Lengthen Stem? (Now sorted)

[dirkhunt 0]

No, stem doesnt have to come out completely to be a keyless work related problem. The keyless has gone on my datejust, and the crown just spinning, but no pull out of watch.

[ROLIE 46]

As NCRich said it is a keyless problem most likley a setting lever fault . But either way it wants stripping down and checking

[ShovelnTC 31]

Bugga! :(

 

Not confident to do anything more complex than a whole movement replacement as I just can't deal with the tinyness and have previously sold my favorite BK for just that issue so maybe this will end up the same way :( :( :(

 

Bloody mechanical watches!

[ShovelnTC 31]

OK I'm over my spoiled little girl episode so have had a go at sorting this.

 

Firstly a big thanks to all of the responses and especially to Rollie who offered assistance above and beyond.

 

So with all of the advice I checked a bunch of possibilities and found that there was no clearance issues with the case, tube or movement spacer.

 

Not sure what Gen has but I thought that this should have a screw-down crown but there are no threads to be seen either in the crown or on the tube so it appears that any Crown WR is maintained only by an O-ring gasket inside the crown which seats against the flat edge of the tube but being that there is no screw down crown the pressure is only applied with whatever force the movement to stem has when in the fully seated position so I don't think I'll be diving with this fella too soon.

 

I took the movement including the spacer/holder out of the case and fitted the stem/crown to the movement and without the case/tube all functions were correct so a big sigh of relief that the bloody keyless was still in place as it should be and that is the fitment to the case that is causing the issue.

 

So with the other clearances checked my options were to get a new stem and trim it a little longer than the existing one, unwind the crown a few threads to gain a little more length or shorten the outer part of the tube to allow the crown/stem to go a little further into the tube.

 

So being that I waited over a month for parts for my last fix and the degree of difficulty in getting the stem just right as mentioned by NCR as well as the possibility of damaging the stem trying to remove the crown I certainly wasn't keen on ordering a new stem so opted to shorten the tube.

 

So using a fine stone grinder I removed a fly's dick of metal from the end of the tube and cleaned it up with some fine emery, I was very careful not to remove too much material and to keep the tube end square so as to keep the integrity of the crown gasket to tube end seal as good as possible but hoping that I wouldn't have to do it a second time, then of course thoroughly cleaned everything before re-assembling everything with a little grease on the crown gasket to assist with the seal in case I get caught in the rain.

 

So I'm happy to report that the job worked and the watch is back in rotation with a snug fit to the crown but just enough play to be able to wind in the winding position.

 

Thanks to all who offered assistance.

 

Removed a slither of metal from here.

 

 

All buttoned up, a bit of a manual wind and time/date set all as it should be.

 

 

And of course the obligitory wristie.

 

 

Cheers, Mark.

[BadPickle 2,731]

:thumbsup: a job well done

[GenTLe 1,490]

Bravo!! :)

[NCRich 13,738]

Glad I was wrong. I frequently am, as my wife tells me constantly.

[Nikosaldente 630]

Well done Mark!

[ShovelnTC 31]

Thanks guys.

 

I'm slowly getting more confidence in this watch tinkering thing, but there's still plenty of time and opportunities to bugger up something else in the future requiring your assistance again

 

Cheers, Mark.