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Posted

Hi Everyone,

I have a nice little Uno vintage watch that has a broken strap pin.  The case is only base metal and the pins appear to be cast into the lugs.  What would be your advice for repair or repair?  Many thanks for your help.

Peter

Uno lugs 1.jpg

Uno lugs 2.jpg

Posted

An easy repair, so to speak. You just solder/weld a new lug pin. I guess you have to remove the remaining bit and then polish or file the area to flatten it and then you just solder a new one.

Posted
9 minutes ago, Chopin said:

An easy repair, so to speak. You just solder/weld a new lug pin. I guess you have to remove the remaining bit and then polish or file the area to flatten it and then you just solder a new one.

Hi Chopin,

thanks for the speedy reply!  I'm assuming I could just use a little piece of bar stock of the correct diameter from my materials supply company?  Thanks again for your help,

Peter

Posted

As Ishima points out you'll have to do a bit of research to see what type of metal to use and what type of technique to use as there are a few out there. Maybe laser welding might be a good and clean job with no excess metal gather around...

Posted
2 minutes ago, Chopin said:

As Ishima points out you'll have to do a bit of research to see what type of metal to use and what type of technique to use as there are a few out there. Maybe laser welding might be a good and clean job with no excess metal gather around...

Yes, absolutely.  I have no jewelery soldering experience - only electrical.  It would be a skill worth developing.  Youtube is a great resource!

Posted

My advice is to get the lugs drilled, so to be able to fit springbars, and any strap you want.

Plus drilled lugs are one of these subtle watch buff show offs.

Posted
29 minutes ago, jdm said:

My advice is to get the lugs drilled, so to be able to fit springbars, and any strap one wants.

Plus drilled lugs are one of these subtle watch buff show offs.

That's a good suggestion too.  Thanks!

Posted

If the base metal is brass then it’s pretty easy. I use soldering paste and stainless rod. Use calipers to measure original rod thickness. 

Hard soldering is a skill, and you should definitely practice soldering a spare piece of your rod to another similar scrap base metal like your case. 

As it looks like a cheap watch though, you may be best going with JDM’s suggestion and just pierce the lugs to allow spring bars to seat. The holes will deteriorate if they are unplated brass though. Seen it happen enough times. 

Posted
2 hours ago, rodabod said:

If the base metal is brass then it’s pretty easy. I use soldering paste and stainless rod. Use calipers to measure original rod thickness. 

Hard soldering is a skill, and you should definitely practice soldering a spare piece of your rod to another similar scrap base metal like your case. 

As it looks like a cheap watch though, you may be best going with JDM’s suggestion and just pierce the lugs to allow spring bars to seat. The holes will deteriorate if they are unplated brass though. Seen it happen enough times. 

Yes - drilling the lugs is looking more attractive.  It also plays more to my skill set.  It is a cheap watch and the case feels like a die-cast metal so it shouldn't be too difficult to drill.  Famous last words....  I'll post pictures either way!

Thanks to all respondents for your advice.

Posted

Mount the case securely, and punch where you intend to drill, before using the smallest pilot drill you can get to create a pilot.

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