Building a 5513 - Tutorial

[Karbon74]

For 2mm fat springbars :
1 - redrill the lugs to 1.3mm
2 - enlarge the last link on the bracelet with a 2mm round diamond file ... about 2 minutes
3 - enlarge the hollow endlinks tubes with a 2mm diamond file ... a bit long as you'll have to proceed slowly ... you can also just cut the tubes with a Dremel and open it until the 2mm springbars fit in
4 - enjoy

EDIT : I've used both 1.8mm and 2mm springbars and 2mm are much better !!!
1.8mm have double shoulder so the part that goes in the lug hole is much too thin ...

i had already drilled the lugs at 1.3mm. that's good

I made the mistake of trying to distort the last hollow link instead of filing. This first build is a cumulation of newbie mistakes

I now have a diamond 1.7mm file, much much better.

I should have asked before but you don't know what you don't know. Better though, learning through experience, and then having seniors explaining after is the best way to get knowledge

thanks everyone.

Hopefully, I am adding to this thread from a newbie modder perspective and it will help someone who is getting started

 

[Karbon74]

Super proud of myself, guys.
I stripped down the keyless works, cleaned the parts and put it back in with lubrication (D5 and 8300)

works perfectly. It might seem trivial to you, but it's a big step up for me


I now have an unused 2836 ... guess it's time to go Raffles shopping for that 1016

 

[369mafia]

Congrats @Karbon74 That is a fine achievement. It was one of the hurdles that I feared to face when I first got started but once you are successful with it. It feels GREAT!! Enjoy it!! and give us a wrist shot dude, you can post here and not give us a victory lap!!

 

[Karbon74]

 

[Karbon74]

 

[369mafia]

looks awesome..that insert really pulls the whole piece together

 

[Karbon74]

looks awesome..that insert really pulls the whole piece together

if you remember, it was that insert that had turned "racing green"

with hindsight, I will try to make a racing green 5513 later on IF that fluke happens again

 

[anj4de]

Hello all

Thanks a lot for this wonderful thread. A 5512/13 would be my dream watch. I have a question on the JKF watches if I may. I have three of them bought as a bundle about three years back. A rather nice looking 1665 Sea Dweller, a very early Sub with the pip on the end of the second s hand and a Milgauss of probably the same period. The later two have riveted braclets. Now...those two feel like toy watches coming out of a chewing gum machine, really flimsy. I do know Rolex was once a cheapish tool watch maker but were they really that toyish in the 50ties? Since I will probaly never have the chance to touch a genuine 50ties Sub I hope to get answers/opinions here.

thanks a lot

 

[dpd3672]

Hello all

Thanks a lot for this wonderful thread. A 5512/13 would be my dream watch. I have a question on the JKF watches if I may. I have three of them bought as a bundle about three years back. A rather nice looking 1665 Sea Dweller, a very early Sub with the pip on the end of the second s hand and a Milgauss of probably the same period. The later two have riveted braclets. Now...those two feel like toy watches coming out of a chewing gum machine, really flimsy. I do know Rolex was once a cheapish tool watch maker but were they really that toyish in the 50ties? Since I will probaly never have the chance to touch a genuine 50ties Sub I hope to get answers/opinions here.

thanks a lot

Vintage Rolex hollow link bracelets had a very flimsy feel compared to the heavy, solid bracelets of today. This is especially obvious on vintage watches, with stretch and wear. I don't think Rolex was ever considered a "cheapish" manufacturer, but they weren't chasing the high end luxury market, if that's what you mean. They were more "Jeep Wrangler/Chevy Pickup Truck" than "Rolls Royce" if that makes any sense. I still maintain they've had some mission drift since they blew up in the '80s, and are now less tools and more fashion accessories/status symbols.

I have an old GMT 1675 and a 1680 Sub in gen, and they really feel cheap next to a current, Clean GMT or VSF Sub. If you handed the vintage gen and the current rep to anyone who wasn't into watches, and told them to identify the replicas, they'd call out the gens as the fakes.

Not sure if they were different a while back, but my JKFs feel and wear about the same as my vintage gens. What makes them obvious as reps is mostly little details and the lack of decades of wear and tear.

 

[Karbon74]

Hello all

Thanks a lot for this wonderful thread. A 5512/13 would be my dream watch. I have a question on the JKF watches if I may. I have three of them bought as a bundle about three years back. A rather nice looking 1665 Sea Dweller, a very early Sub with the pip on the end of the second s hand and a Milgauss of probably the same period. The later two have riveted braclets. Now...those two feel like toy watches coming out of a chewing gum machine, really flimsy. I do know Rolex was once a cheapish tool watch maker but were they really that toyish in the 50ties? Since I will probaly never have the chance to touch a genuine 50ties Sub I hope to get answers/opinions here.

thanks a lot

if you still have them, I would make you an offer

any manufacturer is the same. Take an Omega vintage, you will see they feel flimsy.
Now, OOTB those vintage reps are not great. with some work and parts, they feel much much better

for example. putting the 2mm springbars and modifying the end links/lugs correspondingly. I can tell you that the case to bracelet link is as solid as a modern watch.

cleaning, oiling and softening the bracelet takes away the cheap rattle, and gives it that old Dad's watch feel

 

[Yellowsubmarine]

This is lovely mate

 

[WatchN3RD]

Super proud of myself, guys.
I stripped down the keyless works, cleaned the parts and put it back in with lubrication (D5 and 8300)

works perfectly. It might seem trivial to you, but it's a big step up for me


I now have an unused 2836 ... guess it's time to go Raffles shopping for that 1016

Man, that is amazing. I'm no pro, but deciding to try and tackle the keyless on a 2836 is what first opened my eyes to more things that were already small enough. . You should definitely be proud!!!

 

[aphmars13]

Super tuto merci

 

[Karbon74]

could some of you PM me the whatsapp of Marv?
I just want to check that I am dealing with the right guy
It should be fine but I want to make sure

 

[Slugger]

Man, that is amazing. I'm no pro, but deciding to try and tackle the keyless on a 2836 is what first opened my eyes to more things that were already small enough. . You should definitely be proud!!!

I bet many, if not most, of us started with a keyless repair.

When the 2824-2 keyless from my Tudor Ranger failed, I found a photograph tutorial and, after buying some tools, I finally got the nerve to start unscrewing parts. When it all went back together and worked, the satisfaction I felt was immense.

To this day, I appreciate that someone I’ll never know took the time to post that tutorial.

 

[Karbon74]

posting it here

How to assemble ETA keyless works

How to assemble an ETA 2800 series keyless works

kronometric.org

 

[Karbon74]

keeping this thread up

I have a JKF5513 in a drawer waiting for the weather to warm up so that I can work on it outside. Plus a bunch of tools, mostly good quality files inbound.

Is anyone building a 5513 these days?

 

[369mafia]

keeping this thread up

I have a JKF5513 in a drawer waiting for the weather to warm up so that I can work on it outside. Plus a bunch of tools, mostly good quality files inbound.

Is anyone building a 5513 these days?

I have one on my bench at the moment waiting for my next delivery of parts .

 

[Kielxx]

I just finished mine ready for diving

 

[aphmars13]

keeping this thread up

I have a JKF5513 in a drawer waiting for the weather to warm up so that I can work on it outside. Plus a bunch of tools, mostly good quality files inbound.

Is anyone building a 5513 these days?

I'm missing a few parts... 2 watches in progress that are missing parts, 1675 and 5513. Packages from the USA take a long time.