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Removing Cyclops And Lug Drilling Follow Up


TJGladeRaider

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How are you supposed to remove the Cyclops on a crystal? I have a really neat trick, but I want to see if anyone else knows it.

I finally found out the best way to do the lugs - I use a cobalt fluted reamer. Unlike the drill bits you buy for a couple of bucks, these are about thirty bucks each. They are tough and whip thru a lug like butter leaving a nicely finished hole.

Bill

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How are you supposed to remove the Cyclops on a crystal? I have a really neat trick, but I want to see if anyone else knows it.

I finally found out the best way to do the lugs - I use a cobalt fluted reamer. Unlike the drill bits you buy for a couple of bucks, these are about thirty bucks each. They are tough and whip thru a lug like butter leaving a nicely finished hole.

Bill

yeah, i know those 'cobalt fluted reamers' well....had one used on me today at work.....major a$$ reaming. :D :D

thanks for the tip. i still need to find the best thing to use to drill the off bias lug hole on the tw classic. i think chief recommended these reamers in past to do that type of job.....

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I just complete my two MBW's using a Pin vise, cutting fluid and 2 #57 drill bits followed by 2 #56 bits and a #53 to give a slight inner bevel. It didn't take long and thbits were bought at a local hobby train store. I'll post some pics later.

The whole modding on my watches including the CG's were done by hand with lots-O-patience and blisters. The final polish was partly done using my dremel.

Doing it by hand didn't take as long as you think once you get the feel for the bit's limitations.

Fun stuff huh.

Kurt.

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How are you supposed to remove the Cyclops on a crystal? I have a really neat trick, but I want to see if anyone else knows it.

I finally found out the best way to do the lugs - I use a cobalt fluted reamer. Unlike the drill bits you buy for a couple of bucks, these are about thirty bucks each. They are tough and whip thru a lug like butter leaving a nicely finished hole.

Bill

Hey Bill,

I took one off of a genuine Rolex 16200 crystal last week with a razor blade. I researched this some before I tried it and ran across several suggestions-among them were soldering iron on the cyclops, blow torch on the cyclops and a quick blow from a hammer to a sharp wood chisel held against the cyclops. These all sounded a tad extreme to me so I just used a single blade razor and a little pressure and mine just popped off.

What's your secret?

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Hey Bill,

I took one off of a genuine Rolex 16200 crystal last week with a razor blade. I researched this some before I tried it and ran across several suggestions-among them were soldering iron on the cyclops, blow torch on the cyclops and a quick blow from a hammer to a sharp wood chisel held against the cyclops. These all sounded a tad extreme to me so I just used a single blade razor and a little pressure and mine just popped off.

What's your secret?

It's a "secret" I discovered quite accidentally while trying to drill CGs. If you put a watch in a rubber jawed vice and tighten it a little, the cyclops pops off. I'ver done it twice now with no damage to the cyclops or the crystal.

Bill

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  • 2 weeks later...
It's a "secret" I discovered quite accidentally while trying to drill CGs. If you put a watch in a rubber jawed vice and tighten it a little, the cyclops pops off. I'ver done it twice now with no damage to the cyclops or the crystal.

Bill

Would it be possible for you to post a picture of how you position the watch in the vice? I have two gen crystals with cyclopses that are positioned for gen rlx rather than rep eta .... if both crystal and cyclops would stay intact to be reglued... that would be great...

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Today I removed the crystal from my recently acqiured Andrew Yachtmaster and fitted a thicker crystal from an old MBW Sub case. The cyclops when fitted was too far to the left so I simply went into the kitchen, turned on the gas hob and held the crystal with pliers in the flame for a few seconds and off it popped. No marks nothing. I then made a frame on the crystal where the cyclops should fit and mixed up some Areldite glass bond. Stuck it on, waited 30 mins then removed the masking tape and trimmed the surplus with a sharp craft knife and voila!!! job done. I love it when a plan comes together. Pics later.

I've also fitted a genuine crownn tube and Crown while in bits.

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