VOSTOK CASEBACK MANDREL TOOL

[jimzilla]

Hello everyone, I am new to this site and new to vostok modding as well. I hope everyone is having a good evening. I would like to share a little tool that I made today for polishing and or sanding the cases on the vostok watches. I got a little bite mark on the case from the bezel tool when I was taking off the bezel on a 150 case. I want to put a satin finish on or maybe bead blast finish. I have not tried it yet but I think it would be nice to be able to rotate the watch when working on the finish weather you are sanding or bead blasting.
Chuck it up in either a drill press or a drill in a vise and let er rip!.

[jimzilla]

I got around to trying the case back mandrel out today, I had to use a variac (Variable auto Transformer) to slow down the drill to about 120 rpm.
The speed control on my drill was not working very well.
Here are pic's when I started. I cut strips of scotchbrite into strips held them taught. I was surprised how little pressure I had to use to get the desired effect.
It took me longer to do the sides by hand than it did to do the top.

[jimzilla]

I think the next time I do this I will glue the scotchbrite to a Popsicle stick. I got a little lite scratching on the side of the case. I think gluing the scotchbrite to a Popsicle stick will make it more ridged and more accurate instead of being so flexible.

[jimzilla]

I don't think it is too bad for a first attempt, my tool has a couple of thousandths run out in it and i don't think it effects it any, actually i don't think the case back is all that round to begin with.

[jimzilla]

And last but not least the gratuitous wrist shot! .... (bezel removed to see finish)
Let me know what you think, thanks, James.

[jimzilla]

........ UPDATE ........  Gluing the scotchbrite to a Popsicle stick is the way to go, works better, regards, James.

[Endeavor]

It's a great idea and it works well for Vostoks Amphibians who do all share the same back-lid connection. However there aren't  that many watches who are so versatile and have this luxury, that you grab a back-lid-tool which fits many different (style) housings. Plus spare Amphibian back-lids, to make a tool, are cheaply available & in mass.......