Transplanted Texan with Watch Addiction

[bobo383]

 

Hello everybody. I lived in Texas 51 years before moving “up north” to Oklahoma last year. One of my passions is fixing things - working on the house, appliances, cars, trucks, motorcycles, lawnmowers, and anything else that needs fixing and I’ve been good at it except when it comes to watches - what a humbling experience. Googling “broken set lever screw 6497” led me down a trail that led to this forum.

 

For watches: I like just about everything regardless of cost. I have a 1969 Datejust that my grandfather bought new (my watch addiction started there when I was little), and a 1966 Datejust I recently picked up, an Omega AT, a few Seikos, a Vostok, a couple Citizens, an old Bulova, a few Timexes, and a wristwatch-from-pocketwatch conversion with a genuine 6498 movement. Like many of y’all I’m sure, I’ve bought and sold a ton of watches since 1985 and haven’t slowed down.

 

The embarrassing screw-breaking watch is a Panerai look-alike with an ST36 Chinese copy of a 6497. It’s cheap but I figured it was good to learn on. Water was getting in, and the set lever screw was stuck so I broke it trying to get the stem out. Broke the two stuck movement mounting tab screws also, probably due to the water. Got a new ST36 and broke the same dang set lever screw trying to replace the stem. Can’t blame the water this time. Had no idea a tiny screwdriver could deliver enough torque to break screws. The price of education... I need to enroll in a course and stop red-necking this stuff.

 

I have plenty ST36 parts if y’all need any -except screws....

 

Great to be here,

 

Bobo

 

 

 

 

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[Nucejoe]

Hi and Welcome to the forum.

Penetrating oil is the standard practice and ideal if just for a couple of screws, however, I made a standard practice of soakin the entire movement ( for couple of days ) in solvants. Diesel fuel, naphta would do and if you can,t stand the smell, I just rinse in avgas, paint thinner and the like.

This would end breakings and you will be surprised by the ease the screws unscrew.

Regards joe

 

[bobo383]

Hi and Welcome to the forum.
Penetrating oil is the standard practice and ideal if just for a couple of screws, however, I made a standard practice of soakin the entire movement ( for couple of days ) in solvants. Diesel fuel, naphta would do and if you can,t stand the smell, I just rinse in avgas, paint thinner and the like.
This would end breakings and you will be surprised by the ease the screws unscrew.
Regards joe
 

Thank you Joe, I’ll give that a try.


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[Nucejoe]

Are you now transplanted to a sooner or still longhorns?

How can you tell if a guy is American?   Only Americans pay $400 for a football ticket.

Regards joe

 

[bobo383]

Yeah and everybody else calls soccer football too!


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[Nucejoe]

2 hours ago, bobo383 said:

Yeah and everybody else calls soccer football too!


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Guilty as charged I plead..

Edited September 22, 2019 by Nucejoe
Oh made a mistake, paint thinner if strong dissolves shellac on pallet, impulse jewels