themannier Posted September 29, 2015 Report Share Posted September 29, 2015 (edited) Hi everyone !Just got a wonderful PAM 380 from H factory from a member...I wanted to change the strap and i was surpised to see that the back screws are near impossible to unscrew; they are like butter and they are damaged now ! Do you have any suggestions to remove them ? Edited September 29, 2015 by themannier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gasebah Posted September 29, 2015 Report Share Posted September 29, 2015 I had these problems with the butter screws from China. If strongly advise you to get some screwdrivers with a flat tip like this. The chance to ruin the screws are lot lower with this. Other than that I can give not much advise. If the screws is really ruined you could probably drill it out. Scary, I know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themannier Posted September 29, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2015 I had these problems with the butter screws from China. If strongly advise you to get some screwdrivers with a flat tip like this. The chance to ruin the screws are lot lower with this. Other than that I can give not much advise. If the screws is really ruined you could probably drill it out. Scary, I know.Many thanks for your reply... I used the exact same screwdriver on this picture, but the head of the screws are really soft, i never saw that before !I have understood that the only way is too drill the screws with a dremel for example, but is it really hard to do without damaging the case ? Anyone did this already ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themannier Posted September 29, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2015 Well, i finally removed 1 screw on the 4...I found a lot of glue(loctite) inside the hole.Loctite+Bad screws (china steel is like butter in this case) = You will never been able to change your strap !So i have now 3 screws destroyed, and my watchmaker can't do anything.SO, NEVER PUT SOME STRONG LOCTITE ON RADIOMIR SCREWS ! Forgot to tell that this PAM 380 from H factory is one of the best PAM i have seen in this rep world, what a beauty ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gasebah Posted September 29, 2015 Report Share Posted September 29, 2015 I have never drilled out a screw myself. But I have seen a friend do it on a workpiece much larger than a watch. I don't think you can do it free handed. You need a drill rig that allows you to move the drill absolutely steady and smooth. and something to hold the watch in place.Something like this:http://www.conrad.de/ce/de/product/493453/Bosch-Bohrstaender-DP-500-Hoehe-500-mm-2608180009and thishttp://www.conrad.de/ce/de/product/805564/Maschinenschraubstock-MS4-Proxxon-Micromot-28132-Backen-Breite50-mm-Spann-Weite-Klemmbacken34-mm/?ref=bundles&rt=bundles&rb=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themannier Posted September 29, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2015 Thanks, i thought about this kind of tools indeed, but i think that the thread in the watch case will not resist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike on a bike Posted September 30, 2015 Report Share Posted September 30, 2015 Have had pams with screws in case for changes over the years , no longer buy to many headaches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gasebah Posted September 30, 2015 Report Share Posted September 30, 2015 Thanks, i thought about this kind of tools indeed, but i think that the thread in the watch case will not resist You must use a drill that is considerably smaller than the thread, but large enough to destroy the stability of the screw. Once you destabilized the screws you can take off the caseback and clean the threads from whatever is left of the screw metal. I know it is scary and risky, but after all it is worth a try and better than throwing the watch in the trash can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gasebah Posted October 12, 2015 Report Share Posted October 12, 2015 Hi Themannier,I have no idea if that works and have never done it, but there seems to be a way.Go here: http://www.esslinger.com/vissin-liquid-for-extracting-broken-watch-screws-bergeon-4503/The way it works you have to ditch the case part with the broken screw in the solution and boil it. The screw is dissolved by the strong acid and the case remains intact. At least that is the theory, Sounds scary I know, but instead of throwing away the watch it seems to be worth a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themannier Posted October 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2015 Hi Themannier,I have no idea if that works and have never done it, but there seems to be a way.Go here: http://www.esslinger.com/vissin-liquid-for-extracting-broken-watch-screws-bergeon-4503/The way it works you have to ditch the case part with the broken screw in the solution and boil it. The screw is dissolved by the strong acid and the case remains intact. At least that is the theory, Sounds scary I know, but instead of throwing away the watch it seems to be worth a try.That is a very interesting product, many thanks !This liquid need to be used with a lot of care, and i am curious to see if it only dissolves the screw or more than that... the case for example Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gasebah Posted October 13, 2015 Report Share Posted October 13, 2015 That is what I was thinking. I guess the reasoning is that the butter screws are made of iron, and will dissolve while the case is made of steel and should survive the attack unharmed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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