offshore Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 Some may remember my recent adventure with a Rx D/D quartz. Well this week I was handed a ladies copy D/J T/T, with another “dead battery” comment. I don’t take my Rx case back tool to my Sunday market stall, as (1) I wouldn’t work on a gen Rx in that environment, (2) I see very few gens (but oodles of cheap and nasty copies) and (3) I carry enough crud to market as it is, so am trying to cut back on my load. Today I got to this job, in my weekly work through. First checked to make sure it wasn’t a flip back…No..this is definetly a screw job. Normally the smaller case back dies line up perfectly on the serrations on Rx copies….but not this bugger…not even close! Same deal as before… Sticky ball…too small a case back to get enough purchase. Duct tape….same deal. And this is very tight!!!! So I sat and contemplated the need/effort required to make this work. Now, I am if nothing else, a stubborn b******d,not beaten easily, so I hatched a plan to beat this little mongrel! (Would all of our quality watch repairers –Ziggy/Freddy and kin… now please shut their eyes, or close this page, or leave the room) How to get this case back off? Easy….I placed the die closest to fitting (the 22.5) on the case back, and located it as best I could. I use a T bar style case back tool, so I removed the T bar from the die, and with a toothpick, applied a run of superglue around the die/caseback contact area. Yep, you read it right…superglue! Allowed to set, refitted the T bar, and voila, off it came. Of course I now had a case back and die firmly attached. But I have learned from previous encounters with superglue, that it doesn’t like acetone much. So a quick swab with a cotton bud of acetone, and die and caseback were two again. And a quick clean up with an acetone rag, and…Yes!…. AOK! Now I could turn my attention to the engine room, and what do I find, ….. a bloody mechanical movement. So why is this not going? Rotor spins OK, but no movement. What’s this in the balance? Doesn’t look like anything I’ve seen inside a movement before. A bloody great lump of timber. ? pithwood? Part of a match? A toothpick end? No bloody idea what it is, but it certainly won’t be helping this to run. And doesn't have a place in here! Removed same, and away the little bugger goes, ticking along merrily. Lube O ring, screw back down finger tight, and nip up with the sticky ball. Now I had quoted this client $7 for their new battery, so I am figuring, I may be able to get (hopefully) $10 for this job. Certainly worth a lot more for the time and effort, but at least it’s a goer again, and I figure in this instance, I have at least had a moral victory. But the scoreboard still must read Rx copies #2… Offshore Nil. Offshore Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rolexman Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 A true professional Great story thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KB Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 Actually that was quite ingenious buddy and it shows the good old Ausiie knowhow "If it doesn't turn and it should use WD40 if it turns and it shouldn't use duct tape" I think the customer will be so happy when she finds out that she has a far better watch than she thought you could probably hit her up for more than 10 bucks. Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toadtorrent Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 That's the difficulty when you do this professionally...you just don't know what to expect when you crack open the case. At least with OUR reps...we know when there should be an A7750 and what to do about it. Sure the different factories may have little nuances...but the movement is essentially the same. With the ETA movements...you know what to expect...so if you take in a UPO or a Swiss Fish or whatever...the risk is reduced. With an Asian copy of an ETA a curveball is thrown in...but hey...at least it "looks" like an ETA so should be able to be assembled the same way. BUT in a stall or shop...you have no idea where the movements are from, what they are...even in this case...whether or not the thing is mechanical or quartz!! Wow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shundi Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 That's the difficulty when you do this professionally...you just don't know what to expect when you crack open the case. At least with OUR reps...we know when there should be an A7750 and what to do about it. Sure the different factories may have little nuances...but the movement is essentially the same. With the ETA movements...you know what to expect...so if you take in a UPO or a Swiss Fish or whatever...the risk is reduced. With an Asian copy of an ETA a curveball is thrown in...but hey...at least it "looks" like an ETA so should be able to be assembled the same way. BUT in a stall or shop...you have no idea where the movements are from, what they are...even in this case...whether or not the thing is mechanical or quartz!! Wow. Very true...out of curiosity- what type of movement was it? No name asian or some sort of ladies ETA/clone? Either way, glad to hear it worked out!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWG Technical Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 Great solution to a sticky problem. Ingenious, now if you had TIG welded the caseback to the T bar I would have been rolling my eyes... RG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offshore Posted March 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 Very true...out of curiosity- what type of movement was it? No name asian or some sort of ladies ETA/clone? Either way, glad to hear it worked out!! It was a no name, absolutely no markings! O/S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tribal Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 I glue a screw on the caseback when no opener works Not really proffesional but it works every time hehe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fidestro Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 Actually that was quite ingenious buddy and it shows the good old Ausiie knowhow "If it doesn't turn and it should use WD40 if it turns and it shouldn't use duct tape" I think the customer will be so happy when she finds out that she has a far better watch than she thought you could probably hit her up for more than 10 bucks. Ken I read an article in a magazine once about Aussie "bush mechanics" way out in isolated areas and they things they do to keep cars running. It was an amazing article. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shundi Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 It was a no name, absolutely no markings! O/S Interesting...thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dluddy Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 Nice one.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfreeman420 Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 I think offshore is the true identity of the member a while back who installed a gen crystal in his submariner with a hockey puck and a vise. Good work........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offshore Posted March 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 installed a gen crystal in his submariner with a hockey puck and a vise. Good work........... No, not me, however.........must give it a try O/S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now