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JimInOz
··Melbourne AustraliaIs usually easy, unless you have one of the Seiko style that incorporates a gear wheel and a spring on the stem, like this example below (pre-clean).
As can be seen, manouvering a tiny o-ring over the wheel and the spring is difficult and frustrating. So how to do it without stress.
First, we remove the old seal and put the crown/stem through the cleaner.
I thought about removing the stem, but that's risky as who knows if it was Loctited or superglued, so I came up with a cunning plan.
So if you want to try my little improvisation, here we go.
First, take a plastic tube slightly larger than the diameter of the wheel (I used the tube from a window cleaner spray bottle).
Cut the tube to a workable length.
Using a suitably sized watchmakers de-burring tool, open one end of the tube to about 5mm depth.
Heat the other end of the tube with a hot air gun and quickly grab the end of the melted tube and pull it outwards as a glassblower would.
WARNING: The plastic will be very hot, do not use your fingers to pull the plastic! (don't ask how I know!!!!).
When the long plastic "string" cools, cut it off at a length that gives a small diameter to slip a seal over.
Take a lubricated test seal and try it out, it should look like this.
(The point should have been straight, but my fingers decided to complain and let go at the wrong moment)
All that needs to be done now is select the correct seal, lubricate it, slip it over the gizmo, and push it down almost to the end.
Fit the gizmo over the stem until it covers the wheel and spring and slide the seal the last few millimetres until it pops into the seal groove.
All you need to do now is remove the gizmo and stand back and admire the awesomeness of your work.
As can be seen, manouvering a tiny o-ring over the wheel and the spring is difficult and frustrating. So how to do it without stress.
First, we remove the old seal and put the crown/stem through the cleaner.
I thought about removing the stem, but that's risky as who knows if it was Loctited or superglued, so I came up with a cunning plan.
So if you want to try my little improvisation, here we go.
First, take a plastic tube slightly larger than the diameter of the wheel (I used the tube from a window cleaner spray bottle).
Cut the tube to a workable length.
Using a suitably sized watchmakers de-burring tool, open one end of the tube to about 5mm depth.
Heat the other end of the tube with a hot air gun and quickly grab the end of the melted tube and pull it outwards as a glassblower would.
WARNING: The plastic will be very hot, do not use your fingers to pull the plastic! (don't ask how I know!!!!).
When the long plastic "string" cools, cut it off at a length that gives a small diameter to slip a seal over.
Take a lubricated test seal and try it out, it should look like this.
(The point should have been straight, but my fingers decided to complain and let go at the wrong moment)
All that needs to be done now is select the correct seal, lubricate it, slip it over the gizmo, and push it down almost to the end.
Fit the gizmo over the stem until it covers the wheel and spring and slide the seal the last few millimetres until it pops into the seal groove.
All you need to do now is remove the gizmo and stand back and admire the awesomeness of your work.
