Stem trouble in Omega dynamic

[rogart63]

This watch was in for service at a watchmaker not long ago? Got it from it's owner saying it lost about a minute a day? So thought i could adjust it? 

Did as i always do? Pull the crown out with a presto tool. Oooops the stem was a whole 565 stem? It broke right next to the crown 

Now i can't get the movement out because the stem is to long and the movement and dial can't rotate enough to get the unit out . 

Tried a little round carbide drill on the Dremel but the stem material is to hard and i keep slipping and risking destroying the crow tube also? 

Anyone got any tips? Could maybe be set up in a milling machine but that is nothing i have in my machine park? The stem and the crown i can get? The right split stem i mean  

Maybe i should leave it for someone that has the machinery? 

[david]

One thing you might try is to make a drill guide that can fit into the stem tube and center the stem. You can then run a drill through the hole in the guide. and drill into the center of the broken stem. Once a center is established in the stem you can remove the drill  guide and follow up with a larger diameter drill bit. Hopefully this will remove the top section of the stem or at least weaken it to a point where it will bend as you remove the movement from the case.

david 

[Cad101]

The Question is what idiot replaces a split stem with a full one on a front loader. I would take it back to the original repairer it his/her mistake after all.

[rogart63]

1 hour ago, david said:

One thing you might try is to make a drill guide that can fit into the stem tube and center the stem. You can then run a drill through the hole in the guide. and drill into the center of the broken stem. Once a center is established in the stem you can remove the drill  guide and follow up with a larger diameter drill bit. Hopefully this will remove the top section of the stem or at least weaken it to a point where it will bend as you remove the movement from the case.

david 

Not a bad idea actually? Have small 0.7 mm drills so at least i can try that? If i do a guide in silver rod steel i can harden it?

[rogart63]

6 minutes ago, Cad101 said:

The Question is what idiot replaces a split stem with a full one on a front loader. I would take it back to the original repairer it his/her mistake after all.

Think so to. But the owner would not confront the watchmaker or previous owner? i am thinking someone else should do this job as it is to complex for me? At least without the proper tools? 

Even if the movement comes out in one way or the other it has to be serviced? As i drilled and there has probably got  small debris inside? 

[Marc]

Is it possible that it is a split stem but the original was already damaged/weakened and broke before the coupling gave way?

If so you could always screw a stem extender onto the stem in the watch and pull the coupling apart that way.

I don't see how you could install a one piece stem in a Dynamic.

[rogart63]

2 hours ago, Marc said:

Is it possible that it is a split stem but the original was already damaged/weakened and broke before the coupling gave way?

If so you could always screw a stem extender onto the stem in the watch and pull the coupling apart that way.

I don't see how you could install a one piece stem in a Dynamic.

Can't be that difficult to put a one piece stem in? Just press it in and snap? No way to remove so it's a one time change? 

There is no couplings in there as i have already tried to put a extender and that didn't work either? Just pulled the threads in the extender? As they are not that long threaded? 

[StuartBaker104]

Machining the stem out will be awkward as it is hardened. It will also fill the movement with hard material that will mean a complete teardown and thorough clean.

Have you tried to remove the crown tube with a pin vice? That would allow you to cut the stem shorter or try again to pull it if it is possibly a split stem.

Even if you damage the tube, if you think it would give you enough reduction in stem length then I would think it would be easier to turn a new case tube than do a complete movement service

[rogart63]

21 minutes ago, StuartBaker104 said:

Machining the stem out will be awkward as it is hardened. It will also fill the movement with hard material that will mean a complete teardown and thorough clean.

Have you tried to remove the crown tube with a pin vice? That would allow you to cut the stem shorter or try again to pull it if it is possibly a split stem.

Even if you damage the tube, if you think it would give you enough reduction in stem length then I would think it would be easier to turn a new case tube than do a complete movement service

To late as i have already tried grinding out the stem with a small round ball carbide drill ? The owner wants it back so i leave the job for someone else to finish? 

But was thinking i could take the crown tube of? With risk of destroying more i never did. Thank God for that? 

The stem is quite short and there are no way i could cut it shorter even if i remove the crown tube? 

 

Can't win them all? 

Edited February 9, 2017 by rogart63

[rodabod]

That's a really horrible situation to be put in.

I think that placing a tube inside the pendant tube with a hole large enough for the stem to fit into (to use as a drill guide) is a good idea, if I've understood the suggestions above correctly.

[sstakoff]

On 2/9/2017 at 0:40 PM, Marc said:

Is it possible that it is a split stem but the original was already damaged/weakened and broke before the coupling gave way?

If so you could always screw a stem extender onto the stem in the watch and pull the coupling apart that way.

I don't see how you could install a one piece stem in a Dynamic.

I agree with Marc - I don't think just pushing a one-piece stem in would work - at least not without seriously damaging the setting lever or worse. Something just seems very odd about this. Unfortunately I don't have any better ideas than already presented....

[rodabod]

15 minutes ago, sstakoff said:

I agree with Marc - I don't think just pushing a one-piece stem in would work - at least not without seriously damaging the setting lever or worse. Something just seems very odd about this. Unfortunately I don't have any better ideas than already presented....

I can't remember which variety of movements fit these cases (there are more than one), but some 1960's onwards Omegas have a sprung bolt-piece (setting lever) which permits simply pushing the stem in as the stem ridge has a chamfered edge so that the stud on the bolt-piece just rides up into position.

[Andyclient]

11 minutes ago, rodabod said:

I can't remember which variety of movements fit these cases (there are more than one), but some 1960's onwards Omegas have a sprung bolt-piece (setting lever) which permits simply pushing the stem in as the stem ridge has a chamfered edge so that the stud on the bolt-piece just rides up into position.

The 565 calibre does indeed have a sprung setting lever and not a screw looking at the ranfft pic, as i must admit i thought how was it possible to get a one piece stem in and secured so checked the cal pic

[rogart63]

If there is a sprung setting lever? That should be easy just to push the stem in? On some movements that won't work? As most ETA. But on Seiko that is no problem? What i don't understand is how could the "watchmaker" get the right length of the stem? Did he do it before he put everything on? 

[rodabod]

13 hours ago, rogart63 said:

If there is a sprung setting lever? That should be easy just to push the stem in? On some movements that won't work? As most ETA. But on Seiko that is no problem? What i don't understand is how could the "watchmaker" get the right length of the stem? Did he do it before he put everything on? 

Yes, it's a sprung setting lever; you just depress a button to release, instead of turning a screw to release.

The stem could be shortened as far as the end of the pendant tube when fitted. For some crowns, that would be acceptable. For some, not.

Or, perhaps they still had the original male/female stem parts and could measure or compare the length.

[Paul78]

Can i ask does this movement have a ring to secure it once its fitted into the case? i've got one of these in for repair now, it was dropped and fell to pieces, the female end of the stem just keeps coming off! not because its loose but because there is a little bit of play with the movement, when it turns slightly the stem just slides right off. Just wondering if there is a ring missing or something.