bones Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 Full thread over on RWI: http://www.replica-watch.info/vb/showthread.php/build-3-1675-gmt-78900.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 More excellent results, amigo, nicely done, and awesome write up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Hawkes Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 Not everyone has or wants an account on RWI. I suggest you just copy and paste your post here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bones Posted June 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 Gah, it's blimmin massive, but for you, i'll do it Well, modding fever is ongoing in the Bonesey household. Mrs Bonesey being very understanding Lets take apart some GMT! This is as it came from Silix Just some profile shots of before for reference. As you can see it has the reference 1680 between the lugs. Which initially led me to think that this was using the same case as my single red sub but with a different crown and insert. There are however some very minor differences in construction, especially the seating for the crystal that make me thing they are actually different, just with wrong engravings. Caseback sticker claims it's a 16700 which of course is a later edition of the GMT Master with the sapphire crystal but still with springbar holes and hollow end links. No surprises here, basic 21j GMT movement and plastic movement spacer. Engraving on the caseback says that it's a 5513 which is of course wrong Some kind of rep franken monster! Stem came out no problems at all, but after removing the movement from the case it wouldn't go back in. I really didn't want to force it in, i resorted to pressing in the stem release button and it seems to be working fine. I popped the crystal out from behind using my thumbs with no great issue. Worked around the inside of the bezel insert with the case back knife to break the glue holding it in. Most of the construction is the same as the 1680 to be honest. Not much difference at all. First thing was to soften up the case. This is the most time consuming thing so I sat down with something on the tv and worked away. This is a pre-softening lug. And afterwards. It looks a bit rough at the moment but that will get smoothed over a bit and the case sides given a re-polish. The CG's also needed a bit of re-working. Taking a bit off the top and creating the sloped angle that I have on my other 1675. Making the bottom of the lugs flush with the case and smoothing it round a bit. These are shots with one CG done and the other still un-modded. And that's as far as I've gotten today. Wife is at work all day tomorrow some I'm sure I'll keep going. Cheers for reading.Ok, so back on track. I finished off the case softening and CG shaping. I'm quite happy with how it came out. Final step for the case was to give it a once over with a cape cod cloth in an attempt to soften some of the tool marks. I must admit it didn't really do a huge amount. I think a few things might need to change, firstly, a finishing file with a much finer burr. Secondly, get a cheap bench mounted polishing wheel at some point soon. As you can see, it's taken a little of the edge off the scratches, but nothing major. Well with the case done the next step was to sort out the dial and hands. Using a dial protector so that I don't scratch the dial (kinda silly when I'm gonna go throw it under a grill) and using lever style hand removers. These are a lot easier to use than the presto ones, and a lot less chance of damaging any of the cannon pins or hands tbh. Everything lined up on midnight. As I was shifting the dial protector round it moved the GMT hand :/ And voila! all done. After that it was a simple case of loosening the dial feet screws. And pulling off the dial. How the dial looks untouched . First thing I did was to give the dial a coat of varnish. I actually cocked up and put a bit too much on. While the varnish is drying it's time to raid the cupboard under the sink. Glass of water on the left and a pair of tweezers for this one. And plop, in she goes, give it a bit of a swirl about and then wait. After about 1:30 min i move it slightly to see if there's any change. So, bezel went in and out a few times giving it about a minute soak each time. I then removed it and dried it off to check the fading. Not enough, so in it went again. And sprayed with some of the clear varnish just to seal it. Now to prepare the tastiest dial you've ever seen, just pre-heat your grill at setting one and place the dial underneath for as long as you see fit I actually was too hasty and put it in before the varnish at the bottom of the dial was totally dry. So, at the 6 o'clock area I have some bubbling, which I'm quite liking. So here's the bezel and dial all finished up. Next time to paint the lume on the hands. As this dial isn't as dark as the red sub I decided to water down the stain a little bit. Just checking them next to the dial to get a reasonable colour match. Now the dial is back on the movement, and you can see how fine the canon pin is for the seconds hand, so easy to break! Date nicely centred thankfully. The hand setters I'm using are almost identical to the ones that JMB sells on here. If you get a chance to pick some of his up I would recommend it. Setting the seconds hand is the only time i really use a loupe as well. Just to get placement spot on. And that's us all finished up.. Cyclops lined up straight and crystal pressed back in. Everything back inside the case, making sure that it is all aligned. Greasing the caseback o-ring. Replacing the insert in the bezel and using a little hypo-cement to keep it in place. All done!! Bracelet on and a few wrist shots. And with it's sibling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highoeyazmuhudee Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 that turned out to be a nice little project, probably for cheap too. i especially enjoy the fluke result with the dial bubbling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Hawkes Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 Nice pictorial! Thanks for the copy and paste.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhooq Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 We're spoiled for great how-to's in the last week. I love your progress, bonesey. Are you planning on challenging jmb for the Cheap Ba$tard crown? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bones Posted June 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 I think that crown is safe for the time being Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 We're spoiled for great how-to's in the last week. I love your progress, bonesey. Are you planning on challenging jmb for the Cheap Ba$tard crown? Dude, I'm such a Cheap Ba$tard I just think about projects to do Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asf Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 I'm going to need some matte varnish for this weekend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiyal Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 Great Write UP!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielv2000 Posted June 18, 2011 Report Share Posted June 18, 2011 Great work again, Bonesey! Love the look of both these babies! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krpster Posted June 18, 2011 Report Share Posted June 18, 2011 Great results. Thanks for sharing with us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted July 1, 2011 Report Share Posted July 1, 2011 I like what you did with the sides of the case. My 1655 case is much too "fat" and needs to be worked like yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronin Posted July 1, 2011 Report Share Posted July 1, 2011 Excellent walk thru and results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bones Posted July 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2011 Thanks for the comments guys, got another few pieces on the way for projects so keep an eye out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmb Posted July 2, 2011 Report Share Posted July 2, 2011 Smokin', Bonez! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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