OTTO-FERI Case#1 and SW200-1 movement fit problem

[BillM]

Hi there,

I am trying to build a watch with parts from the OTTO FERI site and can't get the plastic movement ring supplied with the case to work with the SW200-1 movement. (It come as a set and they say it works with the SW200-1 movement).

The plastic movement ring sits up way to high and will not allow the case back to screw down correctly.

It also looks like the movement is sitting too low in the case making the stem misaligned with the stem tube. Is the face of the diel supposed to rest on the case?

Has anyone here tried to fit these parts together, or do a build from parts like this from OTTO-FERI?

I'm only a novice, but have successfully worked on a handful of watches. This seems like it should be pretty easy, but I can't figure it out. Wrong movement ring?

I'll call them tomorrow, but thought I also ask here too. 

Thanks for any info you may have about this.

Bill

[LittleWatchShop]

19 minutes ago, BillM said:

It also looks like the movement is sitting too low in the case making the stem misaligned with the stem tube. Is the face of the diel supposed to rest on the case?

I helped another forum member dealing with a similar problem.  It was a 2824 clone movement.  Because the mov.t set low, the stem went in at an angle and fouled the keyless works (a common issue with that mov.t). 

Does the ring actually engage with the mov.t?  Do they mesh?  Sometimes, this is a tight fit. 

Did you try to install the ring on to the mov.t before putting it in the case?  I am just casting about with questions...hard to solve when it is not physically in front of me.

[BillM]

It looks like the movement fits in the ring fine. 
Yes I have tried to install the ring onto the movement first and then into the case. Couldn’t get it to work. 
There are tabs on the ring that sit in the case that prevent the ring from dropping low enough to let the case back fully seat.  

I’ll take some more photos and try to make it more clear. 
 

thank you for the help. 

 

[BillM]

Here are a few more photos:

Photo 1. This is the only way the ring lines up with the stem hole.

Photo2. Ring upside down, you can see the stem hole is not aligned.

Photo 3. The ring does not fit down inside the case even without the movement.

 

 

[BillM]

I read the other thread about the stem not going back in the 2824 clone movement?

were you able to correct the movement sitting to low in the case, or did you just lift the movement to get a straight shot for the stem to fit and then let the movement sit low? 
it’s looking like I’m going to have the same issue, ( besides the ring fitting). 

[LittleWatchShop]

53 minutes ago, BillM said:

I read the other thread about the stem not going back in the 2824 clone movement?

were you able to correct the movement sitting to low in the case, or did you just lift the movement to get a straight shot for the stem to fit and then let the movement sit low? 
it’s looking like I’m going to have the same issue, ( besides the ring fitting). 

I was not able to correct the way the movement sat in the case.  I tried by designing and printing (3D) ring to hold it in place, but the resolution of my printer was not enough for this task.  So, I just tilted the movement, inserted the stem, closed the case sent it back to the owner.  Since you found that thread, you could contact the guy...I think it was @Chandlerand see if he has made any progress.

This is a very interesting problem.  I have a mind to order a movement and case myself and experiment.  Which case did you get from Otto Frei?  I see several on their site.

[LittleWatchShop]

Did you buy the dial and the mov.t together or did you buy them separately? 

[BillM]

I ordered Case Style # 1 Sapphire Glass Top & Bottom    CASE-1-SA 

I purchased the dial and movement separately.  

 Dial with Inner 24 Hr Track Black Background for SW200-1, SW215-1 and ETA 2804 & 2824-2    DIAL-24HR-04B

I just talked to Otto-Frei and they are baffled too, but the guy that really knows watch parts wasn’t there, so I need to call him on Monday  

Im going to try to close the case without the movement and case back O-ring, but with the movement ring installed when I get home from work today.  
If that works then I’ll try the movement again.
 

on another note, I also could not get both movement holding screws to thread into the movement as the heads of the screws rub against the ring causing the screw to be misaligned with the threaded holes in the movement, and there are cut outs for the screw heads, thee just not big enough.   (And I hate cross threaded screws)!

[grsnovi]

Just based on your photos, it almost looks like the plastic insert should go into the case with the larger diameter facing towards the back. Of course, then the raised nubs would need to be shaved off to allow the dial to be lower - but maybe the plastic ring just isn't ever going to work.

This is a case where having actual measurements would help but I'm not suggesting that you supply them.

Good luck!

[LittleWatchShop]

Looking forward to further updates.  I found the case on ofrei.com

[BillM]

OK, So I removed the O-ring from the case back and I installed just the movement ring into the case.

As you can see from the first photo, there is a gap between the case back and the case when it is fully screwed down.

That gap is 0.207mm as measured with a feeler gauge.

The other photo is of the movement ring looking through the crystal, and it is fully seated against the inner step of the case, and the case back is fully engaged with the 4 raised feet of the movement ring.

Now I could just crank down on the case back and make it seat, but that would distort the movement ring for sure.

This is just not right, no way is the O-ring meant to be exposed like that. 

 

[LittleWatchShop]

2 hours ago, BillM said:

This is just not right, no way is the O-ring meant to be exposed like that. 

Agree.  Did the ring come with the case or did it come with the mov.t?

[BillM]

The ring came with the case. (As advertised on the site, and as received).

The guy at Oto-Frei stated that they are "plug and Play" and that the ring is very unlikely to be wrong as they are all bundled as a pair.

 

[BillM]

Well, I talked to Otto-Frei today and they agreed I was installing the movement ring correctly.

They are sending me a new ring, but I have a funny feeling it'll be the same.

I asked them about the movement sitting low in the case and they said that the case was really designed for the These movements: SW220-1, ETA 2801-2, 2804-2, 2824-2, 2836-2 and that the SW200-1 is a bit thinner and so sits low in the case. But they also assured me that it works.  

Sounds like their pushing this limits of the case to me. 

I can't imagine the crown O-ring lasting very long with the stem at an angle in the stem tube, among other problems that might arise form this situation.

Not sure what I'm going to do at this point.

[LittleWatchShop]

That is disappointing, but sounds like they leveled with you the thickness of the movement.  Maybe cover your losses--sell the SW200 and buy one of the other movements.

[BillM]

If the replacement ring fits and holds the movement inline with the stem tube, and does not look funky at the dial to case interface, I may just move forward with it.  
we’ll see.  

[BillM]

I received the replacement movement ring and it's exactly like the first.

I cut out some material from the ring to give the movement screws some clearance around the  screwhead so they would line up straight, and then installed it. 

The movement screws pull the movement up and make it line up with the stem tube, so that's good.

I went ahead and cut a small amount of plastic from the ring feet and now the case back closes better, but still makes contact with the ring, thus holding everything in place.

I've come to the conclusion that most people just crank down on the case back and distort the ring without even knowing it.  The people at Otto-Frei say they sell many many of these and never get a complaint. I guess I'm just picky about how things fit. 

There is a small gap between the dial face and the inside of the case, not sure that really matters, I can only see it with magnification, so unless there's some other reason the dial needs to be in contact with the case I think I'll just live with it.

I'll post a photo of the watch when I finish it.

Thanks,

Bill.

[BillM]

So I started a new thread concerning this watch build of mine, looks like I damaged the keyless works some how.

Really disappointed.

New thread: SW200-1 Date jumper/stem not working right.

[LittleWatchShop]

6 minutes ago, BillM said:

Really disappointed.

Never worked on the SW200, but it appears to be an eta 2824 clone.  Well...I have worked on a couple of those and the keyless works are persnickety.  That is not a horological term, but it should be. 

All is not lost, I am sure it can be fixed, but you will have to do some disassembly.

 

[BillM]

I don’t even know what I did wrong, the stem seemed to fit  fit up just fine    

[LittleWatchShop]

7 hours ago, BillM said:

I don’t even know what I did wrong, the stem seemed to fit  fit up just fine    

You will have to remove the dial and calendar works to solve this I believe.  Do you feel comfortable doing that?

[BillM]

Yes I do.