Spring Bars for Mixed Drilled & Closed Lugs Guide

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You can see in the pics below that one side of this watch has pierced lugs, the other closed:

What would be the correct spring bar for this set-up? And, with removal, would you undo the pierced side first, and the same for installation? Or the reverse? Thanks for any insights
 
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Was rolex looking for a patent again ?
Shoulderless spingbars will work, for drilled lugs like yours. You only need to push in one side, from the outside, with a standard pin tool and pull on the strap to release it.
Putting it back in ; first place the springbar in on the closed side, and then scratch the hell out of the open side when pushing the other side in....
better use protective film or tape on the inside lug. Uncle US or forstner sells those.
 
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Was rolex looking for a patent again ?
Shoulderless spingbars will work, for drilled lugs like yours. You only need to push in one side, from the outside, with a standard pin tool and pull on the strap to release it.
Putting it back in ; first place the springbar in on the closed side, and then scratch the hell out of the open side when pushing the other side in....
better use protective film or tape on the inside lug. Uncle US or forstner sells those.
Thanks, much appreciated.
 
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and then scratch the hell out of the open side when pushing the other side in....

PTSD. I’ve had to develop a thick skin about this but I still die a little inside every time I change straps. 😩
 
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I’d use these. Eliminates any doubt about which side to use when removing the spring bar.

 
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I’d use these. Eliminates any doubt about which side to use when removing the spring bar.


Many thanks.
 
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I had a Tudor like that. Any spring bars will work tbh
 
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Many thanks.
Those end points dont go into the drilled lug holes as far as the shouderless ones can, so shoulderless are a better/stronger fit for drilled lug holes.
 
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I would install a shoulderless bar without the bracelet or strap, then try to remove it from the drilled lug side. There is a possibility, with the one side compressed, the bar won't angle out far enough to extract it from the non drilled through side. If you do it without a strap installed, and that winds up being the case, you can cut the bar to remove it.
 
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I would install a shoulderless bar without the bracelet or strap, then try to remove it from the drilled lug side. There is a possibility, with the one side compressed, the bar won't angle out far enough to extract it from the non drilled through side. If you do it without a strap installed, and that winds up being the case, you can cut the bar to remove it.

Thanks, this is precisely one of my fears if I went shoulder-less.
 
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As the Village Idiot it is my duty to ask:
Wouldn't any standard spring bars work well with the drilled side being for ease of removal?
 
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Those end points dont go into the drilled lug holes as far as the shouderless ones can, so shoulderless are a better/stronger fit for drilled lug holes.

I was thinking about that. In other words, even though the drilled hole side has the capacity to accommodate a longer spring bar tip, how much is necessary for a stable fit? I haven’t measured it, but what would be the guess on the typical depth of a non through lug hole? If most shoulderless bars have a 2mm tip, I’m seeing that bars designed for closed lugs have a typical tip of about 1.0mm, and thus the depth of the hole must be just beyond that on the closed lugs?
 
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I was thinking about that. In other words, even though the drilled hole side has the capacity to accommodate a longer spring bar tip, how much is necessary for a stable fit? I haven’t measured it, but what would be the guess on the typical depth of a non through lug hole? If most shoulderless bars have a 2mm tip, I’m seeing that bars designed for closed lugs have a typical tip of about 1.0mm, and thus the depth of the hole must be just beyond that on the closed lugs?
For comparison 22mm schoulderless (Panerai) vs Omega 19mm 068ST2206;
 
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and thus the depth of the hole must be just beyond that on the closed lugs?
Correct , and @YY77 picture is a great example.
 
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Curious thought experiment:

If I installed a strap on a watch without drilled lugs using these. How would I remove them?
 
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Curious thought experiment:

If I installed a strap on a watch without drilled lugs using these. How would I remove them?
Drilling out the bar.
 
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Drilling out the bar.
as a last resort 😀 that will work !
1st, try and pull it out by the strap itself, this will need some force, to bend or break the springbar.
2nd , try to force the strap inwards over one side of the springbar and if you get some room use tweezers or sciccers ( form a V ) to bend/force out ( crow bar style ) the springbar.
3rd, cut the the strap and springbar in half between the lugs, a strap is cheaper to replace then 4.
4th, go YY77 on it 👍
 
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3rd, cut the the strap and springbar in half between the lugs, a strap is cheaper to replace then 4.
My watchmaker drilled out shouldered springbars as we couldn't get it out with a springbartoo, strap remained intact. So 4 is cheaper compared to 3.
 
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My watchmaker drilled out shouldered springbars as we couldn't get it out with a springbartoo, strap remained intact. So 4 is cheaper compared to 3.
So did he drill out the lug to get to the springbar ? That is how i understood it.... Or was he able to only drill the bar ? Amazing, with so little room to work with.