Fitting a NH35 movement to a Namoki field case
After some helpfull tips in my first post on fitting the San Martin dial to my NH35 movement I ordered dial spots. They finally arrived so I started with my build.
Installing the hour and minute hand took 10 minutes. Then it took me well over 2 hours to finally install the seconds hand 😂 Youtube videos aren't lying when they say this is difficult and the hands are very fragile. But I pulled it off and the movement is running smoothly.
Then came the time to case it. This again proved difficult... I can't seem to get the movement fully pressed into the case. See the attached pictures: there is clearly a gap between the dial en the chapter ring that is integrated into this case. The last picture I have borrowed from Namoki's own website and there you see the dial matching the chapter ring without any gaps.
The stem will not enter straight into the movement now and the caseback can't be screwed in. Not good 😉
So my question is: do you guys have any tips on how to get the movement properly all the way into the case? I have pressed on the grey movement holder. I have pressed harder, and then even harder that that. I have pressed at several points at once. It doesn't help. Is it normal that a lot of force is required to case the movement?
Main interest is in quartz and digital watches. Seiko and Casio are my favourite brands. I have built a bronze Casio AE-1200 and a polished stainless steel AE-1200 using aftermarket cases and straps.
Try pressing down on the plastic ring and the side of the movement at the same time. I know that these don’t like going down on an angle if it still won’t seat down remove movement and try pushing down evenly and at a last resort get a hobby knife and trim a tiny bit of plastic off the ring. Good luck you should get there
As kiwi said press down on the plastic ring. I usually do that at two points at the same time.
For future builds, if you get into it, check out this movement holder: https://www.murphymanufacturing.com/movement_holder_8010.html
It let's you push the case down onto the movement, usually all the way so you don't uave to adjust anything.
Thanks for helping! Yesterday I finally found the time to try again. I tried and removed the movement several times but it just wouldn't go in straight and all the way. Eventually when removing the movement the dial was stuck in the case. It ended up pulling the hands off the movement.
I got it all out of the case and measured the dial: 29.01mm. That is not the 28.5mm it should be and definitely not what San Martin tells it to be when they sell it for quite a bit of money 😕
It looks like I have a fun job at hand trying out the set of diamond files I bought at a watch fair recently.... Or should I just buy another dial form Namoki and ditch this whole Kanagawa-dial idea?