Curved Spring Bars

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Timishere
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Curved Spring Bars

Post by Timishere »

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to fit a rubber strap into 20mm lugs and getting nowhere (other than scratching lugs :-)).

I've had a search on the forum and seems like curved spring bars are suggested in this scenario.

I have 3 questions though I wanted to ask :

1- for 20mm lugs what size curved spring bar do I need (bearing in mind I may need to bend my own)
2- is it actually OK to buy normal ones and then bend them?
3- any ideas of where to get them (eg Watch Obsession) as previous cheap and cheerful ones have rusted within a month!

Thanks in advance
Tim
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tikkathree
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Re: Curved Spring Bars

Post by tikkathree »

My answers are:

1. Depends how far you bend them but 21/22mm. (I bend mine over a matchstick.) Start with 21mm.
2. Sure, what else?
3. I've got an endless boxful bought from EBay two millenia ago (it seems) but somewhere like watchgecko?
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Re: Curved Spring Bars

Post by Kip »

You guys may find this helpful.

Curved spring bar tool
Curved spring bar tool.jpg
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Timishere
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Re: Curved Spring Bars

Post by Timishere »

Thanks, both.

Appreciate the input, so helpful to learn from the experiences of others. If I buy a big box I too will be storing them for eons!
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Re: Curved Spring Bars

Post by audio.bill »

I've read that you can bend spring bars by pressing them over an appropriately sized spoon. Never tried it myself, so YMMV applies.
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Re: Curved Spring Bars

Post by tikkathree »

audio.bill wrote: Fri Nov 26, 2021 1:08 pm I've read that you can bend spring bars by pressing them over an appropriately sized spoon. Never tried it myself, so YMMV applies.
Anything around the house thicker than a cocktail stick, slimmer than a pencil... adapt...improvise.... :thumbup:
C60 MKI, MKII, MKIII: "some",
C6 & C60 Kingfishers,
C600 Tritechs,
C63 "some",
C65 "some",
C4, C40, C8, C9, C3, C5, C20 & 23FLE
Some other brands
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Re: Curved Spring Bars

Post by TigerChris »

Using curved bars will only work with a rubber strap if the end of the strap is also curved - if it’s a straight end rubber strap I wouldn’t be trying to force a curved bar through it personally.
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Re: Curved Spring Bars

Post by exHowfener »

if it’s a straight end rubber strap I wouldn’t be trying to force a curved bar through it personally.
Nor me - the tension will work against a secure fitting I would have thought.

Is the watch designed to fit curved spring bars? If not, the angle of the holes will be wrong and you'll still struggle to fit them unless you bend the ends to compensate. Do they fit well without the strap? If yes, then I'd keep trying. If not ...
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Re: Curved Spring Bars

Post by Timishere »

Thanks, all.

I've tried fitting it with the oem straight bars and no dice. The non-oem strap also came with curved bars which I used and the strap duly fitted. Subsequently those curved bars have started to rust and need replacing.

My concern with the DIY bending is that if I bend too much the effective length could be under 20mm and thus the strap liable to come off. I need try and find some way to measure a curve with mm tolerance!
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Re: Curved Spring Bars

Post by exHowfener »

I need try and find some way to measure a curve with mm tolerance!
1. Use a piece of string/cord
2. Straighten out the rusty curved bars and measure them. Use pliers.
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Re: Curved Spring Bars

Post by Timishere »

Great idea, thanks. If I bend the new ones to the same profile as the rusty ones that would indeed work. Or I was thinking of sticking the ends into something soft (bar of soap!) and measuring. I've been coming up with blue peter solutions all day.
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Re: Curved Spring Bars

Post by 0uatiOW »

Place a piece of string or wire against the old spring bar, then lay it flat & measure.
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Re: Curved Spring Bars

Post by GTC854 »

I bought a set of Masar curved spring bars from Amazon. They were not cheap but the quality seems to be very high. I used them with a curved end rubber strap and they fit perfectly. They suggest ordering the size according to lug width. I therefore bought the 22mm version to fit my C60 and am delighted with the fit
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Re: Curved Spring Bars

Post by Timishere »

GTC854 wrote: Fri Nov 26, 2021 9:41 pm I bought a set of Masar curved spring bars from Amazon. They were not cheap but the quality seems to be very high. I used them with a curved end rubber strap and they fit perfectly. They suggest ordering the size according to lug width. I therefore bought the 22mm version to fit my C60 and am delighted with the fit
Thanks! I will take a look as would absolutely kick myself if I dropped or lost a watch due to bar failure!
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Re: Curved Spring Bars

Post by Timishere »

Timishere wrote: Fri Nov 26, 2021 10:44 pm
GTC854 wrote: Fri Nov 26, 2021 9:41 pm I bought a set of Masar curved spring bars from Amazon. They were not cheap but the quality seems to be very high. I used them with a curved end rubber strap and they fit perfectly. They suggest ordering the size according to lug width. I therefore bought the 22mm version to fit my C60 and am delighted with the fit
Thanks! I will take a look as would absolutely kick myself if I dropped or lost a watch due to bar failure!
Thanks again for this tip. They arrived today and seem very sturdy. Only thing now is that the rubber is pushed up a bit in the middle away from the lugs, so I might need to bend them in a bit in the middle after all!
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