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TheJohnP
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Re: Post your mods here!

Post by TheJohnP »

yinzburgher wrote: Wed Apr 17, 2019 8:35 pm
TheJohnP wrote: Wed Apr 17, 2019 7:54 pm
[img][/img]
I have no such aversion to dive bezels but I think it looks better with the smooth bezel. May I suggest a new ride to go with the watch?

[img]https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-co ... equin3.jpg[/img]

Just a few more colors than the Colombian flag.
[img][/img]

But I do remember seeing a few of those VWs on the streets way back when and diggin' them.
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Re: Post your mods here!

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Re: Post your mods here!

Post by cortman »

A very low-key mod on my Vostok Amphibia, just brushed the bezel down to the brass and brushed the case slightly.

[img][/img]

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Last edited by cortman on Thu Apr 18, 2019 12:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Post your mods here!

Post by Bbrou33 »

KILL EM ALL!!!!
They look great!

I actually want to remove the cyclops from my Steinhart Ocean 1, however Crystal Times just released a double domed sapphire for it soooo probably just going to go that route
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Re: Post your mods here!

Post by TayTay »

Dub Rubb wrote: Wed Apr 17, 2019 8:38 pm ... As far as the Cyclops goes, if you just hit it with a torch style lighter (butane, blue flame) for a couple seconds (literally 2) it pops right loose. Then you can pry it off with an exacto knife since the glue has loosened. I still haven't removed the excess glue on mine, but will update once I do that.

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Hi. I am a newcomer to modding as well. So cool that we have a thread on this site now too!

This week I removed two cyclops myself for the first time, so wanted to share how it went in case it helps one of you. I tried a normal lighter at first, since I once heard someone say that worked for them... but EFF that! All I did was slowly heat up the whole damn watch and nearly burn myself trying to angle the flame etc.

So I bought a cheap little torch (like you might use for cooking) and that worked so much better. I also took the crystal out of the case so that I could relax about not damaging anything else such as the the crystal gasket.

I held the crystal lightly in some pliers then hit the cyclops with the torch flame until it suddenly looked cloudy or foggy - I think the fog was the cyclops coming loose from the glue. Then it literally slid right off when I started to push it with a case opening knife. One down, one to go.

The other one didn't go so well. For some reason it wasn't fogging up or popping as fast as would be expected (like 5 seconds max). The reason might be because I had been (angrily) hitting it with things the day before when I didn't own a torch yet. It was actually all chipped up from being attacked, hahaha... hmm. Anyway, I held the torch on it much longer than normally needed and then it finally came loose with some gentle nudging. But now the crystal looked stained or burned. I rubbed it with alcohol and goo-gone to try removing the glue residue and discoloration, but it wasn't working. Was about to give up and order a new crystal when wife suggested VIM, which is probably my favourite cleaner for weird sh*t like this. She was so right, the VIM cleaned it right up and it looks mint again. Phew.

This was also my first time removing crystals from a case, so was really glad that went okay too.
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Re: Post your mods here!

Post by TayTay »

Been meaning to post a pic of what is basically my first real mod (if we don't count the experimenting butchering I did on some ebay HMTs). By the way, this also started as a world cup version (Brazil). Good to hear that smooth Murphy bezel will likely work since I want to try that one day too.

Favourite part of this mod, aside from getting cyclops off, was probably reusing the Invicta seconds hand with the wings logo clipped off. I like that little floating lume dot on the end. I just held the removed second hand with tape tipped tweezers and then nipped the back wings off with a good sharp finger nail clipper. Easy, phew!

This isn't the final product I hope to build down the road, but just some compatible parts that I wanted to work on and gain some experience before I start ordering pricier custom parts.

[img][/img]

Was really fun to try this out. Learned a lot in the process.

Biggest thing I learned (don't make fun of me haha) is that NH35 not only is missing a day wheel, but also can not accept one without some modification which was pretty tricky for noob like me. I didn't already know you need to start dismantling the top of the NH35 movement so that the hour wheel can be swapped out for a day wheel compatible one from a donor movement like my Seiko 5's 7s26 (problem was the NH35 hour wheel sits too high and the day wheel won't sit down flat properly).

My advice to anyone else planning to try mods for the first time: aside from reading threads and watching videos about how to proceed, I suggest you also get some basic tools designed for whatever your project requires. Especially nice pointy tweezers and some kind of magnification (mine do about 6x or 7X but I think about 10X might be nice to have). Before I had the right tools, I was basically stumbling around blind with the cheapo HMTs, scratching and bending everything clumsily. Setting the hands was an even bigger nightmare before having any tools or magnification!

For the most part, cheap tools off ebay and amazon were good enough. But, when I had to start unscrewing the top of the movement, I regretted getting crappy ebay screw drivers since the tips were so blunt that I could barely get through that step of the project. Might try some better tweezers and drivers from esslinger soon instead.
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Re: Post your mods here!

Post by Dub Rubb »

TayTay wrote:Been meaning to post a pic of what is basically my first real mod (if we don't count the experimenting butchering I did on some ebay HMTs). By the way, this also started as a world cup version (Brazil). Good to hear that smooth Murphy bezel will likely work since I want to try that one day too.

Favourite part of this mod, aside from getting cyclops off, was probably reusing the Invicta seconds hand with the wings logo clipped off. I like that little floating lume dot on the end. I just held the removed second hand with tape tipped tweezers and then nipped the back wings off with a good sharp finger nail clipper. Easy, phew!

This isn't the final product I hope to build down the road, but just some compatible parts that I wanted to work on and gain some experience before I start ordering pricier custom parts.

[img][/img]

Was really fun to try this out. Learned a lot in the process.

Biggest thing I learned (don't make fun of me haha) is that NH35 not only is missing a day wheel, but also can not accept one without some modification which was pretty tricky for noob like me. I didn't already know you need to start dismantling the top of the NH35 movement so that the hour wheel can be swapped out for a day wheel compatible one from a donor movement like my Seiko 5's 7s26 (problem was the NH35 hour wheel sits too high and the day wheel won't sit down flat properly).

My advice to anyone else planning to try mods for the first time: aside from reading threads and watching videos about how to proceed, I suggest you also get some basic tools designed for whatever your project requires. Especially nice pointy tweezers and some kind of magnification (mine do about 6x or 7X but I think about 10X might be nice to have). Before I had the right tools, I was basically stumbling around blind with the cheapo HMTs, scratching and bending everything clumsily. Setting the hands was an even bigger nightmare before having any tools or magnification!

For the most part, cheap tools off ebay and amazon were good enough. But, when I had to start unscrewing the top of the movement, I regretted getting crappy ebay screw drivers since the tips were so blunt that I could barely get through that step of the project. Might try some better tweezers and drivers from esslinger soon instead.
Great advice and great looking mod!!! You really went hardcore for tour first time. I am still nervous about disassembling any part of the movement including the day/date wheels. Thanks for all the tips, I can't wait to see what you come up with next!

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Re: Post your mods here!

Post by TayTay »

Dub Rubb wrote: Fri Apr 19, 2019 6:51 pm Great advice and great looking mod!!! You really went hardcore for tour first time. I am still nervous about disassembling any part of the movement including the day/date wheels. Thanks for all the tips, I can't wait to see what you come up with next!

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Thanks! You're actually why I am here today. I saw you posting about mods over on WUS recently and it gave me the idea to come looking for the MOT mod thread too. I hope MOT's modding community grows to be really strong like our deals thread.

These pictures helped me get an idea of what to expect when taking the movements apart (a little) to access that hour wheel the NH35 needed:
https://seikoparts.wordpress.com/2017/0 ... th-a-nh35/

The topic discussed isn't exactly same as what I was doing but it shows some similar steps that I also needed to take. One thing it doesn't show is removing the actual hour wheel, but that was just a gentle lift up once the two metal "plates" were moved out of its way. Scroll down to start reading where it says "Remove the snap clip" and then check it out until it moves on to another topic after about "Do the same for the other movement and install with reverse procedure.".

I don't even really like day wheels on watches though, haha. I only did all that because I sort of had to since the Seiko 5 dial being used to practice required one. Boooo.

Anyway, next thing I expect to do, aside from order more parts, might be to debrand the case like you did. That actually scares me more than anything I have tried so far. Oh, and I might throw the left over parts from this round together to make a little brazil watch. Will try to post it if I do.

Btw, I am also building a watch based on Seagull's clone of the ETA6498 soon (I think it is called ST36). It is a big hand winding movement that I heard used to be used mainly in pocket watches. Anyway, I'm hoping to make something that looks kinda like this really nice one someone else made with a real ETA6497:
https://i.redd.it/gqeq8bz283t21.jpg
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Re: Post your mods here!

Post by TayTay »

What did I do wrong?? jkjkjk Knew this wasn't going to look right, but just had to see it anyway.

I'm thinking about clipping the dial feet and installing it straight with diff hands etc, so I guess this was like a test run.

[img][/img]
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Re: Post your mods here!

Post by Bbrou33 »

TayTay wrote:What did I do wrong?? jkjkjk Knew this wasn't going to look right, but just had to see it anyway.

I'm thinking about clipping the dial feet and installing it straight with diff hands etc, so I guess this was like a test run.

[img][/img]
If you turn your head sideways it isn't so bad

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Re: Post your mods here!

Post by yinzburgher »

TayTay wrote: Sat Apr 27, 2019 1:12 pm What did I do wrong?? jkjkjk Knew this wasn't going to look right, but just had to see it anyway.

I'm thinking about clipping the dial feet and installing it straight with diff hands etc, so I guess this was like a test run.

[img][/img]
It could be a driving watch for your right wrist?

[img]https://i1266.photobucket.com/albums/jj ... a410de.jpg[/img]
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Re: Post your mods here!

Post by TayTay »

Bbrou33 wrote: Sat Apr 27, 2019 1:18 pm If you turn your head sideways it isn't so bad

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Ha! Ya, goofing around with this one actually made me realize you could make a pretty decent motorcycle angled watch if you put a 3 o'clock movement and dial in a 4 o'clock case. I think my motorcycle days are behind me now, so just an idea for someone else perhaps.
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Re: Post your mods here!

Post by TayTay »

A while ago I mentioned putting the leftover parts from my Brazil edition Invicta diver into the seiko case. So, here is that one and two other Seiko 5 case swaps. Still trying out little changes to get more experience.

I'm finding the results can be really unexpected. Never thought the dressy silver dial and hands would look so at home in a blasted field style case, but I really like how it turned out.

[img][/img]
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Re: Post your mods here!

Post by Dub Rubb »

Spending the morning building my dad his father's day present. If all goes well, I will be building one for the future father in law too (oh man, I just realized that when father's day comes around, he WILL BE my father in law!). I could button it up now, but a am thinking of painting the tail of the second hand either red or white, but I really dont want to remove it after I just set it!

[IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201905 ... 11dbaa.jpg[/IMG]

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Re: Post your mods here!

Post by Bbrou33 »

Dub Rubb wrote:Spending the morning building my dad his father's day present. If all goes well, I will be building one for the future father in law too (oh man, I just realized that when father's day comes around, he WILL BE my father in law!). I could button it up now, but a am thinking of painting the tail of the second hand either red or white, but I really dont want to remove it after I just set it!

[IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201905 ... 11dbaa.jpg[/IMG]

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Man I really like that hand combo but do agree about adding some contrasting color.

I just grabbed the 8926 from the pay it forward thread and already picking out the design in my head if how I'll build it

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