The Noob and His Rolex Build.

[JSebWC]

And so it begins.....my first build.

 

I started off with a cartel 1655.   The movement bit the dust on me so I figured this is my chance to try my hand at modding.  This tread will be the timeline .

 

What am I building?  good question.   I so very badly have two watches that I want to build.   A GMT Master 6542 and a Milgauss 1019.  Both of which are NLA from the TD's so if you want one you gotta build it yourself.  and from what I have read, neither are very good examples of the models so alot of modding would be needed to make either of them half decent .

 

Pics for Reference..cause everyone loves pics of watches....if you dont, what the hell ya doing here?? lol

 

After a few convos with @JoeyB  I picked his brain and he was very kind to share his knowledge and experience in the 6542 build.  Finding a reasonable priced Dial atm is difficult  so this is why I am leaning towards the 1019 currently.  the challange with the 1019 build is finding a smooth bezel to fit the cartel case.

 

Either Way the case needs some work so I started on that and if I dont completely mess it up, I will then decide and order parts....

 

So I am stripped down the 1655  to bear bones.

 

Drilled out the lugs.   Broke a bit...but managed to get it out, save the case and get the rest of the lugs done.   Not too bad...sorry no pics.

 

 

 

Tonight I started on the lugs. Getting the crown tube out was a bit of a challenge as it was locktite into the case so it took some force but managed to get it out and managed not to destroy it.

Next we're the lugs. A steady hand and a Dremel with first a grinding stone and then sanding drum to clean up the marks left by the stone.



Looking at the pics and comparing them to the gens. I still have a bit more to go to make the case smooth for the crown. It's been a long day and I was getting hungry so I called it.

Feedback , suggestions and comments welcome. I'm here to learn

Thanks for looking.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JSebWC]

I think this build is gonna go in the direction of a Milgauss 1019

WSO just got back to me about his smooth bezel for the 39 mm explorer. The cartel 1655 bezel if is 31.1 and THE WSO bezel is 30.6 Id. So a bit of sanding drum work and I should manage to get it to fit. Anyone have experience with a 39 mm explorer 1. It probably has a flat glass and I need a domed acrylic for the 1019 so will this not work out??




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Sogeha]

Feedback: This looks like it is going to be great and I have always been impressed by how @JoeyB freely shares hard won information on GMT builds.

Suggestions: Keep posting pictures and reports on progress. You are right, we love watch pictures and a meaty build thread.

[alligoat]

The first issue I see is finding a plastic crystal without a cyclops. This watch case takes the C-116 crystal and I don't know what a similar crystal without a cyclops would be. But if you find a crystal that fits the case tightly, you could have jmb turn a bezel for you that would fit. Buying a good set of calipers will help you thru this process.

[JSebWC]

The first issue I see is finding a plastic crystal without a cyclops. This watch case takes the C-116 crystal and I don't know what a similar crystal without a cyclops would be. But if you find a crystal that fits the case tightly, you could have jmb turn a bezel for you that would fit. Buying a good set of calipers will help you thru this process.

 

Thanks for the input guys. I assumed that a no date sub xtal would work. If not. I have a few xtal a here that I can try removing the cyclops from and then polish.

 

I have callipers and an assortment of tools. Just working on the skills now.

 

I talked to JMB About this build a bit also. But he was not not built one to date. I think that the wso bezel could work. With some mods. I als thought about sanding down the 1655 bezel. Past the engraving and then polish. That would be a lot of work and sanding. Lol

 

Maybe[mention=24124]jmb[/mention] will chime in and provide some info on bezel options?

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dlf]

I've sanded off the 116 cyclops and rounded the edges before and worked fine. Nice project

[manodeoro]

@JSebWC ... I've been searching the 6542's 24 hours hand but is seems missing ???
BTW if you want a low priced 6542 GMT dial you could try to make one with a copper dial and inkjet decal paper.
It's tricky but not that difficult with Photoshop or/and Illustrator and a good printer.
The most difficult part is the lume but you can have it done by a specialist.

Envoyé de mon XT1068 en utilisant Tapatalk

[alligoat]

doesn't rafflestime have the 24 hr hands?

[JoeyB]

Most photo printers will do fine. Ant printing more than 5000dpi makes puddles of ink on the decal paper. 

 

Rafflestime has the small GMT hand and the 6mm Brevet + crown. The crown needs some modding. There is a thread on that in the archives. 

[JSebWC]

Day two update:

Continued shaving the cg. I used the old 1655 bezel as a guide and got it pretty close. It's not perfect or pretty but it is a 40+ year old with an interesting history. . I got a bit carried Away and sanded down The lugs on the crown side a bit too much. I may at a later date go back and shave down the other side to balance out the case and bring it back closer to uniform





I think I am happy with the level of finishing on the case Grinding wheel. Drum sander. 180 , 400. , 600 , 1000 grit and then polishing wheel. I left some of the grind marks in the case as I didn't want to take the case down even more on the one side

Reinstalled the crown tube.


Also tried sanding off the cyclops and That will take a lot of patience and Finesse

Got home and tried the crown and it threaded on. Happy to find out that I didn't butcher the tube Success!!



Next up. The. Bezel. The WSO. Exp 39 bezel is designed for a flat sapphire xtal and and gasket. Anyone think that I can mod it to fit a domed acrylic ?

Gonna order parts and a movement next. Fun stuff. !!




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[manodeoro]

... Ant printing more than 5000dpi makes puddles of ink on the decal paper ...  

True !!!
I tried for weeks to print at 6000 dpi and/or higher def without being able to avoid puddles ... then I tried 4500/5000 dpi and everything was OK
I should have asked you some advice sooner.
BTW ... the idea of building and albino is slowly settling in my mind, so I will probably ask you some tips and tricks if you dont mind

Envoyé de mon XT1068 en utilisant Tapatalk

[Sogeha]

2 hours ago, manodeoro said:

True !!!
I tried for weeks to print at 6000 dpi and/or higher def without being able to avoid puddles ... then I tried 4500/5000 dpi and everything was OK
I should have asked you some advice sooner.
 

"It is a 40+ year old with an interesting history" I love that ? Actually while I would obviously avoid an over polished gen, I think it can look great and very convincing on a rep.

 

Guys here share information very freely, you have already discovered @JoeyB is a diamond. Search out @Bart Cordell threads on dial printing. I'm sure he would be delighted to be asked about printing. As the proud owner of one of his dials, I can tell you they are superb.

[JSebWC]

6 hours ago, manodeoro said:

True !!!
I tried for weeks to print at 6000 dpi and/or higher def without being able to avoid puddles ... then I tried 4500/5000 dpi and everything was OK
I should have asked you some advice sooner.
BTW ... the idea of building and albino is slowly settling in my mind, so I will probably ask you some tips and tricks if you dont mind

Envoyé de mon XT1068 en utilisant Tapatalk

 

 

I have considered dial printing and by the talk in this thread by a number of people  I think more people are interested in this going the direction of the 6542?   I am not sure I am up for attempting to print and lume dials but if someone was to possibly make an extra one or two 6542 dials,  I would gladly pay them for their time and materials!!

 

 

 

3 hours ago, Sogeha said:

"It is a 40+ year old with an interesting history" I love that ? Actually while I would obviously avoid an over polished gen, I think it can look great and very convincing on a rep.

 

Guys here share information very freely, you have already discovered @JoeyB is a diamond. Search out @Bart Cordell threads on dial printing. I'm sure he would be delighted to be asked about printing. As the proud owner of one of his dials, I can tell you they are superb.

 

 

Yes , as would I.   So the story goes,   The original owner  of this watch was involved in an accident riding his motorcycle and the watch case, crown and crystal were heavily damaged in the accident when it broke from his wrist and was later found on the highway, face down and by one of the response workers.   It was given to his wife when she arrived at the hospital after hearing about her husband in ICU.   Long story short, The owner survived and lived to ride another day and his wife took in the watch to have it fixed and surprised him with it when he got home from the hospital.  he thought he had lost it but she had it fixed.   The marks that were left in it were reminders that day and how precious life is........or something like that.   I should realy consider writing Drama novels  lol

 

 Anybody have any suggestions on buying an off the shelf Bezel that could work for this ?
 

 

 

[JSebWC]

6542??



This excites me !!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Mr Seamaster]

Holy moly that looks awesome so far!

Bezel is yuki?
Subscribed!


Gesendet von iPhone mit Tapatalk

[JSebWC]

2 minutes ago, Mr Seamaster said:

Holy moly that looks awesome so far!

Bezel is yuki?
Subscribed!


Gesendet von iPhone mit Tapatalk

Bezel assembly is from ND Trading.   

[Mr Seamaster]

Bezel assembly is from ND Trading.   

Looks great and keep us updated!

[JoeyB]

7 hours ago, manodeoro said:

True !!!
I tried for weeks to print at 6000 dpi and/or higher def without being able to avoid puddles ... then I tried 4500/5000 dpi and everything was OK
I should have asked you some advice sooner.
BTW ... the idea of building and albino is slowly settling in my mind, so I will probably ask you some tips and tricks if you dont mind

Envoyé de mon XT1068 en utilisant Tapatalk
 

I've done two white dials several years ago. My picture needs updating. It's not sharp enough. Essentially what I did was print just the lettering on clear decal, and painted the dial itself white. Other than that, it's the same technique. 

[JSebWC]

Update
While waiting to hear back from various sources on bezel options I figured I would try sanding and polishing to stock 1655 bezel that came on the case. Didn't take as long as I expected.

Started off with a file and the sandpaper varieties. Then moves to the polish. Green white and red rouges.





I am quite impressed on how it came out. It's coming together. I may go back and give the case a bit more polish work to balance it out.

Gary Clark got back to me on crystalS. I need a 25-38 tropic. He is working on them It will be a bit before he has these for sale so it looks like I will be sanding cyclops.
Next is to order parts!!

[alligoat]

Ah, yes! Now I remember- the T-38 is the non-cyclops version of the C-116! I have a little cheat sheet of the various crystals and their non-cyclops counterparts- will have to add this to the list.

 

Where are you planning to get the dial from? I just found a couple at Yukiwatch- with the hands, but the hands fit a 1530 etc. movement. That 29.2mm dial might not fit in your 1655 case.

Edited February 25, 2017 by alligoat

[JSebWC]

Ah, yes! Now I remember- the T-38 is the non-cyclops version of the C-116! I have a little cheat sheet of the various crystals and their non-cyclops counterparts- will have to add this to the list.
 
Where are you planning to get the dial from? I just found a couple at Yukiwatch- with the hands, but the hands fit a 1530 etc. movement. That 29.2mm dial might not fit in your 1655 case.

I heard that Yuki carries hands did eta movements You have to ask /specify when your order. I plan on using one of his dials with an ETA movement.

If not I think raffles has hand sets for the 1019. I know I've seen them around.

Today is parts parts order day.

Also going to attempt shaving the cyclops on the xtal

Casework complete. On folder oyster.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JSebWC]

Update:

 

I hit a snag...

 

was about to hit buy on the Yuki Dial but thought I would measure the case and dial to make sure it fits.  and it looks like the yuki dial is too big.

on their site it states 29.2   , on the cartel case under the rehault where the dial would fit I got 28.0mm     Is Yuki pretty accurate on his dial sizes ,  is this a typeo on his site?  or am I Fuked??

 

It looks like there is room to shave .5mm off the edge but I dunno if I have the finesse to do this.   Help....

 

 

 

deciding on movements.....eta 2836 clone or dg 2013 ?

 

 

I can get hands for either from Raffles and maybe yuki has some he can include.  I heard that if you ask for hands to suit your movement, he can generally accommodate your build.  

 

 

[JSebWC]

I am starting to feel like I'm talking to myself in here.

Anyway. Sanded the cyclops off the xtal. Still needs a bit more sanding and polish to clear it up. But so far. Pretty good for a first attempt.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Sogeha]

You are definitely not talking to yourself. To be clear you have had 120 views. I have read every update and look forward to your progress, but I don't comment on posts unless I have something to add. We are a quiet and considered lot here. You will get used to us, but we are not given to posting "great job" or any other vacuous short post on every thread. Guys will read and add something if they feel they have something to say.You have caught the attention of some very knowledgeable members, so rest assured your thread is appreciated.

Apart from that, you are doing a great job.

[JSebWC]

Thanks. I appreciate it. I am happy with the progress but am bummed cause it may crash and burn on the dial situation unless I can figure out a solution. Even the gen dials are 29.08 mm. I guess the case has a larger interior to make room for the faraday cage. One thing I overlooked.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk