I needed to change a watch battery so I got out my jeweler's screwdriver
kit and proceeded to remove the four really tiny slotted screws holding
the back on the watch.

Two came out easily but I managed to bung up the other two and get any
purchase with the screwdriver. Any suggestions before I give up and take
it to a jeweler?

--
20 years of schoolin and they put you on the day shift€¦
- Bob Dylan

On 2/24/18 11:37 AM, Wade Garrett wrote:
I needed to change a watch battery so I got out my jeweler's screwdriver
kit and proceeded to remove the four really tiny slotted screws holding
the back on the watch.

Two came out easily but I managed to bung up the other two and get any
purchase with the screwdriver. Any suggestions before I give up and take
it to a jeweler?

--
20 years of schoolin and they put you on the day shift€¦
Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â* - Bob Dylan

That would be *can't* get any purchase...

Wade Garrett wrote:

On 2/24/18 11:37 AM, Wade Garrett wrote:
I needed to change a watch battery so I got out my jeweler's
screwdriver kit and proceeded to remove the four really tiny
slotted screws holding the back on the watch.

Two came out easily but I managed to bung up the other two and get
any purchase with the screwdriver. Any suggestions before I give
up and take it to a jeweler?

-- 20 years of schoolin and they put you on the day shift€¦
Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â* - Bob Dylan

That would be can't get any purchase...


Buggered watch cover screws can be a real challenge, even for jewellers.

There are special liquids that jewellers use to dissolve screws in
watch parts, but not in an assembled watch. There are also screw
extracting tools for watch parts, but not for back covers that I am
aware of.

Two thoughts:

Try tightening the screws, if you have stripped the heads when trying
to loosen, you might be able to get some purchase when tightening. If
you can get some movement when tightening, you MIGHT be able to back
them out afterward.

Obtain a pin vise, a set of high quality micro drill bits and a fair
amount of patience. You might be able to drill them out manually.

Is the watch worth the effort or expense?




--
"In matters of conscience, the law of the majority has no place."

"Truth Sounds Like Hate To Those Who Hate The Truth"

On 2/24/2018 11:37 AM, Wade Garrett wrote:
I needed to change a watch battery so I got out my jeweler's screwdriver
kit and proceeded to remove the four really tiny slotted screws holding
the back on the watch.

Two came out easily but I managed to bung up the other two and get any
purchase with the screwdriver. Any suggestions before I give up and take
it to a jeweler?

--
20 years of schoolin and they put you on the day shift€¦
Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â* - Bob Dylan

I gave up on mine and just threw it out. It was an old Timex and looked
well worn and not worth it.

My wife sometimes would take a watch to a jeweler that hardly charged
much more than the price of a new battery.

Wade Garrett wrote:
I needed to change a watch battery so I got out my jeweler's
screwdriver kit and proceeded to remove the four really tiny slotted
screws holding the back on the watch.

Two came out easily but I managed to bung up the other two and get any
purchase with the screwdriver. Any suggestions before I give up and
take it to a jeweler?

I did the same taking the screws out of a iphone, this with a screwdriver
bought for the job.
I filed a tiny bit off the end of the screwdriver and out came the screw.

On Sat, 24 Feb 2018 11:37:16 -0500, Wade Garrett
wrote:

I needed to change a watch battery so I got out my jeweler's screwdriver
kit and proceeded to remove the four really tiny slotted screws holding
the back on the watch.

Two came out easily but I managed to bung up the other two and get any
purchase with the screwdriver. Any suggestions before I give up and take
it to a jeweler?


Any watch that uses slotted screws to hold the back on is likely not
worth much more than a good battery. Go to the dollar store and buy a
new one. Ten bucks - mabee 20 if you want to splurge - and you'll get
one with the normal twist-off or pop-off back.

On Sat, 24 Feb 2018 16:55:48 +0000 (UTC), "Dove Tail"
wrote:

Wade Garrett wrote:



Is the watch worth the effort or expense?
+1

On 2/24/2018 11:37 AM, Wade Garrett wrote:
I needed to change a watch battery so I got out my jeweler's screwdriver
kit and proceeded to remove the four really tiny slotted screws holding
the back on the watch.

Two came out easily but I managed to bung up the other two and get any
purchase with the screwdriver. Any suggestions before I give up and take
it to a jeweler?

--
20 years of schoolin and they put you on the day shift€¦
Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â* - Bob Dylan

Watch? What's a watch? I'll watch what happens with this topic.

On 2/24/18 2:49 PM, Clare Snyder wrote:
On Sat, 24 Feb 2018 11:37:16 -0500, Wade Garrett
wrote:

I needed to change a watch battery so I got out my jeweler's screwdriver
kit and proceeded to remove the four really tiny slotted screws holding
the back on the watch.

Two came out easily but I managed to bung up the other two and get any
purchase with the screwdriver. Any suggestions before I give up and take
it to a jeweler?


Any watch that uses slotted screws to hold the back on is likely not
worth much more than a good battery. Go to the dollar store and buy a
new one. Ten bucks - mabee 20 if you want to splurge - and you'll get
one with the normal twist-off or pop-off back.


Yeah that was my first reaction too- but it's actually a pretty nice
ladies all stainless with a Swiss quartz movement and good quality
leather band. Wish they would have used better screws though.

More importantly, my wife says she still wants it!

--
Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

On 2/24/2018 2:49 PM, Clare Snyder wrote:
On Sat, 24 Feb 2018 11:37:16 -0500, Wade Garrett
wrote:

I needed to change a watch battery so I got out my jeweler's
screwdriver kit and proceeded to remove the four really tiny
slotted screws holding the back on the watch.

Two came out easily but I managed to bung up the other two and get
any purchase with the screwdriver. Any suggestions before I give up
and take it to a jeweler?


Any watch that uses slotted screws to hold the back on is likely not
worth much more than a good battery. Go to the dollar store and buy
a new one. Ten bucks - mabee 20 if you want to splurge - and you'll
get one with the normal twist-off or pop-off back.


I can't agree with that. The best watch I've ever owned (and still own)
is a Casio atomic time waveceptor. It's 11 years old, sets itself
nightly and automatically from radio signals, is solar powered with a 5
month reserve when fully charged, 4 alarms, world time and displays two
time zones simultaneously, stop watch feature, count down feature, and
has a stainless steel case and bracelet, luminous hands plus LED
illuminated night light, and is waterproof to 300 feet. Oh, by the way,
the back is held in place with 4 small screws. I've never needed to do
anything to maintain it other than having the bracelet shortened when I
first purchased it.

On Sun, 25 Feb 2018 09:32:39 -0500, Peter wrote:

On 2/24/2018 2:49 PM, Clare Snyder wrote:
On Sat, 24 Feb 2018 11:37:16 -0500, Wade Garrett
wrote:

I needed to change a watch battery so I got out my jeweler's
screwdriver kit and proceeded to remove the four really tiny
slotted screws holding the back on the watch.

Two came out easily but I managed to bung up the other two and get
any purchase with the screwdriver. Any suggestions before I give up
and take it to a jeweler?


Any watch that uses slotted screws to hold the back on is likely not
worth much more than a good battery. Go to the dollar store and buy
a new one. Ten bucks - mabee 20 if you want to splurge - and you'll
get one with the normal twist-off or pop-off back.


I can't agree with that. The best watch I've ever owned (and still own)
is a Casio atomic time waveceptor. It's 11 years old, sets itself
nightly and automatically from radio signals, is solar powered with a 5
month reserve when fully charged, 4 alarms, world time and displays two
time zones simultaneously, stop watch feature, count down feature, and
has a stainless steel case and bracelet, luminous hands plus LED
illuminated night light, and is waterproof to 300 feet. Oh, by the way,
the back is held in place with 4 small screws. I've never needed to do
anything to maintain it other than having the bracelet shortened when I
first purchased it.


Slot heasd screws? The last Casio I had used reed&Prince IIRC.
Might have had provisions to allow using a slot screwdriver, but who
WOULD when the better option was provided.

On 2/25/2018 4:13 PM, Clare Snyder wrote:
On Sun, 25 Feb 2018 09:32:39 -0500, Peter wrote:

On 2/24/2018 2:49 PM, Clare Snyder wrote:
On Sat, 24 Feb 2018 11:37:16 -0500, Wade Garrett
wrote:

I needed to change a watch battery so I got out my jeweler's
screwdriver kit and proceeded to remove the four really tiny
slotted screws holding the back on the watch.

Two came out easily but I managed to bung up the other two and
get any purchase with the screwdriver. Any suggestions before I
give up and take it to a jeweler?


Any watch that uses slotted screws to hold the back on is likely
not worth much more than a good battery. Go to the dollar store
and buy a new one. Ten bucks - mabee 20 if you want to splurge -
and you'll get one with the normal twist-off or pop-off back.


I can't agree with that. The best watch I've ever owned (and still
own) is a Casio atomic time waveceptor. It's 11 years old, sets
itself nightly and automatically from radio signals, is solar
powered with a 5 month reserve when fully charged, 4 alarms, world
time and displays two time zones simultaneously, stop watch
feature, count down feature, and has a stainless steel case and
bracelet, luminous hands plus LED illuminated night light, and is
waterproof to 300 feet. Oh, by the way, the back is held in place
with 4 small screws. I've never needed to do anything to maintain
it other than having the bracelet shortened when I first purchased
it.


Slot heasd screws? The last Casio I had used reed&Prince IIRC. Might
have had provisions to allow using a slot screwdriver, but who WOULD
when the better option was provided.


They appear to be Frearson aka Reed&Prince slotted heads, but
nonetheless, are a type of slotted screw heads. Your post denigrated
"slotted screws" as opposed to "the normal twist-off or pop-off back."
Reed&Prince heads are slotted. They neither twist-off nor pop-off.

On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 08:11:48 -0500, Peter wrote:

On 2/25/2018 4:13 PM, Clare Snyder wrote:
On Sun, 25 Feb 2018 09:32:39 -0500, Peter wrote:

On 2/24/2018 2:49 PM, Clare Snyder wrote:
On Sat, 24 Feb 2018 11:37:16 -0500, Wade Garrett
wrote:

I needed to change a watch battery so I got out my jeweler's
screwdriver kit and proceeded to remove the four really tiny
slotted screws holding the back on the watch.

Two came out easily but I managed to bung up the other two and
get any purchase with the screwdriver. Any suggestions before I
give up and take it to a jeweler?


Any watch that uses slotted screws to hold the back on is likely
not worth much more than a good battery. Go to the dollar store
and buy a new one. Ten bucks - mabee 20 if you want to splurge -
and you'll get one with the normal twist-off or pop-off back.


I can't agree with that. The best watch I've ever owned (and still
own) is a Casio atomic time waveceptor. It's 11 years old, sets
itself nightly and automatically from radio signals, is solar
powered with a 5 month reserve when fully charged, 4 alarms, world
time and displays two time zones simultaneously, stop watch
feature, count down feature, and has a stainless steel case and
bracelet, luminous hands plus LED illuminated night light, and is
waterproof to 300 feet. Oh, by the way, the back is held in place
with 4 small screws. I've never needed to do anything to maintain
it other than having the bracelet shortened when I first purchased
it.


Slot heasd screws? The last Casio I had used reed&Prince IIRC. Might
have had provisions to allow using a slot screwdriver, but who WOULD
when the better option was provided.


They appear to be Frearson aka Reed&Prince slotted heads, but
nonetheless, are a type of slotted screw heads. Your post denigrated
"slotted screws" as opposed to "the normal twist-off or pop-off back."
Reed&Prince heads are slotted. They neither twist-off nor pop-off.


A Reed and Prince is not a "slotted" screw, it is a crosspoint
cruciform head (also known as a Frearson)

Virtually nothing of quality today is built with a "slotted" screws
About the only common use of slotted screws today is "stove bolts" and
in some circles, wood screws (and even there, they are fast loosing
ground to Philips and Robertson or even Pozi-Drive)

On Monday, February 26, 2018 at 10:12:37 AM UTC-5, Clare Snyder wrote:
On Mon, 26 Feb 2018 08:11:48 -0500, Peter wrote:

On 2/25/2018 4:13 PM, Clare Snyder wrote:
On Sun, 25 Feb 2018 09:32:39 -0500, Peter wrote:

On 2/24/2018 2:49 PM, Clare Snyder wrote:
On Sat, 24 Feb 2018 11:37:16 -0500, Wade Garrett
wrote:

I needed to change a watch battery so I got out my jeweler's
screwdriver kit and proceeded to remove the four really tiny
slotted screws holding the back on the watch.

Two came out easily but I managed to bung up the other two and
get any purchase with the screwdriver. Any suggestions before I
give up and take it to a jeweler?


Any watch that uses slotted screws to hold the back on is likely
not worth much more than a good battery. Go to the dollar store
and buy a new one. Ten bucks - mabee 20 if you want to splurge -
and you'll get one with the normal twist-off or pop-off back.


I can't agree with that. The best watch I've ever owned (and still
own) is a Casio atomic time waveceptor. It's 11 years old, sets
itself nightly and automatically from radio signals, is solar
powered with a 5 month reserve when fully charged, 4 alarms, world
time and displays two time zones simultaneously, stop watch
feature, count down feature, and has a stainless steel case and
bracelet, luminous hands plus LED illuminated night light, and is
waterproof to 300 feet. Oh, by the way, the back is held in place
with 4 small screws. I've never needed to do anything to maintain
it other than having the bracelet shortened when I first purchased
it.


Slot heasd screws? The last Casio I had used reed&Prince IIRC. Might
have had provisions to allow using a slot screwdriver, but who WOULD
when the better option was provided.


They appear to be Frearson aka Reed&Prince slotted heads, but
nonetheless, are a type of slotted screw heads. Your post denigrated
"slotted screws" as opposed to "the normal twist-off or pop-off back."
Reed&Prince heads are slotted. They neither twist-off nor pop-off.


A Reed and Prince is not a "slotted" screw, it is a crosspoint
cruciform head (also known as a Frearson)

Virtually nothing of quality today is built with a "slotted" screws
About the only common use of slotted screws today is "stove bolts" and
in some circles, wood screws (and even there, they are fast loosing
ground to Philips and Robertson or even Pozi-Drive)

How about taking the screwdriver and applying a tiny drop of crazy glue
or epoxy, then positioning it over the screw and letting it set up?
You'd have to put some stuff around it to hold it vertical. It might
hold enough so that it could then be turned out and if done carefully,
I don't see much risk to trying.