atomic_doug Posted March 6, 2013 Report Share Posted March 6, 2013 Hi All, I'm putting together an ambitious (for me, at least) project of a franken 5513. I already have a peach gen 1520 movement from an old, beat-up Air King, gen crown, tube, crystal, bracelet, tritium hands and an Ingod dial re-lumed to match the hands. So what I need is a case that will fit a gen movement. I know the Yuki case will, but he never seems to have anything in stock ever. I have heard good and bad things about the Ingod case, but no one has mentioned whether it will fit a gen movement. Are there any other cases I should be looking at? I'm not afraid of doing a little case reshaping if there's an otherwise great case that just needs to have the CGs re-done. Any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted March 6, 2013 Report Share Posted March 6, 2013 NDT & Phong. I suggest you search/research both before making a purchase. Neither sellers' products are perfect (or consistent) & you will need to choose the case that contains the least objectionable sins & fits your needs best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atomic_doug Posted March 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2013 Thanks Freddy, Those Phong cases are pretty pricey. I assume the NDT cases cost about the same? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
automatico Posted March 7, 2013 Report Share Posted March 7, 2013 I went the bargain price route and used a $120 DW 5513 case with 1520 and Yuki dial. This is Ok if you are cheap and handy...or 'know a guy'. Here's the way it went: 1...Install an oem spec case tube and crown. problem...DW case will not accept an oem spec case tube gasket between the case and tube because the gasket seat in the case is too small in diameter. If you use it as/is with no gasket, the crown will be too far from the case when screwed down. one fix...use a TC tube and crown or TC tube and genuine crown. The TC type tube has a flat mating surface (not tapered like oem) and you can use a small O ring between the case and tube. another fix...cut the shoulder on the oem spec tube to make a flatter mating surface...easy to do if you or someone you know has a lathe. and another fix...buy a cutter bit and mill the gasket seat out in the case. You will need a cutter bit and a milling machine or a bit and precision drill press...and some practice. A drill bit is not the way to go because the gasket seat needs to be flat, not tapered at the bottom. 2...Drill the lugs out to approximately 1.3mm. This is fairly easy to do but it is easy to screw it up and a good idea to practice on something else first. Use medium speed, lubricate the bit and if it stops cutting...change the bit. 3...DW crystal retainer rings and spring wire retainer bezels come from outer space. Get a 5513/1680 bezel kit from Clark's along with at least two of his #19 crystals. Why two? One to get it right with and one for the finished project or a spare. I usually get three when I find a crystal that fits because so many do not...GS did not, Clark's did. 4...DW 5513/1680 cases have 'pot belly' sides like a DJ and if you are extra tough and persistent...you can take time to sand the sides flat and repolish them. A LOT of work and a BIG chance to screw up. If you are super tough and persistent...you can sand and polish tapered edges on top edges of the lugs. Did I flatten the case sides and sand/polish tapered edges? Are you kidding? 5...You can reshape the crown guards if you want to, just be sure and do it before you install the case tube for the last time. You need to have the ct/crown handy so you can screw them into the case to eyeball the cg shape etc now and then. 6...The 1520 fits fine in the DW 5513 case and the 26mm oem spec Yuki dial does not mount tight against the dial seat in the case. What happens is the movement mounts solidly against a ledge inside the case and is held in place by the casing screws and the dial does not fit tightly up against the case. It looks like it does from the front but it does not. Does this matter? Not at all. Hopefully. The dial screws are the only thing holding the dial in place because since there is no contact with the dial seat, there is no clamping pressure applied to the dial from the casing screws. 7...The DW caseback has a gasket groove in it like oem but it is not as deep as oem and uses a flat section gasket, not a round section O ring like genuine. Is this Ok? Yes, but I would not trust it in deep water (10m). Why? I do not trust any of them. What is the fix? Cut the gasket groove deeper in the caseback to allow for a round section O ring...if the cb it thick enough, I did not check it. Is it worth the trouble to cut the cb gasker groove? Not to me. How much did I save? $400 or $500. Would I do it again? Already have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panerai153 Posted March 7, 2013 Report Share Posted March 7, 2013 How about one of the old MBW 5513/1680 cases? the old polex ones? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmg Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 Freddy is correct, I used a Phong 5517 case and my 1520 still needed work to fit properly. Fitment is no guarantee with the nicer Vietnamese cases. NDT & Phong. I suggest you search/research both before making a purchase. Neither sellers' products are perfect (or consistent) & you will need to choose the case that contains the least objectionable sins & fits your needs best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
automatico Posted March 9, 2013 Report Share Posted March 9, 2013 (edited) TMG is right. "Fitment is no guarantee with the nicer Vietnamese cases." I'll say it again..."Fitment is no guarantee with the nicer Vietnamese cases." "Fitment is no guarantee with the nicer Vietnamese cases." "Fitment is no guarantee with the nicer Vietnamese cases." Here's why: F3 nailed it...high $$ cases are NOT perfect or consistent! ...'consistent' being the key word. This baffles me to no end because you can closely examine twenty $35 replicas with a caliper and every case will be exactly the same inside and out. I know this from experience because I bought a batch of cheapo steel case replicas to make 'sterile' mil-type submariner style watches. off topic: This is a losing proposition because by the time you buy a $20 sapphire crystal (mg is $3), remove the bezel insert, bead blast the case/strap buckle, remove the dial markers, paint the dial flat black, replace the markers/bezel insert, install a generic 7mm tube and crown, drill lug holes, install silicon straps with ss buckles etc, you are deep upside down in time and $$. All the Seagull ST16 movements were very reliable but some needed c/o. Edited March 9, 2013 by automatico Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denimhead Posted March 9, 2013 Report Share Posted March 9, 2013 If you can sort out a mid case and caseback the Complete Bezel set from Micheal at www.classicwatchparts.com is very nice at $250.00 Gen spec in terms of fit and nicer than Phong ones I've owned in the past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phelps22 Posted March 10, 2013 Report Share Posted March 10, 2013 Hi All, I'm putting together an ambitious (for me, at least) project of a franken 5513. I already have a peach gen 1520 movement from an old, beat-up Air King, gen crown, tube, crystal, bracelet, tritium hands and an Ingod dial re-lumed to match the hands. So what I need is a case that will fit a gen movement. I know the Yuki case will, but he never seems to have anything in stock ever. I have heard good and bad things about the Ingod case, but no one has mentioned whether it will fit a gen movement. Are there any other cases I should be looking at? I'm not afraid of doing a little case reshaping if there's an otherwise great case that just needs to have the CGs re-done. Any thoughts? For the Yuki case they say to allow 25 days for lead time on the case so I'm sure that they have them made to order. Out of all the high end rep cases Yuki is the most affordable and I think it is a better case than the ingod44 case set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionsandtigers Posted March 10, 2013 Report Share Posted March 10, 2013 I just got my yuki 5513 case. Took about a month to get here. Case is actually exceptionally good. Would need to be scrutinised to find the flaws. Also got a custom serial to match the dial year. For the price I am extremely happy. Gen movement dropped in with not an issue and the crown hight is spot on. Also put an NOS gen bezel assembly on with no issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ephry73 Posted March 13, 2013 Report Share Posted March 13, 2013 I just got my yuki 5513 case. Took about a month to get here. Case is actually exceptionally good. Would need to be scrutinised to find the flaws. Also got a custom serial to match the dial year. For the price I am extremely happy. Gen movement dropped in with not an issue and the crown hight is spot on. Also put an NOS gen bezel assembly on with no issues. Glad to hear it. Pictures? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionsandtigers Posted March 13, 2013 Report Share Posted March 13, 2013 Glad to hear it. Pictures? soon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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