seadweller3 Posted April 9, 2008 Report Share Posted April 9, 2008 Rob has mine and is having difficulty getting the case back off. He is working hard on it and I will be crushed if he can't get into my baby to do his magic. He is luming the dial/hands, doing the crown guard work and bringing my 93150 back to original status and then installing. I already have the gen tube/crown, gen tropic crystal and gen vintage insert (rare, I believe). This one will be pristine once it is completed. Crossing my fingers that he is able to get that case back off! Here's a scan as it it now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corgi Posted April 9, 2008 Report Share Posted April 9, 2008 He is working hard on it and I will be crushed if he can't get into my baby to do his magic. He is luming the dial/hands, doing the crown guard work and bringing my 93150 back to original status and then installing. I already have the gen tube/crown, gen tropic crystal and gen vintage insert (rare, I believe). This one will be pristine once it is completed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted April 9, 2008 Report Share Posted April 9, 2008 Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligoat Posted April 9, 2008 Report Share Posted April 9, 2008 Removing the caseback on my Watchmaster Red 1680 is equally as hard. I put it in a movement holder, put the movement holder in the woodworking vice, take the Bergeon tool and press down hard and try to turn it. Not easy. The L-G Openall would be another option, but I don't feel like spending the $50-60 for only one watch- every other Rolex is fairly easy to open. Don't know if it's cross threaded or not. I don't trust it for WR either, but I've got some other reps and gens for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWG Technical Posted April 9, 2008 Report Share Posted April 9, 2008 I got the caseback off, used the old freeze the caseback trick and it worked... Mods on the way... RG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seadweller3 Posted April 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2008 I got the caseback off, used the old freeze the caseback trick and it worked... Mods on the way... RG YES!!!!! Thank you Rob!!!! Can't wait! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mezzanine Posted April 9, 2008 Report Share Posted April 9, 2008 Looks great! I love the red subs- I only wish there was a good aftermarket dial that I thought got close to the genuine. The red brings a contrast and focus to the dial and livens things up a bit. The Zigmeister's lume work on these vintage pieces is out-of-this-world. I would love to have my 1665 re-touched to "de-yellow" the markers on my dial... I wonder if I would like my 1680 as much as I do if the dial weren't genuine. I like the sub better than my 1665, but I like everything better on the sea dweller with the exception of the dial...so it goes to show how significant the dial is to the overall impact of the watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted April 10, 2008 Report Share Posted April 10, 2008 i got my caseback off my explorer II by heating the caseback with a lighter for a few seconds and it worked perfect. I assume freezing with an ice cube would have the same effect. Just a little temp diff between the case and caseback should help it break loose. keep us posted on the progress!!!!! cant wait to see pics! dizz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephane Posted April 10, 2008 Report Share Posted April 10, 2008 amazing place: I've never heard the warm/cool trick untill now. Thanks for the tip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highoeyazmuhudee Posted April 10, 2008 Report Share Posted April 10, 2008 amazing place: I've never heard the warm/cool trick untill now. Thanks for the tip! works for opening tough jars too ; ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWG Technical Posted April 10, 2008 Report Share Posted April 10, 2008 Even with the proper tool in a vise, the caseback was so tight that the whole table and vise were moving, I had to have my son hold the vise down and it still wouldn't break free. No slippage at all and no risk of slippage, just a damn tight caseback. I broke my LG caseback wrench on a really tight PAM caseback, meaning the handle on the LG broke in two pieces...and I have broken some of the bits on the LG as well trying to open really tight cases... Freezing shrinks the caseback just enough to allow it to be opened. Only the caseback is frozen, not the rest of the case. You need a difference between expansion rates of one and the other for it to work. RG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted April 10, 2008 Report Share Posted April 10, 2008 i still have an old datejust that i cant get the back off for the life of me! Ive tried everything short of using a sledgehammer. i guess some watches were never ment to be opened LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mezzanine Posted April 10, 2008 Report Share Posted April 10, 2008 Hehe cool trick - but with proper pressure in the tool, it should open too - but risk of slippage is higher. BTW, that insert - genuine, but not vintage, it's the modern Lumi replacement, the Tritium inlays from earlier days are $$$$$$$. And i mean it. I saw an ad yesterday that was requesting to buy a tritium insert, and the guy's ad was hilarious- it was something like "i'm willing to pay outrageous prices, let's get crazy!". I started looking at my 1680 and 1665 vintage inserts and if one of them had a tritium vs. luminova dot, I would've been in touch for sure. I've decided that it's not in ball park to be going after the last detail bits that are way over-priced, the superdome, the tritium inserts, etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted April 10, 2008 Report Share Posted April 10, 2008 i still have an old datejust that i cant get the back off for the life of me! Ive tried everything short of using a sledgehammer. i guess some watches were never ment to be opened LOL Apply WD40 (penetrating oil) around the perimeter of the caseback, let it sit for a few minutes to penetrate through the screw thread grooves & then it should be removable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dluddy Posted April 10, 2008 Report Share Posted April 10, 2008 Or a Range Rover like Nanuq Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
POTR Posted April 11, 2008 Report Share Posted April 11, 2008 Sounds like the rep factory spent some bucks on a Burgeon 5700... and are working 'hard' on water tightness... weird. but canned air, upside down, makes a nice quick freeze spray... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted April 16, 2008 Report Share Posted April 16, 2008 Apply WD40 (penetrating oil) around the perimeter of the caseback, let it sit for a few minutes to penetrate through the screw thread grooves & then it should be removable. interesting idea. I'll soak the whole watch head in a jar of penetrating oil for a few days with the stem pulled out so it gets the threads from the inside also. HAHA. the movement is toast and the dial is crap anyways.. i just want to extract the case. thx for the tip dizz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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