My liner notes / tips for y'all 2:50 - use plier-style springbar tool (like a big peg), instead of single end. The single end is just for two piece straps or nato pins - anything that isn't a sollid end link. 4:00 - you should have thin gloves on once getting into the open case. Also a cheap facemask (COVID-19 fashion) helps with any breath, spit, booger etc hitting the watch 5:30 - lol scratchy scratchy. Never do that. Not that anyone is going to see but it does scratch the metal. Use toothpicks around the black plastic movement holder. 5:50 - I have a cheap "jewelery and watch pad" I got off eBay whic his better for the movement 7:19 - The brass movement holder from Crystal Times is best. Soft metal and won't hurt the movement, yet has weight to hold up. Don't get the plastic ones! They are garbage. 7:50 - I don't know if you are wearing a 4x loupe right now but it's hightly recommended. Also you should have some Rodico handy for moving the hands, and a little parts cubby to protect from dust (all cheap on eBay). 8:00 - Lol I can't believe you use your bare hands for fingerprinting the edge of the dial! Use gloves. Also use a tiny screwdriver to lift under the dial near the crown. I find that's best for levering off the dial, as you are lifting away from the day-date and crown assembly first. That seems to help. 9:10 - You need a pair of tweeters here and it helps to get a plastic shield over the movement at this point. Just picking at the snap clip with a flathead will get it to launch off and fly across the room, and you'll never ever find it again. I'm talking from experience here. Oh... yeah watching the video a bit longer you did that too haha. 11:30 - So sad giving up the Kanjii day wheel :'( 13:18 - never turn the movement upside down - keep it well flat doing this! If you put the day-date corrector (tiny cog) in upside down (like I did once) it'll break it quick smart. 14:18 - put day-date cog back in, but now blower to make sure there's no microscopic lint? lol! Other sites recommend swapping the day plate as well, which is what I do. 21:50 - you need Rodico gum man. Makes it easy to leverage the hands 32:00 - if your NH-35/36 comes with a grey movement holder (2mm), it's best to put on the black movement holder which is 3mm. Allows for a tighter and more secure fit in a SKX. Your movement is not as snug as it should be. Some other notes. Make sure that both movement are set to around 6pm before doing this mod, as you don't want the date change mechanism to be engaged in any way whilst swapping over date-related parts.
Thank you, Ian! I'll get better and better at doing this too! I am just waiting for the keyboard warriors to tell me how I am doing things wrong. Well NO SHIT, Sherlock! lol They of course, do everything perfect the first time and they are perfect at everything and know everything :p.
The best way to learn is from mistakes. Even better if learn from first hand experience opposed to watching others' through a screen. If any bumps come along the way that cant be overcome, most of us are just an email away :) Only reason why I kept my video as a tutorial, not a walk through. Thanks for showing us your journey!
I must watch your video!!! I will finish these comments, take a shower because I just came home from the gym and smell like a dead cat, get some snacks then watch how you did it!. And absolutely the best way is to learn from mistakes! Thanks for the comments!
Glad you popped in Lume Shot, as I just watched your video on the NH36 swap,...and how you used 2 finely sharpened jewelers screwdrivers to take off the little retainer "C" clip,...and your flopped right off and onto your work pad....no ricochet sound effect needed !! I've enjoyed both of y'alls videos. PS. Also sent you an email today regarding the modding of the SKX007 I will buy (I currently wear an Isobrite chronograph, with sapphire)
Gang: This video is rough as all hell and only really for those who are actually going to attempt this swap. I didn't really want to release this video because of how difficult this swap was for me (because I am ambitious yet RUBBISH) but I figured that it would be good to show. I see too many tutorials from all sorts of genres where the creator of the video makes themselves out to be PERFECT. This is bullshit. They edit out all their mistakes. How are we supposed to actually learn if we can't see these mistakes? I'm not going to be anything other than real for you folks so here is my long, boring, NH36A swap video with my mistakes and everything. Uncle Jimmy and Ted are on vacation so they wont be in this video! Please do not dislike :| Yes, I know about Rodico. There's no need to tell me about it. I ordered some five weeks ago and I feel like it got sent to space.
You madman Kurt! This video is great for aspiring modders. Crazy to see you posted 45 minutes of this. I didn't really watch all of it but jumped around thru it. Missing Uncle Jimmy. Can't wait for the next regular video but it's awesome you're doing these too.
Did I really just watch and thoroughly enjoy a 40 minute video on fiddling around with a watch? You bet I did. The operation was instructive and the commentary pure entertainment. Brilliant!!
Hi man, in my humble opinion its one of best your vids. I like technical vids, i like real vids. This video is full of technical stuff and realism. And i think this video is much more usable for future attempters / newbies in modyfications, than some extra hyper super perfect one which will not show all of possibilities for fails, possible problems, obstructions on way to swap windable, hackable nh36 into skx case. I saw few vids about this same thing, but i realy not remember that swaping of "day dial" in their vids. So i learned from your vid new things again. Maybe you need just some better tweezers and that sticky putty for catching dust from inside crystal :) I appreciate very much that you published this video. Life is not perfect, persons are not perfect, we all learning from our (in this video yours :D ) mistakes :) Thank you
Great video and a big help! I had a huge struggle with the seconds hand but what worked best for me was remove the watch hand press from the stand. Then put a little Rodico putty on the end of the the tool to hold the seconds hand. This made it much easier for me to line up the seconds hand and reduced my overall aggravation by at least 80% Thanks for making these videos!
Ditching the tweezers and using Rodico and a hand press for hand installation was so life changing. It used to take me hours to put hands on with tweezers because I do NOT have the hands of a brain surgeon. Very, very frustrating. Now, it takes mere minutes. Love your channel. Keep up the great work.
So goddamn happy you posted this video! I saw another dude do it what appeared to be flawlessly and I was pretty discouraged about how easy he made it look. Just got into the watch modding hobby (in part thanks to your airwolf mod video) and have been watching your videos non-stop! Keep them up!
Great video Kurt! A real service to the watch community. It's good that you included the f-ups because building anything is just a series of mistakes and fixes. That's the most badass, beefy skx I've ever seen. Better than stock by a grand magnitude -- it looks like a 1976 Honda Civic with mags and a fender kit. I mean that as a compliment of the highest order.
Dude, there was PRISTINE Championship White 1976 Honda Civic with mag wheels in the local honda dealership here. People were offering them FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS for it! hahah! It was just for display and wasn't sold but man was that thing cool! I MIGHT change the dial and hand to something a bit more modern. Not sure. What do you think? Leave it alone?
The hands, yeah, you can change 'em but leave the dial; that (along with the case) is what makes your mod identifiable as an skx. You wouldn't want a '76 Civic to look like a late '90s Golf would you? Just my opinion. If you do change it, do another vid. I think the modding vids are inspiring and are a great resource for watch nerds. Two thumbs and two big toes up!
I AM loving the stock dial! You're right about it taking away from it being an SKX. I've said a similar thing in response to a comment on a recent instagram post. I have plans for another watch that i'll put a nice dial on. The UNvicta =)
I learned more from this video than a ton of other videos. And man did It ever make me feel good that someone else found it a pain in the rear about changing hands.
This was so funny...you remind me of me when things don´t go well the first time with such small parts!xD Thank you so much for taking the time to do this on camera for us.Cheers brother.
I feel like I’m watching my future self put together my next mod haha! Hats off for putting it all out there and showing the full reality of what it’s like to get into modding your SKX! I’ll be going down this route soon with my first movement swap
Thank you so much! I found this video after my skx movement died, most probably because I was not very careful when changing hands, dials and so on. I was a bit desperate about me ruining my watch, and 7s26 being expensive compared to NH36 (that's weird), I was also not very eager to try this mod. Then I watched your video: it is just perfect!!! It shows me all the istakes I'll possibly do, what to avoid and so on. Far better than vidz from ''pros'' doing everything in 3 minutes without any issue. Anyway I'll order the NH36 and try to find a already-modded stem, if I can find it for a decent price. Thanks again!
Real. Honest. I like it mate. Well done. Full respect for recording the first one you've done and the mistakes encountered. Without you showing them, I guarantee others will have for themselves - the hard way!
When I'm watching Just one more watch SKX mod video I thought "huh that's pretty easy" then I watch your video and suddenly thought "wow this is way too hard"
so, the obvious takeaway for most of us is - DON'T take your watch apart! just buy the combination you want, even if it costs more. man that was detailed and i could see myself tossing two movements into the bin.
Outstanding video. You are an amazing guy to keep your composure with all that frustration. And thanks for the Strapcode bracelet comment. I thought I was the only one who struggled with one.
Hands down best video about this mod. It’s 2023 so fuck the perfect videos, glitter and hip hip hooray We need more down to earth regular stuff. I have made all these mistakes, glad to see others fixes so I can learn Solid video, cheers! Alex
Hey man, this is a very real and informative video about the hardships of watch modding, thank you for the contribution. Watch modding community needs more people like you. Anyway, I don't usually comment anything on any video anywhere, but I like your honest style and feel your pain enough to make an exception this time. So, about the hands install: Get a set of separate manual hand installing tools, they're about 10cm aluminium sticks with plastic ends that have different sized holes in them. Use a tiny bit of rodico or just _white_ "blue tack" on the end of the hand setting tool to hold on to the hand, and install one at the time. (blue tack can leave some grease on the hand, but seeing how you treat those hand now... let's say it'd be an improvement, no disrespect) Don't push the hand completely in before you poke them around a bit _very delicately_ to match the correct time. I try to set them at precisely noon, where I stopped the movt, it drives me nuts if the minutes hand does not correspond exactly to the hours hand.. Also with this method, especially with third party hand sets, you have to check that the hands are level and not touching each other. So, after the install, I usually use the time setting feature to roll the hands around a couple of "days" to see that they clear each other. I've actually had to bend some hands ever so slightly because of manufacturing tolerances... Well, I hope this helps someone. Best regards, keep up the good work!
It helps a lot. Thanks, Jojo! I've had to bend some hands in previous mods as well. I have tried to install aftermarket hands as well. I just never made a video about it.
Curt, despite your frustrations, I think you did a great job on these mods, including the mvmt. change. I wish I could do these, but since you have more patience than I do, I won't even try it. Btw, this is the SKX that Seiko fans deserve; they should offer a model with sapphire, this bezel & the 4r36 mvt, even if they charged $50 more! Thanks!
Use a fresh bit of Rodico putty instead of a pair of tweezers to hold the hands. Also if you intend to reuse the original SKX crown, you can use the temporary stem that came with the NH movement. Just remove the plastic crown. 99.99% of the time that temporary stem will be the correct length. BRAVO on your 1st SKX movement upgrade.
Have Rodico on order for about 5 weeks now and nothing's arrived! 😡 This video had to be made. I couldn't wait. I'm off to a far away land soon! The temporary stem was indeed the right length. Shhh, I knew that before the video =p. I wanted to show the process of making a "raw" stem fit. There's a lot more value in that. Regardless. thanks for the comments! This makes two movement swaps I've done!
GREAT job on this video! I'm looking to do this soon and this is exactly what I wanted to see - what it looks like in the 'real' world with all the trials, tribulation, and mess-ups. Glad you posted this as-is because this is what it really looks like, unlike other vids I've seen where they cut away and come back with perfection but you didn't see the 5 hours of toil and frustration. Great job - thanks (and the watch looks great too btw)
Great modding vid. Really appreciate the effort you've taken into showing the good, bad, and ugly of the modding experience. I absolutely dislike placing the hands on the dial. Removing them, no problem at all... but I'm like a bumbling rhino conducting delicate surgery. Just an absolute fail. Stepped away, collected myself, came back when I cooled down, and kept at it until it was complete. Might've been a hell of a project, but definitely happy with the results. By the way, I didn't change out the movement spacer either, and it is a tighter fit than it should've been, and made threading on the crown a bit challenging. Planning on going back and changing it out for the original SKX spacer soon.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I am going to get real good at changing hands. Especially because of all the wonderful tips everyone's been giving me. Like you, I am also going to go back and swap out that spacer. It bugs me when I think about it hah!
Loving the "HULK SMASH!" moment at 39:14! Been there! It would be nice to see a complete mod from a plain 007 to your own unique 007 mod over a couple of vids. Uploads like that are rare. Its usually, a small mod done over a period of months. Love this upload. It's great to see how we all learn by doing and finding new and different shortcuts. Keep up the good work!
Hahah. I was legit frustrated! Everyone's been giving me so many good tips! I love it! I'm actually planning on doing exactly what your saying in the next month or so. I'm going to get some sort of watch, do some stuff and junk then upload a series of videos about it. Mighty car mods style! Thanks, DJ!
Dude! So happy that you uploaded this video because I'm planning to do the exact same mod. Showing off warts and all is the reason I watched the entire thing. Thanks!
I felt your pain watching this. Was so funny when the C clip disappeared into thin air. I was changing a watch strap at the time and I'd just had BOTH spring bars launch across the room! If anything though, this vid has convinced me NOT to try to swap a movement as I seriously wouldn't have the patience. Cheers.
Dude I'm sorry, but this really makes me laugh 🤣 really full credit to you for making this vid. Especially "I'm gonna watch it for a few minutes" like we all do, just sit and stare at it to make sure its working, like stressed zombies ha ha.
Hello. I have just watched all the video and it is a good one to learn how to do this kind of modifications by ourselves, you have got a good result and the watch looks really nice. Congratulations.
Thanks for sharing. I'm thinking of doing the same movement and crystal swap on my SNZG13. Your video helps me realize what I'll be getting myself into.
Thumbs up 👍 .. amazing video as usual .. this is exactly what I am looking for .. you show all the struggles that we may face while doing this .. good for you man ... u r badass 👏👏👏👏
Best video ever. Shows how these things ACTUALLY go! This will be me in a few weeks trying to follow a tutorial video and at least ill know that its ok if sometimes it doesnt look pretty . Ill still get it done. Funny too lol
I just used your video to change out a NH35 with an NR15, very helpful, except I screwed up the indexing and the day changes as 9:00. But helpful tip, the hands were driving me crazy... so I pulled off a little piece of rodico cleaning clay and used it to pick up the hands.
Good video! I'm looking to start doing this kind of thing, and the more of these vids I watch, the more I realize that it's not as mysterious as I thought it was going to be. My end goal is to take a Seiko Fifty Fife Fathoms as a stock watch, add the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms homage dial, but also to maybe replace the stock movment, which doesn't hand wind or hack, with one that does. This video is showing me everyhting I need to know about doing that. Thanks!
This is one of the best videos I've ever seen. Thank You. I came upon a 007 that needs a new movement and this was the first video I came across. Will I try it myself? Probably not 😁
Curt, some tips. When removing the c-clip from the day wheel, better to file or sand down two screwdrivers to a sharp edge so you can lever it out from both sides and that way the c-clip doesn't wind up flying away. And I also recommend using a bit of Rodico to pick up the day wheel, hands, etc. Rodico is also great for cleaning dust and fingerprints from the dial. And a set of plastic tweezers like those that are ESD safe for electronics keeps you from potentially damaging delicate parts like hands, etc.
Funny thing about plastic tweezers, I've damaged parts using them! That's one of the drawbacks of dirt biking all the time. Less delicate finesse and grip is too strong! I do have those exact plastic tweezers since I used to work on super computer clusters in my previous job but I can't find them. I cleaned my place up real good and have no idea where I put them. I ordered Rodico from amazon about FIVE WEEKS AGO and this video needed to be made. I'm not going to be home next week so I had to make a few videos in advance as well. I fear they put the package on a slow boat instead of air mail. Also, I'm pretty sure I can get the equal stuff from Walmart for half the price or less. I should make a video comparing them!
minitwatch interesting, I swear by my plastic tweezers particularly when handling hands. And I’ve also dropped that plastic day change gear too and my plastic tweezers gave me confidence I wouldn’t accidentally chew up the teeth. I also don’t use one of those hand presses to install hands. I use a set of hand held watch hand installers with the vinyl tips because you have more finesse and visibility to actually see what your looking at. Esslinger sells a good inexpensive set for about $15. Just a thought. When removing hands, I put a small little piece of Saran Wrap over the hands and dial because it’s thin enough to get the hand removal teeth under and protect the dial and the hands all at the same time. And if you line everything up at 12 o’clock (requires the mainspring to unwind of course and a bit of manual backward second hacking) they all come out in one felled swoop. I’m sure you’re gonna do this again, because once you drop in one NH36, you’re gonna wanna do it again and again. I know I have. It’s a far superior movement to the 7S26. Glad you show your flubs. This kinda stuff ain’t for the faint of heart. But like you, I’m a DIY kinda guy too. I’ve replaced SMDs on a laptop motherboard. That was nerve wracking.
Saran wrap! Brilliant! I wish the bergeon guard was thinner. Watches aren't that hard once you get used to doing them huh? My most irritating gizmo-surgery was replacing the sensor of a camera that wasn't made to be replaced. Camera companies, for some reason, would rather you buy a new camera! Imagine that! ;p
Yes, they'd rather you replace your laptop and iPhone too. NOPE. Patience is key. And slow, measured, methodical breathing. I recommend being caffeine free too. Hard to install hands when you're vibrating at 21,600 beats per hour. ;-) Have a good trip BTW. Looking forward to seeing Ted and Uncle Jimmy when they get back.
Haha! Yeah, I don't consume too much caffeine but I do take CBD oil and that calms me down a lot. I didn't do that before this video in fear of sounding like Ben Stein. Thanks for the tips. I appreciate it a lot!
excellent video friend, and I congratulate you for not eliminating the trial and error parts. I think I will do the same with my SKX. What could go wrong ? ha ha ha
Now I really do want a SKX007 with the hacking mod. I love when a automatic watch can hack that's a deal breaker for me when it doesn't. Awesome video very educational.
Just a tip. You can always start removing the C clip from underneath of the opposite C opening as it has a screwdriver slot to pull it up And use a nice clean white sheet whenever you open any watch. Use a finger sock as well so you can protect the movement from touching it by your finger. Use as well a pointed tweezers to have a better grip. But I really appreciate your video. Just continue practicing. I like the way you explain it in English
Terrific video! I like that it wasn't edited and sterile. Makes for something very interesting to watch. Is that movement able to replace any 7s26 movement? Glad you were able to complete this without your buddies showing up. They might have been slapped across the room, if they opened their mouth. My whole family is also huge fans of the old Top Gear and The Grand Tour. 👍
Thanks, Charlie! Pretty much! If it's a 4:00 crown, like on your SKX013, the day-wheel swap needs to be done otherwise the day/date won't line up. It's just how it is. I have watched every single Top Gear and Grand Tour Episode! My favorite TG is the Bolivia and Patagonia specials (and basically everything else!).
Did you read or watch anything before attempting this? I need to change a 4R35 movement in a Seiko watch because the one in there is not working correctly. I want to buy a new movement and replace it myself. Looks like exactly the process you followed. But since I've never done this before I want to prepare as much as possible and get the correct tools. Thanks
You should have allowed to watch to run down and set the watch hands to read 12 o'clock position before removing the movement from the case. It is also good to tape the rotor so as not to wind the main spring after opening the case back. This will help you to pull out the hands easily.
Hi, the NH36 movement is for a 3 o'clock crown position. The SKX has a 4 o'clock crown. Although the date wheel will line up correctly with the SKX007 window, if you don't swap the day dial, this will appear squint through that window.
Ok. This is the one mod I will leave to a professional. Thanks for your sincere vid, showing how difficult it is. Otherwise, I would try and destroy my watch.
LOL 39:10 literally KILLED ME! Happened to me with my vostok xD Tomorrow I will do this mod after grabbing my movement from the post office! That is the only mod I'm gonna do to my Seiko, I like it's original look. My 7s26 movement went bad from whatever reason and I thought why not put in a nh36 :)
to keep parts from flying away. put them in a 1 gallon ziplock bag.... put one hand in the bag amd hold the movement with a hand on the outside of the bag.... then when you pop off the part if it tries to escape the bag will catch it.
I’ve had nothing but good luck with my 7s26 watches. One started out very fast but after regular wear settled in to gain less than 5 seconds a day while my skx007 is constantly -3 per day.
With movements that doesn't manually wind as Seiko 7S versions for example, best way to have them running with the smallest daily variation is to completely wind the barrel - tightening the spring and you can obtain that wearing them everyday. It's well known for such movements - the more you'll wear the watch the lowest daily variation you'll get. Also a barrel completely wound helps hair spring to keep its elasticity and be more durable in time.
Just found out that despite having a 22mm width, a 20mm perlon will fit perfectly anyway and my new setup is a stock 007 with totally polished lugs on a chocolate perlon. Works great
So to use the NH36A with the stem at 4 oclock i have to change the day wheel on the NH36A when i order the new wheel so I can have stem at 4 what do i ask crystaltime for because i see no different day wheels to choose from?? Im building from scratch so I don't have the old movement to take the day wheel from
Do you think a 4R36 movement with a 4 o'clock crown will fift easily into a SKX 007? I'm wanting to take the blue dial out of a PROSPEX and put it into 007.
Because the NH36A is designed for a watch with a 3:00 crown, installing it in a case with a 4:00 crown (such as the SKX) will result in the day and date wheels not aligning. this is something inherent to the design of the day/date wheel on the NH35/36 as well as the 7S26/36 and 4R35/36. Swapping out the day wheel from the 7S26 that comes with the SKX solves the alignment issue.
My liner notes / tips for y'all
2:50 - use plier-style springbar tool (like a big peg), instead of single end. The single end is just for two piece straps or nato pins - anything that isn't a sollid end link.
4:00 - you should have thin gloves on once getting into the open case. Also a cheap facemask (COVID-19 fashion) helps with any breath, spit, booger etc hitting the watch
5:30 - lol scratchy scratchy. Never do that. Not that anyone is going to see but it does scratch the metal. Use toothpicks around the black plastic movement holder.
5:50 - I have a cheap "jewelery and watch pad" I got off eBay whic his better for the movement
7:19 - The brass movement holder from Crystal Times is best. Soft metal and won't hurt the movement, yet has weight to hold up. Don't get the plastic ones! They are garbage.
7:50 - I don't know if you are wearing a 4x loupe right now but it's hightly recommended. Also you should have some Rodico handy for moving the hands, and a little parts cubby to protect from dust (all cheap on eBay).
8:00 - Lol I can't believe you use your bare hands for fingerprinting the edge of the dial! Use gloves. Also use a tiny screwdriver to lift under the dial near the crown. I find that's best for levering off the dial, as you are lifting away from the day-date and crown assembly first. That seems to help.
9:10 - You need a pair of tweeters here and it helps to get a plastic shield over the movement at this point. Just picking at the snap clip with a flathead will get it to launch off and fly across the room, and you'll never ever find it again. I'm talking from experience here. Oh... yeah watching the video a bit longer you did that too haha.
11:30 - So sad giving up the Kanjii day wheel :'(
13:18 - never turn the movement upside down - keep it well flat doing this! If you put the day-date corrector (tiny cog) in upside down (like I did once) it'll break it quick smart.
14:18 - put day-date cog back in, but now blower to make sure there's no microscopic lint? lol! Other sites recommend swapping the day plate as well, which is what I do.
21:50 - you need Rodico gum man. Makes it easy to leverage the hands
32:00 - if your NH-35/36 comes with a grey movement holder (2mm), it's best to put on the black movement holder which is 3mm. Allows for a tighter and more secure fit in a SKX. Your movement is not as snug as it should be.
Some other notes. Make sure that both movement are set to around 6pm before doing this mod, as you don't want the date change mechanism to be engaged in any way whilst swapping over date-related parts.
One of the best tutorials ive seen. So refreshing to see all the mistakes because thats what these are like when actually attempted
For real huh? I appreciate this comment a lot! Thank you!
Glad you kept it un-edited and left the nitty gritty in there. Really puts the mod and effort into perspective.
Thank you, Ian! I'll get better and better at doing this too! I am just waiting for the keyboard warriors to tell me how I am doing things wrong. Well NO SHIT, Sherlock! lol They of course, do everything perfect the first time and they are perfect at everything and know everything :p.
The best way to learn is from mistakes. Even better if learn from first hand experience opposed to watching others' through a screen. If any bumps come along the way that cant be overcome, most of us are just an email away :) Only reason why I kept my video as a tutorial, not a walk through. Thanks for showing us your journey!
I must watch your video!!! I will finish these comments, take a shower because I just came home from the gym and smell like a dead cat, get some snacks then watch how you did it!. And absolutely the best way is to learn from mistakes! Thanks for the comments!
Hahahahahahahahahaha! Lume Shot, Nice Call you make me Laugh for Sure 😝😂...🙈
Glad you popped in Lume Shot, as I just watched your video on the NH36 swap,...and how you used 2 finely sharpened jewelers screwdrivers to take off the little retainer "C" clip,...and your flopped right off and onto your work pad....no ricochet sound effect needed !! I've enjoyed both of y'alls videos. PS. Also sent you an email today regarding the modding of the SKX007 I will buy (I currently wear an Isobrite chronograph, with sapphire)
Gang: This video is rough as all hell and only really for those who are actually going to attempt this swap. I didn't really want to release this video because of how difficult this swap was for me (because I am ambitious yet RUBBISH) but I figured that it would be good to show. I see too many tutorials from all sorts of genres where the creator of the video makes themselves out to be PERFECT. This is bullshit. They edit out all their mistakes. How are we supposed to actually learn if we can't see these mistakes? I'm not going to be anything other than real for you folks so here is my long, boring, NH36A swap video with my mistakes and everything. Uncle Jimmy and Ted are on vacation so they wont be in this video! Please do not dislike :|
Yes, I know about Rodico. There's no need to tell me about it. I ordered some five weeks ago and I feel like it got sent to space.
minitwatch They're on vacation and left you alone? That's F'ed up my man.
You madman Kurt! This video is great for aspiring modders. Crazy to see you posted 45 minutes of this. I didn't really watch all of it but jumped around thru it. Missing Uncle Jimmy. Can't wait for the next regular video but it's awesome you're doing these too.
They went to scout things out first. I'm joining them shortly :p They'll bein the next video since I recorded it in advance lol
They'll be in the next video! yes! I am not afraid to just lay it all down! Sometimes it's good to show the process AND struggle :)
What is rodico
Did I really just watch and thoroughly enjoy a 40 minute video on fiddling around with a watch? You bet I did. The operation was instructive and the commentary pure entertainment. Brilliant!!
Hi man, in my humble opinion its one of best your vids. I like technical vids, i like real vids. This video is full of technical stuff and realism. And i think this video is much more usable for future attempters / newbies in modyfications, than some extra hyper super perfect one which will not show all of possibilities for fails, possible problems, obstructions on way to swap windable, hackable nh36 into skx case. I saw few vids about this same thing, but i realy not remember that swaping of "day dial" in their vids. So i learned from your vid new things again.
Maybe you need just some better tweezers and that sticky putty for catching dust from inside crystal :)
I appreciate very much that you published this video. Life is not perfect, persons are not perfect, we all learning from our (in this video yours :D ) mistakes :) Thank you
I appreciate your comment so much!! Thank you!
Top tip: when removing c clip, springs etc, do it with movement in a clear plastic freezer bag.
Great video and a big help! I had a huge struggle with the seconds hand but what worked best for me was remove the watch hand press from the stand. Then put a little Rodico putty on the end of the the tool to hold the seconds hand. This made it much easier for me to line up the seconds hand and reduced my overall aggravation by at least 80%
Thanks for making these videos!
Ditching the tweezers and using Rodico and a hand press for hand installation was so life changing. It used to take me hours to put hands on with tweezers because I do NOT have the hands of a brain surgeon. Very, very frustrating. Now, it takes mere minutes. Love your channel. Keep up the great work.
Laughed so hard at the flying away sound effect for the c-clip! :-P
I had to do it! haha!
Oh my god ha ha me too. I was doing this last night, those god damn C clips. One came off fine, the other got bent to s**t 🤦♂️
exactly!!! It was so hilarious!!!
I don't think I've laughed so hard watching a watch mod video. Keep up the great work!
And what's make it funnier is he didn't notice it for a few seconds 😂
So goddamn happy you posted this video! I saw another dude do it what appeared to be flawlessly and I was pretty discouraged about how easy he made it look. Just got into the watch modding hobby (in part thanks to your airwolf mod video) and have been watching your videos non-stop! Keep them up!
I appreciate that, Josef!! Cheers!!
Great video Kurt! A real service to the watch community. It's good that you included the f-ups because building anything is just a series of mistakes and fixes. That's the most badass, beefy skx I've ever seen. Better than stock by a grand magnitude -- it looks like a 1976 Honda Civic with mags and a fender kit. I mean that as a compliment of the highest order.
Dude, there was PRISTINE Championship White 1976 Honda Civic with mag wheels in the local honda dealership here. People were offering them FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS for it! hahah! It was just for display and wasn't sold but man was that thing cool! I MIGHT change the dial and hand to something a bit more modern. Not sure. What do you think? Leave it alone?
The hands, yeah, you can change 'em but leave the dial; that (along with the case) is what makes your mod identifiable as an skx. You wouldn't want a '76 Civic to look like a late '90s Golf would you? Just my opinion. If you do change it, do another vid. I think the modding vids are inspiring and are a great resource for watch nerds. Two thumbs and two big toes up!
I AM loving the stock dial! You're right about it taking away from it being an SKX. I've said a similar thing in response to a comment on a recent instagram post. I have plans for another watch that i'll put a nice dial on. The UNvicta =)
Unvicta! Sounds unsane! : )
I learned more from this video than a ton of other videos. And man did It ever make me feel good that someone else found it a pain in the rear about changing hands.
This was so funny...you remind me of me when things don´t go well the first time with such small parts!xD
Thank you so much for taking the time to do this on camera for us.Cheers brother.
No problem! I am happy to do these things!
I feel like I’m watching my future self put together my next mod haha! Hats off for putting it all out there and showing the full reality of what it’s like to get into modding your SKX! I’ll be going down this route soon with my first movement swap
Thank you so much!
I found this video after my skx movement died, most probably because I was not very careful when changing hands, dials and so on. I was a bit desperate about me ruining my watch, and 7s26 being expensive compared to NH36 (that's weird), I was also not very eager to try this mod.
Then I watched your video: it is just perfect!!! It shows me all the istakes I'll possibly do, what to avoid and so on. Far better than vidz from ''pros'' doing everything in 3 minutes without any issue.
Anyway I'll order the NH36 and try to find a already-modded stem, if I can find it for a decent price.
Thanks again!
Real. Honest. I like it mate. Well done. Full respect for recording the first one you've done and the mistakes encountered. Without you showing them, I guarantee others will have for themselves - the hard way!
When I'm watching Just one more watch SKX mod video I thought "huh that's pretty easy" then I watch your video and suddenly thought "wow this is way too hard"
so, the obvious takeaway for most of us is - DON'T take your watch apart! just buy the combination you want, even if it costs more. man that was detailed and i could see myself tossing two movements into the bin.
Outstanding video. You are an amazing guy to keep your composure with all that frustration. And thanks for the Strapcode bracelet comment. I thought I was the only one who struggled with one.
That bracelet is just a bit snug isn't it? Thank you! I appreciate it!
Hands down best video about this mod.
It’s 2023 so fuck the perfect videos, glitter and hip hip hooray
We need more down to earth regular stuff. I have made all these mistakes, glad to see others fixes so I can learn
Solid video, cheers!
Alex
Hey man, this is a very real and informative video about the hardships of watch modding, thank you for the contribution. Watch modding community needs more people like you.
Anyway, I don't usually comment anything on any video anywhere, but I like your honest style and feel your pain enough to make an exception this time.
So, about the hands install: Get a set of separate manual hand installing tools, they're about 10cm aluminium sticks with plastic ends that have different sized holes in them. Use a tiny bit of rodico or just _white_ "blue tack" on the end of the hand setting tool to hold on to the hand, and install one at the time. (blue tack can leave some grease on the hand, but seeing how you treat those hand now... let's say it'd be an improvement, no disrespect)
Don't push the hand completely in before you poke them around a bit _very delicately_ to match the correct time. I try to set them at precisely noon, where I stopped the movt, it drives me nuts if the minutes hand does not correspond exactly to the hours hand..
Also with this method, especially with third party hand sets, you have to check that the hands are level and not touching each other. So, after the install, I usually use the time setting feature to roll the hands around a couple of "days" to see that they clear each other. I've actually had to bend some hands ever so slightly because of manufacturing tolerances...
Well, I hope this helps someone. Best regards, keep up the good work!
It helps a lot. Thanks, Jojo! I've had to bend some hands in previous mods as well. I have tried to install aftermarket hands as well. I just never made a video about it.
Curt, despite your frustrations, I think you did a great job on these mods, including the mvmt. change. I wish I could do these, but since you have more patience than I do, I won't even try it. Btw, this is the SKX that Seiko fans deserve; they should offer a model with sapphire, this bezel & the 4r36 mvt, even if they charged $50 more! Thanks!
Thanks, man! I appreciate it and yes, Seiko needs to update the SKX line!!
By far the most useful video I’ve seen as I prepare for my first movement swap. It’s great to be able to learn from other folks’ mistakes.
These videos made me feel so confident tearing apart a watch! It always comes across like you have to be in a space suit and wear 4 monocles.
Use a fresh bit of Rodico putty instead of a pair of tweezers to hold the hands.
Also if you intend to reuse the original SKX crown, you can use the temporary stem that came with the NH movement. Just remove the plastic crown.
99.99% of the time that temporary stem will be the correct length.
BRAVO on your 1st SKX movement upgrade.
Have Rodico on order for about 5 weeks now and nothing's arrived! 😡 This video had to be made. I couldn't wait. I'm off to a far away land soon! The temporary stem was indeed the right length. Shhh, I knew that before the video =p. I wanted to show the process of making a "raw" stem fit. There's a lot more value in that. Regardless. thanks for the comments! This makes two movement swaps I've done!
GREAT job on this video! I'm looking to do this soon and this is exactly what I wanted to see - what it looks like in the 'real' world with all the trials, tribulation, and mess-ups. Glad you posted this as-is because this is what it really looks like, unlike other vids I've seen where they cut away and come back with perfection but you didn't see the 5 hours of toil and frustration. Great job - thanks (and the watch looks great too btw)
Love this video! Lots of helpful detail / direction but still really fun to watch. Thanks man
Best video by far for that particular movement swap. I'm thinking I'm ready to try it out myself now. Thanks for the great tutorial.
This is NOT a "Rubbish" video as you've said a lot of times. I really like this. Thanks again for it being raw and real
Great modding vid. Really appreciate the effort you've taken into showing the good, bad, and ugly of the modding experience. I absolutely dislike placing the hands on the dial. Removing them, no problem at all... but I'm like a bumbling rhino conducting delicate surgery. Just an absolute fail. Stepped away, collected myself, came back when I cooled down, and kept at it until it was complete. Might've been a hell of a project, but definitely happy with the results.
By the way, I didn't change out the movement spacer either, and it is a tighter fit than it should've been, and made threading on the crown a bit challenging. Planning on going back and changing it out for the original SKX spacer soon.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I am going to get real good at changing hands. Especially because of all the wonderful tips everyone's been giving me. Like you, I am also going to go back and swap out that spacer. It bugs me when I think about it hah!
Great video and love the mods you’ve done to your SKX. I really need to get better tools! Subbed 🤙🏻
Great video,....I like your sincerity and lack of worry over mistakes !! BIG thumbs up !
Thank you. Having changed bands before it's great you are showing when having actual problems with putting the hands on!
Trials and tribulations, that’s how you learn, thanks for showing us the uncut/unedited version , way to go...
Loving the "HULK SMASH!" moment at 39:14! Been there! It would be nice to see a complete mod from a plain 007 to your own unique 007 mod over a couple of vids. Uploads like that are rare. Its usually, a small mod done over a period of months. Love this upload. It's great to see how we all learn by doing and finding new and different shortcuts. Keep up the good work!
Hahah. I was legit frustrated! Everyone's been giving me so many good tips! I love it! I'm actually planning on doing exactly what your saying in the next month or so. I'm going to get some sort of watch, do some stuff and junk then upload a series of videos about it. Mighty car mods style! Thanks, DJ!
Very impressive video, love the detail you go into with your explanations of what you're doing!
Thank you! I'll only get better and better at doing this! Aloha!
Dude! So happy that you uploaded this video because I'm planning to do the exact same mod. Showing off warts and all is the reason I watched the entire thing. Thanks!
Having swapped the movement on a SXK, I understand the frustration. Thanks for sharing with the viewers.
Thanks man, just completed my movement swap with help from this video! I will never do it again! :D
I miss these vids so chill and relaxing
The level of humor and sarcasm made me subscribe 💪😅😅😅
Super nice video and very encouraging for the rest of us that are just starting out with moding!
So stressful. I would be pulling my hair out! Amazing you keep a sense of humour about this mod.
I felt your pain watching this. Was so funny when the C clip disappeared into thin air. I was changing a watch strap at the time and I'd just had BOTH spring bars launch across the room! If anything though, this vid has convinced me NOT to try to swap a movement as I seriously wouldn't have the patience. Cheers.
The sound effect for the flying c-clip was genius! (clapping here)
And at least you know it's somewhere in Hawaii. That's a start.
Haha. When it happened I immediately though "sound effects need to added in the video".
Dude I'm sorry, but this really makes me laugh 🤣 really full credit to you for making this vid. Especially "I'm gonna watch it for a few minutes" like we all do, just sit and stare at it to make sure its working, like stressed zombies ha ha.
Excellent video. Does anyone make a see thru back for the skx007?
Yobokies, crystal times, namokimods, all make display back. But I believe crystal times is closed/has minimal stock due to covid.
@@DeusNyx and do I have to go measuring thread pitch to find the right back or will they have a see thru back for XYZ model.
@@pattygq so long as it says it fits the skx007 model, you'll be fine.
@@DeusNyx thanks
Hello. I have just watched all the video and it is a good one to learn how to do this kind of modifications by ourselves, you have got a good result and the watch looks really nice. Congratulations.
Thanks for sharing. I'm thinking of doing the same movement and crystal swap on my SNZG13. Your video helps me realize what I'll be getting myself into.
Man, I think “most” of us will appreciate that you uploaded this video! Lol. Good stuff. Enjoy the videos.
Glad to see I'm not the only one who gets tortured with these mods! Great video as always.
Thumbs up 👍 .. amazing video as usual .. this is exactly what I am looking for .. you show all the struggles that we may face while doing this .. good for you man ... u r badass 👏👏👏👏
Your'e welcome and thank you for watching!!
Great video!! Had me laughing and watched every second. Great work
I appreciate the crap out of that, Dave!! A lot!
Best video ever. Shows how these things ACTUALLY go! This will be me in a few weeks trying to follow a tutorial video and at least ill know that its ok if sometimes it doesnt look pretty . Ill still get it done. Funny too lol
Great video. I like that you show allso all hard steps.
After watching you do this with little to no watch knowledge you have given me confidence to work on a watch of my own😂
I loved watching this video. Your struggles, lol. Good job man.
Thanks, man! I appreciate it!
I just used your video to change out a NH35 with an NR15, very helpful, except I screwed up the indexing and the day changes as 9:00. But helpful tip, the hands were driving me crazy... so I pulled off a little piece of rodico cleaning clay and used it to pick up the hands.
Awesome video I do love to see all the things that you need to go into modeling the watch so good job
No problem, Kevin! I appreciate it!
Good video! I'm looking to start doing this kind of thing, and the more of these vids I watch, the more I realize that it's not as mysterious as I thought it was going to be. My end goal is to take a Seiko Fifty Fife Fathoms as a stock watch, add the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms homage dial, but also to maybe replace the stock movment, which doesn't hand wind or hack, with one that does. This video is showing me everyhting I need to know about doing that. Thanks!
This is one of the best videos I've ever seen. Thank You. I came upon a 007 that needs a new movement and this was the first video I came across. Will I try it myself? Probably not 😁
You know, it was raw and it was GOOD 👍. Well done might even try the mod some day. Thanks for uploading it.
Curt, some tips. When removing the c-clip from the day wheel, better to file or sand down two screwdrivers to a sharp edge so you can lever it out from both sides and that way the c-clip doesn't wind up flying away. And I also recommend using a bit of Rodico to pick up the day wheel, hands, etc. Rodico is also great for cleaning dust and fingerprints from the dial. And a set of plastic tweezers like those that are ESD safe for electronics keeps you from potentially damaging delicate parts like hands, etc.
Funny thing about plastic tweezers, I've damaged parts using them! That's one of the drawbacks of dirt biking all the time. Less delicate finesse and grip is too strong! I do have those exact plastic tweezers since I used to work on super computer clusters in my previous job but I can't find them. I cleaned my place up real good and have no idea where I put them.
I ordered Rodico from amazon about FIVE WEEKS AGO and this video needed to be made. I'm not going to be home next week so I had to make a few videos in advance as well. I fear they put the package on a slow boat instead of air mail. Also, I'm pretty sure I can get the equal stuff from Walmart for half the price or less. I should make a video comparing them!
minitwatch interesting, I swear by my plastic tweezers particularly when handling hands. And I’ve also dropped that plastic day change gear too and my plastic tweezers gave me confidence I wouldn’t accidentally chew up the teeth. I also don’t use one of those hand presses to install hands. I use a set of hand held watch hand installers with the vinyl tips because you have more finesse and visibility to actually see what your looking at. Esslinger sells a good inexpensive set for about $15. Just a thought. When removing hands, I put a small little piece of Saran Wrap over the hands and dial because it’s thin enough to get the hand removal teeth under and protect the dial and the hands all at the same time. And if you line everything up at 12 o’clock (requires the mainspring to unwind of course and a bit of manual backward second hacking) they all come out in one felled swoop. I’m sure you’re gonna do this again, because once you drop in one NH36, you’re gonna wanna do it again and again. I know I have. It’s a far superior movement to the 7S26. Glad you show your flubs. This kinda stuff ain’t for the faint of heart. But like you, I’m a DIY kinda guy too. I’ve replaced SMDs on a laptop motherboard. That was nerve wracking.
Saran wrap! Brilliant! I wish the bergeon guard was thinner. Watches aren't that hard once you get used to doing them huh? My most irritating gizmo-surgery was replacing the sensor of a camera that wasn't made to be replaced. Camera companies, for some reason, would rather you buy a new camera! Imagine that! ;p
Yes, they'd rather you replace your laptop and iPhone too. NOPE. Patience is key. And slow, measured, methodical breathing. I recommend being caffeine free too. Hard to install hands when you're vibrating at 21,600 beats per hour. ;-) Have a good trip BTW. Looking forward to seeing Ted and Uncle Jimmy when they get back.
Haha! Yeah, I don't consume too much caffeine but I do take CBD oil and that calms me down a lot. I didn't do that before this video in fear of sounding like Ben Stein. Thanks for the tips. I appreciate it a lot!
I'm enjoying your tutorial video,it's was fun specially the popping C clamp gone missing.
Very good video. Thank you!!!
I think one of the best video cause
Show all problem and difficulties that can happen :)
Anyone else fucking love the nostalgic 80's intro on this boss channel?
Yes. Me :)
excellent video friend, and I congratulate you for not eliminating the trial and error parts. I think I will do the same with my SKX. What could go wrong ? ha ha ha
Now I really do want a SKX007 with the hacking mod. I love when a automatic watch can hack that's a deal breaker for me when it doesn't. Awesome video very educational.
Thanks, J MAC! I love it too! It's not a deal breaker for me but it sure is sweet!
Just a tip. You can always start removing the C clip from underneath of the opposite C opening as it has a screwdriver slot to pull it up
And use a nice clean white sheet whenever you open any watch. Use a finger sock as well so you can protect the movement from touching it by your finger. Use as well a pointed tweezers to have a better grip.
But I really appreciate your video. Just continue practicing. I like the way you explain it in English
I enjoyed every single minute of this video, thank you.
Edit: My peanut is very happy.
Terrific video! I like that it wasn't edited and sterile. Makes for something very interesting to watch. Is that movement able to replace any 7s26 movement? Glad you were able to complete this without your buddies showing up. They might have been slapped across the room, if they opened their mouth. My whole family is also huge fans of the old Top Gear and The Grand Tour. 👍
Thanks, Charlie! Pretty much! If it's a 4:00 crown, like on your SKX013, the day-wheel swap needs to be done otherwise the day/date won't line up. It's just how it is. I have watched every single Top Gear and Grand Tour Episode! My favorite TG is the Bolivia and Patagonia specials (and basically everything else!).
This was extremely helpful. Appreciate it!
Many thanks for your video. My Seiko 5 SNZG09K1 with 7S26C inside will be upgraded with NH36A
Did you read or watch anything before attempting this? I need to change a 4R35 movement in a Seiko watch because the one in there is not working correctly. I want to buy a new movement and replace it myself. Looks like exactly the process you followed. But since I've never done this before I want to prepare as much as possible and get the correct tools. Thanks
Great job Curt. I believe this is the perfect SKX. I won't tell you to change the case. It wouldn't be an SKX, but a Frankenstein 🤣
You should have allowed to watch to run down and set the watch hands to read 12 o'clock position before removing the movement from the case. It is also good to tape the rotor so as not to wind the main spring after opening the case back. This will help you to pull out the hands easily.
These are good tips! Thanks!
Very brave and very hilarious. Entertaining. Great job!
Thanks, Roger! I am still so rubbish at movement swaps and dial changes hah!
Is there any reason why the Kanji-English day wheel that was on the NH36 wouldn't work with the SKX007 day/date window?
Hi, the NH36 movement is for a 3 o'clock crown position. The SKX has a 4 o'clock crown. Although the date wheel will line up correctly with the SKX007 window, if you don't swap the day dial, this will appear squint through that window.
Props to ya! But I was a nervous wreck watching this video! LoL especially the c-spring and hand replacement... OMG LOL
Watch on brother!
Seriously love your videos man lol keep them up!
Ok. This is the one mod I will leave to a professional. Thanks for your sincere vid, showing how difficult it is. Otherwise, I would try and destroy my watch.
Ur keeping it real with this video! Thx for sharing
I would love to change the movement but don’t know if I have the patience
It does indeed require a lot!
LOL 39:10 literally KILLED ME! Happened to me with my vostok xD
Tomorrow I will do this mod after grabbing my movement from the post office!
That is the only mod I'm gonna do to my Seiko, I like it's original look.
My 7s26 movement went bad from whatever reason and I thought why not put in a nh36 :)
to keep parts from flying away. put them in a 1 gallon ziplock bag.... put one hand in the bag amd hold the movement with a hand on the outside of the bag.... then when you pop off the part if it tries to escape the bag will catch it.
I’ve had nothing but good luck with my 7s26 watches. One started out very fast but after regular wear settled in to gain less than 5 seconds a day while my skx007 is constantly -3 per day.
With movements that doesn't manually wind as Seiko 7S versions for example, best way to have them running with the smallest daily variation is to completely wind the barrel - tightening the spring and you can obtain that wearing them everyday. It's well known for such movements - the more you'll wear the watch the lowest daily variation you'll get. Also a barrel completely wound helps hair spring to keep its elasticity and be more durable in time.
I've had some pretty good accuracy with my 7s26s and especially with the two 7s36s that I have. Neat movements and quite tough!
Just found out that despite having a 22mm width, a 20mm perlon will fit perfectly anyway and my new setup is a stock 007 with totally polished lugs on a chocolate perlon. Works great
Yeah, they tend to expand after a while, huh? Totally polished? Must look pretty sweet! Cheers!
So to use the NH36A with the stem at 4 oclock i have to change the day wheel on the NH36A when i order the new wheel so I can have stem at 4 what do i ask crystaltime for because i see no different day wheels to choose from?? Im building from scratch so I don't have the old movement to take the day wheel from
Awesome video I modded a invicta 8926 and had a ball doing it ! my dad has been wearing it for 2 years and I think I’m gonna eventually do a 007
Do you think a 4R36 movement with a 4 o'clock crown will fift easily into a SKX 007? I'm wanting to take the blue dial out of a PROSPEX and put it into 007.
Hi, i have a seiko 5 normal case with 7s26 movement which is faulty, can i replace the whole thing with this NH36a?
God, this video was amazing. I loved every second.
Thank you for the info. I am going to do this mod to my 007. Now I have reference material.
Somehow I missed the reason you didn't use the day wheel on the NH36.
Because the NH36A is designed for a watch with a 3:00 crown, installing it in a case with a 4:00 crown (such as the SKX) will result in the day and date wheels not aligning. this is something inherent to the design of the day/date wheel on the NH35/36 as well as the 7S26/36 and 4R35/36. Swapping out the day wheel from the 7S26 that comes with the SKX solves the alignment issue.
All of your mistakes also happens to me! I laughed so much😁😁👍😁
Ya smashed it bro...!
Definitely you need a little practice at changing day wheel and setting the hands, but great job mate as always...!
Peace...!
Thanks! I need help with a LOT of things haha!
Can you swap out a Timex Waterbury quartz movement with an automatic?
I'm sure it's possible with enough research, planning, time, money, frustration, hairloss, etc.
you are making it funny!!! I could recognize myself doing the exact same thing!!!