Better Methods For Polishing Acrylic Watch Crystals-Lesson #20

Рет қаралды 47,194

Жыл бұрын

PolyWatch is considered by many the standard for Acrylic crystal repair. But is it always the best choice? Many times, other methods need to be used to repair an old scratched up crystal.
In this video I am going to show you my best methods for bringing crystal’s back to life.
***************************************************************************************************
✨✨ Get Your Copy of my eBook, The Secrets for Adjusting Watch Rates ✨✨
➡➡PDF DOWNLOAD watchrepairtutorials.com/ebook/ ⬅⬅
➡➡Available on Kindle & Soft Cover @ geni.us/4x8C (Amazon)
✨✨Watchmaking Courses and Training ✨✨
➡➡ watchrepairtutorials.com/watc... ⬅⬅
***************************************************************************************************
🚀 Don't Miss Out: Sign up for the "It's About Time" Monthly Newsletter
watchrepairtutorials.com/news...
Become a Watch Repair Tutorial Patreon to access advanced workshops, ad free video and bonus trainings: / watchrepairtutorials
***************************************************************************************************
DISCLOSURE: I often review or link to products & services I regularly use and think you might find helpful. Wherever possible I use referral links, which means if you click one of the links in this video or description and make a purchase we may receive a small commission or other compensation.
I am a big fan of Amazon, and many of my links to products/gear are links to those products on Amazon. I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and related sites.
PRODUCTS USED IN THIS VIDEO
► Grobet Flex Shankwatchrepairtutorials.com/get/... (Amazon)
► Grobet Quick Change watchrepairtutorials.com/get/... (Amazon)
► Rotary Tool Hanger watchrepairtutorials.com/get/... (Amazon)
► PolyWatch watchrepairtutorials.com/get/... (Amazon)
► Cotton Buffswatchrepairtutorials.com/get/... (Amazon)
► Sandpaper Assortment watchrepairtutorials.com/get/... (Amazon)
► Micron Mesh watchrepairtutorials.com/get/... (Amazon)
► Diamond Polishing Compoundwatchrepairtutorials.com/get/... (Amazon)
**********
All THE TOOLS & SUPPLIES I USE: watchrepairtutorials.com/tool...
**********
-- LINKS --
(When available, we use affiliate links and may earn a commission!)
My Microscope Setup
► Amscope SM-3T watchrepairtutorials.com/get/... Amazon)
► Barlow Lens watchrepairtutorials.com/get/... (Amazon)
► LCD Ring Lite watchrepairtutorials.com/get/... (Amazon)
► Hayear Microscope Camera watchrepairtutorials.com/get/... (Amazon)
► Camera Adapter watchrepairtutorials.com/get/... (Amazon)
Recommended Digital Microscope
► Digital Microscope watchrepairtutorials.com/get/... (Amazon)

Пікірлер: 273

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

I want to send a big shout out to all my Patreon Supporters for helping to make all this possible. Thank you all so much Timothy Chaney Heath Payne Gregory Corna Mike G Steve Stroschein Christopher J Vincent Vincent Tiger Mike Maltese John Boyarsky Paul Schumacker Ray Everett bill doog Joe Chambers Marcel Gustafson

@MalcolmPeters Күн бұрын

very imformative, really helps new watch collectors like myself. Thank you.

@watchrepairtutorials 20 сағат бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

@johnbyrne9900 Жыл бұрын

I appreciate that you try to answer and/or acknowledge those that comment on your videos. It really demonstrates your passion to helping new watch repair enthusiasts and just being generally a good guy!

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Well when you only have 4500 subs it’s not that hard, but thank you. I really started this channel to help newcomers by trying to cut through the BS and try to give them something useful. It’s not about me, It’s About Time. 😜

@khronosbest9448 Жыл бұрын

By far and away the most detailed, methodical and comprehensive real world results i have ever seen regarding restoration of an acrylic watch crystal bar none ! Thank you Alex 🍻

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

I appreciate your thoughts brother. See you soon

@janelemans8049 Жыл бұрын

love the idea of this cleaning machine! In future I'll make one myself for sure.

@jjudelson Жыл бұрын

Fortunately for us hobby or learning watchmakers there are so many fantastic resources on KZfaq and this has enabled myself, an eye surgeon, to take on the challenges of a new hobby. In my career I have been exposed to a lot of education, meetings and learned from many great surgeons. Having said that I rate you amongst the most talented of teachers - your presentations are a pleasure to watch and the value of your teaching enormous. Nobody covers the topics you teach in such useful and practical detail for hobby watchmakers and in my opinion you have few peers in this regard. Regards. Jeffrey. Victoria Canada

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

I think I got a tear in my eye.🥲 First of all with your background you are going to be great at this. You will find that once you learn the basics of cleaning and lubrication, you will want to dive into the real science behind how the escapement works. That’s when things get really interesting. Thank you so much for the compliment, I too am learning something new and hopefully the further into video making I get the better the quality will be as well. Thank you Jeffrey

@andyhansen3117 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for another great vid on watches!!

@billyg736 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for your time Alex appreciate it.

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Its not a problem Billy. Thanks for being here my man.

@marklester2105 Жыл бұрын

Another awesome informative video. Thanks Alex. With your video I now have the confidence to tackle polishing some of my newest acquisitions.

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Hey Mark, You keep watching and I’ll keep making them. Thanks for being part of the community here.

@claycox5285 Жыл бұрын

Thank you for your thorough review. Your insight is super helpful.

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Thanks Clay.

@andyhansen3117 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for another great vid on watch rpair!!

@danielgilligan6243 Жыл бұрын

Alex, you are a very good teacher. ❤️ You make the best watch tutorials. Excellent skills!

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Glad you like them Daniel. Thanks

@bangy55 Жыл бұрын

As usual, you make watch videography look easy! Entertaining and thoroughly informative. Thank you for sharing your hard work and the time it takes to present it.

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Chris, It’s always a pleasure to read your comments. Thanks bud.

@Fastfingers322 7 ай бұрын

thank you kind sir for your in depth series of tutorials and discussions! much appreciate your concise content!

@watchrepairtutorials 7 ай бұрын

Glad you like them fast fingers. 😆

@catscatification 9 ай бұрын

Thank you! This is the most comprehensive video on KZfaq

@watchrepairtutorials 9 ай бұрын

Glad you think so!

@michaelcastellano2318 5 ай бұрын

Alex, I can’t thank you enough for your amazing detailed videos. Learning from you is something I truly enjoy. Looking forward to watching and learning more. Thank you!

@watchrepairtutorials 5 ай бұрын

Awesome, thank you Michael. Hopefully the videos will get better and better.

@paulwilson3434 Жыл бұрын

Thank you my Watch friend.

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Thank you too Paul. Thanks for stopping by

@walther9161 Жыл бұрын

Another great vid Alex! Thanks for posting!!

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Thanks for checking in Walther.

@keveh6093 Жыл бұрын

Hi Alex, I followed your method with the grit paper and went up to 2500, as I only had PolyWatch to finish with. I got a perfect clear crystal on my 1960 vintage Omega. It's a genuine crystal with the Omega symbol in the centre and difficult to replace. Very happy, so a big thinks for your video!!

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Fantastic Keve. Glad It helped

@bobwas4066 Жыл бұрын

I recently just found your channel. Your videos are among the best on KZfaq for watch repair!! Thank You

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Hey man. Thanks for joining us. I have a lot more coming down the pipe.

@Mizoshi Ай бұрын

Thanks for this video on watch glasses, very interesting.

@watchrepairtutorials Ай бұрын

No problem my friend, no problem.

@robcarnaroli269 Жыл бұрын

Love the cleaning machine idea!

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Me too!!

@paulschumacker9901 Жыл бұрын

These videos are so helpful! Through trial and error, I’ve ended up using the graded sandpaper and diamond paste method, but have always wondered if Polywatch would have been better. Now I know! And thanks for sharing the hand drill cleaning idea. I’ve been using a slight modification of the method you showed in your cleaning video, but might try building a better system. With all of your videos, the info you present has helped me to refine what I had been doing, and the improvements have been remarkable. Many thanks, Alex!

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the Kind words Paul. You motivate me. Alex

@mangentle7618 Жыл бұрын

Fantastic content, thank you Alex. I can now be a crystal saver for all my old watches at home :D

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Happy to help!

@chrishopkins5010 Жыл бұрын

Another fantastic tip

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Chris , my man. Thank you sir.

@andyhansen3117 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for another great vid on watches

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Thanks Andy

@stevstro4498 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for another great video Alex! I'm switching from PolyWatch to Polinum, sandpaper & Diamond Polishing Compound.

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Polywatch has its purpose but I prefer to have supplies that can do everything I need and not multiple products to do the SAME thing. The sandpaper and 0.5 micron diamond paste will cover everything. Polinum is also good if you already have it for case polishing but the 0.5 micron diamond paste is slightly better for acyclic polishing.

@hanslindgren7175 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the information. You give really god tips.👍

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Thanks Hans, there has also been some other good comments other other products, mostly car related that are worth reading.

@boydsargeant7496 Жыл бұрын

Nice one Alex! Great content as usual!

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Thanks Boyd. Good to see you again.

@stuarthopwood7778 Жыл бұрын

Alex 😁 That was great. Real good comparason. Derek like your system

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Wasn’t that cool. I love it.

@bdcochran01 8 ай бұрын

1. excellent video 2. good suggestions from the comments. 3. some observations follow re working with cars that might work with crystals. a. car windshields are a form of glass. wash, use very fine sandpaper like 2000 grit, then polish by hand and wipe off. b. replacement headlights which are not glass. wash. dry. Plastic polish as set forth in the comments. Maguires. I do it every three months as particles and dust do hit the lenses. 4. yes, I have brasso. may try it as well. 5. some day, I will try a very fine 1500 or 2000 grit sandpaper and then a polish like maquires. 6. I don't have any scratched lenses. Sometimes I use 70% isopropyl to simply clean the crystal.

@itzhaccroitoru4082 Ай бұрын

excellent video for us hobby

@watchrepairtutorials Ай бұрын

Thanks 👍

@drumgrampred Жыл бұрын

I'm just getting set up to start learning about watch repair and really like your teaching and advice. I'm going to start practicing on a cheap Invicta pro diver NH35 . The cyclops is really scratched so this weekend I'm going to polish it up!

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

You can do it! Thanks Randy and let me know if you need any help

@greencondoresq 3 ай бұрын

Absolutely brilliant video. I'm not a watchmaker, but I like acrylic and vintage watches. I have a 3861 Speedy with Hesalite and an old 60-70s Tudor Advisor with a domed acrylic. I debated for a while on the Hesalite vs. Sapphire 3861 and I'm glad I went with the acrylic. I'm a DIY guy and I like the fact I can do the service myself. I can't install a sapphire by myself. Again, thank you SO much for the video.

@watchrepairtutorials 3 ай бұрын

I have always liked doing things myself, carpentry, tile. plumbing, electrical, automotive. Birds of a feather as they say. Thank you greencondoresp.

@gregcapella5941 Жыл бұрын

Good video,,,THANKS

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Thanks for being here Greg.

@Paul-yk8bj Жыл бұрын

Hi, i normally work on clocks and thinking of delving into the watch world, watched all your 18 videos on beginners watch repair, and love the way you present your video' how you explaining everything in clear no nonsense approach and are great for a beginner look forward to watching the rest keep it up

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Thank you Paul. Horology in general is interesting am I right?

@Paul-yk8bj Жыл бұрын

@@watchrepairtutorials You certainly are right, and i love the history behind the clocks and watches

@zacktaylor3441 Жыл бұрын

Great video as always. Thank you so much for the time you put in. Techniques that can be used on watches every day in the shop. Perfect. Any tips for old acrylic crystals that have yellowed?

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Yep. Get another one. No fixing that.

@Leo-Crespi 3 ай бұрын

Amazing!

@watchrepairtutorials 3 ай бұрын

Thanks!

@Leo-Crespi 3 ай бұрын

@@watchrepairtutorialsWhat about if I use the sandpaper method and only at the end I buff it up with polywatch?

@watchrepairtutorials 3 ай бұрын

@@Leo-Crespi probably will work. Try it.

@whatsstefon Жыл бұрын

I’m a fan of acrylic crystal. Mainly because I’m a fan of repairing something instead of just replacing it. The 0.5micron diamond paste is a great solution that really works amazingly well. Great tip mate!

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

It does the trick that’s for sure BBB.😀

@whatsstefon Жыл бұрын

@@watchrepairtutorials absolutely. I personally can see the results are at worst just as good as Polywatch, but to be honest, significantly better in most cases, especially once you get deep scratches out.

@whatsstefon Жыл бұрын

I can see the difference in it video. Man, you’re killing it. Love having your channel because here in Australia all I’ve met is gatekeepers. No one is willing to pass on the knowledge. I even joined a group recently. My membership got declined because I’m not qualified. Those same people will be quick to remind us that it’s a dying art and a dying industry. Yet the ones working in it here have a two year waiting list on work. But at the same time the more well known watchmakers churn through staff like it’s a merry go round. Thank you for providing all this info, and backing it up with , real life experience, right in front of the camera. There’s no bullshit to hide behind when the proof is right there.

@johnboyofalaska4182 Жыл бұрын

see! something new every time! I use Flitz polish for bigger scratches than Polywatch can handle. Then follow up with Polywatch. But i like your method for saving different cotton buffs. I hadn't figured out yet how to do that! Thanks!

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Hey JB, 1st, thanks for the mainspring winder stop. They should include those with a kit. There has been so many other product suggested for acrylic polish, it makes you wonder if the Polywatch people are just repackaging something else ?

@ruadhagainagaidheal9398 Жыл бұрын

I don’t know what brand name is used elsewhere, but in the UK we have a metal polish called Brasso. When I was young we always used that to buff scratches off our watch crystals instead of talking them to a watch repair shop. Simple home remedy that seemed to work well.

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Hey man that’s great. There have been quite a few other products that have. Even suggested as well.

@awdturbopowah773 Жыл бұрын

It’s called Brasso here in the US, and I’ve used it to polish watch crystals myself! It’s also quite useful for polishing away scratches in plastic headlight/taillight lenses. A Brasso vs Polywatch comparison could be interesting.

@mikebond6328 Жыл бұрын

I use maguire’s plastx from harbor freight. It’s used mainly for polishing headlights. It smells and feels just like polywatch but is a good bit thinner or runnier. The best part is a pint costs the same as a tube of polywatch. For really bad scratches I use a product called mother’s mag and aluminum polish.

@mikebond6328 Жыл бұрын

I’m definitely going to get some wet/dry sandpaper to try.

@andrealves2951 Жыл бұрын

I use Brasso liquid myself as well. I have good results on mild scratches or as a final rub after the sand paper. Also used the duraglit one which comes soaked in a cotton mesh.

@tomholloway7566 Жыл бұрын

Also worth looking at car paint detailing products including acrylic polish. Thinking that folks might already have them in the garage. Thanks again for the great video.

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

I’ll try it and see how it works. You are talking about lens polish, right?

@tomholloway7566 Жыл бұрын

Yes, but no reason that paint renovator wouldn’t do the same Alex, very fine abrasive

@watchrepairtutorials 11 ай бұрын

✨✨ Get Your Copy of my eBook, The Secrets for Adjusting Watch Rates ✨✨ ➡➡PDF DOWNLOAD watchrepairtutorials.com/ebook/ ⬅⬅ ➡➡Available on Kindle & Soft Cover @ geni.us/4x8C (Amazon) ✨✨Watchmaking Courses and Training ✨✨ ➡➡ watchrepairtutorials.com/watchmaker-course/ ⬅⬅

@rossjackson3670 Жыл бұрын

How do you do it? As we progress with our learning. You come up with the next 'to do' without being asked. Telepathic. Great information. Thank you

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

It’s actually harder than you think. Not really. I just ask myself, “ If I was new, what what I want to know now” What will give a new watchmaker the most benefit NOW. Things like using staking sets and Jeweling and hairspring work is coming but there is a lot more relevant information for the newer hobbyists that needs to be covered first.

@So.Stephen Жыл бұрын

Great information as always. I am going to buy me some diamond paste now. Thank you as always Alex. Could I respectfully suggest you try taking the camera off from auto focus to manual focus. Since it seems like you do not use a very shallow depth of field, setting the focus manually with like f5 or f8 would make your eyes always be in focus. Especially with shots like these when you are basically going to be in the same area at the bench and the microscope.

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Thanks Stephen, I’ll give it a try. 0.5 micron, you’ll love it. See you again soon

@user-ew2rq4sn2t Жыл бұрын

Thanks Alex. Another great video. I use novus 7100 polish which has three options..heavy scratch remover, fine scratch remover and final polish. I use polywatch in the end..

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Awesome. We are getting a lot of alternative solutions to Polywatch. Love it.

@tropicalspeed Жыл бұрын

I use Mother's mag polish and follow that up with Novus.

@k-ozdragon 3 ай бұрын

Diamond paste and abrasive is easily the most underrated product for polishing. The issue with any polish is that the particles actually begin polishing each other very quickly. So you have to constantly load your buffing material with fresh abrasive. Diamond particles never lose their cutting edge, so they don't get polished and need to be reloaded like other conventional polishes do. So they not only work better, they last essentially forever, and also won't load up your buffing material with chaff. Plus the diamond cuts faster due to it's hardness. We use them all the time in the knife industry. Where it really shines is on a razor strop. Nothing is worse than an expensive strop loaded up with old polishing paste. A clean strop with embedded diamond works far better. I could easily see this being the case with watch crystals as well. As an added bonus, it should work on hard mineral crystal and sapphire as well.

@watchrepairtutorials 3 ай бұрын

This is an interesting comment. I use diamond lapping paper on glass that’s used and sold for knife sharpening.

@watchrepairtutorials 3 ай бұрын

I might try making some sanding stick with it. Thanks my friend

@TheBeardedWatchmaker Жыл бұрын

Nice one again uncle Alex!! It's uncanny how you know which are the most relevant videos to make. If I have to think how many products I tried to save acrylic crystals to arrive at the same method you use, it would've saved a lot of time! I'm keen to see how you do the mineral crystals; I've also used cerium oxide but I just don't get acceptable results. Thanks again my man!

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Well what’s going on TBW . Cerium is really a final polish, not much cutting power. I’m going to show you a couple different ways to do mineral glass and how I do sapphire as well.

@TheBeardedWatchmaker Жыл бұрын

@@watchrepairtutorials Awesome! I can't wait!

@bru319 Жыл бұрын

Adding water to the final sanding, and at the end, easing up on the pressure, will result in a even haze that is easy to polish. I freshen up watch crystals using 2,000 grit wet dry sandpaper with water, and Maguires plastic polish to finish. It's interesting to see the yellow plastic residue that comes off in the beginning of a wet sand. I'll use your progressive approach on deep scratch crystals.

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Yeah man there’s a lot of different ways. It gonna be done in a lot of different products. That’ll work to get scratches out of plastic.

@lobdsk 7 ай бұрын

I use water too. It takes of the residual plastic for sure

@MikeSweeneyMedia Жыл бұрын

I've been using Cape Cod polishing cloth for my final polish. I believe its a rouge polish but it has worked very well for the final pass. I use the sandpaper method for my base polishing. I learned that polishing up acrylic headlights before I picked up watches. I have been experimenting with some ebay diamond paste assortments.. The results have been pretty good overall

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Sounds like you got it covered Mike. I know a lot of people have suggested some of the polished used for headlights as well.

@Supercruze Жыл бұрын

Acrylic crystals are pretty easy to restore to like new. I wet sand staring with 600 and working my way up to 5000. It only takes about 10 seconds with each grit. I only used Polywatch for final polish or I often use some car cleaner wax. Another tip for those on a budget is to go to your local CVS and buy one of those 4 sided finger nail buffing blocks. Similar principles and works great. I do everything by hand. As you state, too much heat with rotary and the crystal will melt or crack.

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Great tips my man. I’m loving it.

@fior2373 Жыл бұрын

I agree. By hand. I start with a higher grit and use water. Agree polywatch is for finishing.

@fior2373 Жыл бұрын

Also I use the sandpaper from the top, I move the paper not the crystal

@cgnicolis Жыл бұрын

I agree, wet sanding makes the difference IMO. I use 320->800->1k->3k then a drop of polywatch, never needed anything else. Like Fior said I move the paper not the crystal. Easier for me to not make flat spots and get up to the edge of the crystal without rounding over any edges.

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

@@cgnicolis on domed crystals, you definitely want to move the paper over the crystal. The crystals I demonstrated with in this video had a flat surface, a curved crystal but flat. When polishing this shape, moving the sandpaper by hand to the edges will break the sharp edge.

@charlesd820 Жыл бұрын

Another excellent video Alex. I use Micro-Mesh in grades from 3200 - 12000 and then finish with Polywatch, although I do find Polywatch a little 'glarey' afterwards. The benefits of micro-mesh is that you can wash them out and reuse them. I'm a BHI student and your tips are great, they should include stuff like this, and items from your other videos in the course 😀

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Thanks Charles, I had completely forgotten about micro mesh. That’s a great tip and product. Thanks for your contribution.

@amandagelien9612 Жыл бұрын

Bought a selection of micro mesh and IT IS GREAT THANKS😃

@hanslindgren7175 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for all tips. I juse toothpaste one time. And the result was ok.👍

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

How did it smell. 😄

@thepickyreviewer Жыл бұрын

That bettarini case though 😍

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

LOL, that’s a $50 case off Ali with a ST36 movement. I don’t pay 5k for watches any more. But I love it.

@thepickyreviewer Жыл бұрын

@@watchrepairtutorials I think me too will be reaching this state of mind very soon 😅

@HorridBeing 11 ай бұрын

You should try 3M Tri-M-ITE Wet Dry Polishing Abrasive Paper.

@AndrewPrinster Жыл бұрын

I've made a cleaning setup with 4 wide mouth mason jars and the basket. I took a torx bit and cut the tip off. I cut a groove where the tip was and slid that over the basket handle. Then welded the two together. Now I can use a drill with a quick release and a rocker switch with the basket.

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Andrew, I love the creativity that people are coming up with from this little video I did. Awesome stuff

@dale4034 10 ай бұрын

Thanks for the video, I just purchased a 1968 Bulova that has a rather scratched crystal. The crystal has the numbers 13 through 24 printed on the underside. I suspect this would be very hard to replace so polishing seems like the best option. I'm going to pratice on some other crystals first.

@watchrepairtutorials 10 ай бұрын

Exactly. That’s a perfect example .

@maxin306 Жыл бұрын

Polywatch fill up medium and fine scratches with filler. Try to apply on top some one- dip and you’ll see damage.

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

No doubt about that😏

@haping1 Жыл бұрын

Again great video, with so much attention for detail. Thanks. Can you do a video (tips) on how to polish screwheads? In vintage watches, most of the time the heads are sratches or damaged by previous services. Can we rework the screws (and maybe other parts) a bit in an easy way, so they look a bit more fresh?

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Yep. There are to main ways to do it successfully. One is with a bolt tool and the next is with a dedicated screw polisher. I will be doing a video sometime in the future.

@osobad1127 Жыл бұрын

What a great tutorial! Saved me a few bucks from ordering a new crystal. Question: does this work on mineral and sapphire also?

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

No. I’ll be making a video on polishing mineral glass as well as sapphire.

@kyproset Жыл бұрын

Thank you, Alex, I wonder if the compound used on car headlights would work.

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

That’s what people are saying. Give it a shot.

@alanmckinnon6791 Жыл бұрын

Polywatch is really good for taking out that one or two scratches when you scraped your crystal against the table. For deep scratches from 3 decades of wearing, you really need the tested way of coming up through the grades of wet paper followed by a polish. Just like with cabinet makers, there's no shortcut to getting the right finish

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

That’s a great analogy with wood working.

@ScottMcCormick12358 Жыл бұрын

I like Novus #3 heavy scratch remover and Novus #2 light scratch remover. Available from Amazon.

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

That’s a great tip and way more cost effective. Thanks Scott

@danielcosta3637 Жыл бұрын

Please professor, someday could you explain a little more about bracelets refurbishment. Thanks

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

I will be doing some videos on polishing in the future as well as going into polishing in depth in my 2 year watchmaking course I’m putting together

@johnvaluk1401 Жыл бұрын

Thank you Alex for the video and information. Which hand piece are you using for the foredom tool? I would be cautious using a dremel with their higher speeds. I believe it could melt the crystal very quickly. Thank you again.

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Yep you definitely want something with variable speed and Dremel style tools are meant for higher speeds. I am using the Grobet S-300 with the quick change handset for 3/32 shanks. I put them in the description.

@amandagelien9612 Жыл бұрын

Used Crystal-kleer with buffer after sanding with 1000 to 3000 sandpaper 😃or years and works fine

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Nice one Amanda, will add that to the growing list of alternative compounds😀

@GregJGreen Жыл бұрын

I was a metal polisher back in the early 70s, we had to be super careful about not overheating pot metal parts, burn throughs are very costly when it comes to near-irreplaceable car parts.

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

You will probably very good at polishing stainless.

@grahamcohen3850 Жыл бұрын

And there you go again buddy. Another great video for us. I have a few comments for this one. Is there a reason why you didn’t wet the sand paper first before using it? Also I have found my Mcquires car polish works just as good as Polywatch and it’s a lot cheaper and you get a lot Vo more of it. Also I’ve found turtle Wax cutting compound works great to remove scratches first before moving to the polish. I love that cleaning stand. I’m thinking of doing something similar but using my electric hand drill.

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Hi Graham, Someone else asked the same thing. No sometimes I do use water I just didn’t in the video. I have seen comment about several other compounds that people use like headline polish as well. That may be worth doing a follow up video down the road.

@sirbc Жыл бұрын

Great video! Can you provide a link for the cotton polishing wheels you use?

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

I added them into the links in the description but here it is. Cotton Buffs amzn.to/3CpZSDp

@alabamadeep4471 8 ай бұрын

I use Meguiar's M9 Mirror Glaze

@watchrepairtutorials 8 ай бұрын

Great tip, there are a bunch of different polishes that can be used these days

@tropicalspeed Жыл бұрын

Lots of good info here, Alex, and thanks once again for taking the time..... Any tips for removing wear and scratches from mineral crystals? One question regarding parts cleaning: Is it ok to use an ultrasonic cleaner instead of an agitated bath? I set up an ultrasonic system for cleaning parts/components but I am considering building an agitated bath. Thoughts? I wish there was a way to leave a link for you to pics in my Dropbox.

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Hey Ray, Thanks buddy. Yea there are several ways and I have a video planned shortly for polishing glass crystals as well as one on making them. The two main ways are with Cerium Oxide and making a paste, them using a slow hard felt wheel or diamond paste. I like ultrasonic cleaners and use mine primarily for pre-cleaning and cleaning case/ bracelet’s but they can be used easiest with the jar system and a water watch. I would love to see the pics, Shot me an email

@tropicalspeed Жыл бұрын

@@watchrepairtutorials I sent you an email with a couple of pics, Alex.

@awdturbopowah773 Жыл бұрын

You the man Alex! Great information in this one. I was just curious if you've also got a crystal replacement video coming up? Maybe I am just forgetting about it, but have you already done one that goes over the different types of crystal presses and crystals? I finally got my G-S hand press, and I wondering if I can get by with this for pushing in a sapphire crystal as well as fitting acrylics.

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Oh wow. I am going to be doing one on acrylics crystals soon. I have the GS press is my go to for acrylic. Great choice for sure. I don’t believe they are made for for press in crystals but I’ll look at that

@awdturbopowah773 Жыл бұрын

@@watchrepairtutorials heh, I got it because you told me about it! It’s the full “HP-5 Hand Inserter set” as GS calls it. No matter what, it’s useful to me for acrylic crystals, but I even thought about making a die adapter so it can be used with the screw-in dies sold for typical crystal presses. It just seems illogical to buy a whole other press when it seems like the only functional difference comes down to the dies. But maybe there’s more to it I’m not considering…

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

@@awdturbopowah773 Honestly, I really haven’t tried. But that’s on the list know. For compression and armored crystals it’s hard to beat.

@illwill4544 Жыл бұрын

Would Dialux Gray Polishing Compound Rouge be an acceptable substitute for Polinum in this application? I got the Dialux for polishing oiler tips per an earlier video because I couldn't get Polinum at the time.

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

What’s Grey used for ? Removing deep scratches. It’s the second highest grit next to black, so probably not a good choice. I would go for the white as a minimum if not green or red.

@sjurgabriel Жыл бұрын

I really like your videos. No snob zone here, and very informative. A few months ago I found a old pocket watch, all black of oxydation and after cleaning it up the crystal seemed even more worn than before. I really wanted to do something about it, but didn´t have any polywatch or very fine sandpaper. But - I was itching to do this that night and by using a 800 grit sandpaper, then some very worn piece of it and patiently hand polishing with tothtpaste it ended up being useable again. I do have a question: when restoring acrylig glass on car headlights you always finish with a sealant as an UV protection, to slow down fading and yellowing. Is this something to consider for let´s say sport watches? Golfing, surfing, fishing and other activities includes a lot of sun exposure.

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Not typically no. The plastics in older PW's that you see with yellowed color were from early forms of plastic's. New acrylic crystals don't really demonstrate the same problems, although we will have to wait and see,

@littleviking488 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for another great video. I've used the progressive sandpaper method but with various polishing compounds as the last step. The results have been quite good but I will try the polinum as it appears even better. Have you ever used the sandpaper wet during the sanding stages? I've never used it dry but I guess loading of the paper is not a big issue with acrylic.

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Yes, It just depends on how much sandpaper I have.😉 The Polinum is good and is certainly good to have especially for case polishing. The 0.5 micron would be better for the polishing light scratches or after using sandpaper, just be careful, it needs to be done at a slower speed to prevent burning the crystal.

@littleviking488 Жыл бұрын

@@watchrepairtutorials Thanks for the info! Dave

@fixyboo Ай бұрын

I’m restoring a vintage Timex Electric M40 and I’m starting by polishing the exterior surfaces. Would you recommended combining both methods, Sandpaper + polywatch for superficial scratches?

@watchrepairtutorials Ай бұрын

On the crystal? Yes. Depending on how superficial they are you may only need Polywatch.

@fightnflight Жыл бұрын

Love the video! I find using a dense 1/2" thick piece of foam under the sandpaper allows you to really get the edges perfect as well.

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Well exactly. There were some comments about how I shouldn’t of ran the crystal over the sandpaper, but should have run the sandpaper over the crystal. That’s true when you have it domed or rounded crystal. If you do that on a crystal with a sharp edge, you’ll end up breaking it or slightly rounding it over. It’s no different than sanding wood in that respect.

@fightnflight Жыл бұрын

@@watchrepairtutorials Makes sense to me! Thanks for sharing your knowledge. It always helps to get a new perspective on things!

@philippeetkozue Жыл бұрын

Thank you for your video. I have a question: Does your methods (polywatch, sandpaper) work also with scratches on smartwatches like applewatch or fitbit? I have deep scratches on my smartwatch that I would like to remove without breaking the tactile screen. Thank you again!

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

This method only works on plastic or acrylic watch crystals. I believe apple watches have some sort of glass crystal so it would require different methods.

@BokiPetrovic88 Жыл бұрын

Do you use Grobet C-300 for all types of polishing (cristals, cases and main barrel) and are you getting professional results with Grobet? Also suggestion if it has another purpose. Thanks for great content, can't wait for the next video.

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

I do like the Grobet and you can use it for polishing case and brackets as well. I use a foot pedal to control the speed but wish it had a speed setting dial to set the rpm

@keithstarling8244 Жыл бұрын

Always love your video's Alix and I've also been making a watch cleaning system but going back to check your video #8 it seems now your videos only go back to #9 I like to replay your videos but have the earliest ones been removed? The Mexican British watchmaker.

@keithstarling8244 Жыл бұрын

Sorry I've just found them. thanks.

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

You scared me😃

@Tony78432 3 ай бұрын

I’m watching this video cause I have a handheld Nintendo gaming console with a gloss plastic shell that has a few light surface scratches and I’m wondering if the Polywatch Plastic will remove those

@watchrepairtutorials 3 ай бұрын

probably but for a larger service there may be better products. Look for something for car headlights.

@cadu2506 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the detailed videos I have read reports on the forums that some people have been able to remove scratches from mineral crystals like hardlex for example. I also have read that some people have removed scratches from sapphire crystals with “diamond paste” Is this possible? If so have you ever tried it ? This could be a nice video idea Thanks

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

That video will be coming up soon.

@dr.s.p. Жыл бұрын

Do you change direction as you use and go thru the grits, or circles? Thanks.

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

That particular crystal was a curved flat crystal with 99 degree edges For an old tank style watch. That was all one direction sanding. If it was a domed crystal I would have had it facing up and had the sandpaper in my fingers. Direction of sanding doesn’t really matter. That really helps when you are in lower grits and and sanding wood because it helps to see areas that didn’t get sanded as well. These grits are so fine you would barely be able to see any scratches.

@dr.s.p. Жыл бұрын

@@watchrepairtutorials - Thank you 👍

@deadforalldead3576 Жыл бұрын

Do you recommend a mini rotary tool to polish or remove scratches?

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Sorry. I don’t know if any that run at a slow enough speed .

@vesselingenadiev2526 Жыл бұрын

Which product is with finer grid - the Polinum paste or the 0.5 Diamand Paste? And how do you chose when and where to use one or another? Thanks in advance for sharing!

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

I'm not sure what the grit is on the Polinum. I will use the Polinum more often because its less expensive. Diamond paste more often on glass cystals

@vesselingenadiev2526 Жыл бұрын

@@watchrepairtutorials it makes sense, thanks again

@ThePoolman2007 11 ай бұрын

awesome video but what about watch crystal that are old and yellowed and scratched

@watchrepairtutorials 11 ай бұрын

Trash can. Yellowing it be removed.

@ItsNeverTooHot4Leather 11 ай бұрын

Can you manually use diamond paste on a cotton glove or cotton cloth with (more or less) the same effectiveness as the rotary tool with the cotton mop? I'm just wondering since I don't have a rotary tool, could I just put diamond paste on a cotton cloth and manually buff out the scratches with the same effectiveness?

@watchrepairtutorials 11 ай бұрын

Sure with a lot of elbow grease but why not just use sand paper and water.

@vesselingenadiev2526 Жыл бұрын

Alex, with these types of home-made cleaning mashines (yours from Lession 8 and this one from South Africa) how long does a run with a rinsing solvent or with a cleaning solvent usually take so that you get good results? I know with the original cleaning mashines usually a run is about 10 mins each, if I am not wrong, so how is it here? And also, do you warm up the solvents of you use room temperature?

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

With a good cleaner 5-10 minutes is fine depending on how bad the parts are. Heating solvents is usually a bad idea.

@vesselingenadiev2526 Жыл бұрын

@@watchrepairtutorials Thanks!

@ericdouglas9804 Жыл бұрын

I just began this hobby back in November and I really enjoy your content and channel. It’s also kinda neat to see a watchmaker that looks like he might have a Harley or two in the garage 😂😂. I actually have the same Zenith cleaning machine as yours. Mine has three green jars and one clear one but it appears original. I don’t know whether to use the clear one so I can see how dirty my cleaning solution is or for the final third rinse jar; any thoughts or suggestions?

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Hey Eric, I think you are probably right about the jar. Makes sense. I would probably use it for the wash as well. Just a couple suggestions if you haven’t thought of these. Keep track of the wash cycles and rotate. I use a ultrasonic to pre clean parts before I do inspections. Then I demagnetize the parts before final cleaning. This is to prevent any metal particles that might be in the jars from being attracted to the watch parts. Then I run the parts through the zenith and dry. My dryer runs to hot so I use a food dehydrator.😄

@ericdouglas9804 Жыл бұрын

@@watchrepairtutorials Thanks. I do rotate my rinse jars from third to second and second to first and toss the original first. My machine was missing the basket and I retrofitted a new Elma one and it doesn’t fit all the way down in my heater so I have a little extra airflow and my parts don’t get too hot. Hadn’t thought about the demagnetization ( I do demagnetize after assembly). On an average, with eBay watches for parts or repair 😎; how many washes would one expect? Thanks

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

@@ericdouglas9804 obviously it will vary on your pre cleaning. I clean the barrel and heavy grease from the movement first then like I said into the ultrasonic. So for me the wash and rinse is going to last longer. The jewels will tell you how well everything is washing and rinsing. 7-10 movements is a good rule of thumb

@mikebond6328 Жыл бұрын

@@watchrepairtutorials You should check/change the resistor on your dryer. I’m in the process of building a watch cleaning machine. You’ve given me some good ideas. I think instead of a standard resistor I’m going to use a potentiometer so that I can control the heat.

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

@@mikebond6328 I don’t know anything about that stuff. Teach me something

@Harmony-Chan-S2 3 ай бұрын

Speedmaster owners anxiety levels through the roof 😂

@watchrepairtutorials 3 ай бұрын

Remember, my friend, it’s just a watch

@goindown71 Жыл бұрын

I just got my first tube of polywatch and used it on two watches only to realize the scratches on the acrylic is deeper than I expected. Can I use the sandpaper method first then use the diamond paste?

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Of course finish with diamond paste or Polywatch or even a polishing compound like a rouge.

@goindown71 Жыл бұрын

@@watchrepairtutorials Great, thanks!

@TheOdsd1977 16 күн бұрын

A cheap car headlight polishing cream does the same job. Checked.

@watchrepairtutorials 16 күн бұрын

Yep, there's tons of different things that polish plastic that's for sure

@martinsmith5998 7 ай бұрын

How do you know if a watch crystal is acrylic or glass? Do you do the same proceedure for both?

@watchrepairtutorials 7 ай бұрын

Well, most of your acrylic crystals are gonna have a high dome shaped to it. You can also tell by tapping on it. Acrylic is going to have someone of a bounce. This really only works on acrylic style crystals. Although you can polish scratches from glass, it requires using diamond paste. In three or four different grits, depending on how scratch it is.

@kenpogodan 11 ай бұрын

Will these fixes work on Black watch faces? I have the Amazfit watch which has scratches. The watch face is black just like the face on newer Apple faces. Thanks for any response.

@watchrepairtutorials 11 ай бұрын

If it’s acrylic. Yes. if it’s glass no.

@kenpogodan 11 ай бұрын

@@watchrepairtutorials Thank you for your response.

@kenpogodan 11 ай бұрын

Well I checked and Chat GPT tells me my watch face is likely plastic. I researched this and found that plastic and acrylic are "similar". So I will try the fix. Thanks again.

@kenpogodan 11 ай бұрын

Upon further research I find my watch face is tempered glass. So I will try to find methods to repair scratches on tempered glass.

@victorhugorodriguez773 7 ай бұрын

what is the last thing you apply, after the sand paper?, the subtitle say is palladium, is the diamond polysh? you apply whit the cotton buff thank you for your answer

@watchrepairtutorials 7 ай бұрын

It’s called Polinum. It’s been use to final polish stainless steel for ever.

@victorhugorodriguez773 7 ай бұрын

@@watchrepairtutorials thank you very much

@caitoxose 8 ай бұрын

Does that work with smartwatches?

@watchrepairtutorials 8 ай бұрын

I would think most smartwatches have some form of glass, so no.

@justin_time_watches Жыл бұрын

Is there any way to deal with yellowed crystals..?

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Not really. I do t know what you ah e. Ut the real old o e are celluloid and the yellowing is due to a chemical reaction of the plastic.

@56364 5 ай бұрын

Both methods works well. But the polywatch is so much easier to use.

@watchrepairtutorials 5 ай бұрын

Sure it works but it’s limited in what it can remove. Why not have a system that can handle any situation?

@56364 5 ай бұрын

@watchrepairtutorials it's easier to reach for one thing. One tube that does a 80% job. In the end practically always wins over perfection.

@watchrepairtutorials 5 ай бұрын

@@56364 in watch repair perfection always wins but you set your own standards.

@eddie50 Жыл бұрын

Hi Alex, Again another informative video from you, We really are learning so much,. As l watched the video, l noticed you wore a number of watches, And l thought it would be nice, if you done a video of your watch collection and why you choose your watches and why ???? Also l have seen on some watch forum's, people telling other novices that they shouldn't take the balance wheel off when cleaning a watch, their thought is because the balance wheel is so delicate, taking it off, cleaning and putting it back on, a novice is more likely to break or damage it,. I just wondered what your thoughts are about this ?

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Hey Eddie, Thank you sir. This video was filmed at different times throughout the week, which is why the watches were different. I don’t really have an extensive wrist watch collection. I have at different times had as many as 30-40 luxury watches before selling them all off and now only keep 3 or 4. Right now my favorite piece is the 1st one you saw which is a ST36 in a Paneri style case. That watch has a Delta rate of 3 and I wear it a lot. My primary collection are pocket watches and my favorites are the Hamilton military and railroad grades. I’ll be doing some videos on those in the future. Alex

@ScottMcCormick12358 Жыл бұрын

Are you concerned about abrasive materials remaining in the workspace? Sometimes abrasive paste can fly off a spinning wheel.

@watchrepairtutorials Жыл бұрын

Absolutely. That’s why I always clean my workbench down with Windex before I assemble clean watch parts.