Conditioning The Dw Case

[Guest avitt]

It has been mentioned, in another thread, that the DW cases come straight off of the CNC machines with very sharp edges. As promised, here is my procedure for modifying the DW case, to give it a vintage appearance and feel.

(I apologize in advance for the picture quality. I took these in my garage, under fluorescent lighting, and did not properly adjust the white balance.)

Here are the raw materials.

I start by securing the case, without the back, in a rubber-jawed vice:

I use a handheld power drill, with an 11/64” drill bit, to countersink the case to receive a genuine Triplock tube:

The results look like this:

Next I tap the tube and pusher holes, to clean up the threads:

I use masking tape to protect the areas between the lugs:

I file, or burnish the sharp lug edges, using a round or half-round Swiss file:

Next, I carefully cut masking tape, and apply it to the polished areas on the sides of the lugs. This will protect these areas when I re-brush the lugs:

The brushed finish is applied with a 3M medium grit sanding sponge, using one-way strokes in the direction indicated:

The next few pictures show the results of the lug brushing, and compare the results with an unmodified case:

Now, just repeat this process for the other 3 lugs…

The brushing leaves a few marks in the polished areas of the case sides:

The last procedure is to remove these marks, which I do by taping off the brushed areas, and heading over to the polishing wheel:

Now, unfortunately, on the particular night that I was taking these pictures, this is the point at which I either a) got tired, b ) got hungry, or c) had to read a book to my daughter. So I have no pictures of the finished product…but I’m sure you get the idea.

Here's one that's all dressed up:

[mikellem]

Superb Tutorial...

Thanks Avitt!

-MM

[Heywood]

Hey Avitt,

That's a great tutorial! Thanks for your efforts.

[the playful eyes]

Thank you avitt!

You should start a business conditioning 6263 cases.

Hey Avitt,

That's a great tutorial! Thanks for your efforts.

[Guest avitt]

Magnificent!

AND a strong contender in the "Nastiest Thumb" competition as well!

Aw, shucks...thanks...But how can I compete with somoene who's willing to DRILL A HOLE THROUGH THEIR OWN THUMB? Maybe I can hope for

[ubiquitous]

Nice work, T.... The finished results look great, and the tutorial is nice and straight forward...

Good stuff for sure!

[XRT]

That's a fantastic tutorial...I almost think I could do this if I had those tools.

[klingsor]

Tape master ahahahah

good tutorial... very good ...

and to put genuine pushers? ... have you consider to "vintagize" also the space between the lugs ? these engravings are made with a laser ... not as the genuine... but with a bit of artificial rusty...and some sand work .. the strange colour of the engravings can disappear... sorry no photo cause i'm moving home... my watches are all in a safe... so no pics...

bye

M

[azgjav]

SWEET! thanks for the tut!

[Guest avitt]

and to put genuine pushers? ...

Genuine pushers are a problem, klingsor. They have a finer thread pitch than the DW pushers, and will not screw into the case. (This is interesting, because the threads on my "Rolex Tapping Kit" are the same as the DW case...).

Have you come up with a solution?

T

Edited November 17, 2006 by avitt

[vaccum]

Excellent post! Another keeper to my data base.

Cheers, vaccum

[Sherrington]

Really nice finish you have achieved.

[klingsor]

Genuine pushers are a problem, klingsor. They have a finer thread pitch than the DW pushers, and will not screw into the case. (This is interesting, because the threads on my "Rolex Tapping Kit" are the same as the DW case...).

Have you come up with a solution?

T

i was thinking about in the days before my "house moving" .... now i can't do any experiment....... on the new year i will start to modd heavy.... (in my new house i will have my special room....... eheheheheh)...

i think that the best way could be to modify the pushers...cause do a larger hole to put inside a tube and to use the driller with this seems to me a big bu*l*hit........

another idea could be to say to David to say to his supplier .... to say to the factory ...that the pushers hole are wrong....

M

[freddy333]

Genuine pushers are a problem, klingsor. They have a finer thread pitch than the DW pushers, and will not screw into the case. (This is interesting, because the threads on my "Rolex Tapping Kit" are the same as the DW case...).

Avitt,

Are you sure the gen pushers are correct (gen)? It is very odd that the Rolex tap wouldn't match the Rolex pusher that the tap was made to create threads for. I'm just musing here, but could there be two (or more) different versions of taps, similar to the case with crown tubes and the two separate types of tools required to install them?

And great tutorial.

[Guest avitt]

Avitt,

Are you sure the gen pushers are correct (gen)? It is very odd that the Rolex tap wouldn't match the Rolex pusher that the tap was made to create threads for. I'm just musing here, but could there be two (or more) different versions of taps, similar to the case with crown tubes and the two separate types of tools required to install them?

And great tutorial.

I think that Rolex uses two different thread pitches: one for 2.5mm crown tubes, and one for 2.5mm pusher holes. When you buy the tapping kit, it comes with the taps for the tube holes.

Even if you found the correct tap, it would not help with these DW cases, as you can't change the thread pitch of a hole with the same diameter.

[Guest avitt]

i think that the best way could be to modify the pushers...cause do a larger hole to put inside a tube and to use the driller with this seems to me a big bu*l*hit........

I looked at this solution, and determined that it's not an option. There are two problems: one is the holes for the shaft, which, as you've stated, is too small. The other problem is the knurled section, which does not correctly fit the "button" part of the genuine pusher.

...That probably wasn't too clear, but trust me, it would not be an easy mod.

[freddy333]

I think that Rolex uses two different thread pitches: one for 2.5mm crown tubes, and one for 2.5mm pusher holes. When you buy the tapping kit, it comes with the taps for the tube holes.

Even if you found the correct tap, it would not help with these DW cases, as you can't change the thread pitch of a hole with the same diameter.

Hmmm... Yes, that would be a problem.

I read something on TZ a few years ago where the poster, who identified himself as being a Rolex-trained watchmaker, said that Rolex occasionally used different parts depending on the size of the case (e.g., 20mm lugs vs 19mm lugs, etc.). And this often occurred without any notation or change in the official specs. And from what I've read by others on TZ over the years re variations in Rolex designs and parts specifications, that would certainly fit within the bounds of reasonable expectation. Of course, that won't fix the problem you're having, but it might help to explain what's going on with the different thread pitches.

[klingsor]

I looked at this solution, and determined that it's not an option. There are two problems: one is the holes for the shaft, which, as you've stated, is too small. The other problem is the knurled section, which does not correctly fit the "button" part of the genuine pusher.

...That probably wasn't too clear, but trust me, it would not be an easy mod.

it's clear... we need a factory with a micro lathe....

[Tribal]

Great tutorial.....

Awesome Job,well done...

[Jetsons]

Wow, I can't believe I almost missed this terrific post!

Awesome, avitt! Many thanks for posting this.

[bertieng]

Great tutorial. I have playing with the DW case for quite some time now.

The question still remains how to make a mirror finish on the polish surface. I use the green rouge with the dremel, but trust me it is extremely hard to make a 100% scratch-free finsih like the ex-factory spec.

Any other suggestions?

[Guest avitt]

The question still remains how to make a mirror finish on the polish surface. I use the green rouge with the dremel, but trust me it is extremely hard to make a 100% scratch-free finsih like the ex-factory spec.

Any other suggestions?

My answer won't help too much if you don't have the tool, but I get great results by using Ryobi C compound (Emery Buffing) on a hard cotton wheel, followed by Ryobi E compound (Stainless Steel Buffing) on a soft cotton wheel.

It's harder to achieve the same results with a Dremel. The tiny working area makes it difficult to evenly polish a larger surface.

[bertieng]

My answer won't help too much if you don't have the tool, but I get great results by using Ryobi C compound (Emery Buffing) on a hard cotton wheel, followed by Ryobi E compound (Stainless Steel Buffing) on a soft cotton wheel.

It's harder to achieve the same results with a Dremel. The tiny working area makes it difficult to evenly polish a larger surface.

Thanks avitt.

Where do you get the Ryobi compound?

[Guest avitt]

Thanks avitt.

Where do you get the Ryobi compound?

You're welcome. I think I found the compounds at Home Depot.

[tourbillon]

Very nice tutorial. This is my first comment here so feel free to admonish me if I ask a stupid question.

I have a rep sub that has a pretty narrow opening for the stem that looks like it can be drilled out and tapped to accept a genuine Rolex Triplock tube. Has anyone tried this? It looks feasible. If so, aside from loctite, what provides a water seal in the case and tube area? Doesn't an O-ring go in there? Thanks.