Hi everyone, I am a lurker from Toronto with zero posts! Sorry my first post had to be a call for help!

I was not happy with the spring bars on my 14270 (non-hole case) because these were not allowing the end links to collapse completely like the originals ones which were on the watch when I bought it, one of the reasons I like 14270 more than the 114270 with SEL.

Even though I had read the ordeal posts in the past, I totally forgot about the evil of shoulder less spring bars when I was installing them on my 14720. Its funny to notice now that even my friend R3D9 has a similar SOS thread from 2018.

It's the top spring bar in the photo shown below. I am showing the culprit spring bar outside the endlink to show how "perfectly" the middle section of the spring bar is placed inside the lugs. I am not sure if I am using the correct nomenclature but there is single shoulder on the left hand side, hence nothing to catch with a tool and compress. There is double shoulder on the right hand side but, in the installed state, the second shoulder is compressed and for all practical purposes it is exactly like the left hand side. Pins are seated deep in the lug hole and nothing to catch and compress. For whatever reason, the pins are so long that there is no hope trying to catch and compress the pin itself. As soon as I slid the spring bar in and it clicked, I knew I had messed up. I didn’t try to remove the spring bar myself.

Archer, I am a big fan of your posts. That sounds like buttering you up, I know, I know! Any chance I can use your help, sir? I don't know the thickness of the screwhead file you have shown in other threads. I do see a little gap between the end-links and the lug. I can easily slide a yellow sticky note in the gap. A folded (two layers) sticky note goes in easy too. Three-fold sticky note goes in with some resistance. If I had to guess, I would say that the gap is more than 0.25mm and less than 0.5mm.

This spring bar will continue whispering in the back of my mind until I take it out. I am sure WIS can relate to the feeling!

 

Until the Master arrives, please let us know if the end links are easily removable from the bracelet. If they are, perhaps you will have to remove the bracelet and sacrifice one end link (by cutting through it to cut the pin).

Its one option, a distasteful one, but it achieves your goal. You could hold off implementing it until you have a replacement end link in hand.

 

No easy answer here, because the body of that spring bar is just too long.

The screwhead file I use is 0.325 mm thick.

You might be able to open up the end link to get it or maybe a pair of very narrow cutters in there to snip the bar...

Good luck!

 

Thinking off the wall. Burn one end of the pin out with a laser? Only someone skilled in use of a laser machine would know if this was feasible! Then don’t make the same mistake again!

 

Yes, the end-links are detachable. A pair will cost a couple of hundred dollars though. I think my options in decreasing order of preference are; a) to use the thin file to get inside the gap between the endlink and the lug to cut the spring bar, b) to use a thin drill machine of sort or cutter to get in there, c) to open up the end link to access the spring bar as you have suggested. Thank you for chiming in.

Maybe there is a thin drill machine like that or a mini chisel and hammer that a professional can use. Thank you for chiming in.

Thank you Archer!

 

Normally I would suggest the razor blade creep trick but as Archer pointed out, the bars are too long and you won’t be able to get enough purchase using a side-to side motion with the razor to get it out.

Not that I have tried it in this application, but there are some very fine Dremel bits that could fit inside the “ears” of the endlink to drill into the spring bar itself. I would clamp the watch in a vice and proceed slowly and carefully, but you could drill through the spring bar enough to get it to fall apart with a tug on the bracelet.

 

The dremel bit could be a solution. I would definitely take a professional's help though and not try anything myself..

 

I would actually just opt for a drill press and a drill bit - cobalt drill bits go through SS pretty well in my experience. Dremels and other hand piece rotary tools tend to spin at very high speeds, even on lower settings. Using a tool like this with some sort of burr bit is very likely to "kick" when you start trying to cut, and that could lead to damage of the case.

I haven't had these bits do this on a case, but I've been doing other very fine work with a Dremel and had this happen...I'm always very cautious with these tools.

 

Just a thought, have your dentist use their high speed, water cooled handpiece drill to cut it. They have both extremely tiny bits and a steady hand.

Good luck

 

Agreed, they can kick. I was just trying to think of something most people have around the house....or am I too geeky thinking everyone looks for any opportunity to whip out their Dremel?

 

It may be cheaper to buy new endlinks

 

I bought a watch that needed some work, so immediately after receiving it I sent it off to the watchmaker. I had not noticed, but apparently the previous owner had installed shoulder-less spring bars. The estimate from the WM included "drill out two springbars" for $20. I am not entirely sure how he accomplished the task, but he has the skills and expertise to get it done right. I suspect he used the technique @Archer described with a drill press. I would pay an expert to get it fixed, rather than risk another blunder.

 

Yes, this. In fact, I would bring it to factory-authorized service, because if they mess up the case, they'll replace it.

 

I will definitely use a professional's help on this one. Curious what watch was that and where is the WM located..

Yes, that is one of the options, albeit RSC is closed these days.

I have sent you a DM. Could you please take a look when you have a minute? Thank you for your feedback on this thread.

 

My watch is a 1960 Seamaster, and my watchmaker is based in Portland, OR. It would be a long wait, and the $20 charge was tacked in to a much bigger repair. I imagine if he was doing the one thing the charge might be different. There are at least two great Canada-base watchmakers on this thread (@Canuck and @Archer). I would send it to one of them.

 

Thank

I asked secretly hoping you are in Toronto...I don't know how to see members' locations. Yes, I am trying to get @Archer help on this. I did not know @Canuck is a watchmaker. I guess I am not reading OFs enough. Thank you for chiming in.

 

There is a thread with a link to a map, but locations are not built into the forum. You get to know people and their locations over time. I don't have a watchmaker near me I trust, so I mail my watches to get worked on, lots of people do the same. However, it would be convenient to have someone that I could drop in on.

 

This is an example of what a laser can do. I have had two of these bracelets for decades. The end piece came off both of them, so I was unable to use them. I saved both end pieces, and I had a flash of inspiration, recently. A friend has a laser machine. He did the repairs as I watched. And you cannot tell. Front and back view.

 

My local Rolex dealer's service is still open. Maybe yours is too?

 

Very interesting and nice Accutron!