Caseback removal options

[Arancio601]

I have been on a bit of watch safari at the moment and in the last six months had watches such as Orient, Talis, Accutron, Helbros, Mido, Glycine, Enicar, Technos etc. On most watches I would like to at least see the condition of the movement and inside of caseback markings. I have the basic adjustable 3 prong caseback remover but obviously this doesn't work well for some. What other caseback tools should I buy? Do I try and track down factory tools that fit perfectly for the rarer pieces? Its hard to know what size fits what watch as generally you only can find overall case sizes. I considering getting my son onto making a tool with interchangeable heads with his 3D printer (mech eng. student).
I don't think I will resort to the angle grinder like the owner of this poor LeJour currently on Ebay...

 

[Eddie K]

I'd be interested in this too, I keep getting those YouTube shorts popping up with the "pros" refurbing vintage R****x and they always seem to use those inflated rubber ball thingymajigs and they seem to do the job flawlessy for screw down backs and they're cheap as chips on eBay amazon etc 🤔

 

[Pastorbottle]

Arancio601

I have been on a bit of watch safari at the moment and in the last six months had watches such as Orient, Talis, Accutron, Helbros, Mido, Glycine, Enicar, Technos etc. On most watches I would like to at least see the condition of the movement and inside of caseback markings. I have the basic adjustable 3 prong caseback remover but obviously this doesn't work well for some. What other caseback tools should I buy? Do I try and track down factory tools that fit perfectly for the rarer pieces? Its hard to know what size fits what watch as generally you only can find overall case sizes. I considering getting my son onto making a tool with interchangeable heads with his 3D printer (mech eng. student).
I don't think I will resort to the angle grinder like the owner of this poor LeJour currently on Ebay...

Looking at those pix......that is precision engineering right there!

 

[Speed2Sea]

Pastorbottle

Looking at those pix......that is precision engineering right there!

It looks like someone took a hacksaw to that caseback.

 

[dsio]

These ball things are remarkably effective, I don’t have a Burgeon genuine one but rather 8 cheap but similar ones from china since they eventually get dusty and lose their effectiveness but they cost me like $8 for the 8 delivered.

The fact that Burgeon makes an overpriced version of it makes me think it’s now an accepted method but this thing has saved a whole heap of badly seized casebacks that would have otherwise led to tool-marks

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1754716...juOxIET8C4oYU0F4nF73vqCQbU3HirtCw0T_JT_SbycHx

I also have this watch holder thing which looks like a back-scratcher with springbar grippers that lets me hold the watch and rotate it while gripping the case-back with the rubber ball opener.

 

[redpcar]

dsio

These ball things are remarkably effective, I don’t have a Burgeon genuine one but rather 8 cheap but similar ones from china since they eventually get dusty and lose their effectiveness but they cost me like $8 for the 8 delivered.

The fact that Burgeon makes an overpriced version of it makes me think it’s now an accepted method but this thing has saved a whole heap of badly seized casebacks that would have otherwise led to tool-marks

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1754716...juOxIET8C4oYU0F4nF73vqCQbU3HirtCw0T_JT_SbycHx

I also have this watch holder thing which looks like a back-scratcher with springbar grippers that lets me hold the watch and rotate it while gripping the case-back with the rubber ball opener.

The Burgeon vs Dollar Tree rubber balls. Dollar Tree is much thinner walled but seems to conform better. Sharp edges will tear it. Burgeon thicker and not as conforming. I have one of each.
Regarding the dust on your balls ;-) Try isopropyl alcohol. Brings the sticky back to life.

 

[Eddie K]

redpcar

The Burgeon vs Dollar Tree rubber balls. Dollar Tree is much thinner walled but seems to conform better. Sharp edges will tear it. Burgeon thicker and not as conforming. I have one of each.
Regarding the dust on your balls ;-) Try isopropyl alcohol. Brings the sticky back to life.

😂phnaaarr 😂

 

[Dan S]

Bergeon 5700 or clone

 

[Vercingetorix]

Kong!

 

[Pastorbottle]

redpcar

The Burgeon vs Dollar Tree rubber balls. Dollar Tree is much thinner walled but seems to conform better. Sharp edges will tear it. Burgeon thicker and not as conforming. I have one of each.
Regarding the dust on your balls ;-) Try isopropyl alcohol. Brings the sticky back to life.

use them more often and they won't get dusty......crusty however is an entirely another matter!

 

[Arancio601]

Thanks guys, I do not have a rubber ball so will get onto it. MIght start with a Wish special and maybe a Bergeon one is in my future after that if needed.

Dunno about using my dog's chew toy though!

 

[Pastorbottle]

Arancio601

Thanks guys, I do not have a rubber ball so will get onto it. MIght start with a Wish special and maybe a Bergeon one is in my future after that if needed.

Dunno about using my dog's chew toy though!

So long as the dish licker is OK with it.......no worries!

 

[Arancio601]

Pastorbottle

So long as the dish licker is OK with it.......no worries!

My now-passed dish licker was a great dane/staghound/rotweiller/ridgeback cross. The kong he had was the biggest one! Not sure if its still around. Might be worth a look

 

[Pastorbottle]

Arancio601

My now-passed dish licker was a great dane/staghound/rotweiller/ridgeback cross. The kong he had was the biggest one! Not sure if its still around. Might be worth a look

Wow that's one hell of a dish licker cocktail, I thought "Cobber" my old bull terrier/german shepherd/border collie x was a mix!
The result was a dog with border collie markings in a german shepherd size with a bully build (like a brick shithouse with muscles in his shit) and an alpha male attitude!
A great dog...athletic, loyal, with sense of humour (yes you could tell when he thought something was funny. It was a very slapstick sense of humour.... he'd act in a silly way, scampering about when something happened like you falling over) plenty of character, no fear and lots of heart....he never took a backwards step. He even drove my old Land Rover into a a bloody great gum tree one night! But that's another story for another time

 

[DaveK]

Vercingetorix

Kong!

That’s what I use

 

[DaveK]

Arancio601

My now-passed dish licker was a great dane/staghound/rotweiller/ridgeback cross. The kong he had was the biggest one! Not sure if it’s still around. Might be worth a look

If you find it, give the small end of the king a scrub with rubbing alcohol, it’ll make it stickier. The ball is probably better, but the kong is fun

 

[Pastorbottle]

DaveK

If you find it, give the small end of the king a scrub with rubbing alcohol, it’ll make it stickier. The ball is probably better, but the kong is fun

Would some dog slobber help?

 

[DaveK]

Pastorbottle

Would some dog slobber help?

😅 not so much

 

[timesofplenty]

it wasn't expensive and worth every penny