How to clean a dial and crystal during mod.

[imajedi]

I was wondering how you modders out there clean your dials and crystals during modding.  When I put my watch back together I want both the dial and the crystal to be spotless.  I use a tissue paper on the crystal and Q-tips on the dial to clean them.  Then I blow each of them off with canned air and then heavily inspect under bright light and repeat as necessary.  The problem with q-tips is that they are far from lint free and the cleaning can leave little hairs behind.  Even if I do a great job, under a 10X loop I can still see dust.  How are others doing this?  I want mine to be spotless even under a 10x loop.  This hobby has made me so completely crazy when it comes to the perfection of my watches.   Uhhhhhh!

[cc33]

http://www.countycomm.com/putty.html

Called rodico

[asciwhite]

One word!

 

Rodico

[imajedi]

Thanks guys. Do you just dab the dial and crystal with it?

[cc33]

Yup, light dabs it removes everything that shouldn't be there, even fingerprints

[sneed12]

Rodico is great stuff but don't go nuts with it, it can leave smudges and lift paint/lume if used too enthusiastically.

 

Stop using Q-tips.

[imajedi]

Thanks guys, I'll get some and try it out. Obviously a noob modder here. Appreciate the help.

[SSTEEL]

Rodico is great stuff but don't go nuts with it, it can leave smudges and lift paint/lume if used too enthusiastically.

 

Stop using Q-tips.

 

Agree on both counts.  Glossy dials can be a problem too.  I use these on dials, which are lint free, and micro fibre tipped..

 

[cc33]

Those look great

[imajedi]

Agree on both counts. Glossy dials can be a problem too. I use these on dials, which are lint free, and micro fibre tipped..

Ssteel,

Happen to have a name brand or link?

[SSTEEL]

Ssteel,

Happen to have a name brand or link?

 

https://www.cousinsuk.com/catalog/0/0/2691/5694.aspx?code=S35534#select

[imajedi]

Rodico is great stuff but don't go nuts with it, it can leave smudges and lift paint/lume if used too enthusiastically.

Stop using Q-tips.

Ok so I tried Rodico. I used it on a dial, hands, crystal and date wheel. I was careful not to push to hard or over use it. It seemed to work ok on the glossy dial but lifted the paint off my matt dial and took the numbers right off my ETA 2824 date wheel. It also left smudges on the hands and crystal. Not really what you'd call impressed with this stuff.

These no lint q-tips seem to be a better option and tissue paper on the crystals.

Anyone got anything else for cleaning these delicate parts that just really need to be spotless IMO.