Part#10: Strip and clean the case

[TheTigerUK]

Have a look at this the complete breakdown for the 6309A, pdf supplied by Jonathan (sweadfreak) thanks.

[otr002]

Ok gents, I have my case stripped and find two issues   They are, the crystal retaining ring is broken and the click ball is stuck/rusted/frozen. Is this a case of find another or is there a fix?

[daveeb]

I AM NOT ALONE !!!!!!
My crystal clamp ring was the same, I could not get the bezel off, ended up in the garage, with a fish filleting knife and small hammer. It came off, and I found the broken ring.
Whether related or not to the bezel problem, my clicker ball was also missing. 12 hours in the sonic bath, 30 minutes in nitric acid (produced a nice matt finnish to the case), viewed under an optical co-ordinate measuring machine, we could see the top of the grease (dna) in the hole.
Solution for the stuck spring, a slight warm on a radiator, a 1 mm drill blank, and a light tap with a knocking stick (a handy length of 1/2 inch stainless tube). On compressing the spring, the grease squeesed out of the hole. and the spring fell out. So do not pull, compress the spring first.
I say again I AM NOT ALONE

[shun]

Ok, I'm stupid... I wanted to change my chapter ring, because the original was ugly... I managed to do that.. Now i can't put the crystal retaining ring back into place.. I have no special tool for this.. hahahaha      What should I do? Can I Try something "home-made" ?


Thanks!

You could but a crystal press (they are cheap) is the way to go to prevent damage and takes a few seconds.

[cwood]

Ok gents, I have my case stripped and find two issues   They are, the crystal retaining ring is broken and the click ball is stuck/rusted/frozen. Is this a case of find another or is there a fix?

I had a similar issue with a 7002 recently.  I was able to apply a magnet to the top of the click ball area and the sleeve was magnetic and came right out with the offending clog inside.  Much easier to work with out of the case.  The top of the spring was totally impacted with crud.  A medium bic pen ball is a good replacement.  Cut the very tip off with side cutters just short of the ball. do this wrapped in paper towel so you don't lose the part or get ink on you.  You then have the nib and its easy to to get the ball out.

[TheTigerUK]

Or if you don't want to mess about with a ball point pen use a 1.00mm ball bearing which are easily available and cost next to nothing and i am sure the quality of the ball bearing will be better than that used in the ball pen point and less messy

[cwood]

Or if you don't want to mess about with a ball point pen use a 1.00mm ball bearing which are easily available and cost next to nothing and i am sure the quality of the ball bearing will be better than that used in the ball pen point and less messy

Where do you find naked 1mm bearings?  I looked all over mcmaster carr and found only those in casings.

[TheTigerUK]

I just did a search for ball bearing suppliers and found quite a few and bought a qty of 50 loose for just a few £s.

1mm Diameter Hardened Chrome Steel Ball Bearings (Pack of 10) Grade 100 Ball Diameter: 1mm Pack Size: Pack of 10	£1.49 ex. VAT		Enlarge View
1mm Diameter Hardened Chrome Steel Ball Bearings (Pack of 10) Grade 10 Ball Diameter: 1mm Pack Size: Pack of 10	£1.69 ex. VAT		Enlarge View
1mm Diameter Hardened AISI-420 Stainless Steel Ball Bearings (Pack of 10) Grade 100 Ball Diameter: 1mm Pack Size: Pack of 10	£1.89 ex. VAT		Enlarge View
1mm Diameter Hardened AISI-316 Stainless Steel Ball Bearings (Pack of 10) Grade 100 Ball Diameter: 1mm Pack Size: Pack of 10	£2.20 ex. VAT		Enlarge View
1mm Diameter Hardened Chrome Steel Ball Bearings (Pack of 50) Grade 100 Ball Diameter: 1mm Pack Size: Pack of 50	£2.60 ex. VAT		Enlarge View
1mm Diameter Hardened Chrome Steel Ball Bearings (Pack of 50) Grade 10 Ball Diameter: 1mm Pack Size: Pack of 50	£3.49 ex. VAT		Enlarge View
1mm Diameter Hardened AISI-420 Stainless Steel Ball Bearings (Pack of 50) Grade 100 Ball Diameter: 1mm Pack Size: Pack of 50	£3.99 ex. VAT		Enlarge Vie

[otr002]

I'm glad I'M not alone   So what i ended up doing is warming the case with a gas torch and then dripping some watch oil on the hole, reheating and doing it again till the spring compressed. Now i have a spring with the remains of the click ball stuck to it's end, i have taped it on the bench and pocked it with various tools but the assembly still doesn't want to come out  . Tried the magnet trick, nothing, next is the compressed air in a rag trick. As for the crystal retaining ring, there seems to be some available on the bay, which i will hold off buying till i here back from Peter K (asked for all gaskets and ring!).


Thanks for the help fellers and as always "Tiger" for the seminally impossible, his small balls....



Rod

[otr002]

Yeh, I have removed my "half a ball", spring and tube    not sure if the tube was supposed to come out, but it has. I lost the "half a ball" in the process but managed to save the rest   Peter K is supplying all the bits i need, except the crystal retaining ring. So it looks like the project is still going forward, I will order the dial, hands, crystal and bezel insert tonight, happy days.


Oh edit.......one medium ball point pen has given up its life for the greater good of father time 

[se7en8n9ne]

i think we need a how to fix click ball and bezel issues section or maybe that's later. what do you say guys? i know mine turns but it is tough, way tighter than it should be.
so Rod how did you finally get yours out, i have never heard the compressed air rag trick.
thanks for your time, Brian.

[TheTigerUK]

i think we need a how to fix click ball and bezel issues section or maybe that's later. what do you say guys? i know mine turns but it is tough, way tighter than it should be.
so Rod how did you finally get yours out, i have never heard the compressed air rag trick.
thanks for your time, Brian.

Next section will be the click ball, bezzell etc.

I think Rods with the tube could be a mod/repair as the 6309 does not normally have a tube in the click ball hole (i think) but the Tunas do i believe.

[otr002]

The old compressed air and rag trick is not really a trick    I just hold the part in a rag and using an air gun blast the hole with high compressed air. Hopefully the offending item will pop out and that is what the rag is for, to catch the bits, well it worked.Well i finally measured the hole in my 6309 and it's 1.33mm, is this normal or do i have a modified hole (that doesn't sound to good ) Can these tube/spring/ball assemblies still be sourced? what models had them?


Rod from OZ

[TheTigerUK]

The thought of a modified hole makes my eyes water !! 

It could just be a mod from a watch maker, i know the original click balls were 1.00mm dia and i know my 7549 Tuna seems to have a tube type assembly for the click ball (never stripped it out to look at it) but that is about 2.00mm dia.

[otr002]

I've been doing a bit of research since posting my last post and it would seem that it is a 6159-701X tube. The reason....i measured the hole in the tube and it is just over 1.00mm the 6159 used a tube and a 1.00mm ball (same part number as 6309). So I'll assemble the little blighter with a 1.00mm ball and caress it into my modified hole