Great Yuki write up on dial feet replacement

[Tiyal]

DIY New dial feet to fit a dial made for other movement

3 Oct 2011

When i wrote the How to mod a mqj guidei promised i would find a better way to mount a dial

made for Seiko/ETA then gluing it directly to the movement and now i am finally done.

So here it is this is the poor mans version, i am sure there are more and better tools for making the same thing

but i like to keep this guide budget for those that want to try out modding using cheap Chinese materials

"Tools" needed...

The dial feet i use are Bergeon#10040i payed less then 10$ for a 100 so buy one bag and it will last.

1 eraser or any soft material that you can press down the dial feet into.

One shaft, the same diameter as the middle hole of your dial (i used a springbar).

And some jewellers epoxy, or any epoxy i guess, but i ordered some of this from Ofrei while getting some

parts so this is what i will use.

Press down the "shaft" in the middle to serve as a guide for the dial

Scratch of some lead from a pencil onto the old dial feet

press down the dial along the guide pin and while keeping it horizontal press down the old dial feet into the eraser.

Mark out the 12 and 6 on the eraser.

The lead from the dial feet should leave a mark and the this is where you insert the new dial feet

Like so...

Mix the epoxy., trying not to succumb to the horrific smell of the hardener (is there anything so stinky ?)

Add a small amount of glue to the top of the dial feet

And slide down the dial along the guide shaft lining up the 12 & 6 markers carefully

(remove old dial feet first ofc and make sure you have a flat and clean surface for the glue to stick to)

I should have stuck some more dial feet into the eraser to support the dial now i had to balance it on a paper clip,

but this is only a demo dial so no biggie.

let the glue dry and now you have a dial that fits without permanently gluing it to the movement !

Complement:

Repair foot length a little long. Bergeon #10040 need grinding.

Because It's stop the winding rotor spin .

yukiwatch p.s: This method may not 100% fit for all dial have date window (movement with date).

Author: Pompe

http://www.yukiwatch.com/articles/article/7390084/160035.htm

[modelizer]

What a great write up! Thanks for sharing!

[freddy333]

I would test those feet before installing the dial. I did something similar a few years ago (as well as various attempts at soldering feet onto dials) &, initially, thought they were stuck on for good. But, in the end, no matter what epoxy, cement or adhesive I tried, the feet always ended up falling off.

It helps (a bit) if you lightly grind the mounting face of the feet as well as the area on the back of the dial where the feet will come into contact before you mount them.

[alligoat]

I like your m.o. for gluing the dial feet and I agree with freddy about sanding/roughing up the surfaces. Thanks for sharing, it looks like a good way to do it.

[highoeyazmuhudee]

that is an awesome concept!

thanks for sharing it

[kbh]

Why not just stick two dial feet into the movement in the correct holes, dab on some epoxy onto the back of the dial feet and place the dial onto the feet and line up the date wheel and window? Then let it dry.

Seems like it would be a lot easier method.

[Ronin]

Why not just stick two dial feet into the movement in the correct holes, dab on some epoxy onto the back of the dial feet and place the dial onto the feet and line up the date wheel and window? Then let it dry.

Seems like it would be a lot easier method.

This is what I prefer, BUT, any overflow of epoxy could screw stuff up. I use an OLD movement as a Jig, and keep the feet a tad higher, then sinking them flush in the movement.

Also, to Freddy333 point, a lot of these adhesives are not good with lateral impacts. However, JB weld has never failed me.