I have, like everyone else that collects watches,always hated and had trouble with those horrible half-head case screws.I have an 18s Hampden that must have had them back in the day, but they were replaced with full head screws, but there is some damage to the case frame from the screws, so the replacement screws were bottomed out, tight but the movement was moving around while winding the watch.It is a really nice Dueber silverine case, original to the watch, so I wanted to keep it in this case.I've seen those awful looking case screw washers, since I don't have any, I decided to try something.I used a piece of clear plastic sheet, about .012" thick, and made a pair of washers out of it, just slightly bigger than the OD of the screw heads.I used a 5/32" hollow gasket punch to make them.They worked out nice, the movement is staying tight,being clear like glass they don't show up like the steel or brass ones would, and they don't interfere with the case back screwing on.The plastic seems hard enough,but I think it has enough "give" to fill in the damaged spots.This is a Railroad watch, has quite a few service marks in the back,but the case still looks like new.Further proof that these silveroid-type cases are nearly indestructible!...Ted.

Good idea!! Much better than the steel washers.

Roger

If the damage is too bad, maybe you can contact Leon Harris to laser weld metal back on the case lip for you. He's a wizard with that welder, let me tell you!

Regard! Mark

Ted, I have always wanted/needed a set of those punches so I just ordered some.

Is there a type of plastic more suitable (ie. ridgid) for these washers and if so does it have a name?

Hi Lorne, I just used a plain old piece of packaging plastic, that my phone case came in.I punched them out on a wood block and used an awl to make the screw hole, so it fits snug up on the screw shoulder so they stay with the screw.I know this isn't the right thing to do, but it did work well.Mark's idea is the right way to go, but from what I understand, Leon H. is so busy that it takes a very long time and I assume its pretty expensive.The nice thing about this is it costs nothing, and doesn't look too bad, the clear plastic blends in, and if it doesn't work you can just throw them out. If you try it, please let me know, I'd like to know if it worked for you too. Thanks Lorne, Ted.

If it works it seems the perfect thing to do.

I have a piece of opaque plastic cutting board .02" thick so I will try that.

Those pulse welders that can be used for these repairs intrigue me. I wonder what kind Leon uses.

I wonder about that myself.I am a diesel mechanic/welder by trade, so I just can't imagine welding something that small and not ruining it!Has to be pretty tricky to do.

I have occasionally made washers for items I wanted plastic for, from drafting mylar. Being a civil engineer, I have ready access to plenty of the stuff. Mostly what we use is either thirty or sixty mil thickness.

I keep a small square of it in one of the material drawers in my workbench, and use it for things like protecting dials when I am removing hands.