Jkay Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 I've been spoiled by bracelet screws and this new TAG 500 reminds me why I despise pins. F'in A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andreww Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 amen brother. People hated that the SMP Chrono had screws instead of pin, I loved it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jkay Posted February 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 At least I have WatchBitz' toolkit so when I put the pins back in, I can use the large movement holder as a pin press. I need to invest in a small vice which attaches to something immobile for pin removal. Preferably with brass jaw plates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offshore Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 Get one of these, and put it into a vice, or screw it to your bench! Offshore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jkay Posted February 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 I am using your case holder for that purpose. If I had a good punch to drive the pin, I would be all set. I am using your hammer and a very sturdy sewing machine needle as a punch. Not optimal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jkay Posted February 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offshore Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 @Jkay, The punches which come with one of these blocks, have piss weak punch pins in them. With some heat you can pull the old pins out. Then go to your local tackle shop, with a pair of callipers in hand, and measure the diameter of the shank on various fish hooks. Fish hooks are case hardened AND tempered, and will stand more "punching" than the soft things initially supplied. The reason you have trouble however, is explained in this tute I did some time back. Anyone who has owned and used a pin press to push pins out when adjusting bracelets, will know that the pin portion of the press is very susceptible to damage; they are very easily bent! One of the main reasons these pins get bent so regularly, is that when pushing a pin out of a bracelet, much attention to where the pin coming out of the bracelet is contacting is needed. This also applies with a bracelet block and punch set. If a bracelet is at all off centre the pin coming out will meet up with the other side of the press, and the push pin will bend. (I have deliberately set this up to show the offset issue!) Bracelets need to be lined up so that the pin being pushed comes out in the gap or hole provided. I use a diamond wheel on a Dremel to open this gap out, Not the tidiest of jobs, but VERY effective! Another problem is that the actual pins, whether they be in a screw in or fitted and in a screw press or in a punch being used with a bracelet block, AREN’T ALL THAT TOUGH. If you can remove the old bent pin, consider measuring the diameter and length needed, and going to your local fishing tackle shop, and purchasing a few hooks of the correct diameter material, with enough length in the shank to cut a new pin from. Fish hooks are highly case hardened and tempered, and prove a great replacement for pins which really aren’t all that durable. Try those tips and see how things go, but a hardened punch will make life a lot easier. O/S 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offshore Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 PM me your addy and I will shoot you a set of punches courtesy WB! O/S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cougar1 Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 Am I missing something? Whats wrong with one of these basic ones?: http://www.bostonwat...djusting/Detail Very durable, when it eventually bent the pusher, I bought a Bergeon attachment part....(from one of their much dearer tools, but the part was only £10) ....It went in fine and works fine with the AF swiss tool, the bergeon never failed , still fine with years of use! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offshore Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 Am I missing something? Whats wrong with one of these basic ones?: Very durable, when it eventually bent the pusher, I bought a Bergeon attachment part....(from one of their much dearer tools, but the part was only £10) ....It went in fine and works fine with the AF swiss tool, the bergeon never failed , still fine with years of use! Absolutely nothing wrong with the pusher,as long as you spend the time to line up the pin coming out of the bracelet. In fact we sell that one in our tool kit, ( just not with the AF logo.) It is even easier if you modify the "out" side of the press like I showed in the tute. And yes, you can spend 10 quid for a Swiss case hardened part, or replace the bent pin with the shank out of a fish hook for a dollar or so. In fact if you buy a big enough hook, you can get 2 pins out of it! O/S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 You guys are going about this all wrong. I keep a high-resolution photo of Chuck Norris taped to the wall in my garage, with cardboard over it. When it's time to remove a bracelet pin I hold it up close to the photo and lift the cardboard slightly. Our of pure terror the pin LEAPS from the band, falling on the floor. Works every time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jkay Posted February 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 Done! Thank you to Offshore, and his WatchBitz store for this comprehensive toolkit and his unflagging support of the community. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offshore Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 You must have a great technique Nanuq! I had heard that one before, but when I tried it ALL the pins jumped out! Bloody big re assembly job I tell you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logan Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 @cougar1, yes I agree, I've got 6-7 different pin removers and the plastic one in your picture is by far the best if you use it carefully. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cougar1 Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 Lol Nanuq, great idea with the fish hook offshore, great ingenuity! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cougar1 Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 These were the bergeon parts used to fit the af swiss tool...the bergeon parts are for a £225 tool, but they fit the cheap remover great, and are impossible to break...well so far anyway! They are actually cheaper than I thought...not a tenner each but £1.50 each and come in various sizes. Saying all that, agree with logan, the af swiss tool on its own is bloody durable by itself! These are handy as 'backup'! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jkay Posted February 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 The standard pusher you picture has a pin punch of only a few mm. It does not even push the pin 1/4 of the distance it needs to go. The bracelet pin is pinched by its center. It has to be pushed half it's own length to be freed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cougar1 Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 They work fine for me jkay, the are a lot longer than a couple of mms at the pin end, a cm or so, not sure off hand but definitely a cm... gives plenty of room to get in past half way and just pull the pin out...90% of the time all thats needed is a thumb and forefinger to pull it out the rest of the way, on a very odd occasion i've had to use a small pilers to get it to give. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cougar1 Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 Anyway you're done now are you going to keep the non-chron 500m or go for the chrono? Looks damn good as is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jkay Posted February 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 I edited my post to show how small the punch is to the actual pin. It's completely insufficient. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cougar1 Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 I edited my post to show how small the punch is to the actual pin. It's completely insufficient. I see it now, god that does look tiny...something wrong about that? Why so small, they are not all like that!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cougar1 Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 This is the one I'm currently using in the same type of unit (well using the 1.5mm dia rather than the 2mm dia but for reference): It's at least a cm in length, the original ones that came with the unit were similar...a little shorter maybe but nothing like the pusher you show above!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jkay Posted February 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 I will look for longer punches to fit this tool. Thanks for telling me they exist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cougar1 Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 They certainly do, I couldn't make do with a short one, the reason i tried the bergeon part in the cheap tool unit is I thought it might be more durable (judging by their other tools) than the included ones, and it certainly is, after resizing mabye 50 or more bracelets (some awkward ones) it's still perfect, it thought it might have bent a little but it didn't! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jkay Posted February 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 29, 2012 And Offshore, I was posting this thread in realtime from my phone, so I only just now got around to PM'ing you. Thanks for your kind offer of punches. cheers, JK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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