Quality Chinese Tools

[gpraceman]

I received the Horia clone and so far am pretty impressed.  Hadn't used it yet though.

I also got an Epilame bottle that I will be using for cleaning pallet forks and balances.  Far less money than the crazy expensive ones I've seen.  Has a mesh basket to hold the parts.  A glass marble sits in the neck to reduce evaporation while the bottle is upright.  Silicone gaskets to keep it all sealed up.  Hopefully, they will hold up to solvents such as Hexane.  A bit larger in size than I expected.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805561125727.html

 

Edited October 5, 2023 by gpraceman

[Malocchio]

I'm having hard time understanding where exactly is the epilame bottle needed. Is it not the same just having some small glass bottle and picking the part with tweezers? Maybe it's handy for treating multiple parts at once but I only submerge escape wheel. I treat pallet jewels with oiler.

[Waggy]

52 minutes ago, Malocchio said:

I'm having hard time understanding where exactly is the epilame bottle needed. Is it not the same just having some small glass bottle and picking the part with tweezers? Maybe it's handy for treating multiple parts at once but I only submerge escape wheel. I treat pallet jewels with oiler.

It's just easier to pick out the treated parts from the small metal basket than the bottom of the bottle, especially the cap jewels used in shock settings. All the time you are trying to pick them up the fluid is evaporating, also the small neck helps reduce fluid loss due to evaporation. But a definite 'nice to have' rather than a necessity.

[mikepilk]

Cousins sell 10ml bottles of Fixodrop for about £30 which have a metal mesh at the top.

[Malocchio]

7 hours ago, Waggy said:

It's just easier to pick out the treated parts from the small metal basket than the bottom of the bottle, especially the cap jewels used in shock settings. All the time you are trying to pick them up the fluid is evaporating, also the small neck helps reduce fluid loss due to evaporation. But a definite 'nice to have' rather than a necessity.

Ok for cap jewels I definitely understand. I use oiler for the cap jewels too. 

[gpraceman]

9 hours ago, Malocchio said:

Ok for cap jewels I definitely understand. I use oiler for the cap jewels too. 

I forgot to mention cleaning jewels.  I'll be using this bottle for cleaning those, balance wheels and pallet forks.  The current bottle that I was using lets the Hexane evaporate too quickly.

[mbwatch]

Has anyone tried the Chinese bezel remover tool with 4 wedge blades, a blue knob, and red aluminum base? Cousins may sell it too. The prices I see on it are suddenly about $20 lower than I remembered and it's moved from "not until I need it" into "sure why not" range. Unless it's junk. Thoughts?

[mikepilk]

26 minutes ago, mbwatch said:

Has anyone tried the Chinese bezel remover tool with 4 wedge blades, a blue knob, and red aluminum base? Cousins may sell it too. The prices I see on it are suddenly about $20 lower than I remembered and it's moved from "not until I need it" into "sure why not" range. Unless it's junk. Thoughts?

 

I recently got one as they seemed so cheap, £16, and I'm surprised at how good the quality is. 

I also bought a screw extractor, as that seem cheap, about £13. I haven't used it yet, but the quality seems OK.

 

Edited October 14, 2023 by mikepilk

[Waggy]

52 minutes ago, mikepilk said:

I recently got one as they seemed so cheap, £16, and I'm surprised at how good the quality is. 

Same here great value for both itrms

[Malocchio]

4 hours ago, mbwatch said:

Has anyone tried the Chinese bezel remover tool with 4 wedge blades, a blue knob, and red aluminum base? Cousins may sell it too. The prices I see on it are suddenly about $20 lower than I remembered and it's moved from "not until I need it" into "sure why not" range. Unless it's junk. Thoughts?

I have. My experience is that the blades are soft trash. I prefer this https://www.cousinsuk.com/product/microshock-case-opener-horotec?code=C0310

[VWatchie]

16 hours ago, mikepilk said:

I also bought a screw extractor, as that seem cheap, about £13. I haven't used it yet, but the quality seems OK.

I got the Bergeon version and although it works very well the tip of the rods that press against the screw easily disintegrates (can be bought as spares). So, my advice is don't press harder on the screw than what's required to get it turning.

11 hours ago, Malocchio said:

I have. My experience is that the blades are soft trash.

I got this type of bezel remover from CousinsUK, and have had no problem with the blades. The screws holding the blades, however, are "soft trash". Noticed it when I tried to tighten them.

[mikepilk]

5 hours ago, VWatchie said:

I got this type of bezel remover from CousinsUK, and have had no problem with the blades. The screws holding the blades, however, are "soft trash". Noticed it when I tried to tighten them.

It looks to be the same model. The blades seem fine on the one I got.  

[Malocchio]

Does anyone have experience of this hand removal tool? I guess it's for hand fitting too? Now I have a very cheap and wobbly hand press. There's so much play that it's like doing everything free hand. This one's $176 in Ali. Any hand press suggestions?

 

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mPo00bm

Edited October 21, 2023 by Malocchio

[clockboy]

30 minutes ago, Malocchio said:

Does anyone have experience of this hand removal tool? I guess it's for hand fitting too? Now I have a very cheap and wobbly hand press. There's so much play that it's like doing everything free hand. This one's $176 in Ali. Any hand press suggestions?

 

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mPo00bm

I have one and I have had issues with it. The pushing needle is not exactly aligned the relevant holes and slot so it is extremely fiddly. I have only used this tool twice so it might just be me being cack handed. 

Edited October 21, 2023 by clockboy

[mikepilk]

I bought a hand press, but find them fiddly to use. I prefer just to press them on by hand. A removal tool for chrono's is useful. Have you got the price right - I see it for £48 ($58)

[Malocchio]

5 minutes ago, mikepilk said:

I bought a hand press, but find them fiddly to use. I prefer just to press them on by hand. A removal tool for chrono's is useful. Have you got the price right - I see it for £48 ($58)

There are different prices for parts of the set. Complete set is $176 for me. I like to press a little with tweezers and finish with a press for some precision. That tool doesn't seem to come with any hand fitting attachments but according to description it should accept screw-in Bergeon pushers that cost like £17 a piece.

18 minutes ago, clockboy said:

I have one and I have had issues with it. The pushing needle is not exactly aligned the relevant holes and slot so it is extremely fiddly. I have only used this tool twice so it might just be me being cack handed. 

Is the needle used just for keeping the hand from falling when lifting the hand? Have you used it as a hand press?

[clockboy]

I purchased the hand lifting tool to help remove really tight hands such as the sub seconds fitted to Brietling chronographs.. I found to my cost using the normal method ie levers etc don’t work and the hand pipe becomes detached. 

[GuyMontag]

8 hours ago, Malocchio said:

Any hand press suggestions?

 

 

 

I have one of these and really like it.

[Malocchio]

12 hours ago, GuyMontag said:

 

I have one of these and really like it.

That's very tempting, I've heard good things about them. There variations of that (same?) tool with more movement holders and pushers.

[rossjackson01]

On 10/14/2023 at 5:18 PM, mikepilk said:

I recently got one as they seemed so cheap, £16, and I'm surprised at how good the quality is. 

I also bought a screw extractor, as that seem cheap, about £13. I haven't used it yet, but the quality seems OK.

 

Thank you for the comment on the screw extractor. Ordered one.

Edited October 22, 2023 by rossjackson01
Spelling, Grammar, more information

[mbwatch]

I noticed today that some sellers of the Aliexpress jeweling Horia clone are now including hand press attachments. This seems like a very precise way to set hands, but also an easy way to inadvertently press way too hard.

[mikepilk]

I don't have the movement holders for each specific movement, I just use a Bergeon 4040. So if the movement isn't sat exactly flat, and the often aren't, then the above type of hand fitting tools are no good. Hence I find just simple hand held pushers under a microscope work fine.

[Malocchio]

On 10/21/2023 at 8:58 PM, GuyMontag said:

 

I have one of these and really like it.

 

One more thing. Don't you need to have many different size movement holders with it? The one I linked comes with four different sizes but even the biggest, 11½ Ligne, is too small for average Seikos. Larger holders don't seem to exist except for obviously the Bergeon ones that cost a lot.

[GuyMontag]

2 hours ago, Malocchio said:

One more thing. Don't you need to have many different size movement holders with it? The one I linked comes with four different sizes but even the biggest, 11½ Ligne, is too small for average Seikos. Larger holders don't seem to exist except for obviously the Bergeon ones that cost a lot.

Yes, although you don't have to. However, if you use the holders designed for the press then you don't have to worry about lining up the holder to get the plunger aligned to the center hands, which for me is one of the biggest benefits of this press. With a normal movement holder you can make it work by covering the holder mount with something flat but then you have to align the plunger to the hands every time. Of course, if doing a chronograph or sub-seconds watches you need to move the holder regardless.

Someone uploaded a 3D design so you can print out a platform for the press. You can also 3D print the movement holders so you can have a custom holder for any movement you use with the press.

Edited October 23, 2023 by GuyMontag

[Malocchio]

28 minutes ago, GuyMontag said:

Yes, although you don't have to. However...

Thanks for the quick reply. I just noticed this was discussed on a previous page. I knew I had seen the discussion but somehow didn't find it with the search. I ordered the press and a Bergeon 5409 copy too.