DIY: How far...

[BSears]

would you go? I was gonna post this in the main forum, but this seems like the perfect place. So, how far would you or do you go when it comes to taking care of your watches? Some leave well enough alone and let someone with tools and know-how crack open a caseback. Some of us may open em up, do a simple regulation, relube a gasket and leave it at that. Others are way more adventurous (enter Noah!). Post yer pics if you got em.

Me? I've done a few simple regulations but I've never actually taken a movement out, removed a dial/hands, or any of that stuff. Here's a sample shot - I got more somewhere around here.

The new DWC needed a poll!

Setup


execution

[cali kid]

Took apart a couple seiko's but thats is where i draw the line!

[ikkoku]

caseback, crown, stem and movement off of a seiko 6309 but that's about it.
Does replacing a bezel count?

[Henryj]

Here's the last time I went beyond pulling the back for a regulation and gasket relube. Hope you don't mind the link. This is the one that kicked off the old "Free to Good Home" forum.

http://forums.watchuseek.com/showthread ... ight=bored

[merichar]

Have yet to go beyond caseback removal/battery change. I would like to see how to remove the crown from the more common auto movements and how to regulate them.

[polaco23]

Ive modded several G-Shocks, and also a few autos. I plan on doing more mods soon. Putting a new dial and hands on my latest dress watch, and flipping it to be a lefty. I also plan on doing a Panerai homage in PVD soon, and a vintage submariner. so i got my modding cut out for me for the next few months!

i say play with your toys, as long as theyre not too expensive. i wont open up my Oris, Enzo, or other high end brands.

[SCM64]

<snip>.... Some leave well enough alone and let someone with tools and know-how crack open a caseback. <snip>

[DMB]

I don't have the tools, and I can't spare any watches right now.

[deepcdvr]

I opened one caseback and broke the watch.

I will usually resize my bracelets, though, using the CRUDEST tools you've ever seen. I'm just too impatient to wear a watch when I get it..

[force_quit]

I can resize my own bracelets and change straps. Other than that I have NO business opening up a watch. That could only turn out badly.

[noah]

Wow we got some guys here !
Glad you could all drop by ...
I'll get some D.I.Y Posts up and I was thinking of some "Cool Tools" posts

If you have any questions I'll try my best,

[BSears]

Wow we got some guys here !
Glad you could all drop by ...
I'll get some D.I.Y Posts up and I was thinking of some "Cool Tools" posts

If you have any questions I'll try my best,

That'd be great, Noah. I'd really be interested in seeing maybe some pics or even a video of you doing some work on anything you got - whether it's crown/bezel replacement/removal or a full-blown mod. Posting up some tools and where to get them would be a big help too. I know of a few places (www.ofrei.com being the main one), and there are plenty of other places to get the right tools.

[barnbuilder]

I swapped the movement in this watch last year. Had a Miyota 8215 and put in this 2824.
Had to mod the original hands to fit the ETA, also had to set new dial feet.

[Pallet Spoon]

I swapped the movement in this watch last year. Had a Miyota 8215 and put in this 2824.
Had to mod the original hands to fit the ETA, also had to set new dial feet.

I have often wondered about this mod as the 2824's are not terribly expensive individually.

What specifically did you have to do with the hands to make them fit??? Did you need to modify the movement holder???

[noah]

Do you have a picture of the front of the watch

ETA hands are 150 / 90 in size do you know the size of the miyota

[barnbuilder]

I swapped the movement in this watch last year. Had a Miyota 8215 and put in this 2824.
Had to mod the original hands to fit the ETA, also had to set new dial feet.

I have often wondered about this mod as the 2824's are not terribly expensive individually.

What specifically did you have to do with the hands to make them fit??? Did you need to modify the movement holder???

The hands that came off this watch won't fit at all to the eta. I took a set of eta hands that I got from ebay, filed them down slightly to make the thinner, shortened them and then filed the back of the AutoPilot hands to make them flat, used jewelers epoxy and attached the two together. I could have gotten hands that would have been very close from Otto Frei but wanted the second hand with the Trident spear to stay on this watch.
Also I set the dial feet and ring with epoxy as well. If I had better tools I would attach the feet to the dial differently. Most of my supplies I got from Otto Frei and casker.

Miyota hands are 100/165



I have another couple mods to do. One with a Unitas 6497 and converting my Zodiac deep reef from a quartz to a Swiss auto 2879.

[noah]

Wow that's a great "Noah Fuller Watch" NFW

[cali kid]

Wow ron, knew you had to do a few things to get that one just right! you are the man!

[Pallet Spoon]

Yes, that is not an easy to tackle project ... I can certainly understand wanting to keep the trident . Thanx for the info .

[Pasquale]

im lucky i cant change the strap on a watch.
I rather leave it to the pros

[snootydog]

I would rather leave everything to someone who has all the right tools and the know how when things go wrong but i want to swap bezels on two of my Samurai's,a Ti and an ss.....dare i try it with only household tools? -Andy

[hazmatman]

I opened one caseback and broke the watch.

I will usually resize my bracelets, though, using the CRUDEST tools you've ever seen. I'm just too impatient to wear a watch when I get it..

Guilty as charged.

I've done the same, so I shy away from opening any more watches (although I have 3 Amphibias I might experiment on) and resizing bracelets with crude tools...yeah, I am impatient as well; but, after destroying a link pin on a really nice piece, I finally ponied up for some decent stuff. So now I go at new watches with nice Bergeon tools, but I still look like a crack whore doing it.

[Pasquale]

changing strap/bracelet is the the most ive gone.. LOL

took me 45mins to fit the sinn rubber on the JSAR.. Whew
thats enough work for me