've spoken to ajoesmith and they are in fact his videos^^ at youtube.

Interestingly, ajoesmith lives only an hours drive from me and I've asked if he'll fix it for me if I stuff it up. Though I'd really like to learn how to do it myself.

His video/tutorial is great but it's the datewheel sticky tape thing that bothers me, and wondered if there's a preferable way...?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have been trying to install a DG4813 for about a month and finally have given up on finding the correct 4813. The swap needs a "high cannon pinion" version of the movement which, according to ofrei, apparently no longer exists. ajoesmith says he has no more of the correct movement and his supply has "dried up" so I guess we're all screwed as far as a cheap high-beat alternative is concerned. My noob ran for about 2 days before having problems (stopping randomly) and I've resigned myself to putting in a 2813 as even that is an "upgrade" from the noob movement.

Good luck and if you find a source for the "high pinion" 4813 let me know!

Best regards,

Justin B.

Edited by jmb
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Your best option would be to go for a myota 8215 movement rather than a 2813, same design just alot better

Hi Andy. Can you swap over the datewheels or do you need to do an overlay transfer going from a 2813 to a Miyota 8215? Is there any cannon pinion variance that you are aware of?

Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oops, in my nubbery haste, I didn't realise there was more than one. Can anyone tell me from these pics if this is the right one?:

dg4813.jpg

dg4813-2.jpg

Movement Hi-res

Looks exactly like the ones I bought from Ofrei, except mine came in the plastic round yellow half shell boxes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please let me/us know as I need a couple of them and it would actually be cheaper than taking a $25 movement and cannibalizing a $15 movement to get it to work. I'm thinking that the low pinion might work in any case where you don't have a datewheel overlay to jack with. If the spacer that comes with movement is used then the overlayed datewheel rubs on the back of the dial and doesn't advance, conversely if the thicker spacer is used the wheel clears but the hour hand will not attach! At least that's the problem I've ran into with the two I got (one from Cousins and one from ofrei) when I've tried to stuff them into the noob...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can measure the "bad" one so if you get one that is taller it should be the "good" one. ofrei just flat told me that the DG4813 was not available in high pinion version. I put in my order notes that I needed the high one but that didn't stop them from sending me whatever they had and only let me in on this "secret" in a follow-up e-mail.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I live in San Francisco, which is just across the bay from Oakland, where Otto Frei is located. When I went there a couple of weeks back and bought the DG4813, I started talking to one of their guys about the long version stem/cannon of the 4813. He showed me the catalog and the specs of the DG4813. There seems to be only one "official" DG4813.

According to the Ofrei guy, if someone is selling a version with a longer cannon, it's a home grown modification, it's not the standard off the shelf version. He also said that many times the Chinese factories that churn out the replicas will use an existing movement and make slight modifications to match it to a particular replica.

So more than likely the long cannon versions were specially modified to fit a particular case/replica, and a few bare movements found their way in the channel, but if you're going to try and source a "official" DG4813 from regular channels/dealers, it will come with the short cannon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dudemeister, that makes sense, then, why we can't seem to find any!

Mastermind, my depth mic is in my toolbox at work so I used my wobbly caliper (not real exact) and got a measurement that averaged around .054" from end of minutes pinion to the date wheel plate. So, I would say if you measure .020" or more greater than that it very well might work...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dudemeister, that makes sense, then, why we can't seem to find any!

Mastermind, my depth mic is in my toolbox at work so I used my wobbly caliper (not real exact) and got a measurement that averaged around .054" from end of minutes pinion to the date wheel plate. So, I would say if you measure .020" or more greater than that it very well might work...

I will check it out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My heads spinning. :(

Basically, there's no high-beat mvmt that can be purchased and directly swapped out for the 21j mvmts in the reps anymore? You have to canibalize pinions from one movement and another?

Even a direct swap was pushing the envelope of my current skills.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...
Please Sign In or Sign Up