ericb196 Posted November 16, 2011 Report Share Posted November 16, 2011 After having seen all your franken project and the nice result on the RBII, I decided to try to Franken the RBII that is on the way from the dealer to my home. I already received a LWO 283 and I'll get a second one in the next days. As far as I understood, the rep handles won't fit directly, I need a specific movement holder (hand made) and a way to connect the chrono pushers to the movement (I saw on Guru's watch that specific longer pusher on the low 283 can make it work) I'll perhaps need also a silver hour wheel (the one I got one the first movement is a gold one) I'll really appreciate all the help and experience you can give me to achieve this project... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxman Posted November 16, 2011 Report Share Posted November 16, 2011 Just keep your thread up to date..many experenced members will be more than happy to give you advice and direction Best of luck with this project. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchmeister Posted November 16, 2011 Report Share Posted November 16, 2011 Here are my thoughts but people should feel to correct them: Gen movement requires gen dial due to different placement of sub-dials. You may or may not need gen inner tachy ring (never tried seconds at 12 case with rep tachy ring and gen dial). If using gen tachy ring you will need to enlarge inside of the bezel but also reduce height sice gen tachy ring is shorter and wider. Original hands can be used with substantial rework. Rep chrono pushers can be used with the gen movement. The case will also require plugging and then redrilling the crown tube hole. And you will certainly need a new movement ring. If you are not a skilled modder/watchsmith you will need to find one. But your immediate issue will be finding a gen dial to go with the LWO movement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericb196 Posted November 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2011 (edited) Thanks for this return. I must say that there is still something not that clear for me concerning the subdial position. We find examples of guys who manage to put a RBII rep dial on a lwo 283 movement. What I understood is that the date windows will be slightly uncentered... Concerning the specific RBII we don't need to change the crown tube, there is a solution to change the chrono pusher on the movement so that they are longer and can be aligned with the crown. Here is a really interesting example on RWI : http://www.replica-w...ects-70245.html that shows it. Edited November 16, 2011 by ericb196 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sander Posted November 16, 2011 Report Share Posted November 16, 2011 First of all.....if you plan to use a rep dial with a LWO movement, you can stop right now. The rep dial will not fit the LWO movement. It's not the subdials but the date window which will not work. I'm not on RWI so I can't see your link. I guess it's this one right? if not, perhaps you can post some pics of it. http://www.rwg.cc/topic/117528-barrichello-frank/ As you can see, the date looks terrible. Why bother putting in a LWO movement which will look terrible while the rep movement is pretty reliable and looks great? Another issue will be the hands. If you don't have the gen hands, you need to make a new hand tube for the minute hand and a new hour wheel for the hour hand. The tubes of the chrono hands needs to be shorted and broached. Since the tubes are made of butter and are connected poorly to the hands, it's pretty tough. Next issue is the movment ring. you have to design and make a new one. The crown can be lowered but is not a must. If you do not lower it, you have the make extensions for the pushers. A gen tachyring has to be shaved. A rep tachy will fit a rep dial. The next question is: are the movements you have complete? so with cannon pinion and hour wheel. If not, you can not use them at all. Good luck with the build! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paneraitom Posted November 16, 2011 Report Share Posted November 16, 2011 First of all.....if you plan to use a rep dial with a LWO movement, you can stop right now. The rep dial will not fit the LWO movement. It's not the subdials but the date window which will not work. I'm not on RWI so I can't see your link. I guess it's this one right? if not, perhaps you can post some pics of it. http://www.rwg.cc/to...richello-frank/ As you can see, the date looks terrible. Why bother putting in a LWO movement which will look terrible while the rep movement is pretty reliable and looks great? Another issue will be the hands. If you don't have the gen hands, you need to make a new hand tube for the minute hand and a new hour wheel for the hour hand. The tubes of the chrono hands needs to be shorted and broached. Since the tubes are made of butter and are connected poorly to the hands, it's pretty tough. Next issue is the movment ring. you have to design and make a new one. The crown can be lowered but is not a must. If you do not lower it, you have the make extensions for the pushers. A gen tachyring has to be shaved. A rep tachy will fit a rep dial. The next question is: are the movements you have complete? so with cannon pinion and hour wheel. If not, you can not use them at all. Good luck with the build! We now have heard from the master. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchmeister Posted November 17, 2011 Report Share Posted November 17, 2011 So the simple answer to how to franken any AP is go find a gen dial (that RB II will be $2000 easy) and then you can contemplate moving forward. Otherwise relume your rep, pick up a better strap if so inclined and call it a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txcollector Posted November 17, 2011 Report Share Posted November 17, 2011 I'd rather mod the top plate on the rep movement to get the CDG engraving, the minute wheel and screws visible. I'm with the guys here, why spend a ton of cash to make your watch look like crap? The DW out of place kills the watch face. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocrow Posted November 17, 2011 Report Share Posted November 17, 2011 ^^ how about doing a custom DW with the numbers more on the right 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sander Posted November 18, 2011 Report Share Posted November 18, 2011 ^^ how about doing a custom DW with the numbers more on the right I have a good Idea.....how about putting in a 7750 movement..... they have the DW more to the right so that it will fit the rep dial. Man why didn't we think of that :clap2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocrow Posted November 22, 2011 Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 ^^ if you can live with crappy movement good for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txcollector Posted November 22, 2011 Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 ^^ if you can live with crappy movement good for you the new versions come with a proper jewel on the 12 o'clock gear. It's as reliable as any other 7750. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TgfRulez Posted November 22, 2011 Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 Moving the sec@12 mod of the latest movement on a Swiss Eta 7750 is another improvement.. The Swiss eta is stronger and will run smoother.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txcollector Posted November 22, 2011 Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 Moving the sec@12 mod of the latest movement on a Swiss Eta 7750 is another improvement.. The Swiss eta is stronger and will run smoother.. another myth. Serviced by someone like The Zigmeister the A7750 is as good. The reliability problem with asian movements is the poor condition some of them come. With proper oil and cleaning I don't see anything structurally wrong with the A7750. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sander Posted November 23, 2011 Report Share Posted November 23, 2011 another myth. Serviced by someone like The Zigmeister the A7750 is as good. The reliability problem with asian movements is the poor condition some of the come. With proper oil and cleaning I don't see anything structurally wrong with the A7750. Yep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchmeister Posted November 24, 2011 Report Share Posted November 24, 2011 another myth. Serviced by someone like The Zigmeister the A7750 is as good. The reliability problem with asian movements is the poor condition some of them come. With proper oil and cleaning I don't see anything structurally wrong with the A7750. I thought there was an issue beyond proper servicing on the basic parts - things like parts not properly finished, etc. Having said that I agree that with a servicing the movement should be fine. One of the things I have never investigated but was curious about was the quality of the mainspring on the Asian versus an ETA. But I may just be kidding myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txcollector Posted November 24, 2011 Report Share Posted November 24, 2011 I thought there was an issue beyond proper servicing on the basic parts - things like parts not properly finished, etc. Having said that I agree that with a servicing the movement should be fine. One of the things I have never investigated but was curious about was the quality of the mainspring on the Asian versus an ETA. But I may just be kidding myself. OK, you can get the A7750 90-95% there, happy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchmeister Posted November 24, 2011 Report Share Posted November 24, 2011 Yup. I just get tired of hearing that the Asian 7750's are as good as an ETA. They are not or at least the quality control is not as good. But you are absolutely right that with proper care the movements can last a lifetime. The funny thing is it is often my ETA movements which need adjustment sooner than the rep movements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericb196 Posted November 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2011 I finally decided to abort my project... It looked simple at first but I hadn't seen everything. Now I'll have to sell the 2 lwo 283 I have in stock..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocrow Posted November 25, 2011 Report Share Posted November 25, 2011 ^^ give it to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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