Whats The Best Way To Re-position Dial Feet?

[slay]

I have 2 dials that need their feet moved to a different location (DW dials). Whats the best way of putting them to the right location and how do I find "the spot" where they should be sitting at?

[Sherrington]

Why don't you cut them off and just use double sided tape to fix the dial to the movement?

[slay]

Thats an Idea, but if someone invests almost 2k in a watch, he probably does not want a double-sided-tape soloution

[HauteHippie]

Yea, cut them off. But use a few dots of glue instead of double sided tape.

[slay]

okay, and how do I figure out at which spot I have to glue the feet to the dial?

[Guest avitt]

On your next order from Ofrei, ask them to send you some "Dial Dots" (little circles of strong, but removable double sided tape, used specifically for mounting dials).

There are other solutions: Solder-on dial feet are not an option for you, but you could use glue on dial feet. However, these will raise the dial up just a bit, and may make it difficult to mount the subdial hands.

[HauteHippie]

I'm not familiar with the movement you're dealing with, but on ETA 2824 and 2836 you can just glue directly to the spacer ring and don't need the feet.

[slay]

On your next order from Ofrei, ask them to send you some "Dial Dots" (little circles of strong, but removable double sided tape, used specifically for mounting dials).

There are other solutions: Solder-on dial feet are not an option for you, but you could use glue on dial feet. However, these will raise the dial up just a bit, and may make it difficult to mount the subdial hands.

I will most likely NEVER order from Ofrei again, even if they happen to be the only store that carrys a certain product I need very very much!

But thanks for the tip, I have a soldering Iron here and I can give that a try (sounds more lasting than glue)

Only question is, how do I find the spot where the feet should be located at? The dial is a mystery movement dial and is supposed to be converted to a Valjoux 72 dial!

I'm not familiar with the movement you're dealing with, but on ETA 2824 and 2836 you can just glue directly to the spacer ring and don't need the feet.

I want to use it on a Valjoux 72 and I'd like to give the repositioning a try before I use glue, because its not for me, its for a friend of mine. Since he invested a lot into this watch, I want to do it right for him!

[Heywood]

I will most likely NEVER order from Ofrei again, even if they happen to be the only store that carrys a certain product I need very very much!

But thanks for the tip, I have a soldering Iron here and I can give that a try (sounds more lasting than glue)

Only question is, how do I find the spot where the feet should be located at? The dial is a mystery movement dial and is supposed to be converted to a Valjoux 72 dial!

I want to use it on a Valjoux 72 and I'd like to give the repositioning a try before I use glue, because its not for me, its for a friend of mine. Since he invested a lot into this watch, I want to do it right for him!

Please don't try to solder the feet, the heat will likely bake the paint and destroy your dial.

[vaccum]

"Only question is, how do I find the spot where the feet should be located at? The dial is a mystery movement dial and is supposed to be converted to a Valjoux 72 dial!"

Make a paper template and transfer it to the dial. Soldering not recommended because of the paint or dial finish.

[slay]

okay, thanks guys!

[HauteHippie]

I want to use it on a Valjoux 72 and I'd like to give the repositioning a try before I use glue, because its not for me, its for a friend of mine. Since he invested a lot into this watch, I want to do it right for him!

Glue is how it's done all the time. There is nothing "wrong" about using glue!

[slay]

yeah, but using double sided tape is "wrong"

[HauteHippie]

yeah, but using double sided tape is "wrong"

I guess they use double sided tape on quartz movements though.

[Guest avitt]

Positioning the dial with Dial Dots or tape is pretty easy. You apply the tape to the movement (any elevated plate or level area, that does not move). Try to use at least 3 dots, spaced around the dial as evenly as posible. Once the tape is in place, press the dial down onto the movement, carefully aligning the subdial pinions. Voila! You're done... And once the movement is secured into the case with case clamps, that dial won't be going anywhere.

As mentioned, soldering new feet into place will probably cause heat damage to the dial's finish. (There is special equipment which can do this job, but it's not available to the hobbyist).

If you want to use glue-on feet, I suggest that you position the feet into the movement holes, and apply a dot of two-part epoxy onto the base. Then position the dial into place, again carefully aligning the subdials. You can then either a) wait for the glue to dry, or pick the dial up with the feet attached, make sure that the feet are properly pressed down on the dial, and allow the glue to dry with the dial face-down. The risk with this technique is that it will pull the dial too far away from the movement.

[SportsterRider]

I had thought about this as well. I have an Apogaum Sub-Alike that has the Chinese movement installed. Although it keeps good time, I figured this is the best watch to 'tinker' with before doing anything 'big' to any of my other watches.

I was thinking about using a dremel to cut the feet off of the dial first. Then, place the dial on the replacement 2824 and use a thin marker to mark the dial feet location. After that's complete, I was going to use epoxy to glue the feet back onto the dial (JB-Weld, or some other epoxy). Once it's dry, install.

Should work fine. If I give it a go, I'll post the results.

[gattenda]

Slay

once (or twice...) i broke those feet. i then bought a bag of copper dial feet from Ofrei (yes..) and did the following

1. file down the base, as this is too thick and creates a gap between the dial and movement.

2. super-glue it onto the dial. the position needs to be somewhat accurate but as another member suggested, you can use both sided tape to determine the position

if you don't do 1, then the total thickness of the dial gets too thick. depending on what you are working on. just be a bit careful and patient as these things are tiny and foot can break off its base.

if you want, i can mail you a few pairs (no cost to you). the bag contained something like 100 pairs. just PM me your address.

[jfreeman420]

Thats an Idea, but if someone invests almost 2k in a watch, he probably does not want a double-sided-tape soloution

Yeah kind of like using a hockey puck and a vise as a crystal press............Remember that post?

I have no experience with this but have a theory and am planning for an upcomng project. I think I have it.

First you need a template. Trace the outside of the dial onto a piece of paper. Mark the 12 oclock postion onto the template and make a hole for the cannon. With an awl or fat pin poke through the template over the movement through to the holes where the feet should sit. make sure the original feet from the dial are sanded completely flat with a dremel or the dial will stick up too far. The copper feet gattenda suggested are probably your best bet but may require some sanding for proper depth. Since the feet have a base to adhere them a slight recess in the back of the dial may be needed, but the base of the feet is pretty thin.

Here is the key..........Don't use superglue. Superglue is brittle and may not adhere to metal very well. Use copper bond or permabond as these are made to glue metal to metal. I hope this helps and am curious to see how it comes out before I try mine.

[surpur]

First you need a template. Trace the outside of the dial onto a piece of paper. Mark the 12 oclock postion onto the template and make a hole for the cannon. With an awl or fat pin poke through the template over the movement through to the holes where the feet should sit. make sure the original feet from the dial are sanded completely flat with a dremel or the dial will stick up too far. The copper feet gattenda suggested are probably your best bet but may require some sanding for proper depth. Since the feet have a base to adhere them a slight recess in the back of the dial may be needed, but the base of the feet is pretty thin.

Here is the key..........Don't use superglue. Superglue is brittle and may not adhere to metal very well. Use copper bond or permabond as these are made to glue metal to metal. I hope this helps and am curious to see how it comes out before I try mine.

Double sided tape and dial dots might work for quartz watches with no date, but you don't want to have the dial slip later and your date window is off. Its simply not a good way to do this.

The template is a greate way to get the positions. But I have soldered the feet on with having no problem on the painted side at all. I used a painted practice dial and I cleaned the spot on the back with a fiberglass pen contact cleaner and used thin solder with a low energy Weller soldering iron for electronics.

First put a thin layer of solder on the cleaned spot on the dial. Mark the location for the foot with your template. File down the flat part of the new dial foot as much as possible and apply some solder. Use a rather strong tweezer to hold foot in the exact place and apply some heat.

Just for kicks I applied a lot more heat then necessary to see what happens, but there still was no damage on the paint side.

So I will not take responibility for your soldering skills - but I see no issue with soldering dial feet.

Just do a few practice runs on old dials to get the feel and confidence.

[Daytona4me]

Put a Kentucky weld on it... be sure to wrap it around about 3 or 4 times to ensure a quality hold.

[FxrAndy]

Slay If you want to try some dial dots i will bring you some round mate.

[surpur]

Put a Kentucky weld on it... be sure to wrap it around about 3 or 4 times to ensure a quality hold.

What on earth is a 'Kentucky weld'?

[FxrAndy]

Duct tape and bailing wire