Okay guys, its time to wrap this baby up.
I finally got fed up of trying to source an alternative movement ring so went back to Silix and said send me the movement ring and o-ring and I'll pay the postage ($10). So I had an email this morning, saying here are the pictures and they will be shipped today.
I wasn't feeling great, and I was sure I had a movement ring like the one shown, so I got a few bits of work down then pulled out my watch building box. Sure enough I had one of the brass rings and some screws and tabs, so decided to have a go. I had a go with a scrap movement first, but soon realised that once you tighten the tabs up they will bend to be a tight fit. So after an initial mockup it was time to take the dial and movement out of my explorer case when I have been enjoying it for the last 2 weeks and go for the final deal.
I first went over the dial and hands and removed as much dust, fibres and marks that I could. Its funny how under 10x magnification there are little marks and smudges you will never see with the naked eye.
Then I removed the stem and gently lowered the movement face down into the case. Then the movement ring then the stem again to keep it all lined up.
The tiny screws and tabs are really fiddly to fit, and you need to get one in far enough to spin the auto rotor to get the other one in. But patience, a steady hand and a good set of tweezers and it can be done.
The first tab goes in
then the other screws in here, with the tab fitting under that lip, the curve of the tab is UP not down!
Once that's in there really is very little left to do......
The stem is screwed in the crown, held with pliers and screwed on tight and installed. It WILL be too long, so you push it all the way home to the winding position. You then measure the gap from the underside of the crown to the top of the stem tube. In my case it was approx. 2.4-2.5mm. Digital micrometers are a godsend here. Them measure twice and cut once, erring if anything on the cautious side. I say cut, actually I find it a lot easier to hold the stem in the pliers with just the amount you want to remove hanging out then snap the excess off. Sounds dodgy I know but the last 3 I have done like that and it works a treat. Now if you have erred on the safe side you will need to file a teeny bit off, and I mean a teeny bit, we are working in 10ths of a millimetre here.
Then grip the stem (whats left of it) in the pliers and screw the crown on.
I cant believe I got it first time on this one!
Then apply a bit of silicon grease to the thread of the stem tube, a little inside the crown and install the stem, slowly turning as you push it all the way home and check it doesn't come out again. I used to bugger up the keyless works, but now I seem to get it okay.
Then it was just a case of screwing on the caseback and fitting the strap.
I must point out I was so eager to get this baby finished, I didn't double check the inside of the case, There are a few specks that are inside the crystal, which I thought were on the crystal protector on the outside. They weren't.... Grrrr. This means I'm going to have tp pop the movement out again and clean it up before I send it.
I was also running out of daylight in the early autumn West Midlands, but I had to snap a few pics so you could see the finished result!
Okay, I need to clean the inside of the crystal, get it pressure checked, and ship it off to my mate, but I'm pretty pleased with it, and if I don't send it off quick I might be telling him I'm keeping it. It looks cool IMHO, keeps excellent time, the lume is genuinely usable and it is dead comfy!
What do you think?
hbbbbt:
