Reply With QuotePretty professional setup Vs most of us on here.
I usually put the watch inside the lid of an iPad/MacBook box with a hard squint to make sure I don’t mark anything while (un)screwing.
I’m sure many are much better than me, but for those inexperienced, like me, and ham fisted, also like me, this was my successful resize experience, and the tools I used.
Screwdriver
Wiha Picofinish 1.8mm x40. Recommended from TRF as both tapered Bergeon 1.6 and hollow ground Horotec 1.6 don’t have brilliant feedback. The Wiha fitted perfectly, and it’s also not expensive.
Bergeon block to hold the bracelet
Polyimide tape to protect the polished sides of the links
My crème Brûlée burner, a couple of seconds to the end of the screw, it doesn’t discolour the metal in any way
Loctite 222, to the female end of the screw hole
My kitchen workbench :)
Dave
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Last edited by helidoc; 26th January 2024 at 20:59.
Pretty professional setup Vs most of us on here.
I usually put the watch inside the lid of an iPad/MacBook box with a hard squint to make sure I don’t mark anything while (un)screwing.
Magnifier?
Unless your eyesight is very good for close-up work a magnifier of some type will be necessary, being able to see what you’re doing is far more important than a screwdriver with a hollow ground blade. Heat is essential to soften the locktite, a couple of seconds in a small gas flame should do the trick, you should never need to use much force on the screws.
When replacing screws I grip the link with thumb and first finger around the screw and blade, this prevents the blade slipping out of the screwhead.
For me screwdriver blades are a consumable item, the standard tapered ones I buy work out at around 40p each. Bracelet screws usually have thicker slots, to get a snug fit I dress the blade with a diamond file, the taper on the blade means that the blade ends up thicker as metal is taken away. A flat diamond file plate is ideal for this.
A good tip when sizing bracelets is to work on a tray, that safeguards against small parts getting lost. Place pins, screws, tubes etc in a small container as they are removed and keep pins and tubes together as matched pairs, don’t mix them up. There’s always a chance that pins and tubes have been replaced with generic items which won’t interchange, that’s why it’s good practice not to mix them.
Crikey! I’ve always managed with an old Panerai screwdriver that fits oyster screws perfectly, thin sellotape which I put over the screw and push the screwdriver through to prevent any slippage. I just run the bracelet under a hot running tap for a minute or two which has always worked perfectly and never reapply loctite - I did have some with a Sinn U1 once but in 30+ years never had one come undone. I do get the impression lots of people are very hamfisted, find this kind of thing very easy with a bit of preparation and patience!
I balance the head on 2 sharpies laid on the rim of a coffee cup filled with hot water so the bracelet is dangling in there soaking and warming up the locktite if there is any.
5 minutes like that and its easy to unscrew anything.
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