Bergeon 30209 Extract Broken Screw from Watch Plate

[@hisstorymn]

Very useful instructions! How do you remove one where only the head is accessible. On the watch I am working on, whoever touched it last, put the wrong screw in to try and secure the dial. It just spins. Thanks!

[@WatchComplications]

there are some tips available similar to the ones on this tool you can use to try to grip it and rotate it out. Or you can use a solution to disolve the screw that leaves the plate as-is. Just depends.

[@jfdomega7938]

Excellent video. Very nicely shown, I was wondering how one of these worked. Thank you.

[@WatchComplications]

Cool, glad it helped.

[@blueneet84]

Thank you for this video. I tried to drill the screw out and planned to tap the hole again. It did not work as planned!

[@WatchComplications]

yeah that would not work out very well, every situation you learn something new ;)

[@blueneet84]

@@WatchComplications I am quickly learning that for every problem there is an expensive tool 😂

[@WatchComplications]

it is a deep deep hole man!

[@DavZell]

Thank you for posting this. It was very helpful.

[@WatchComplications]

Glad it was helpful!

[@nicoghini]

Very nice video, well done!

[@marcnaidu5804]

Hello, Excellent video thank you. Is there anything similar for removing screws from casebacks? I work with vintage wrist watches and the screws used (with the single slot) are often not able to take a lot of torque when the watch has grime on it. The screw head slot gets stripped and then its a big problem.

[@WatchComplications]

not really great options. you can try something with teeth on the end, like those on this bergeon tool, and perhaps it can get enough grip. another option is to solder something or perhaps superglue to the screw top, the skill there is avoiding the case back edges and just attaching to the screw only, depends on how much space there is. screw extraction with this tool is really meant for when you have access to both sides of the screw.

[@marcnaidu5804]

@@WatchComplications Ok thank you. The soder and superglue trick would not work because (as you say) the ability to avoid the caseback is tough. Some bit with teeth might be possible but I think the challenge would be to apply so much pressure to the bit and screw such that it does not slip. Some sort of clamp might b necessary and turn the entire watch case itself. Something worth trying you think?

[@WatchComplications]

@@marcnaidu5804 you are picking up on why I wouldn't do the first two, your best hope is something with some teeth. but many times it slips too much and the teeth wear down quick, depends on how tight the screw is. Like I mentioned, this tool and the best way is if you have access to both sides, then rotation is more possible.

[@MyLostToys]

4:05 That is Lovely crafted instrument.

[@WatchComplications]

agree!

[@misteryman5109]

Thanks for sharing this! Excellent work!

[@WatchComplications]

glad you got something out of it.

[@marcnaidu5804]

@@WatchComplications Thanks. Useful to know. Quite a novel way to think outside of the box and turn the plate instead of the screw shaft itself. One would assume that the shaft is flat and the grip is secure. I have used a toe-nail clipper before to grip the shaft of the screw with some success before. I never though of move the plate (or caseback (as in my situation) before. Will try it in the future. I had to drill out the head of the screw with a diamond bit drill bit and then there was only a 1 mm protrusion of the shaft of the screw from the case.

[@WatchComplications]

@@marcnaidu5804 the tips have tiny teeth to help secure them to the screw shaft. this tool is quite useful!

[@MrMcGuy]

Thank you very much for making this video.

[@WatchComplications]

glad you found it helpful :)

[@EscapeReels]

Very nice video! Hope to see more content like this 👌

[@WatchComplications]

yeah I show a variety of tools being used across my videos, but I plan to do some more vids on specific tool usage. thanks for watching :)

[@148DMC]

Thank you for the video I learned something today

[@WatchComplications]

Glad to hear. Thanks for watching.

[@lohikarhu734]

After viewing this nice video, I was wondering if one could apply the pressure across the screw by running the smaller of the pins lightly against the screw, and then clamping the arms of the tool to apply pressure, so that the teeth of the pins do not "grind" the screw body, but are just pushed into the screw material, perhaps giving better "bite" ... Just an idea, no practical experience with this tool. Cheers, and best wishes for a decent 2021!

[@WatchComplications]

thanks for watching. What you describe is actually how it works. If it’s too loose it will grind some, but if done right the pins dig a tad/apply pressure onto the screw and then just turn the plate and it spins out, with no grinding.

[@blenny47]

Thanks for this upload and your time regards

[@WatchComplications]

Glad you got something out of it :)

[@philiporrow7906]

Thanks for this Video,Ive been waiting to see how this worked 👍

[@WatchComplications]

No problem! That's exactly why I posted it, I couldn't find one that actually showed how it worked.

[@philiporrow7906]

@@WatchComplications So true I searched everywhere,Esslinger doesnt even have one 😎

[@shingling66]

excellent, thank you for doing this

[@0gnob]

Inderesting and informative video 👍 Can this also be done to remove broken stems from crowns?

[@WatchComplications]

this is meant to work with access to both sides of the screw. You could try it with a stem, but these are so small it would likely wear the teeth off the pin with any slipping or much resistance

[@0gnob]

@@WatchComplications cheers, makes sense.

[@rehajm]

This is an excellent illustration. Would this work on a screw where the head is largely intact but has some damage where one might say the screw is 'stuck'? I'm wondering about how much force the biting tips could handle if a bit of force was required to get the screw to back out. Your screw here seemed to move quite easily..

[@WatchComplications]

the tips are fairly sharp and bite in fairly well so I don't think it would be a problem to get it out, unless it was like glued or something.

[@rehajm]

@@WatchComplications Since the tool gets some purchase on the screw from both ends I wondered if those screws one might consider worthy of drilling out could be extracted with relative ease. Thanks for your video!

[@WatchComplications]

I'd prefer trying this to drilling any day.

[@rehajm]

@@WatchComplications Me, too!!

[@leonardoserna2238]

Awesome video. Certified watchmaker for almost 13 years. I'm getting one of these. Will this work for broken pusher screws? Or would you recommend one of those screwdriver extraction sets?

[@WatchComplications]

I'm not a big fan of the extraction sets. As long as you can get to both sides of the screw, my thought is that this tool is the way to go. Just less potential for damage.

[@bwacuff169]

Nice..... Thank you. Now I'm wondering if I can do this with my staking set..... :P

[@WatchComplications]

haha maybe? if there’s enough grip due to the roughness of the headless screw it’s possible...

[@MelvynPettit]

Thanks for sharing.

[@ammichalzeszen]

Hi there. What if I don't have access from both sides of the plate?

[@WatchComplications]

solutions exist that can dissolve screws or could use other tools with special "grips" to try to remove the screw. You could also drill it out and rethread if necessary. But at that point it depends on the movement and it is likely more cost effective to scrap the movement and use a new one.

[@sugmasigma]

Great video but I aged 10 years just waiting for you to do it

[@WatchComplications]

I get that sometimes, but generally my approach is to go slow and in detail, as there aren't enough videos that do that when it comes to lots of things and watchmaking tasks specifically. I'd rather go at a slow pace for those who want it, and if faster is desired, double speed or FF get the job done. Thanks for watching.

[@babzenuda]

if you don’t have the patience to watch this video then you’re probably not going to have much success at repairing anything

[@sugmasigma]

@@babzenuda lol ok buddy

[@cfauvel]

Cool....how would you use this tool to remove a broken piece of a stem in a crown. :-)....the stem is in a Miyota 9t33 which I believe is a citizen 65-495 (no clue as to the diameter of the stem - yet)

[@WatchComplications]

to use this tool you need access to both sides of the screw

[@cfauvel]

@@WatchComplications :-(....any suggestions on removing a stem from a crown when the broken stem doesn't protrude from the crown to grab it ?

[@WatchComplications]

not a lot of options that will not damage threads in some way.

[@caltagironeorologi1]

@@cfauvel I’ve always soaked the crown in a solution of water and alum. Works great, takes a few days.

[@cfauvel]

@@caltagironeorologi1 Thanks i've been trying ....not sure what I am doing wrong...but my solution crystallizes every night. Not seeing any bubbles coming up from the broken stem in the crown :-(

[@WatchComplications]

watchcomplications.com/2018/07/09/extracting-a-broken-screw/

[@IamMeIam]

where can I order the pins with the 4 teeth from? for watches?

[@WatchComplications]

i got mine from ofrei.com

[@frankcabrera734]

thank you !!!

[@WatchComplications]

glad you found it helpful

[@Hamsters_Rage]

Where i can buy such extractor tips? Not the bergeon frame, but the tips.

[@WatchComplications]

Esslinger has them: www.esslinger.com/replacement-broach-pins-for-bergeon-30209-swiss-screw-extractor/

[@Hamsters_Rage]

@@WatchComplications Thank you very much! hope they ship worldwide.

[@WatchComplications]

If they don't, Ofrei has them also and I think they ship international. www.ofrei.com/page_217.html#2698

[@RyanNelson0402]

Not sure how I wound up here. I've never worked on watches.

[@WatchComplications]

interesting...well perhaps you still enjoyed the online adventure...

[@RyanNelson0402]

@@WatchComplications always bro

[@negot8]

So what do you do if it’s one of the case ring screws?

[@WatchComplications]

That would depend on the movement and case. On the movement I show in this video, you can use the tool on the case ring screws (the holes go all the way through the main plate), assuming the movement is out of the case. Or are you referring to a situation where a case screw has sheared off and the clip is still holding it in the case?

[@negot8]

Watch Complications Exactly. Screw sheared off in what looks like was the reassembly process. Whole thing is still in the case. Haven’t tried taking it out, though, yet.

[@WatchComplications]

You should be able to get it out of the case. Typically, there are two screws, and if you take the other one out you should be able to wiggle it out of the case. Then you could go about taking the broken screw out. How much work that will be depends on the specific movement.

[@negot8]

@@WatchComplications You know... it was only after I was explaining the issue to someone else that I realized that the screw head is what theoretically is keeping the movement in the case - so when I pull the one out, a broken one shouldn't prevent the movement from sliding out. I am looking forward to trying this. :) Thank you! Separate question. Do you have someone you'd go to for dial restorations?

[@WatchComplications]

Yeah, some movements the screw head holds it to the case, some have a clip. I don't think it will make removing it from the case a problem. As for dial restorations, I have not had any of those done. I do my own dial work.

[@SDCollectiveBand]

I would have drilled it out by then 😅

[@WatchComplications]

drilling causes way more problems than it solves with a watch movement. there’s only so much material to work with and re-threading is not ideal.