The first thing you do is strip the case all the way down.
1. Nicks. If there are the usual nicks, gouges, etc., I try to take them down with a popsicle stick wrapped with the 400 grit sandpaper. I'm careful not to take off too much metal and I never touch a case edge. After it is 99% smoothed out, I'll get out the Dremel and use some polishing compound marked "cleaning" as opposed to "polishing". You may have to use a little pressure but I try to be as kind as possible. You can easily put a ripple in the metal with this stuff. To me, that's just as bad as a nick.
I don't take the old brushed finish off because I want to leave as much metal as possible. It there are scratches against the grain, I look at them through the loupe and use my finger nail to see how deep they are. I will polish them out if I think they will take away from the brushed finish. In general, the brushed finish will cover minor flaws in the metal.
After using the heavy cleaning compound, I'll use a less abrasive one, usually jeweler's rouge.
2. Clean. After I have the case as smooth as I'd like it, I soak the bare case in Oxy-Clean to remove any stains, gunk around the crown, or wrist cheese. Then I wipe it down and dry it off. Make sure you are satisfied with the heavier scratches that are hopefully gone now. I don't do this step if the case has an internal gasket in the crown that can't easily be removed.
3. Brushing. I take the case in one hand and the 3M abrasive pad in the other and turn the case with a circular motion to give the top the brushed finish. Press down pretty hard and make sure the pad is contacting all the way down on the lugs. It doesn't take a whole lot of turns to give you the really nice circular pattern. Unfortunately, you will also put some brushed finish scratches on areas you don't want as well, like on the sides of a 6309 or the polished area near the crown guards on a 7002 or 7s26. (Another hint I stole from a post from Randall -- Cut a hole in the center of the pad where the crystal would be. You don't want to take away any metal from these parts to insure a tight fit!)
Lately, I have been using the heavier maroon pad. I think it looks better.
4. Polishing. Next, I will take a brand new polishing pad and apply some light cleaning polish or jeweler's rouge. You want a brand new pad because you want a sharp edge for precision work. You are going to remove the brushed scratches you just made and polish the shiny bits. Take your time and I go from the jeweler's rouge first and then to a "polishing" labelled compound that will not cut into the metal very much. Wipe and inspect as many times as you need. This takes some time, especially along the case lines. Be sure to go parallel to the case edges.
I use nearly zero pressure with the Dremel. I also use a very low speed.
As for the sides, you always go parallel and never touch the top edge. This is why you need a good, sharp polishing wheel. You can be much more precise.
On a 6309, there is a small polished area by the crown. I use a pointed polishing wheel to get this section.
5. Final Polishing. I use Mother's Mag Wheel polish by hand on all the polished areas to get rid of any swirls I might leave with the Dremel. You're done.
Principles I try to remember: Be very gentle and take away as little metal as possible. Respect the case edges. Take as much time as you need and don't hurry. Use a low speed on your Dremel because you can screw up quickly with a higher speed. I would rather leave a trace of a previous nick than to alter the intended lines of the case. I also use more light, longer strokes and try not to let the Dremel rest at any one spot on the case for very long.
Usual disclaimer to anyone reading this: This process has always worked for me, but remember I am just a hobbyist and not a watchmaker. Don't blame me if you ruin your watch! It's like anything else watch repair related -- if you question your commitment or ability to do the job, you're probably better off entrusting it to a pro. For the rest of us nuts, we're probably better off, too, but can't resist!
| This message has been edited by EvanWilliams from IP address 67.32.217.1 on Feb 2, 2005 12:09 AM |