Watch repair advice - do not use Superglue

[pugwash]

Have you ever seen CSI when they use Superglue to pick up fingerprints? What's happening there is the fumes from the cyanoacrylate glue (superglue) are sticking to the oils left behind from a fingerprint.

Yes, that's right, fumes.

Superglue gives off fumes that can stick to anything, and this includes watch movements. If you use superglue in your repair and the fumes go anywhere near the movement, the fumes will stick to the oils in a watch and permanently damage the insides. If you're using glue near the bezel, you had better hope that every part is grease-free or you'll have an imobile bezel. if you use it anywhere near the crystal, well I'm sure you get it by now.

While acetone (nail varnish remover) can get the glue off exterior parts, you cannot use it on the movement.

If you've used superglue and you don't have a disaster in the first hour or so, you should be ok. Next time, use something else.

This has been a public service announcement.

 

[pman]

Were you priveledged enough to learn this first-hand?

 

[pugwash]

Were you priveledged enough to learn this first-hand?

Thankfully, no.

 

[Hellcat]

Have you ever seen CSI when they use Superglue to pick up fingerprints? What's happening there is the fumes from the cyanoacrylate glue (superglue) are sticking to the oils left behind from a fingerprint.

Yes, that's right, fumes.

Superglue gives off fumes that can stick to anything, and this includes watch movements. If you use superglue in your repair and the fumes go anywhere near the movement, the fumes will stick to the oils in a watch and permanently damage the insides. If you're using glue near the bezel, you had better hope that every part is grease-free or you'll have an imobile bezel. if you use it anywhere near the crystal, well I'm sure you get it by now.

While acetone (nail varnish remover) can get the glue off exterior parts, you cannot use it on the movement.

If you've used superglue and you don't have a disaster in the first hour or so, you should be ok. Next time, use something else.

This has been a public service announcement.

[smilie=hello2.gif] [smilie=hello2.gif] [smilie=hello2.gif] Never ceases to amaze me....you da man puggy!!!! [smilie=wav.gif]

 

[pugwash]

If you want to show your appreciation, nothing says "Thank you" like a new IWC. :twisted:

 

[OiRogers]

I've seen firsthand the after effects of superglue fumed items... a co-worker had an item stolen out of his home during a burglary... it was later recovered and "fumed" with superglue for prints... after a long drawn out trial where it was used as evidence... my friend recovered his possessions... it took several hours of effort over several days to remove all the superglue residue from his stuff... it was litterally a thin film of glue over every surface... was quite a PITA to get clean.

As a result... I don't have any superglue at all in the house... I have an intense dislike for it for some reason now

 

[pugwash]

I've seen firsthand the after effects of superglue fumed items... a co-worker had an item stolen out of his home during a burglary... it was later recovered and "fumed" with superglue for prints... after a long drawn out trial where it was used as evidence... my friend recovered his possessions... it took several hours of effort over several days to remove all the superglue residue from his stuff... it was litterally a thin film of glue over every surface... was quite a PITA to get clean.

I had a motorbike stolen and recovered in a thief's lockup. When I got it back, they'd used the conventional silver print powder. That takes a while to get off, but is nowhere near as bad as superglue.

 

[Sylar]

As ThumbWA always says "Superglue is not a watch tool."

 

[DRBAFC]

Well, I had to bring this topic from the dead.

I, stupidly, superglued my bracelet to the case. I read acetone can easily strip the glue off. Except:

1. superglue is most effective when binding metal to metal
2. there is no gap for the acetone to seep into between the endlink and case lug

Am I screwed?

What if I apply heat from a hair dryer?

 

[Ko67]

Well, I had to bring this topic from the dead.

I, stupidly, superglued my bracelet to the case. I read acetone can easily strip the glue off. Except:

1. superglue is most effective when binding metal to metal
2. there is no gap for the acetone to seep into between the endlink and case lug

Am I screwed?

What if I apply heat from a hair dryer?

Heat may or may not work. There are super glue dissolving solvents, usually sold in the same shop area as super glue. They might work better than acetone.

Superglue and wd40 are both bad mojo for watches.

 

[Alex_P1]

Well, I had to bring this topic from the dead.

I, stupidly, superglued my bracelet to the case. I read acetone can easily strip the glue off. Except:

1. superglue is most effective when binding metal to metal
2. there is no gap for the acetone to seep into between the endlink and case lug

Am I screwed?

What if I apply heat from a hair dryer?

Drop the movement from the case and see if you can get the crystal out. If you can get it down to a 'naked' case, heat will break the superglue down in seconds, however, you need a gas torch rather than a hairdryer.

If you don't have a gas torch (or aren't allowed to use the stove!), or can't get the crystal out, then solvents are going to the be way forward. Make sure you don't get acetone on any plastic, so if you've got a plexi crystal be VERY careful, I wouldn't get it on AR either as it might damage it (?). I'd soak the case overnight and it should just come apart then, don't worry about there not being a gap, capillary action will draw it in.

p.s. superglue is actually most effective sticking skin to skin as it was developed for use on the battlefield in Vietnam and it is amazing at it! That is why, even when the thing you're trying to stick won't hold, you're fingeres are glued together! It also needs a little bit of moisture and a lack of oxygen to go off effectively, so breathing on what you're sticking really helps.

 

[DRBAFC]

Thanks. I plan to strip it down to case only. If I hold the case to the flame, no damage will be done to the case?

 

[Alex_P1]

I'm assuming your case is solid stainless steel?

If so, brief exposure (2-5 seconds) to a flame will do it no harm. More than that will turn it yellow as the stainless oxidises.

Less is more here: hold it with pliars, expose the area with the glue on to the flame and count to 2, pull it out and flip it over, wait 2 seconds, try again. You'll know when the superglue is breaking down as it'll smoke, and that is it done, no more heat required.

I think you need the glue to get to about 200C to break down, and the case will only start to discolour at about 600C.

 

[DRBAFC]

Thanks very much. Will try that later tonight.

I'll use a lit candle


Edit: wiki says temperature of burning candle is 1000 C. Don't see anything that burns at half that

 

[Alex_P1]

A lit candle will be fine, the 1000C is the flame temperature, it'll take time to heat the case up. Go a few seconds at a time and you'll be fine.

 

[DRBAFC]

Held the endlink over a tealight candle for a moment and it loosened the superglue. Thanks!

 

[Alex_P1]

Glad it worked well for you!