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What's the tool you couldn't live without?


anton

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Just curious to see what everyone considers as their "grail" tool when trying to make their reps as perfect as possible.

To kick the topic off, I couldn't live without this:

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The Dremel Stylus rotary tool.

This saved me the time and hassle of waiting and loads of money going to a trained "guy" who will (or will not!) work on your reps. For every new rep I buy, I spend maybe two days going through picture after picture of the gen and the real-life model then get to work scraping, cutting, burring, filing, sanding, trimming, buffing, then polishing (on some it's brushing). The end result of working on the reps makes me satisfied as I can now be with watches as I am with cars; making them look as beautiful as they should be! :thumbsupsmileyanim:

So, what do our fellow members use?

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They are so many, all quite pointless without all the others...

- Several sizes screwdrivers

- Case openers (including Narikaa's sticky balls)

- Tweezers

- Watchsmith paper

- Loupes

- Case holder

- Dust blower

- Rodico cleaner

- Crystal press w/ several sizes dies

- Hands remover & hands pusher

I could add:

- Dremel

- Toothpicks

- Digital micrometer and/or caliper

- Microfiber and Capecod clothes

- Crystal vs glass detector

- UV glues and lights

...

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Mine would be toothpicks. I've found them to be an invaluable tool for me as there are so many different uses for them.

Great minds think alike. I sometimes fashion dedicated tools out of toothpicks, especially hand-pushers.

Oh, the tool that makes me giggle most when using it is Joe.

This is Joe:

266316-4467.jpg

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Guest avitt

The last tool that I would give up would be the springbar tool.

Let's face it, if you only had one tool, you couldn't do anything to your watch (OK, maybe you could open the case with a case opening tool, but then what?). At least with a springbar tool, I could still change the straps...

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Mine is EMS - that is what gets the watches back and forth to Rob. With that the only other tool I need is a watchwinder. I hate having to reset all those day/dates. I do screw off the caseback and play around inside or change a strap every once in a while to "get my hands dirty". The problem with "getting my hands dirty" is that it usually results in someone else getting his hands dirty to fix my mess. Ask Rob about the toaster incident. :lol:

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Most indespensible tool is without a doubt, the Loupe...without it, nothing else is useful...well except for "Joe"...

RG

When speaking about watch tools... this is the one... and no surprise that The Zigmeister pointed at it...

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Ask Rob about the toaster incident. :lol:

You advise someone to "dry" their watch with a smudge of moisture under the crystal, by putting it in a "warm" toaster oven with the crown open, they end up roasting the watch and popping the crystal out of place, and you never hear the end of it... :)

The good news is that the watch is sealed well and waterproof, since the only way for the expanding air was through the crystal.

RG

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This saved me the time and hassle of waiting and loads of money going to a trained "guy" who will (or will not!) work on your reps. For every new rep I buy, I spend maybe two days going through picture after picture of the gen and the real-life model then get to work scraping, cutting, burring, filing, sanding, trimming, buffing, then polishing (on some it's brushing). :thumbsupsmileyanim:

So, what do our fellow members use?

Since the only thing I ever attempt is installing is gen dials and hands on Mullers--I guess the handy Swiss screwdriver set, hand puller, dial paper, and rodico are the only tools I need....oh yeah, and toothpics!

I'd love to see some pics of non-Rolex cases you've reshaped, w/ that dremel! I've always been tempted to hit the Cartier Santos case because it would be 1:1 with a little more width to the rounded, polished area....

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Nanuq -- With that chainsaw tool of yours, it is no wonder your thumb is so famous (whatever is left of it).

My singlemost indispensable tool is a 4x loupe. Without that, little else would be possible.

Archibald - These were reshaped with a combination of dremel and hand files (the Patek could use a bit more tweaking & a datewheel with a bolder font)

267052-4395.jpg

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