Well i have done it now....

[jringo8769]

Well i have jumped in with both feet on my latest mod and i need some advice
I an taking a ska 371 case and making it into a automatic case and want to eliminate the pusher and hole that will be there after i press out the pusher and holder
My question is ......
Can i just use my tig welder and weld up the hole before i machine off the old crown area before we install the new Tuna style crown into the case?
I have never welded on a watch case so i am not 100% sure it is all stainless
If it is this will be great
So any help will so be appreciated
Thanks in advance
God Bless,John

Sent from my LGL41C using Tapatalk

[steve855]

I've welded them plenty of times John, most stainless seiko cases are 316 alloy, at least from what I could learn researching. Your biggest problem here will be closing up such a large hole without putting too much heat into the case.
If I were doing this, I would machine a SS plug to be a light press fit into the hole. Press nearly flush, then weld around its perimeter. Then finish the exterior surface.
You'll need a small tungsten (I use 0.020" or 0.040")for this and very low amperage. I've used filler wire as small as 0.015" for this type of work.
I would also recommend a magnifying lens. Practice on some scrap first! Good luck.

[jringo8769]

well thank u ...i have welded on many things but i was really worried about ruining a case..i have a good friend i will call on to do this for me...the hole plug is a good idea...i was just thinking about building it up and metal finishing it after the milling of the side ears off around the crown...i know it will need some attention to the whole case...do u think the heat will distort it?...really appreciate the info too...God Bless,John

[feca67]

Good luck with the conversion - would be great to see some pics of the process and result.

[longbike]

Aloha ,


Good to do that John like steve855 said to do it. You might consider ...Drilling and tapping threads in it and us a stainless
screw or a stainless bolt the size of the threads as a .... Plug. You could thread it into the hole after tapping it then ....
" Counter-Sink " with a Tip of a drill bit so it has a ... Inset then weld it in.

I would suggest you drill it a little after plugging it so the weld will be contained in the hole and not on the case surface.
after welding it you can freeze it right away with a damp cloth with some Ice Cubes wrapped in it and leave it soaking wet
so as to stop the heat travel real quick.
Do not let it get excessively hot on the case.

John Stainless is very Maluable ( Soft ) so it will be easy. If it was .... High Tensil Strength like .... K-Manel or  A- Manel
that is what they make ... ( Shafts and Bearing Casings ), off then the High Heat would destroy its strength content.
But Stainless is actually soft so you be just fine but watch that heat application to it.
NOTE:
Adjust the .... Welder Wire Feed Control ... to the slow'est  feed on the speed control so it wont come out fast from the .... Stinger.
Make sure the rest of the case is taped real good to because the welder will have lots of .... tiny splatter beads all over
it ...  and ruin the threads and other parts of the case.

After that as steve said then you can clean and polish it real nice and it should be good. Remember John for welding with
to much heat applied it will turn .... ( " BLACK " ) , if you use .... " Non Stainless Wire ". 
( As like Non Stainless ..... Mild Steel Wire .. that has Flux Core in it.) The Flux Core will Blacken the Stainless. 
The Wire has to be Compatible to the Welding Surface.
( Just a point given )     I am a Welder and Machinist myself also.

[jringo8769]

well here is case so far....u can see what i am talking about..this case is special to me as two friends had this before me and it will make my mod even more meaningful.....i have also found a very interesting dial from another friend as well that might just work too...and i have another friend working on a prototype bezel insert too...














all to make it look like this one that i so love



i am also installing a yobokies beads of rice with Sumo Ends on it too...they just required some rebending them to make it look correct
and i will also be installing a new crown and crown tube as well as this one was damaged and the reason why i wanted this case to start it off...i am thinking of these but i will need to machine the crown flat on the end so it is flat like the doxa 

[jringo8769]

well after more consideration and pics from a friend...i am now making two customs....i will do the kinetic as i originally wanted....once i seen these pics...i knew i had too....take a look just at the preliminary results....they are stunning






and i will be taking my modded kinetic case which is being remade now into this....with the automatic movement and all the mods i had planned with now a blue dial .....it will still be the 300t model...but my version of it...
i never thought i would even have one and now i will have two....wow




i love this blue....

[lewie]

John
thats some very cool work there- those dials and inserts look fab

[jringo8769]

well hello everyone...just a little update....got the dials and inserts....i still need to find a source for some hands and i will need to get a new crystal from Alex@Crystaltimes too......does anyone know is Yobokies or anyone else make doxa style hands for the seiko auto movements?...i see he makes them for the eta movements...well just a quick mockup...i just placed a seiko 7546 movement to get a feel how it would fit too...i think i will be using a seiko 4r15 or something like that i can handwind and it is automatic too ....i still need to get the case holes tig welded and the new crown hole drilled and set and the case will be reshaped with a cnc router to match the untouched side...that work i will reveal here once i get it back...see what i think...God Bless,John 
so much more to do...but wanted to give u all i little preview...i will also need to make a new chapter ring too...this one done not work for me either...maybe just a simple black one 
the beads of rice is from Yobokies and is for a sumo...end links were easy to modify to fit the ska case too...
hands pic borrowed from Yobokies...thank u Yobokies site
those with a keen eye will see i made one mistake with the dial..initially i was going to use the kinetic case but after no luck with hand issues...i had to switch this...so i will be eliminating the kinetic logo on this one...if i can ever find a source for hands i like...i still have one more dial and insert i can make my other ska 371 actual watch into...

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[HiBeat]

Keep on keepin' on John, things seem to coming along well.   Interested in seeing the end result but in due course.