2836-2 swap

[Raddave]

So i just got done swapping a Hi grade 2836-2 Swiss ETA movement for the A2836-2 that was in my DSSD.​

RSH and cybee had earlier givin me some pointers on what i thought would be the hardest part of the swap. (THANKS GUYS ! )

Armed with my new knowledge, i proceeded to dive into a world of microminiature mechanics.
I prepped my work station, cleaned off cat hair, set up a station for my tweezers, hand removers, loupe, beer, and screwdrivers.Each component carefully laid out and set at the proper 22 degree angle.

I opened the case of the dssd and removed the stem. i test fitted the stem of the eta to the clone, it fit. Then i test fitted the clone stem to the eta...it didnt fit smoothly.I was hoping i could use it in the eta but they were not exactly the same. The eta stem was a little larger in diameter. Didnt make sense, it should have been the other way around. next i removed the crown off the clone stem and I cut the eta stem to the exact same length of the clone stem and chamfered the edges. I installed the crown on the eta stem. Phase one complete .

Next i removed the hands using a dial protector and some lever type hands removers, I placed those in the case back for the time being, Then i removed the dial.
Piece of cake, thanks to my newfound knowledge. Thats when things started to take a turn for the worst.
I placed the dial on the ETA, the date wheel wasnt right. the clone only had a date, the eta had a day and date. I could see both through the date window. I thought the window would only show the date... i am going to have to use the date wheel of the clone on the eta.
What to do now? I couldnt see how to remove the date wheel. Nothing was obvious.I never worked on a mechanical calender watch before. Do i take apart my brand new eta first for exploratory surgury, or do i take apart the clone, which is running perfectly fine and fits the dial?
Clone looses. I take a screw out of a plate near the date wheel actuator (dont know the real name). PLINK.
A screw flies though the air. its gone. but the date wheel comes off. there was a spring under the plate that i dint know about which launched the screw.
ETA up next. I took out the other screw this time.
but the date wheel wouldnt come off.i put the screw back in, and loosened the other one, still wouldnt come off. Loosened both screws and wiggled the date wheel. success.
It took a while to get the clone date wheel on the ETA properly. lots of wiggling and jiggling, and probably some good luck too, but it finally fell together and worked properly.I reinstall the dial. It all looks good. Phase 2 complete .

Next I rotate the stem until the date wheel just clicks over and i install the hour hand and minute hand.
I run it 2 move revolutions to make sure the date changes ok..11:59...that works fine for me.
I go to place the seconds hand on the movement....it wont fit. The hole is too big. I go to put it back on the clone, it fits.
This cant be right, there cant be that much difference between a clone eta and a gen eta could there? I thought the parts were supposed to be interchangable. i grab my loupe, theres a sleeve on the shaft. Ive never seen that before. i pull the sleeve off the clone and press it on the ETA, now the hand fits properly. Phase 3 complete .

I clean the dial, remove the stem, use the puffer on the case and the movement. install the movement and holder, reinstall the stem. Use the puffer again, and place the case back on. Im done... or so i think.

I turn the watch around to admire my skills....
Theres a fingerprint next to the 11 marker.
I open it up again and take care of it.
Close it one more time.
Yeah, this time its really done.
And it works !!!

 

[Bonesey]

Man, you need to format your posts a little better, try some paragraphs (and include some pics next time) I basically read this.

"So i just got done swapping a Hi grade 2836-2 Swiss ETA movement for the A2836-2"

"And it works !!!"

But grats on the first movement swap

 

[Raddave]

Really weird... i typed all this up in note pad, while i was composing it, and i did use paragraphs and indents and stuff. When i copied and pasted it, it came out like this ^^^.

But thanks for the constuctive criticism, ill try to proof read a little better.

 

[cybee]

Great job dave...For many the end results don't always end up this way but it sounds like you have a natural talent for watch work.

Congratulations on your success.:cheers:

 

[KBH]

Great story and congratulations. I doubt my first attempt went anywhere near that smoothly.

In time that will be a 10 minute job. :thumbsup:

 

[tats]

Thanks for this. I'm about to swap the movement out of my day-date rep.

 

[rsh]

nice work buddy

 

[GFlansburg]

Man, you need to format your posts a little better, try some paragraphs (and include some pics next time) I basically read this.

"So i just got done swapping a Hi grade 2836-2 Swiss ETA movement for the A2836-2"

"And it works !!!"

But grats on the first movement swap

Haha +1

 

[Rick914]

Man, you need to format your posts a little better, try some paragraphs (and include some pics next time) I basically read this.

"So i just got done swapping a Hi grade 2836-2 Swiss ETA movement for the A2836-2"

"And it works !!!"

But grats on the first movement swap

You and me both. I have lots of patience but dang it, glad you hear "and it works !!!" lol

 

[drbollocko]

Good work reddave, just be careful when using the beer to assist you as a tool in these projects, done get me wrong, ....one is good, .... two you begin to not give a shiit about mangling screws etc, ....three and you'll fcuk up the hands, ....four and there'll be a big scratch across the dial etc,

....More than that and you'll be putting it all back together in pieces laughing, and when it doesn't fit taking the hammer to the movement in order to get the caseback on

 

[cwazy1]

Good work reddave, just be careful when using the beer to assist you as a tool in these projects, done get me wrong, ....one is good, .... two you begin to not give a shiit about mangling screws etc, ....three and you'll fcuk up the hands, ....four and there'll be a big scratch across the dial etc,

....More than that and you'll be putting it all back together in pieces laughing, and when it doesn't fit taking the hammer to the movement in order to get the caseback on

Lightweight :lol:

 

[rol_man]

Congrats on a job well done. It's that first successful job that gets you hooked!

 

[Suncoast]

Good For You!!!:maty: I'm hoping to make that swap one day myself!!!

 

[faberjay111]

Congratulations!! I sincerely admire what you did.

I am reading as many posts and threads about working on watches because it is my dream to be able to do my own mods.

My biggest obstacle(aside from getting up enough courage do do more than a strap change!)is that every time I set aside the funds for the tools...I buy a watch!

Congrats again....

Oh yeah...I forgot to say that I did have a hard time reading the whole thing because there were no paragraphs. Not to rain on your parade. I also have a really hard time with formatting when the programs on my computers change what I type. I have to get my kids to help me out.

Anyway, it doesn't take away from the great work you did on the movement swap.....

 

[Raddave]

Update

Im very happy with this ETA movement.

After i got it finished, i set the time to my casio atomic watch. One day later it was running 3 seconds fast, so i adjusted the regulator 1/2 hash mark to the (-). Each hash mark is supposed to be 6 seconds per day, from what i understood, and that seems to be the case, in fact.

With the clone movement in it, i was able to get it to +4 seconds to -6 seconds per day. I couldnt fine tune it any further. I was unable to find that sweet spot. It was either fast or slow.

Today, 2 days after i made that initial regulator adjustment, the ETA is +- 0 seconds...Its keeping time with the atomic watch perfectly! Hopefully it will stay like this, but i expect to have to make another adjustment after the movement fully breaks in.

 

[wat44]

Wat kind of beer?

 

[Raddave]

LOL.... um that would be Corona Extra Cerveza

 

[Raddave]

Another update

Well its been 6 days since the initial regulator adjustment of the watch.
Its lost a second in comparison to the atomic watch.

It averages out to -.167 seconds per day. I dont think ill be able to get it any better than that.

As much as my itchy fingers want to try to get it better, comon sense is telling me to stand down. I dont have a timing machine, so it was probably a stroke of luck that when i turned the regulator adjustment, i stopped where i did.
I mean even 1/6 of a hash mark is 1 full second, and i think i might only be able to move it 1/3 of a hash mark at a time. So to break it down even further, with my resources, is impossible.

Yeah, Ill call it good.