How To Reposition A Date Wheel On A Quartz Please

[Invicta]

I am sure that somewhere I have a seen a step by step guide on how to do this but I can't find it.

Possibly it was in a blog?

 

I have put a 1S02M movement into a non working Seiko 7123 but as the stem on the former is at 3Hr and the case position on the later is at 4Hr the result is that the date number is slightly misaligned in the dial window.

The day looks fine.

So I am looking for instructions preferably with associated pictures on how to realign the date wheel on a quartz movement so I can have a go at making the necessary change.

 

Can anyone help please?

 

Bern

[Invicta]

I took a broken quartz movement apart last night and think I am right in saying that you can only move the wheel by a full increment at a time as opposed to just "a tiny amount"?

 

If I am right then it looks like I will need to find movements with stem at 4 Hr.

Like a sane person would. :)

 

So I have posted the obvious beginners question separately,

 

Bern

[bobm12]

Hi Bern, You are right, they won't align. The matter as you might have notice is the slant on the writing which allows for level/horizontal reading for different window positions. If you can live with a slight misalignment then it is OK (depending on the outcome of your build of course). On the other hand, places here like esslinger.com and ofrei.com usually either post the detail of the movements along with pertinent details or can be contacted previous to the purchase. They'll be (as well as probably any other supplier) happy to help.

 

Robert

[Invicta]

Robert,

Thank you for confirming my thoughts on this.

I am becoming so engrossed with the precision of watches that the slight misalignment you get when adapting a 3hr movement inside a 4hr case now drives me to distraction so I'll keep searching.

 

I gather Seiko have a logical solution which is to make a movement with the stem at 3:45 so it can be used on both 3 hr and 4 hr versions of their corresponding models.

 

You Americans generally offer pre sale customer service with a bit more enthusiasm than some of us Brits so I'll ask Ofrei as I have bought a few items and a couple of their watch "kits". Thanks for the tip.

 

Bern

[bobm12]

You are welcome Bern. Please let me know of your progress.

 

Robert

[Invicta]

No results so far.

I have been though all the movements available from Oferi, Esslinger and Time Module but cant find an 11 1/2 with Daydate at 3 hr and stem at 4hr.

I am now thinking of getting some decals/transfers printed and removing the original numbers on the date wheel.

 

Meanwhile I have finished a 1920s Services "Marine"  (trench style) watch modification using a Ronda 1069.

My first one off modification.

Now to find a suitable crown and strap.

 

Bern

Edited July 9, 2014 by Invicta

[bobm12]

Good job Bern, I like the small hand at 6. Where did you get the case?

 

By the way Bern, if you just rotate a Ronda 517 (day/date @ 3) and put the stem @4, (leave the dial with day/date @3) would you get the results you are looking for? I've never done it but just for the sake of asking. Maybe you only need to relocate the dial feet...(ofrei has them)

[Invicta]

Hello Bob,

Thank you. I bought the case/non running watch for £5 at a country show because I liked the enamelled dial. Little did I realise how much was involved "just" to change the movement! But it has been a fun way to learn a bit more.

 

Ronda 517

Thanks for the suggestion.

I have tried this but when you do relocate the feet the date numbers are slightly misaligned in the dial window at 3 hr.

 

I will keep looking,

Bern

[bobm12]

Thank you Bern.  I was looking too but didn't have any luck. If I find anything I'll let you know. Maybe it is time to try a Seiko 5 movement if it fits? (Now we are talking automatic).

[Invicta]

Bob, I thought I had found an ETA = 2846.

But I am not sure the stem is at 4hr and you will need to be sitting down when you look at the prices. :)

 

As I am rebuilding rather than repairing my watch then an automatic movement would be fine.

Do you have any model numbers please?

 

Bern

[bobm12]

Well, I was thinking about the 7S26/7S36 found in Seiko 5 and Divers but they are mostly rare I'd say unless you purchase a couple to rebuild. We are talking about one donor watch to get the other going. They are about 11 1/2 to 12 ligne so I don't know if that will be convenient for you.

 

The 2846 or rather the 2801 et al family of movements are expensive unless you do the same: buy what you can get cheap and broken, then fix. Most 2801 family parts can be interchanged but not all, a difference from Seiko which sometimes uses the same parts in different -- I'd venture saying rather dissimilar -- movements. I don't really know but it seems to me that Seiko is the best way to start, considering how popular Seikos with the crown @ 4 and day/date @3 are. Also not all cases work well with either type of movement. What I mean is that the height and other measurements that will accommodate a quartz may not be suitable for an automatic and the other way around.

 

Either way it is fun to experiment!

[Invicta]

7S26/7S36 - I am thinking the same thing.

 

2846/2801 family - I am not yet proficient enough to do any mechanical work but maybe we could do a deal on these?

If you find any ready to run then please let me know the cost and I'll be happy to buy a couple from you if the price is right.

Occasionally I do this with a couple of other people over there in the USA as the currency rate is currently in my favour.

We agree a price then I pay via PayPal so they can order and ship to me.

 

Just a thought,

Bern

[bobm12]

Sure Bern, only that I'm still fine tuning my Seiko movements and I have not done the 2846s yet. But as soon as I get them going I'll let you know. By the way, if you are interested, you can start with Seiko from these instructions:

 

http://www.clockmaker.com.au/diy_seiko_7s26/

 

You can get the maintenance and tech papers from the Seiko site or I can give you the pdf but I don't know in this forum how to go about it. I had to type the address above by hand (no copy/paste from my pc).

 

I bought a couple (actually 6) of broken Seiko's from the bay and I got 5 working. I plan to sell them (some, not all) in the near future but I'm still working on them. I want them to be like factory new and I'm picky considering I'm my own customer and the first!

 

If you do the same, make sure the case is what you want, and the movement is running (it is ok if it stops and only runs a little bit on and off). Check the balance is fine and the day/date and time work since there are plastic parts involved and they are unavailable mostly.

 

A thought, do you know how to cast plastic parts? That would be super to replace the worn out Seiko gears! I'm researching on it.

 

Robert

 

 

 

[Invicta]

Robert,

 

This sounds good.

I'm stuck for time at the moment so will look at getting into repairing in the future - hopefully over the winter.

 

Casting plastic parts.

I have done some for some 6th scale modelling (GI JOE size) making scale weapons and parts.

The best options I could find were.

For making flexible reusable moulds = Either Silicone Putty (Dentists use it) or RTV Silicone 2020 (RTV = Room Temperature Vulcanisation).

To make the plastic parts I use a 2 part fast cast resin (There are basically 3 grades of hardness/stiffness)

To make sure the cast plastic resin part is easy to get out of a mould I also use a release spray (wax).

 

I found a lot of help via YouTube and forums such as RPF (ReplicaPropForum) and OneSixthWarriors

 

Again I am stuck for time to do any of this but I do use the Silicone Putty to secure case rings when I am happy that the movement/dial/case ring are all located properly within a case.

I am also going to try using the putty to seal the case where the stem is inserted. As the stems are usually threaded I will have to make sure I can still move them in and out. :)

 

Hope this helps,

Bern

[Invicta]

Robert,

 

SII0 7s26A NH26A

I've just seen a couple of these around on ebay.

They might be suitable?

 

Bern

[bobm12]

Bern, first let me thank you for the info about casting. That's what I was looking for! and yes, that's the movement we are talking about. Those non working movements on ebay are the ones I bought. I learned the hard way that the plastic parts are the ones needed for the day/date features. Luckily, only one movement had those in bad shape and I used it for a donor, so in the end it all is working well. One favorable factor about those is that they already come with a case. The down side is that the case might need to be restored too as well as the dial, hands...everything so -- warning -- once you commit to those you are in for quite a ride! The beauty of it is that, alternatively, you can forget about all that and concentrate only on the movement...