Stem/Crown angle adjustment

[dnhb]

I have a Stem that is not perpendicular to the Crown diameter (photo). Is it feasible to correct this without damaging the unit? If so, how would one best proceed?

[oldhippy]

The button's pipe has bent. You need a new button. 

[AndyGSi]

You can try and straighten it but chances are it will snap.

If you want to try then you either need to hold the crown in a clamp and
move the tube or place the tube in a block like this and move the crown.

Is this watch anything special?

[mikepilk]

37 minutes ago, dnhb said:

I have a Stem that is not perpendicular to the Crown diameter (photo). Is it feasible to correct this without damaging the unit? If so, how would one best proceed?

 

What is the watch? I have a Vostok where the crown can wobble on the stem like that.

Is it some sort of pusher - there are no grooves on the crown for it to be for winding?

[praezis]

I find this often, however not always so extreme as yours.

I use to clamp stem with crown tube in a collet of the lathe and tap strongly on the protruding edge (small hammer and a piece of hard wood between).

Not always really successful.

Frank

[HectorLooi]

Watch Repair Tool Stainless Steel Crown Tube Correction Tool Shell Tube Adjustment Watchmaker Repairs Watch Parts
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mNeimYR

There is a tool for straightening the tube. I bought one recently but haven't had the opportunity to use it yet.

[dnhb]

4 hours ago, mikepilk said:

What is the watch? I have a Vostok where the crown can wobble on the stem like that.

Is it some sort of pusher - there are no grooves on the crown for it to be for winding?

It's an Addidas quartz 'fashion watch' with a Miyota 6P29 movement I've been given & am getting it ready to donate to a local charity shop.

4 hours ago, AndyGSi said:

You can try and straighten it but chances are it will snap.

If you want to try then you either need to hold the crown in a clamp and
move the tube or place the tube in a block like this and move the crown.

Is this watch anything special?

No: it's an Addidas quartz 'fashion watch' with a Miyota 6P29 movement I've been given & am getting it ready to donate to a local charity shop but I'm interested to know what can be done  for future reference....

Thanks for the responses, Folks. In the light of them I'm now wondering if trying to bend a Crown tube is likely to be more successful than trying to bend a stem per se ?

Edited December 9, 2024 by dnhb
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[praezis]

19 minutes ago, dnhb said:

if trying to bend a Crown tube is likely to be more successful than trying to bend a stem per se ?

A stem will break immediately.

[AndyGSi]

For the value of the watch it's worth having a go.

If you were doing repairs like this on a regular basis then I'd suggest getting a cheap lot of assorted crowns.

[Neverenoughwatches]

9 hours ago, HectorLooi said:

Watch Repair Tool Stainless Steel Crown Tube Correction Tool Shell Tube Adjustment Watchmaker Repairs Watch Parts
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mNeimYR

There is a tool for straightening the tube. I bought one recently but haven't had the opportunity to use it yet.

Kind of what i was going to suggest ...placing a holed dome stake or similar over the tube and then rotate. Bit like the rolling action for straightening a pin or a pivot . The generated heat from interference also helps.

As Frank suggests..if the tube is soft then it might bend where it comes from   the crown using the rolling technique . If the stem starts to give by bending it, then it will probably break or break the tube at the crown from the direct pressure of the stem bending.

[dnhb]

On 12/10/2024 at 5:47 AM, Neverenoughwatches said:

Kind of what i was going to suggest ...placing a holed dome stake or similar over the tube and then rotate. Bit like the rolling action for straightening a pin or a pivot . The generated heat from interference also helps.

As Frank suggests..if the tube is soft then it might bend where it comes from   the crown using the rolling technique . If the stem starts to give by bending it, then it will probably break or break the tube at the crown from the direct pressure of the stem bending.

Thanks for the warning. It seems, then, that I should remove the stem before attempting to straighten the crown tube. Do I use a little heat to soften the shellac or thread locker that is, presumably, securing the crown to the stem?

[AndyGSi]

5 minutes ago, dnhb said:

Thanks for the warning. It seems, then, that I should remove the stem before attempting to straighten the crown tube. Do I use a little heat to soften the shellac or thread locker that is, presumably, securing the crown to the stem?

If you grip the stem (on the threads) you should just be able to unscrew the crown.

[praezis]

24 minutes ago, dnhb said:

It seems, then, that I should remove the stem before attempting to straighten the crown tube.

No, I wouldn‘t. The stem will protect the tube from getting distorted.

Frank

[dnhb]

7 hours ago, praezis said:

No, I wouldn‘t. The stem will protect the tube from getting distorted.

Frank

Thanks, I can understand that - so have I misunderstood Neverenough's most recent comment which I took to mean the stem would likely break if the tube was straightened with the stem still in situ?

[praezis]

No, the tube will bend beyond the stem thread, where it connects to the crown body.

Frank

[Neverenoughwatches]

18 minutes ago, dnhb said:

Thanks, I can understand that - so have I misunderstood Neverenough's most recent comment which I took to mean the stem would likely break if the tube was straightened with the stem still in situ?

Hiya, what i was meaning " if the stem starts to give it will probably break " stems are hard, much harder than the brass tube. Hard tending to break quickly upon bending...  reaching their short yield point. The brass tube has more flexibility so would bend more readily, its much more likely that the tube is bent not the stem. But frank has brought up a valid point that an empty tube could be distorted .

[RichardHarris123]

Both frank and never have valid points, so insert the stem but don't push on it.  Instead grab the crown tube with stout tweezers or small long nosed pliers and bend from there. 

[dnhb]

Thanks very much for the tutorial, Chaps