Tinrocket

Tinrocket, 12 days ago

@vga256 Thank you. In the same order I got this ultra cheap tabletop soft box (8” ✗ 8”) lighting setup.

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Tinrocket, 12 days ago

@vga256 I set it to 4200K and use the auto white balance. It’s a bit different from photo to photo but I balance it out. I have all my screens set to warm so I'm not really color calibrated on any screen.

Tinrocket, 1 month ago

@MuseumShuffle It’s a big deal for the area but in perspective, nothing like what affects the rest of the world. My wife, who grew up in California, is like “Whatever.” 😅

Tinrocket, 1 month ago

The crystal went into place without issue.

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Tinrocket, 1 month ago

Next, the bezel, comprised of a bezel, a click spring, and a gasket. They, too, go under the press.

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Tinrocket, 1 month ago

Well, I must not have installed the bezel properly, but it was hard to turn, and now it’s stuck. I tried applying all sorts of mechanical force to get the bezel off, but no luck.

Removed the crystal and have the whole thing soaking in WD-40.* I’ll try removing it again in a few hours with a contraption I made with vice and plastic razor blades.

If I can’t remove it, it will be an expensive mistake. 😅

*Hopefully it will also destroy the gasket.

Tinrocket, 1 month ago

In every tutorial I saw, bezel removal almost always damages the watch case. Wanting to avoid that, I removed the crystal and went from the inner seam—not something anyone mentioned.

After much prying, hammering, and three broken tools, the bezel is removed.

Both the case and bezel had gaskets installed, and I didn’t check. Oops.

The case has no damage, but the bezel needs replacing. A $34 mistake instead of $100. (Plus, the case is no longer in stock.)

Tinrocket, 1 month ago

::Two weeks later::

My replacement bezel has arrived and… it's stuck on the case again. 😅

To be continued after my $40 bezel removal tool arrives.

Tinrocket, 1 month ago

Let’s keep trying to remove this bezel:

First, the bezel removal tool wasn’t successful. It’s got a wedge insert that’s supposed to lift the bezel when squeezed. After squeezing it with my grip, I tried a vice, but I used so much pressure I bent the tool.

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Tinrocket, 1 month ago

Ok, so in theory, the screw press I used to insert the bezel should be able to remove it, right?

The bezel tool should be able to hold the bezel while I press down on the case, forcing the parts to separate.

In theory, this should work but the bezel tool kept losing its grip.

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Tinrocket, 1 month ago

Next, I tried a tourniquet of nylon and monofilament lines. However, the lines broke before they got between the bezel and the case. This is my best idea so far; I'll try a Tyvek strip from an envelope tomorrow.

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Tinrocket, 1 month ago

A Tyvek tourniquet didn’t work, so I decided to skip an attempt with picture hanging wire.

Perhaps a few rounds of freeze/thaw would pop the bezel? No? How about freezing the case and immersing the bezel in boiling water? No?

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Tinrocket, 1 month ago

My second bezel removal tool arrived! Talk about single use tools. 🙄

I hope it won’t damage the case or bezel, but at this poin, I’m writing both off as lost. I covered the blades with Kapton (to prevent damage) just in case.

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Tinrocket, 1 month ago

I heard a pop! It's off!

The case is fine, and there’s only minor damage to the underside of the bezel, which isn’t visible when seated on the case.

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Tinrocket, 1 month ago

My new parts arrived.

➀︎ The new crown is slimmer and has a finish that matches the case, compared to the crown I had ➁︎. Maybe I’m being too fussy, but what a difference 0.3mm makes. 😬

And I hope I can use the $26 crown someday. I think a lot of friends and relatives are going to get wonky watches. 😅

Also, loving these zip-close bags that you can write on.

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Tinrocket, 23 days ago

Back at it. I filed down the leg posts on the back of the dial and cleaned up all the filings with sticky tack. 🧼 The dial now sits properly on the movement.

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Tinrocket, 23 days ago

This is the first time I'm putting hands on a movement. There are some special hollow tools that push the hands on to their posts. This is totally a case of where you can watch a YouTube video twenty times and the become a pro. The minute and hour hands are easy compared to the second hand.

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Tinrocket, 23 days ago

The seconds hand has to balance on the head of a pin, which was hard because it was the first time I couldn't see or feel where I was placing something.

While the minute and hour hands need to be aligned, the seconds hand doesn’t, because it moves independently when the time is set.

It was a great success—except I forgot I didn't want to install this white seconds hand, so I’ll have to remove it and do it again tomorrow with the orange or red one I bought. 🤦‍♂️

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Tinrocket, 22 days ago

I figured out a short cut for placing the seconds hand! The lume looks great.

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Tinrocket, 22 days ago

@schwa Thank you. I’m keenly aware that people disappear every time I post to this thread. 😅

Tinrocket, 1 month ago

It’s arrived. #nakaginCapsuleTower

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