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Sticky ball/Duct tape?


spider87

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Ok, so I was searching around on here for a while as well as on google and while I can assume that to use duct tape to remove the watch back of a rolex rep you fold it back on itself and try to get it sticking into the grips then turn it... However, that's not working as planned so I need help... What am I doing wrong? I have about a foot of duct tape, folded onto itself to about an inch length with normal duct tape width. However when I push and turn clockwise it doesn't budge at all...

Any tips?

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Ok, so I was searching around on here for a while as well as on google and while I can assume that to use duct tape to remove the watch back of a rolex rep you fold it back on itself and try to get it sticking into the grips then turn it... However, that's not working as planned so I need help... What am I doing wrong? I have about a foot of duct tape, folded onto itself to about an inch length with normal duct tape width. However when I push and turn clockwise it doesn't budge at all...

Any tips?

I've never used duct tape, but, I've found that wearing dish-washing gloves, and then pressing with my thumbs in an anti clockwise direction, the backs soon shift (be they Omega, PAM or Rolex) B)

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haha, You mean I just had the wrong direction? k... try this again haha

Clockwise (with the case back facing you) would be tightening it ;) A little rhyme someone once told me, as a way of remembering which way to 'work things with threads': Left:loose, right:tight :good:

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Ball up the tape to about the size of a golf ball.

Disengage the watch band

Lay the watch flat on something that won't damage the crystal or cyclops

Press your ball down with some pressure and rotate anti-clockwise

I just did this on a crappy GMT I am 'experimenting' on.

A bit barbaric... -or get the correct tool.

-Ronin

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Ball up the tape to about the size of a golf ball.

Disengage the watch band

Lay the watch flat on something that won't damage the crystal or cyclops

Press your ball down with some pressure and rotate anti-clockwise

I just did this on a crappy GMT I am 'experimenting' on.

A bit barbaric... -or get the correct tool.

-Ronin

Disengage it? Like remove it from the lugs? I'm kind of afraid to do this as I also don't have a springbar fork either haha... i need some tools :-P I used a knife and a socket as my tool to replace the battery on my pop-back timex haha

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Do those balls work on the threaded Rolex case backs?

Well I don't have one of those right now I'm just playing with duct tape but as of now... no lol no progress... HOWEVER I figured out my watch is plated... there's bits of red showing through on the backs of the CGs... :-( sadness lol Guess I should get a new daily wearer :-(

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On another side, I'm guessing I have the wrong direction again as I realized in saying Clockwise/Anticlockwise I was referring to the actual face of the watch RATHER than the back of the watch... So anticlockwise it is... just on the right side of the watch... lol

Maybe I'll just use a giant wrench thing like the kid in that one video... "I suck" was the title of the video lol - as this [censored] isn't budging >>>_<<<

Edited by spider87
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On another side, I'm guessing I have the wrong direction again as I realized in saying Clockwise/Anticlockwise I was referring to the actual face of the watch RATHER than the back of the watch... So anticlockwise it is... just on the right side of the watch... lol

Maybe I'll just use a giant wrench thing like the kid in that one video... "I suck" was the title of the video lol - as this [censored] isn't budging >>>_<<<

If you meant on the clock face, then yes, the back would be rotating clockwise. If you mean with the case back facing you, that's when the back would be rotating anti-clockwise, and that's when the left:loose, right:tight saying comes into play. It works whenever 'the top of the screw(ed item)' is directly facing you, be it a watch caseback, a watch crown, a faucet, or even the lid of a soda bottle :)

As for the plating... That's a real shame... I guess SS might be better for day to day abuse :good:

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Ball up the tape to about the size of a golf ball.

Disengage the watch band

Lay the watch flat on something that won't damage the crystal or cyclops

Press your ball down with some pressure and rotate anti-clockwise

I just did this on a crappy GMT I am 'experimenting' on.

A bit barbaric... -or get the correct tool.

-Ronin

Maybe I'm not putting enough force into it but the ball just starts slipping before any back removing occurs.....

I'm also fearing that maybe I somehow tightened even though it didn't move when I was turning it the wrong way.... I'm ALSO figuring since the last person that tightened it was my jeweler he probably did it so tight I'll never get it without a back opener >_< lol I just want to see the movement inside and try to ID it...

Edited by spider87
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@spider,

I have always felt that duct tape, sticky balls and the like, only work when you have a reasonably loose case back.

I have had a couple of case backs, that refused to move, even with a proper case back tool.

Admittedly all my tools are hand style, I really need a decent pressure/screw down opener!

Maybe try leaving the watch in a sunny area, and see if some heat may expand the metal enough to crack it open.

Offshore

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Well, just tried the rubber gloves method and I got it off. Once you get it turning a bit you don't need to squeeze the watch anymore to apply friction to the caseback. It can turn without any added force.

Got off the case back and then adjusted the timing. Moved it by about 1 mm faster. We'll see how it goes tomorrow. It was running 1 minute slow a day.

by the way, does anyone know if the watch is supposed to be hacked before I adjust the timing? I did it with the watch still running. Hope I didn't ruin it.... :o

Edited by If you see Kay
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By disengage the watch band (for a quick mod), I mean:

On the bracelet all you need to do is undo ONE side of the clasp. You know the area where you can fine-tune the length. You could probably use a toothpick....

-Ronin

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By disengage the watch band (for a quick mod), I mean:

On the bracelet all you need to do is undo ONE side of the clasp. You know the area where you can fine-tune the length. You could probably use a toothpick....

-Ronin

Just so you don't have a giant band in the way right? I think I'll try harder to find rubber gloves as I found medical gloves but those aren't heavy duty enough and we don't have dishwashing gloves...

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Here you go, by the numbers, on the POS GMT from Chinatown...

img1589.jpg

img1590.jpg

img1593.jpg

img1594.jpg

img1595.jpg

Enjoy.... It did take some pressing down / pressure to grip and turn... I don't care about this particular watch...Just make sure you don't damage the crystal.

Remember to loosen turn left. Anti-clockwise. Lefty Loosey, Righty Tighty....

-Ronin

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Just so you don't have a giant band in the way right? I think I'll try harder to find rubber gloves as I found medical gloves but those aren't heavy duty enough and we don't have dishwashing gloves...

Medical gloves won't do it... You'll need dishwashing gloves for the texture on the undersides of the digits :)

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