ww12345 Posted March 16, 2015 Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 Anyone know who can drill holes in an ETA movement for a gen Rolex dial? Also, I'd need the GMT hand made stationary (nonadjustable), so if they could do that too that'd be awesome. Thanks in advance - first time I've had this much work done to a movement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bc1221 Posted March 16, 2015 Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 You don't drill holes in the movement. At best, you can look in to having someone clip the dial feet and solder them on in ETA locations. Most just clip em and use dial dots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ww12345 Posted March 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 Yeah, that's what I usually do. However, I read on here somewhere that someone had drilled holes in the ETA mainplate so they could use a gen dial, so I was hoping whoever that was would answer in this thread... If it were any old dial I'd clip the feet. However, it's for that gen MK2 1655 dial - I just can't bring myself to clip the feet off! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted March 16, 2015 Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 An alternative: http://www.homageforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=1419 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ww12345 Posted March 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 But a gen dial, Nanuq!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mendota Explorer Posted March 16, 2015 Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 Dbane mentioned drilling holes in the mainplate in a thread recently. Either he did it or someone else has, but he said it can be done when another member was contemplating doing the same thing with a gen dial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
droptopman Posted March 16, 2015 Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 I believe it depends on the movement and case set. I know my WS has done it on some, but we also evaluated some other builds and it was not possible. Beyond my knowledge base, but he could explain it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmg_3 Posted March 16, 2015 Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 just buy a yuki 3135 guys... why risk your investment in a expensive gen dial? 20 years from now that $500 dial might be $5000.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbane883 Posted March 16, 2015 Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 gen 1655 dial will not fit a 3135.. he will need a gen 1575 as no rep that I am aware of exists for that caliber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmg_3 Posted March 16, 2015 Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 ahh breezed over the gmt dial... Will brazing on dial feet mess up a painted dial? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ww12345 Posted March 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 I believe so. Also, even if I could braze the new dial feet, I would have to cut the existing dial feet, which is not happening. Worst case scenario is I'll sit on this dial until I can buy a full 1675 GMT and swap the parts a la "Jocke" at TRF... I'd hoped I could do it with an ETA though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue. Posted March 16, 2015 Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 (edited) At what position are the gen dial feet of your dial? Gen dial feet for 1570 movement would work on an ETA 2824, 2750 ... The adaptations to be done are at the mainplate area, close to balance wheel, for the "57minute" gen dial foot and drill or file the mainplate in the area of the mainspring barrel, so the "30minute" gen dial foot would enter. This has to be done very very carefully, as the gen dial feet pass by the mainspring barrel and balance wheel by microns. It is adviseable to get the service instructions drawings for a 2824 or 2836 and test where the gen rolex dial feet would end. Get an old mainplate and first drill or file on it, before starting with the movement. I've seen this somewhere before, so it is doable! Edited March 16, 2015 by blue. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ww12345 Posted March 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 I'm not sure - don't have the dial in front of me (not here yet) and there were no pics of the back on eBay. However, iirc, those positions are right. Is there such a thing as a 2824 or 2750 GMT? Could one be modified to work? Are there other calibres from other makers that could work? I'm not necessarily tied to ETA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jigelow Posted March 17, 2015 Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 You don't drill holes in the movement. At best, you can look in to having someone clip the dial feet and solder them on in ETA locations. Most just clip em and use dial dots. That's a sweeping statement that is not true. As droptop stated, it depends on the situation, but you can drill the plate to retain dial feet. All depends on the location of the feet in trelation to the movement. I can't stand the thought of clipping gen feet, so I'm always looking into and asking about ways to save them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ww12345 Posted March 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 I'm not against clipping gen feet if it were a regular matte feet first 5513 or something but yeah, this is a gen 1655 dial, and I can't bring myself to clip it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSTEEL Posted March 17, 2015 Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 Never even consider drilling holes in any movement, there are other options available, from removing the feet, and soldering new feet in the correct positions using a specific piece of equipment for this job.. dial feel tool by Micky.!, on Flickr Cheaper alternatives are dial dots, and dial spacers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ceejay Posted March 17, 2015 Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 (edited) Plenty of skelotonised movements out there, as long as it doesn't affect the running or structural integrity then I would drill away. Sent from my iBend 6 Edited March 17, 2015 by ceejay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbane883 Posted March 17, 2015 Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 Cutting the feet of a $1500 dial so that you can Velcro it to a $100 movement that's plopped into a $200 rep case is not smart. Jut buy a few ETA clones that could work for a cal 15xx and drill away with a 1.2-1.3mm bit. Cutting feet on your gen dial is not an option Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ww12345 Posted March 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 Cutting the feet of a $1500 dial so that you can Velcro it to a $100 movement that's plopped into a $200 rep case is not smart. Jut buy a few ETA clones that could work for a cal 15xx and drill away with a 1.2-1.3mm bit. Cutting feet on your gen dial is not an option Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Agree 100%. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ww12345 Posted March 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 Here's a pic someone shared with me - should I go this route or the 1.3 mm drill bit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
droptopman Posted March 17, 2015 Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 Good discussion here. Blue's post and the post above sound familiar to what we discussed. Way beyond my skill set but will look into it. I know it would not work on my gen spec 6538 build as with that dial setup the feet would have not cleared the balance wheel and something else--i think.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbane883 Posted March 17, 2015 Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 Here's a pic someone shared with me - should I go this route or the 1.3 mm drill bit? That drill work is a bit ghetto but It should just work. The problem is the clearing the balance wheel @6 o'clock. There's not much room for error there. Best to mark the main plate with the balance wheel on and the drill the hole as close to that as possible. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbane883 Posted March 17, 2015 Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 However, I am not certain a 2824 datewheel is inside of a cal 15xx gen dial feet.. I doubt it. you might have to have a static date wheel/window. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ww12345 Posted March 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 Shoot... Didn't think about that. Do you suppose a DG3804 would work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbane883 Posted March 17, 2015 Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 really have no idea.. you have to measure the peg to peg distance on the dial (I dont have a gen 15xx dial in front of me) and compare to the datewheel you want to use.. but on second thought, i now think you should be ok with the datewheel clearance... the 15xx dials feet are pretty close to the edge so there should be room, but it will be a close call... worst case is you might have to slightly trim the outer edge of the DW.. Anyways, thats a secondary issue compared to finding the right movement to drill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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