Omega Dynamic stem stuck unable to turn

[karthik]

Hi Everyone,

Need help with my vintage Omega dynamic with stem stuck inside the case, only the crown is out(Due to rust) and now it seems we are having trouble turning the dial and movement to get them out  as the broken Stem is obstructing the Movement & Dial rotation.

Please suggest how to remove the Movement without damaging the dial or the case .

Thanks for the Help.

[jdm]

Have you worked on watches before? You need a tool to open the screw type case back. Since the watch has been closed last time after taking the hands. It is probably not very tight, and a friction ball can be enough. 

[rodabod]

I wonder if you could find a very small (say 1.5mm) milling bit, and drill this into the pendant tube. 

Edited January 26, 2018 by rodabod

[rodabod]

@JDM it’s a front-loader. 

[jdm]

1 minute ago, rodabod said:

@JDM it’s a front-loader. 

Even in that case one needs to remove back and crystal. Nothing of that seems to have been done.

[rodabod]

There is no removable back; that’s the strap retaining ring. There is no point in removing the crystal because the movement is keyed into position and must rotate (by 2hrs anti-clockwise) to release from the case. The movement can not be rotated until the stem is returned to the winding position as the original post mentions. 

[karthik]

Hi All,

No i haven't worked on watches ,but this watch has been given to my watch maker for service, who has the tools Like the 107 and the Berger correct me if I am wrong , but since the watch was keep away for years and seems like the rust which has cause the breakage 

The two links which actually helped us were the ones below 

http://www.old-omegas.com/tool107.html

Download video

But we have done the same thing probably and seem to be stuck at a point as RODABOD said we were thinking if drilling in was the best thing to do , Please advice and I resort to you all. 

Thank you 

[karthik]

9 minutes ago, jdm said:

Even in that case one needs to remove back and crystal. Nothing of that seems to have been done.

 

6 minutes ago, rodabod said:

There is no removable back; that’s the strap retaining ring. There is no point in removing the crystal because the movement is keyed into position and must rotate (by 2hrs anti-clockwise) to release from the case. The movement can not be rotated until the stem is returned to the winding position as the original post mentions. 

 Since Half the stem is still stuck inside the movement its not possible to rotate / What should be done ? is drilling the last option ? 

[karthik]

Because at this point it seems no other option is present to release the rest of the stem which is still stuck inside the movement , neither are we able to dismantle the watch from the front like hands and dial as the dial is intact with the movement( Dial legs) and we also thought of not cutting the dial legs to access the movement / 

[karthik]

Sorry Bergeon tool  

[jdm]

29 minutes ago, rodabod said:

 The movement can not be rotated until the stem is returned to the winding position as the original post mentions. 

That after the outer section of the stem has been removed, I suppose. One could try grabbing it with pliers, which tips would have to be shaped first.

I don't think a mill bit would work, because even assuming one can drill pefectly straight, it would make the stem rotate and destroy all it contacts, not cut it.

[WatchMaker]

So in summary as I'm understanding this; it's a movement with a split stem (something like the image below) however the crown has pulled away leaving the male part of the stem still in there.

Have you tried seeing if there's enough thread on the stem to put another crown on or, perhaps preferably as you'll be able to observe and locate better, see if you can thread a 'stem extender' on what's left of the male stem. Perhaps any remaining little thread and a drop of super glue on the extender would give enough purchase for you to split the stem.

After that I can only see two options open to you. Either drilling as robabod has already stated ... or carefully filing away the pendant tube to reveal the stem for extraction with pliers. Obviously you'd then have to replace the pendant tube but given it may be compromised through the drilling option anyway it's an option to consider. The lesser of two evils really. Join the not-a-big-fan-of-split-stems club! 

 

Edited January 26, 2018 by WatchMaker

[rodabod]

The only solutions that I can think of are grinding down the end of the stem, or soaking it in Plusgas and then trying to tap the stem again. 

Before you do carry on, make sure you’ve already tried lightly tapping the original stem, either by inserting a narrow punch into the pendant tube, or by tapping the original crown/stem into it. 

If you try Plusgas (or equivalent) then it will spread everywhere. All of the dial and hands. And the balance. It’s very messy, and you’d need to degrease the hands and dial in naphtha or similar after. 

Rather than drilling with a mill bit, it might make sense to use a “rose cutter” or burr instead if you can find one with a cylinder shape and a safe edge (not abrasive) on the outside so that it does not damage the inside of the pendant tube. 

[jdm]

3 minutes ago, WatchMaker said:

However the crown has pulled away leaving the female part of the stem still in there.

Leaving both parts you mean. If only the inner was left, job would be done.

[rodabod]

The inner section alone has to be returned to winding position before movement can rotate. 

These are £1.55 in Cousins and available in many sizes, in case you need to go that route:

[WatchMaker]

Yes that's what I meant! 

Unless this is different, one half of the stem will always be in there until the movement is out and can be removed in the normal way! My observation is that the OP's picture only shows the crown and not the other half of the split stem that would normally come out with the crown. That implies it is still in there. And if it had some thread...!

Edited January 26, 2018 by WatchMaker

[rodabod]

Is the outer half of the stem still there? Hard to tell from the photos. Just reading what member Watchmaker wrote. In which case you could be in luck. Or are we looking at the end of the inner half?

[jdm]

17 minutes ago, rodabod said:

These are £1.55 in Cousins and available in many sizes, in case you need to go that route:

Sorry, I fail to understand how an high speed cutting tool can cut something, like a stem, that is free to rotate. Unless, of course, you intend to use brute force and destruction.

[Ishima]

Can you not loosely fit a crown (any crown) to the stem in order to gain a hold on it and remove it?

Edited January 26, 2018 by Ishima

[rodabod]

1 hour ago, jdm said:

Sorry, I fail to understand how an high speed cutting tool can cut something, like a stem, that is free to rotate. Unless, of course, you intend to use brute force and destruction.

If the stem is seized by rust (which it sounds like may be the case) then it would hopefully remain static. 

If the outer half of stem is still present, then try threading on another crown with a long enough tube, and perhaps a crown one size larger if the corrosion has caused the stem to bloat in size. If there is nothing to thread onto reliably, then machine a tube to slide inside the pendant tube and over the rusty stem; use two-part epoxy to adhere the sleeve to the outer half of the stem and then remove. 

Of course, even if the outer half of the stem is still there, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the inner half isn’t seized too!

[jdm]

1 minute ago, rodabod said:

If the outer half of stem is still present, then try threading on another crown with a long enough tube, and perhaps a crown one size larger if the corrosion has caused the stem to bloat in size. If there is nothing to thread onto reliably, then machine a tube to slide inside the pendant tube and over the rusty stem; use two-part epoxy to adhere the sleeve to the outer half of the stem and then remove. 

I think that trying to thread a crown would never work for the same reason: the stem turns, no amount of rust would be enough to lock it, rather it would snap as it did already..
But using a glue in tube is a good idea, just a springbar might work.