The Fat lady (ST case observation)

[Perpetual]

Here I am (again) "rebuilding my submariner 16610"

First off, as the title states..... Lets have a look at The Fat Lady

Fat lugs here everyone (hense the title) not much has improved let alone anything at all since last years purchased case set. But in respect the case is of very good quality!

I will say the profile is very good (imo) or else passable for some

I like that it carries the detail of a grooved rehaut which a gen crystal gasket having the matching groove insuring water resistance ( last build had no issues of water getting in what so ever).

also, the crown tube insert has the addition (gen spec) recessed tappes for gasket as well as the inside machining carring the side cut out for easy 3135 movement installation.

with all of this said,.... this case still needs alot of work!

 

[Perpetual]

Well, this only means one thing...lol

Get in that vise you FAT lady time for you to SLIM up LOL!

Stay tuned guys it's a fun build

 

[alfonzo]

YES YES! I have a fat lady for my Tiff and I had some ideas but this thread will inform! Subbed!

 

[KJ2020]

That a nice looking case bro, and not so terribly fat. Shown next to my gen GMT. I might have to grab one of these for a GMT build. Maybe a 16760 "Fat Lady", haha. Looking forward to seeing your handiwork again!

 

[bc1221]

Man. For a fat girl, she’s very pretty.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Perpetual]

That a nice looking case bro, and not so terribly fat. Shown next to my gen GMT. I might have to grab one of these for a GMT build. Maybe a 16760 "Fat Lady", haha. Looking forward to seeing your handiwork again!

You know what? I thought the same thing! At first appearance I didn't see a change but upon closer inspection the lugs truly are a bit better they have a great forum to them which I believe will help me create a better slimming.

This time my plans are NOT to rush it. I just get anxious to get it done! But not this time lol This time I made a simple jig, to work each lug equally and evenly making it "less" free handed.

 

[Perpetual]

Man. For a fat girl, she’s very pretty.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Haha yea! And she's got great curves lol

 

[Perpetual]

Okay ya'll the FAT LADY has slimmed up!!

Here's a preview, this is the "rough sketch "

The bulk of the shaping is completed.
Will still need some touch up here and there and ofcourse the 6 stage sanding followed by polishing and ofcourse the hairline chamfers.

..ps dont mind the loose looking fitted hollow endlinks they will also receive a shaping lol

 

[alfonzo]

Could you point to the areas you removed metal from and about how much was removed?

 

[Perpetual]

Could you point to the areas you removed metal from and about how much was removed?

I'll try and get something together for you soon! Pictures of before and after and some (home made) tips & tricks.

discloser: I am not a professional, everything made and used was done as an armature and should be used and operated at home with caution.

Thanks for tuning in

 

[alfonzo]

Many thanks! I look forward to them!

 

[Perpetual]

Could you point to the areas you removed metal from and about how much was removed?

Really quickly just wanted to point out the main focus of slimming the case works, (I've made this mistake before)


Therefore, when slimming it's important to focus on the thickness of the "upper lug" as pictured above.

just wanted to point this out, more coming on DIY slimming of this fat lady case

 

[chubbychaser911]

Alfonso you can see on the pics in the vise he has marked the areas that he planned to file away.

 

[alfonzo]

Really quickly just wanted to point out the main focus of slimming the case works, (I've made this mistake before)


Therefore, when slimming it's important to focus on the thickness of the "upper lug" as pictured above.

just wanted to point this out, more coming on DIY slimming of this fat lady case

Got it thanks! I look forward to more!

 

[chubbychaser911]

Three questions. Why does ST not cut their lugs well? Is it a cost savings measure? Why does both ST and JF have such stubby crown guards? Less steel per blank and less machining time?

thirdly are JF lugs also this bad like ST lugs?

and a bonus. How much would it cost to get an at home setup where we could do a little welding to build up the crown guards and then file them to shape?

 

[Perpetual]

Three questions. Why does ST not cut their lugs well? Is it a cost savings measure? Why does both ST and JF have such stubby crown guards? Less steel per blank and less machining time?

thirdly are JF lugs also this bad like ST lugs?

and a bonus. How much would it cost to get an at home setup where we could do a little welding to build up the crown guards and then file them to shape?

These are all great questions that I myself wonder about. Is it because ST doesn't want to feel like they are "repping" the calssic submariner case? I'm pretty sure they can do better..

That was my only question lol

oh, and by judging the puctures of JF builds I believe the ST lugs are far fatter then JF

 

[alfonzo]

You could get a welder. It would require a TIG. A good TIG will cost 5-600 dollars. Maybe better, if the lugs are that much of a bother (not for me), I would take it to a custom precision welder and ask them to do a little build up. I have a guy that does this for other things I do and he would charge me maybe $80 to do the expert job.

 

[chubbychaser911]

lawlessflyer Thanks@alfonso

ive priced out doing a ST build

175 case
130 wso bezel and insert
20 Clark’s crystal
110 JF bracelet
??? 100 ??? rep dial and hands
200 for Vr 3135 160 for ah 3135

so it was like 735 for a build that may not have been better than a JF 16610 with SH3135.

I really like the idea of building the watch but I was hoping that by putting in the effort I’d end up with something better than a no rehaut JF.

is my math super wrong?

will a reshaped ST look much better than a JF because JF has short and sometimes wokky rehaut?

pardon my ignorance if the facts are well known.

 

[chubbychaser911]

alfonzo Wow that’s a good price. I saw a m2m sale where the crown guards were built up and the seller stated the cost was 150 and the welder said he would never do it again. Lol.

 

[alfonzo]

Yeah my guy is a 30 year pro and nothing scares him at all.