themannier Posted February 24, 2016 Report Share Posted February 24, 2016 Could someone confirm that MBW tube is ready for a gen old 703 crown... This one http://www.watchesulike.com/fr/rolex/8894-couronne-rolex-submariner-acier.html Thanks for your help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgtguk Posted February 24, 2016 Report Share Posted February 24, 2016 Yes Mbw case will take a Gen 703 crown with existing tube, well at least mine have so far 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themannier Posted February 24, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2016 50 minutes ago, sgtguk said: Yes Mbw case will take a Gen 703 crown with existing tube, well at least mine have so far Many thanks for having taken time to answer, here I am reassured now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UmpaHimself Posted February 25, 2016 Report Share Posted February 25, 2016 8 hours ago, sgtguk said: Yes Mbw case will take a Gen 703 crown with existing tube, well at least mine have so far For real?!?! I'll go buy one right now if that's the case. Is it difficult to make the stem fit or does it screw directly on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themannier Posted February 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2016 6 minutes ago, UmpaHimself said: For real?!?! I'll go buy one right now if that's the case. Is it difficult to make the stem fit or does it screw directly on? The gen crown will screw directly on the ETA stem, always ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligoat Posted February 25, 2016 Report Share Posted February 25, 2016 17 hours ago, sgtguk said: Yes Mbw case will take a Gen 703 crown with existing tube, well at least mine have so far I'm not sure about that- in the old days it wasn't the case, but maybe so with this last and latest run- if that's what they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UmpaHimself Posted February 25, 2016 Report Share Posted February 25, 2016 5 hours ago, alligoat said: I'm not sure about that- in the old days it wasn't the case, but maybe so with this last and latest run- if that's what they are. I just ordered a gen crown but honestly, comparing my MBW to my Cartel build with Athaya crown and tube, the Athaya tube looks much thicker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marrickvilleboy Posted February 26, 2016 Report Share Posted February 26, 2016 My view is it probably won't fit. I can try over the weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UmpaHimself Posted February 26, 2016 Report Share Posted February 26, 2016 6 hours ago, marrickvilleboy said: My view is it probably won't fit. I can try over the weekend. Thanks! That would be great. I will comment back on my findings when mine arrives. Worst case scenario it has a tube included and I will find someone to retap the case for the gen tube. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themannier Posted February 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2016 9 hours ago, marrickvilleboy said: My view is it probably won't fit. I can try over the weekend. Great, thanks for keep us update Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted February 26, 2016 Report Share Posted February 26, 2016 I had a very old MBW 1665 from maybe 13 years ago, and the crown got ruined. I removed the crown/stem, unscrewed the MBW tube, and chased the case threads with a tap. Then I screwed in a gen 703 tube and put a gen 703 crown on the original stem, then I installed the stem and screwed down the crown to seat the case tube into the case. Total time, maybe 10 minutes and I remember being amazed it was that simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themannier Posted February 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2016 12 minutes ago, Nanuq said: I had a very old MBW 1665 from maybe 13 years ago, and the crown got ruined. I removed the crown/stem, unscrewed the MBW tube, and chased the case threads with a tap. Then I screwed in a gen 703 tube and put a gen 703 crown on the original stem, then I installed the stem and screwed down the crown to seat the case tube into the case. Total time, maybe 10 minutes and I remember being amazed it was that simple. Seems easy indeed, but what is the tap size ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted February 26, 2016 Report Share Posted February 26, 2016 Man, I don't remember... I just kept grabbing them from my set until one fit. I did a search and found this: Looks like you want a 3mm x .35mm tap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themannier Posted February 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2016 1 hour ago, Nanuq said: Man, I don't remember... I just kept grabbing them from my set until one fit. I did a search and found this: Looks like you want a 3mm x .35mm tap Many thanks boss, that is a great info Found that http://www.ebay.fr/itm/3mm-x-35-Metric-Taper-and-Plug-Tap-M3-x-0-35mm-Pitch/270859972823 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
automatico Posted February 27, 2016 Report Share Posted February 27, 2016 I wrote part 1 but did not write part 2. I was jimmythree on TRC from 7-19-04 until the bloody end. Before that, I had another screen name but TRC blew up and I changed my name to j3 to get back in because it would not take my original screen name or pw. I was TRC member 43 and before TRC came on the scene I was on the old EZ Board RWCC. BTW I just now tried a genuine 7mm crown on the MBK 5512 I got last week from Reppin and it will not work because the case tube in the MBK case is not oem spec and the post on the genuine crown will not go into the MBK case tube...the hole in the tube is too small. The MBK tube is made to have an O ring down low outside and the crown does have a skirt machined at the bottom for O ring clearance but none of it is oem spec. On my other MBK cases, I removed the case tubes as soon as I worked on them and installed oem spec case tubes (did not try oem crowns on them) and the oem case tubes screwed right in but iirc the relief in the case for the case tube base gasket (where the tube contacts the case) was not oem spec and I had to use an aftmkt gasket of some sort. The MBK crown will not screw down onto an oem spec case tube either because the MBK crown threads are too small. The MBK tube and crown look like the same case tube and crown set that came on some of my DW cases. The MBK case tube is made like an old 8mm tube except for the size. I will put part 1 in my 'crown info' sticky in the rolex section but not part 2 because I did not write it. The MBK info will be put in the 'building an MBK sub' sticky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UmpaHimself Posted February 27, 2016 Report Share Posted February 27, 2016 Gen crown came today @themannier, bad news I'm afraid. Read my thread here: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themannier Posted February 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2016 On 26/2/2016 at 7:41 PM, Nanuq said: Man, I don't remember... I just kept grabbing them from my set until one fit. I did a search and found this: Looks like you want a 3mm x .35mm tap Many thanks boss, that is a great info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgtguk Posted February 28, 2016 Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 My apologies guys for seemingly duff info on these tubes after sending quite a few parts off with cases for modding it seems I forgot that I must have sent tubes too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themannier Posted March 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2016 End of story for me; i received the watch this morning, and when i tried to remove to tube with the right tool, this tube suddenly broke in the middle... half of the tube stayed inside the tube ! They must have used a VERY strong glue when screwing this stock tube. I made this operation maybe 20 times and it's the first time i see that ! I unscrewed the rest of the tube but the case thread is definitely destroyed now; i feel a bit sad because this watch is really nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
automatico Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 When I run into a case tube that is solidly stuck like this I remove the movement, bezel, and crystal then heat the case tube with a pin point butane mini torch and remove it. This has always worked for me. It seems glued in case tubes are harder to remove than cross threaded case tubes. The case tube in the MBK 5512 I just got was glued but it came out using a six sided broach. The cement left a powdered residue as I removed the case tube indicating epoxy or superglue. Chances are the case is not ruined, you could maybe run down one of the Athaya tube/crown combos with the oversize case tube, drill the case to size, and install it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJGladeRaider Posted March 26, 2016 Report Share Posted March 26, 2016 I've had a couple of MBWs [the old guys here are laughing] and I had gen crowns and tubes put on many of them. I don't know about the tubes that came on them ... I was always told to replace crown and tube. The difference was always very dramatic. I see that the cartel is offering vintages that they say are vastly improved. In my wildest dreams, someone produces vintages as good or better than the MBWs. Has anyone had any experience with these new ones offered by Josh and Co.? It looks like they are not available with gen Swiss movements, but I have plenty of those if they are a direct replacement for the Asian clones. Hope all is well with everyone. Bill 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted March 27, 2016 Report Share Posted March 27, 2016 12 hours ago, TJGladeRaider said: I've had a couple HUNDRED of MBWs.... There... fixed it for ya. Years ago someone did an experiment to see if a 703 crown could be milled/tapered on the back to look like a 702. The old 703s and stubby Cartel crown guards made a tall 703 look clownish. None of the gen spec 703s would work because the walls are too thin. But a stock MBW crown from years ago was the trick, because they use tiny tubes and very thick walls. So you can machine a taper into the crown on the case side and it looks a LOT like an old narrow 702 crown. Who wants to give it a try? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJGladeRaider Posted March 29, 2016 Report Share Posted March 29, 2016 On 3/27/2016 at 1:07 AM, Nanuq said: There... fixed it for ya. Hey Nanuq ... I see you are still running around "fixing" things ... at least you're not using your hammer! You ever get down to Kentucky ... or want to. Since we chatted last, I've taken over the family estate here in KY, south of Lexington. It's really quite remarkable ... 150 Acres right on Lake Cumberland that has been in my family since 1916. The property has a little shack in the woods ... LOL Hope all is well with you and yours. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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