Jump to content
APjumbo

Railmaster Build

Recommended Posts

APjumbo

So I have finally made a little progress on the 39mm railmaster build.

Having bought a gen dial from eBay, I was looking for a 39mm case from a 2500 series Aqua terra. (Long out of stock)

After getting an dud from dhgate which was horrrid quality I found a 38.5mm Aqua terra from the 8500 series.

It is almost a shame to use it as a base because it is so nice as is. I wasn’t expecting the blue dial to be so nice.

Anyways, lucky day, the dial just barely squeaks into the case.

Now I’m doing some research on lume to decide to use the rep 8500 blue lume hands and movement or to find some other hands and an eta and movement holder to keep this blue setup intact for future use.

 

I assumed the railmaster had green hand lume but a quick search shows the hands may be blue.

 

4-BF9-D68-E-8261-42-AA-965-A-B59-DD5-C3-
DCA9-F6-DB-2050-426-D-8070-DB1-D5-D739-C

 

Hnad set still not quite right

https://www.helenarou.com/seamaster-aqua-terra-hand-set.html

 

 

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Buddhabar

Nice project.

On my Railmaster gen the hands are green.

 

22c6f5084564e59dc9c802a23896acdd.jpgae6565caee67bb5bc2c68c03342a0d8c.jpg

  • Like 3

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
APjumbo

@Buddhabar

Thanks for the info. Online some lume shots look blue and some green so it’s super helpful to get a solid answer.

I really like the sky fall setup that I pulled out and don’t want to mess up the dial or hands by accident.

Looks like I should hunt down some green eBay hands and a movement spacer. I am sure I have a a2824 lying around that I can modify to remove the date set position.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Buddhabar

Wow ... you have a really ambitious project. I believe that the blue light is found on non-railmaster Aquaterra. In the end I believe that keeping the blue setting is the right choice. I can tell you that I have an Aquaterra VSF with blue light ... here are photos from a few days ago. Maybe on the forum or on the sellers you can ask for the right hands.0bd83c28da0d4b5ec43f845120a52b13.jpg

 

89adf1f5e57f7d409ad83654b3c5c635.jpg

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
APjumbo

I do like the green blue combo that omega does. The other problem with the handset I have is the hour hand should be pointy for the older 2500 series and the 8500 series I’m using has the hour hand tip chopped off. Also the seconds hand counterweight looks different.

I will see what I  can find, these older reps and omega are getting hard to source parts for.

In hindsight I may have been better off buying the gen off eBay that sold for about $2000 and sell off the bracelet or movement and work backwards to keep it cheap.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
APjumbo

I also have these handsets kicking around.

One is a Seamaster set that was labeled miyota 8215 / eta2824. I think it was from a planned Seamaster build. From eBay a few years ago.

The other set is apparently a gen planet ocean 42mm set. Should also fit a 2824 as far as I know.

 

5-C30-DB81-DC3-A-411-C-BA55-5-A842-D02-D
83-FCAD02-5-BD2-43-D6-88-E6-AFBC387-D659

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
APjumbo

After re looking up hands hole sizes that Seamaster miyota set was probably supposed to read 8215/DG2813

Not compatible with a a2824

3035/3130/3135 hands 95/140/22

28x hands size (ETA) 90/150/25

2813 hands 100/150/17

 

Miyota 8215

Different answers

Consensus is 

100/150/17 same as DG2813

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Buddhabar

I understand your problem.
We often come across having to tune the lume of the dial with that of the hands. Certainly not an easy undertaking.
In these cases it would be better to redo the light on the hands ... if you have the skills, otherwise take the sets as the genuine one and adapt to the movement. Sometimes with a little luck it went well for me.
Seeing the photos you posted ... the first one has seamaster hands for 42mm watch and the second one for Planet Ocean also 42mm. So too long.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Buddhabar

For your project I would like these well.

Old style Railmaster.

 

02b834d33f1922db0bb782635da830e8.jpg

 

 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
APjumbo

@Buddhabar

I really like those old style broad arrow railmaster hands you posted.

I didn’t have time today to do any hunting but will take a look tomorrow for something like that.

My old ranchero had hands like that, really nice style.

 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
APjumbo

Apparently being a hoarder pays off. I had a spare cheap 39mm explorer lying around, and the movement ring fits perfectly. 
It had a 2813 but will also fit my spare a2824.

Also what is interesting is that the 39mm explorer caseback seems to fit perfectly as well. I may use it to disguise the undecorated movement.

598-A8-D78-6109-48-C4-9108-849-BC16-C737
E638-FAF2-E275-48-B5-AE3-C-16-EB4-FE6801
05-CC6-E63-17-C7-4205-8-D71-8-A0279-C58-

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
APjumbo

I found the set of hands Buddhabar referenced over on eBay . About $200 cad, ouch. 
Ended up buying this from WSO ($45usd) along with a few $10 random sets from AliExpress 

38658466-784-D-4079-A96-E-6-C5-A6-DDC7-E

 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
APjumbo

Cheap set59-F28-FB6-ACEA-4-A67-B3-FE-ADCEE56496-B

6043-E920-3-EB3-41-CE-97-AC-8-FDE7804-AD

 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Buddhabar
11 hours ago, APjumbo said:

I found the set of hands Buddhabar referenced over on eBay . About $200 cad, ouch. 
Ended up buying this from WSO ($45usd) along with a few $10 random sets from AliExpress 

38658466-784-D-4079-A96-E-6-C5-A6-DDC7-E

 

This seems to me a good choice even if the set I think is of the Broad Arrow speedmaster.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Buddhabar
11 hours ago, APjumbo said:

Cheap set59-F28-FB6-ACEA-4-A67-B3-FE-ADCEE56496-B

6043-E920-3-EB3-41-CE-97-AC-8-FDE7804-AD

 

On these ... I would prefer the first set, because the hour hand is pointed and not blunt.
The second set seems to me to be the one for the Aquaterra model.
Anyway when they get there, I'd like to see their lamp.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Buddhabar
On 23/05/2022 at 21:31, APjumbo said:

I also have these handsets kicking around.

One is a Seamaster set that was labeled miyota 8215 / eta2824. I think it was from a planned Seamaster build. From eBay a few years ago.

The other set is apparently a gen planet ocean 42mm set. Should also fit a 2824 as far as I know.

 

5-C30-DB81-DC3-A-411-C-BA55-5-A842-D02-D
83-FCAD02-5-BD2-43-D6-88-E6-AFBC387-D659

Is this bracelet rep? Which is the reference on the link? It should be 898.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
APjumbo

@Buddhabar

The bracelet is stamped 1678/602

It came with the case I’m using. Newer model 8500 movement 38.5mm

If I ever find a 2500 version rep I will be sure to put this 38.5mm back together and move over to it instead. That’s why I’m hesitant to separate the hands and movement from the donor.

These extra hand sets are just cheap spares for fun. Right after I ordered them I found a seller that listed these and more for $5 each. I will be sure to take photos of them all.

I can’t seem to find the exact hand set I need for this  railmaster but love your idea going with broad arrow hour and pointy minute hand, just like the/my grail 1957 trilogy model. The speedmaster set I got may not be the perfect length but will be a fun place holder until I find the proper parts.

 

B07068-CC-46-B6-482-C-B355-804-BCC9411-D

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
APjumbo

Broad arrow hands arrived 

They are ok, not the greatest but I may throw them on just for fun.

A87-A1-D77-9564-43-B3-A18-D-3-FBA39-EFA8

 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
APjumbo

I am using the a2825 out of my old BP explorer. Decided to swap this keyless part out to remove the ghost date position.

308-A69-E5-C624-44-E9-AD4-E-61-A1-ABF89-

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
APjumbo

It’s the strangest thing, fighting with the keyless/stem as usual.

I figure the movement in the Aqua Terra donor is an a2824, balance wheel at 12.

I assumed the stem from the Aqua terra would pop right into the explorer a2824 movement. It was fighting me, I reset/checked the keyless bits, everything is in place, still no luck with the Aqua terra stem.

Decided to try the old explorer stem and it popped in without a fuss and feels smooth and great.

These look exactly the same to me.

It is a bit strange.

A5579479-4-FA5-4-ADF-B505-EF75-E97555-C5
 

I am doing some learning on the difference between 2824 and 2836 stems. My spare 2824 stems from my kit looks like neither of these and has an extra collar. Either these clones are just finicky or it’s a 2836 and I need to learn more about movement differences

https://forum.replica-watch.info/forum/modification-repairs/7296067-clone-2824-stem-fit-for-asian-2836

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Buddhabar
3 hours ago, APjumbo said:

Broad arrow hands arrived 

They are ok, not the greatest but I may throw them on just for fun.

A87-A1-D77-9564-43-B3-A18-D-3-FBA39-EFA8

 

They look great. Come on .. you're almost there.

Maybe I would have given the Rehaut a file. It seems that the indexes dial are covered .. or maybe it depends on a coarse centering?

39 minutes ago, APjumbo said:

I am using the a2825 out of my old BP explorer. Decided to swap this keyless part out to remove the ghost date position.

308-A69-E5-C624-44-E9-AD4-E-61-A1-ABF89-

good choice.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Buddhabar
37 minutes ago, APjumbo said:

It’s the strangest thing, fighting with the keyless/stem as usual.

I figure the movement in the Aqua Terra donor is an a2824, balance wheel at 12.

I assumed the stem from the Aqua terra would pop right into the explorer a2824 movement. It was fighting me, I reset/checked the keyless bits, everything is in place, still no luck with the Aqua terra stem.

Decided to try the old explorer stem and it popped in without a fuss and feels smooth and great.

These look exactly the same to me.

It is a bit strange.

A5579479-4-FA5-4-ADF-B505-EF75-E97555-C5

It also happened to me that the stem of an age 2840 gen does not fit into that of an A2824. I have verified that the sprocket has a smaller square hole than that of an authentic eta, therefore the stem does not fit at all.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
APjumbo

@Buddhabar

I appreciate the help. I didn’t notice the rehaut, but also am hesitant to muck up this Aqua terra too much. I am hopeful so will find a 2500 series AT to transfer this to and will undo what I did to this donor and re assemble it.

I ended up using a new 2824 stem from my kit and it’s working great. Just need to check length still.

Decided to skip the dial sticker and use proper dial feet, waiting for glue to dry. I take the hour wheel off during this like NCrich recommend in his awesome thread on dial feet.

CA0-B345-E-27-F9-4733-9780-028-B9-FF624-
4-A4007-E5-619-D-45-B5-B156-D70-E2083-C1
 

By the time this dries I’ll have had a few beer and so will just finish the hands and install in the morning.

With my luck these WSO eBay hands won’t fit and I will get to learn hand broaching. Yay! (edit- they were a little tight but went on no problem)

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
APjumbo

It turns out I have been finding multiple uses for this low beat explorer, right now it’s making a great paper weight.

40-C7-B9-E3-7-A20-4-EC4-B45-D-CBB79-BE72

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
APjumbo

So it seems like the dial shifted a bit after I glued it. It is a degree off centre. Ugh.

I didn’t realize this until after the hands were on and it was cased up. 
I will have to fix it one day. Maybe when I switch up the handset or find a proper case set. Until then I will probably just enjoy as is.

 

1728-E7-F2-9-CA8-4-D76-A71-E-9567508-FB1
 

033-F8-C54-7136-4-F92-8-A83-473475825-BF

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×