Alternative to robur glass press

[Neverenoughwatches]

Hiya watch people,  any thoughts as to using these dies in a case/glass press. They look like the same idea as the robur that bends the plexi over a curved die to reduce its diameter. They just need an adapter to fit them onto a press.

[Marc]

I don't know how well the pliers work as I don't have them but I do have some of the dies. I have actually made adapters to fit them into my Robur press and they work absolutely fine.

[Neverenoughwatches]

55 minutes ago, Marc said:

I don't know how well the pliers work as I don't have them but I do have some of the dies. I have actually made adapters to fit them into my Robur press and they work absolutely fine.

Thanks Marc, that was the answer i was looking for. This set only 25 quid and is complete, i struggling to understand whats so special about the Robur press besides the price. Wont any screw down press do the same job ?

[Marc]

15 minutes ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

Wont any screw down press do the same job ?

Absolutely, this is my National press. I have seen these go for less than £10 on eBay in the past and it is a great piece of kit.

I only have plastic and Bakelite dies for the Robur which are fine for standard crystals but the edges are a little too delicate for things like press on bezels and case backs. The National only has aluminium dies (I also have a few brass ones that can be adapted) so this gets used for more demanding tasks, but it would only require minimal modification for your dies to fit and you would then have a very viable alternative to the Robur at a fraction of the price.

[Neverenoughwatches]

4 hours ago, Marc said:

Absolutely, this is my National press. I have seen these go for less than £10 on eBay in the past and it is a great piece of kit.

I only have plastic and Bakelite dies for the Robur which are fine for standard crystals but the edges are a little too delicate for things like press on bezels and case backs. The National only has aluminium dies (I also have a few brass ones that can be adapted) so this gets used for more demanding tasks, but it would only require minimal modification for your dies to fit and you would then have a very viable alternative to the Robur at a fraction of the price.

Thanks marc, thats great information,  I'm pleased i asked the original question. It just made sense and I've seen a few of these pliers presses with shallow curved bakelite dies before. The National press, there was one the other day on ebay and that sold for £10 , different name but the same press in black. I like it, feels like a good idea

[oldhippy]

There are loads of different type tools for watch glass fitting. I had several, the one I liked best was this type but mine was not a bergeon.

I had the Vigor Bergeon for high dome glass that is a must have tool. I had the Robur but not impressed with it. 

 

[Neverenoughwatches]

1 hour ago, oldhippy said:

There are loads of different type tools for watch glass fitting. I had several, the one I liked best was this type but mine was not a bergeon.

I had the Vigor Bergeon for high dome glass that is a must have tool. I had the Robur but not impressed with it. 

 

I like the claw tool as well but it only grabs and squeezes high dome acrylics, thats why i bought these domed dies to bend the crystals over. 

[Marc]

3 hours ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

different name but the same press in black

Mine was originally black but it was in a bit of a state so I cleaned it up and gave it a fresh coat of paint. Green was all I had but I rather like it.

 I have also seen these branded as BMC.

[Neverenoughwatches]

8 hours ago, Marc said:

Mine was originally black but it was in a bit of a state so I cleaned it up and gave it a fresh coat of paint. Green was all I had but I rather like it.

 I have also seen these branded as BMC.

I think someone is having a laugh 

[Marc]

54 minutes ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

I think someone is having a laugh

Certainly an ambitious price

This is a sold price

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/226263423357?_nkw=crystal+press&itmmeta=01J5WBCFZCF0A8RF9ARCXMC717&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA8HoV3kP08IDx%2BKZ9MfhVJKn8D%2BW%2FVEkRZYdjKvUPOfskDP2NOyMu5imRSKeKmO2W854raCd4nNt6iiSOyFtfMAOATIl8Sv6j5H7ecDGaJIqyTFFuUruRd9md%2FBBPstzuxtlax4lEHtAnT%2BSCARLedCupDIE9J2xCMMmLS7RavqykEFjWbrQ9TF2P0Lm%2F5Kg6qDqp5VKt0AGvzmm25nI%2BDQokmWlwKeJYdHdjvYcdVEZBI6LSXF3MiqPW2O%2B0ih%2FqI2LjBMrzY9nc9G%2BcgM2ZeVXRRIeS8Gx64wl%2BITTUyuAUoW0oK0JgHq0F394D2h8vmw%3D%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR-r_sYuvZA&LH_ItemCondition=4

[oldhippy]

The Vigor Bergeon won't even grab low dome.  That old black tool was quite handy the assorted fitting were good not sure what they were mad of but they never broke or chipped.  

[mikepilk]

I was lucky enough to get this glass press from ebay a couple of months ago for just £20.

It's brilliant. So much easier to use than the Bergeon claw tool, and it leaves no marks.

You can hold the press tool in one hand and the case in the other. It takes seconds to fit/remove a glass. I which I'd got one years ago.

 

[Neverenoughwatches]

1 hour ago, mikepilk said:

I was lucky enough to get this glass press from ebay a couple of months ago for just £20.

It's brilliant. So much easier to use than the Bergeon claw tool, and it leaves no marks.

You can hold the press tool in one hand and the case in the other. It takes seconds to fit/remove a glass. I which I'd got one years ago.

 

I have that same press as an Omega brand but very different dies exclusive to Omega .

[oldhippy]

I had this set for Omega watches, this is all I could find in images in a box as you can see this is incomplete. I had the full set.

 

[Neverenoughwatches]

6 hours ago, oldhippy said:

The Vigor Bergeon won't even grab low dome.  That old black tool was quite handy the assorted fitting were good not sure what they were mad of but they never broke or chipped.  

If they were the brown sometimes mottled, they were probably bakelite. It was used for all kinds of stuff, even jewelery, antiques.  Brittle but quite resilient in other ways, molded resin  i think it had asbestos in it.

2 hours ago, oldhippy said:

I had this set for Omega watches, this is all I could find in images in a box as you can see this is incomplete. I had the full set.

 

Ive been after those for ages expensive, rarely seen as a full set now, occasionally sold in singles.

[gpraceman]

I was looking for a vintage Robur press but most are asking quite a bit for one.  I had bought one at a fairly reasonable price, but then the US postal service managed to lose it once it got to my state.  Had considered getting a new one from Cousins (press only) and 3D print an adapter so I can use my cheap nylon dies.

Then I saw this Chinese press, which looks interesting.  Seems a good deal better than the cheaper Chinese ones available.  Does more than just being a crystal/case press, which may be handy.  However, it doesn't look to come with the dies, but you can get a set of them separately.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806893890768.html

[Neverenoughwatches]

2 hours ago, gpraceman said:

Had considered getting a new one from Cousins (press only) and 3D print an adapter so I can use my cheap nylon dies.

For me, it isn't about the press, a press is just a press, its the specific dies that robur developed 

[gpraceman]

1 hour ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

For me, it isn't about the press, a press is just a press, its the specific dies that robur developed 

The dies seem nice, but many of the vintage ones I've seen are chipped on the edge.  A new set is well beyond my budget.

[Neverenoughwatches]

4 hours ago, gpraceman said:

The dies seem nice, but many of the vintage ones I've seen are chipped on the edge.  A new set is well beyond my budget.

You're right they are often chipped with being bakelite, it is usually the convex ones . The press is nice and well made and would assume hold the dies secure and straight but still just a simple press at the end of the day. Its the actual dies that i would want, in particular the felt covered dome ones. If anyone is handy with a wood lathe ,turning some up would be an option.

 

[gpraceman]

2 minutes ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

You're right they are often chipped with being bakelite, it is usually the convex ones . The press is nice and well made and would assume hold the dies secure and straight but still just a simple press at the end of the day. Its the actual dies that i would want, in particular the felt covered dome ones. If anyone is handy with a wood lathe ,turning some up would be an option.

 

Could 3D print some of those and cover with felt.

[Neverenoughwatches]

9 minutes ago, gpraceman said:

Could 3D print some of those and cover with felt.

I must get a 3d printer and learn how to use  one lol. Next big purchase 

[gpraceman]

1 hour ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

I must get a 3d printer and learn how to use  one lol. Next big purchase 

They do come it handy for a good many things.  I've made up quite a few things for watchmaking.

[oldhippy]

You need to be careful with those chinese ones some do not line up well and it makes fitting the glass difficult. I wouldn't touch chinese tools with a barge pole. 

[mikepilk]

1 hour ago, oldhippy said:

You need to be careful with those chinese ones some do not line up well and it makes fitting the glass difficult. I wouldn't touch chinese tools with a barge pole. 

There are some crap Chinese tools, and some very good ones. You just have to do some research before buying.

 

[oldhippy]

I don't need to do any research as I'm retired. In my time we never had any chinese tools to choose from thank goodness.