Vostok Amphibia Mod Question...

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Vostok Amphibia Mod Question...

Post by artphotodude »

Am working on a complex Amphibia Mod including new Band, Bezel, Dial, New Hands and even a custom Superluminova Relume, but there is one item I cannot source or find any info on. On a number mod-boards, I see a number of watches with a gold-toned inner ring some are referring to as a "Chapter Ring" and others calling a "Tension Ring", but this seems to be impossible to find for sale anywhere and I can't even located sold-out listings.

I want to do gold-hands, but it won't match very well without this item, and am about ready to pull my existing ring and have it plated, but just assume not have to.

Any ideas where someone might locate this? Thanks for any ideas.

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Re: Vostok Amphibia Mod Question...

Post by exHowfener »

I'm assuming that you have already made contact on the mod boards, or tried Meranom without success?
What is the chapter ring made of, metal or plastic? Some Vostok parts are chrome plated brass, if that's the case you can strip/polish the chrome off to reveal the (gold) brass underneath.

Oh, and - welcome to the forum!
I started out with nothing and I still have most of it left
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Re: Vostok Amphibia Mod Question...

Post by tikkathree »

Photos coming up!

Brand new & still wrapped Dr.Seikostain gold colour chapter ring plus Dr. Seikostain gold colour bezel which I may have used or maybe not.

Are these of use to you?
20210326_130617.jpg
20210326_130625.jpg
20210326_130644.jpg
20210326_130809.jpg
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: Vostok Amphibia Mod Question...

Post by artphotodude »

exHowfener wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 2:05 pm I'm assuming that you have already made contact on the mod boards, or tried Meranom without success?
What is the chapter ring made of, metal or plastic? Some Vostok parts are chrome plated brass, if that's the case you can strip/polish the chrome off to reveal the (gold) brass underneath.

Oh, and - welcome to the forum!
They just won't reply about it. Have also contacted several other people without success.
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Re: Vostok Amphibia Mod Question...

Post by artphotodude »

tikkathree wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 2:15 pm Photos coming up!

Brand new & still wrapped Dr.Seikostain gold colour chapter ring plus Dr. Seikostain gold colour bezel which I may have used or maybe not.

Are these of use to you?

20210326_130617.jpg

20210326_130625.jpg

20210326_130644.jpg

20210326_130809.jpg
Oh Boy Howdy! I don't need the bezel ring, BUT that chapter ring is EXACTLY what I've been looking for. Are you looking to sell it? Or know where it can be acquired? Enquiring minds want to know!!! :D
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Re: Vostok Amphibia Mod Question...

Post by tikkathree »

artphotodude wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 2:49 pm
tikkathree wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 2:15 pm Photos coming up!

Brand new & still wrapped Dr.Seikostain gold colour chapter ring plus Dr. Seikostain gold colour bezel which I may have used or maybe not.

Are these of use to you?

20210326_130617.jpg

20210326_130625.jpg

20210326_130644.jpg

20210326_130809.jpg
Oh Boy Howdy! I don't need the bezel ring, BUT that chapter ring is EXACTLY what I've been looking for. Are you looking to sell it? Or know where it can be acquired? Enquiring minds want to know!!! :D
I would have bought both items (plus many other similar) from Dr. Seikostain through EBay maybe five years or more back when I was learning to mod watches using Vostok Amphibias - hence a whole box of bezels and inserts, hand sets, scuba dude dials, movement holders etc.

I just looked on EBay and his shop shows nothing for sale?

Yes, I'd sell it to you. Have a think and send me a PM.
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: Vostok Amphibia Mod Question...

Post by artphotodude »

tikkathree wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 3:35 pm
artphotodude wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 2:49 pm
tikkathree wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 2:15 pm Photos coming up!

Brand new & still wrapped Dr.Seikostain gold colour chapter ring plus Dr. Seikostain gold colour bezel which I may have used or maybe not.

Are these of use to you?

20210326_130617.jpg

20210326_130625.jpg

20210326_130644.jpg

20210326_130809.jpg
Oh Boy Howdy! I don't need the bezel ring, BUT that chapter ring is EXACTLY what I've been looking for. Are you looking to sell it? Or know where it can be acquired? Enquiring minds want to know!!! :D
I would have bought both items (plus many other similar) from Dr. Seikostain through EBay maybe five years or more back when I was learning to mod watches using Vostok Amphibias - hence a whole box of bezels and inserts, hand sets, scuba dude dials, movement holders etc.

I just looked on EBay and his shop shows nothing for sale?

Yes, I'd sell it to you. Have a think and send me a PM.
Super Cool. I emailed you via the forum. Let me know what you are thinking on price.

BTW, you might get a kick-out of my initial reluming plan (see photoshop mockup). Rather than hand-paint directly on the dial, am buying replacement indices, painting them and then applying. Luckily, the hands are already available in gold with High-Grade lume in the color I need. Am also doing my bezel in the classic - dots scale (the red dots/lines and added a blue index at the top). The only hard part seemed to be the red star, but, ran into some luck. An Ebay seller has star-shaped glitter I can paint, with the red lume and then apply.

Best recent find is this dial in the 'No-Date' version (ultra-rare). Has been a hoot!
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Re: Vostok Amphibia Mod Question...

Post by artphotodude »

artphotodude wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 3:45 pm
tikkathree wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 3:35 pm
artphotodude wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 2:49 pm

Oh Boy Howdy! I don't need the bezel ring, BUT that chapter ring is EXACTLY what I've been looking for. Are you looking to sell it? Or know where it can be acquired? Enquiring minds want to know!!! :D
I would have bought both items (plus many other similar) from Dr. Seikostain through EBay maybe five years or more back when I was learning to mod watches using Vostok Amphibias - hence a whole box of bezels and inserts, hand sets, scuba dude dials, movement holders etc.

I just looked on EBay and his shop shows nothing for sale?

Yes, I'd sell it to you. Have a think and send me a PM.
Super Cool. I emailed you via the forum. Let me know what you are thinking on price.

BTW, you might get a kick-out of my initial reluming plan (see photoshop mockup). Rather than hand-paint directly on the dial, am buying replacement indices, painting them and then applying. Luckily, the hands are already available in gold with High-Grade lume in the color I need. Am also doing my bezel in the classic - dots scale (the red dots/lines and added a blue index at the top). The only hard part seemed to be the red star, but, ran into some luck. An Ebay seller has star-shaped glitter I can paint, with the red lume and then apply.

Best recent find is this dial in the 'No-Date' version (ultra-rare). Has been a hoot!
Just tied to resend a message (got a copy in my inbox), but can's see either of the ones I mailed in outbox. I also see where you sent me one, but it doesn't have any way for me to reply - weird mail system. Please do let me know who much you would want for that. I got a reply from Dr.Seikostain and he said they haven't made those (What he called "Movement Holders") for a long time.
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Re: Vostok Amphibia Mod Question...

Post by Bahnstormer_vRS »

artphotodude wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 8:29 pm Just tied to resend a message (got a copy in my inbox), but can's see either of the ones I mailed in outbox. I also see where you sent me one, but it doesn't have any way for me to reply - weird mail system. Please do let me know who much you would want for that. I got a reply from Dr.Seikostain and he said they haven't made those (What he called "Movement Holders") for a long time.
The PM system activates for a new member once you have got 5+ posts on your account.

Until then you can communicate with another forum member by email.

Small tip; when you send a PM it goes into your 'outbox' but will only transfer to your 'sent' folder once the recipient has read it.

Hope this helps.

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Re: Vostok Amphibia Mod Question...

Post by artphotodude »

Bahnstormer_vRS wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 8:35 pm
artphotodude wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 8:29 pm Just tied to resend a message (got a copy in my inbox), but can's see either of the ones I mailed in outbox. I also see where you sent me one, but it doesn't have any way for me to reply - weird mail system. Please do let me know who much you would want for that. I got a reply from Dr.Seikostain and he said they haven't made those (What he called "Movement Holders") for a long time.
The PM system activates for a new member once you have got 5+ posts on your account.

Until then you can communicate with another forum member by email.

Small tip; when you send a PM it goes into your 'outbox' but will only transfer to your 'sent' folder once the recipient has read it.

Hope this helps.

Guy
That makes more sense. The recipient tikkathree (Who I think is also a mod) has said he didn't get the initial message, and I wasn't sure where to go with it from there.
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Re: Vostok Amphibia Mod Question...

Post by artphotodude »

tikkathree wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 3:35 pm
artphotodude wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 2:49 pm
tikkathree wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 2:15 pm Photos coming up!

Brand new & still wrapped Dr.Seikostain gold colour chapter ring plus Dr. Seikostain gold colour bezel which I may have used or maybe not.

Are these of use to you?

20210326_130617.jpg

20210326_130625.jpg

20210326_130644.jpg

20210326_130809.jpg
Oh Boy Howdy! I don't need the bezel ring, BUT that chapter ring is EXACTLY what I've been looking for. Are you looking to sell it? Or know where it can be acquired? Enquiring minds want to know!!! :D
I would have bought both items (plus many other similar) from Dr. Seikostain through EBay maybe five years or more back when I was learning to mod watches using Vostok Amphibias - hence a whole box of bezels and inserts, hand sets, scuba dude dials, movement holders etc.

I just looked on EBay and his shop shows nothing for sale?

Yes, I'd sell it to you. Have a think and send me a PM.
Hello: Not sure if any of my emails are getting through, but ready to buy this any time.

Adam
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Re: Vostok Amphibia Mod Question...

Post by artphotodude »

artphotodude wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 1:16 pm Am working on a complex Amphibia Mod including new Band, Bezel, Dial, New Hands and even a custom Superluminova Relume, but there is one item I cannot source or find any info on. On a number mod-boards, I see a number of watches with a gold-toned inner ring some are referring to as a "Chapter Ring" and others calling a "Tension Ring", but this seems to be impossible to find for sale anywhere and I can't even located sold-out listings.

I want to do gold-hands, but it won't match very well without this item, and am about ready to pull my existing ring and have it plated, but just assume not have to.

Any ideas where someone might locate this? Thanks for any ideas.


090916by_Arvac.a.4-3.1080p.jpg

image076.jpg

image100.jpg
Going to have to scratch this 'gold accents' idea. Turns out that these parts vary a bit from generation to generation and Meranom no longer sells them either. The biggest issue is that getting hands that match the color of a "Guilt Tension ring" or "Chapter Ring mod" is really tough, and of course pulling the crystal with the ring is very hard.

So will proceed with the other items on the agenda: replacing the stock dial with the identical VERY RARE no-date dial (just bought an old Komindirskie on Ebay with this dial - see attached), and the reluming work. While it's initially logical to pull the calendar ring and support works, will actually leave it in, as the watch was timed with it, and it's almost poetic to leave it under the new dial - counting off dates nobody will ever see!

Had initially thought to sand/bead blast the outer case, but after water-proofing the leather bunt-pad it's color darkened to a deep-charcoal and the shiny stainless suddenly looks a lot better -> this is nice too because the buckle on the blue/white rubber strap was black, and now I won't have to strip it either.
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Re: Vostok Amphibia Mod Question...

Post by tikkathree »

It reads like you're changing your plans for this watch which is probably the right thing to do.
Vostok have the advantages of being relatively easy to mod and at the cheaper end of things so it's a safe place to experiment and develop skills and ideas.
If I might offer a word of caution there are millions of vostok out there, some will be originals and some won't be. Spend time looking round EBay, I would certainly recommend buying from meranom - buy new for the full "factory experience " and don't get mugged by sellers making extravagant claims for things which actually aren't rare at all.
Good luck with your project.
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: Vostok Amphibia Mod Question...

Post by artphotodude »

tikkathree wrote: Sun Mar 28, 2021 8:35 am It reads like you're changing your plans for this watch which is probably the right thing to do.
Vostok have the advantages of being relatively easy to mod and at the cheaper end of things so it's a safe place to experiment and develop skills and ideas.
If I might offer a word of caution there are millions of vostok out there, some will be originals and some won't be. Spend time looking round EBay, I would certainly recommend buying from meranom - buy new for the full "factory experience " and don't get mugged by sellers making extravagant claims for things which actually aren't rare at all.
Good luck with your project.
Just scaling back a bit. That Tension Ring issue was a big one. I watched a guy do a crystal replacement with a full-on crystal press, who chose NOT to put the tension ring back in because of how hard it is to do right. SOOOOOO decided for this first one, we'll be keeping it simpler. New Band. New Dial, New Bezel & Relume. Still managing to get everything most people want fixed (not having to worry about no quick, date-set & actually having a readable dial at 4AM in the dark), and should still look badass. Will post once the last parts get here and it's done.
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Re: Vostok Amphibia Mod Question...

Post by artphotodude »

So am nearly done. Have had to scale back a bit (gold tension ring/hands & red accent lume are both gone), but the band is finished, presentation case-back is in, dial is replaced with the older, non-calendar model (calendar works fully-removed) and NOW the reluming is mostly done (just want to apply a matt/flat finish to it to remove shine - accept for the elapsed-time dot, that will be left shiny).

The afore mentioned elapsed-time ring was really the 'training'. I went through one of them figuring out how to machine the metal with my Dremel (the normal divots are very shallow - not deep enough to properly anchor the lume). And the big question was what material to bind it with. I looked at a number of candidates including casting resin, but wound up finding 30-minute, slow-set epoxy to be the best. It winds up both being very hard, but also, long-wearing and in testing on my first ring, wound up wearing very comparably to the metal itself, grinding down as opposed to popping out.
Further, the self-leveling and slow-cure proved so easy to work with that I wound up using it as the base for all the rest of the lume on the dial, as it painted on very easily with the head of a pin and could be 'negotiated' and moved around with ease. Best of all, it was able to load with a massive amount of the SuperLuminova (BGW9); which while not as initially as bright, outlasts green SuperLuminova I had professionally replaced on another watch.

So as soon as the matt finish gets here will take the shine off of most of the new lume, and get the watch put back together (might need some regulation with the calendar works removed).

The only remaining issue is the lume is a bit thick on the hour hand and I might need to sand it down a little.

Next update will be a finished watch!
sl.jpg
IMG_20210530_112504500.jpg
IMG_20210530_112544713.jpg
P.S. Looking at it blown up like this, I really have to admire how precise the pros do this! BUT luckily for me, at the scale I'm normally seeing it (100%), it looks pretty good.
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