Casio PAG40 Rescue Part 1 (Long)

I got this watch off the net recently. I have always liked this watch and when the opportunity presented itself, I grabbed the watch. Actually the watch was sold to a friend who then sold it to me. Talk about a long-winded way to get a watch.

Anyway after getting the watch, I set off cleaning the watch. I do this with all watches that I buy used. Alas I found a few problems. Firstly the design of the watch is really bad, I mean having to remove 8 screws just to change the batteries? It is not even rated beyond 10 ATM. Hence the problem. I found out after washing the watch, there was water vapour in the watch. On checking the watch, I found 3 screw mounting holes were stripped. Worst of all, 2 were the ones that holds the case back.

I removed the screws and the case back. The gasket inside was all messed up. It was dry and it was not in the groove. It was also all bent-up. There was water on the movement spacer. Luck was with me, as there was no water on the movement.

So it is time to try and rescue this watch. So out with the tools and most important, the modeling putty. I was not to sure if the putty would stick to the resin, but it is worth the try. If this fails, then the next option (don't really want to do this) is to fill the holes with liquid cement and drill new holes. Then use the screws as a tap to tap new threads.

Well on with it. Don't want to bore you guys with the removal photographs.

The watch. The rubber and stainless steel case back and the spacer removed. Module 2271.

Another view. The batteries have been removed. It is powered by 4 batteries. The battery holder for the center 2 batteries have been removed.

The sensor attachment to the PCB.

The watch. Notice that the lower bezel (around the light button has been removed).

Another view. We can see the large buttons for compass, barometer and altitude.

The batteries and the central battery holder.

Part of the bezel at 3 o'clock position. It protects the sensor located at that same position.

The other part of the bezel.

Another view.

The movement holder cum spacer. Water was found here.

Case back, inside view. Don't know what the numbers mean.

Case back, outside view. Made in Korea.

The rubber case back. This is fitted outside the stainless steel case back for additional protection.

Inside view. Lots of water stain.

The compass rose. To remove, insert a plain (flat) screwdriver under it and lever out. It will just 'pop' out.

Inside view. Note the metal locking device. This locks the rose to the watch. Simple but it works. No ratchet mechanism.

The lock is held in place via spring tension.

The watch. Lots of love and DNA.

The sensor grill. Note the feet at the two extremes. It holds the grill in place.

The gasket. Finally straighten out and basking in a bath of silicon grease. Ah! that is life.... The kinks that you see is not bent up but part of the design.

All the parts off for a cleaning. I did not remove the module as I did not want to remove the sensor from the PCB. So I reinstalled the case back and held the case back tightly against the case when washing.

The watch after washing. Notice that the compass rose has been installed. It is as simple as 'click on'.

Bezel installed.

Another view. Note the sensor grill. It is held in place via the feet of the grill.

Now to address the problem of the stripped screw mount. Note the hole on the right is larger as compared to the hole on the left. That right hole is the problem hole.

The other hole, diagonal to the first hole. Upper right and lower left as luck would have it. This makes the watch wearable as the other 2 screws will hold the case back in place with some tension.

First application of the putty. Too bad I was not able to inject the putty into the hole. Manual application, sigh....

The holes is still too large. Thus second application.

This is the the other hole. I am not too concern with this hole as this holds the rubber case back to the watch and does not effect the water resistance of the watch.

Now wait for the putty to dry and see if it works. Fingers crossed.

Continue in part 2.....