Jump to content

Watchmaking renaissance--what is the effect?

LittleWatchShop
 Share

Recommended Posts

LittleWatchShop Distinguished Member

LittleWatchShop

Posted
Posted

This watchmaking renaissance I am going through (following my dad's footsteps) is costing me a lot of money--but I am having fun.  I bought another watch bench to set next to my dad's.  It is custom made (not to my specifications, but to the designer's).  It will arrive in a week.

I can't keep my eyes off of Ebay...nabbing this and that.

Oh well...you can't take it with you!!

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites
amello New Member

amello

Posted
Posted (edited)

See? This is right where I should fit in.. I'm a cabinet maker with utterly zero skills in watch making, but I'm still fascinated by watches and clocks even though I could give a hoot if I'm on time for anything. I can build cabinets to suit most any kind of work..fancy little drawers, hardwood cabinet tops...even chairs.. In fact I learned my woodworking skills back when I had a strong desire to make a wooden clock. I learned to cut wood gears and i can do that, but my patience for cutting hundreds of gear gullets just isn't there anymore. I never did make a clock...darnit! Instead I learned my skills though trial and error and from the acquisition of my tools as well. I'm currently in the market for a brand new table saw. (probably a Sawstop model, but might be another brand)  I guess it wouldn't hurt to mention I don't have the steady hands anymore for fine little parts after cutting a fingertip off with a saw blade. That was no fun and don't try it at home folks. it's not nearly as much fun as seen on TV..

Edited by amello
Link to comment
Share on other sites
amello New Member

amello

Posted
Posted (edited)
On 2/12/2021 at 10:52 AM, watchweasol said:

It Is best to use a saw stick/pusher and keep fingers well out of the way of the blade of any power tool planes included

From personal experience I know it only takes one lesson. I got lucky and it was just a fingertip, but what a tip it was.. I took the waitress home with me all wrapped up in a bandage..

it's been several thousand feet of lumber through my saw since then. The main thing is to stay alert whenever the blade is spinning and if there's a kickback don't even think about trying to rescue it. Just get out of the way and let it go..

Edited by amello
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 3 weeks later...
spectre6000 Distinguished Member

spectre6000

Posted
Posted

Gorgeous! Solid cherry, I assume? What's going on just above where your knees go? Looks like a panel that comes down or something there.

I honed my woodworking skills in luthiery. Finished the build on my first a few months after my 16th birthday. I have also wanted to build a wood clock for many years. I recently inherited a large format 3D printer (it's complete, but needs work) and a small CNC machine (motors, frame, and guide rails only, nothing to drive it that I've yet found). I'm told the CNC only has the torque to cut wood, but I don't think it was ever tested on brass. I also have no idea what level of accuracy it can handle. I've got enough projects on my plate right now that it'll undoubtedly be several months, if not a year, before I'm able to give it much more than a shove to the side to make room from time to time...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
LittleWatchShop Distinguished Member

LittleWatchShop

Posted
  • Author
Posted
6 minutes ago, spectre6000 said:

Gorgeous! Solid cherry, I assume? What's going on just above where your knees go? Looks like a panel that comes down or something there.

I honed my woodworking skills in luthiery. Finished the build on my first a few months after my 16th birthday. I have also wanted to build a wood clock for many years. I recently inherited a large format 3D printer (it's complete, but needs work) and a small CNC machine (motors, frame, and guide rails only, nothing to drive it that I've yet found). I'm told the CNC only has the torque to cut wood, but I don't think it was ever tested on brass. I also have no idea what level of accuracy it can handle. I've got enough projects on my plate right now that it'll undoubtedly be several months, if not a year, before I'm able to give it much more than a shove to the side to make room from time to time...

Yes, solid cherry.

Above my knees is a drawer that pulls out.  My dad always called this the "skin drawer."  When working, the idea is to pull this drawer out so that it interfaces with your stomach so that anything that falls off the bench lands in the skin drawer.  A very hand feature.  It is on my antique watch bench as well...as you may have guessed.

I have a 3D printer (6x6x6 inch volume max).  I am printing useful gadgets all the time.  Printed a gas cap this morning for a plastic gas can with a missing cap.  It is incredibly useful.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
spectre6000 Distinguished Member

spectre6000

Posted
Posted

Ah! I knew that.

Mine has a cylindrical print area ~1' wide X ~2' high. It's nearly a decade old (ancient in terms of most technologies, but especially so in one so nascent). It also utilizes unusual geometry that makes fine adjustment somewhat difficult. All three axes are traversed by way of three motors in the base, with vertically traveling carriers tied by linkages to a central extruder. Z axis requires all three carriers to go up and down in sync in a fairly obvious way, and X/Y requires them to move in varying amounts and still in sync. I.e., to move across the Z plane toward one carrier, that carrier must go up while the other two go down. I'm currently dealing with a lack of manufacturer support/documentation since it's so old, scaling, and temperature control issues...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
LittleWatchShop Distinguished Member

LittleWatchShop

Posted
  • Author
Posted
37 minutes ago, ChrisRadek said:

That is beautiful!  But is it sitting on carpet?  That's bad...

Hmm...you mean because little parts disappear?  Or because of something else...

I want to change the floor, but, oh man, a big undertaking.  The room is packed with stuff...heavy stuff.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ChrisRadek Member

ChrisRadek

Posted
Posted

Yeah.  When I was equipping my current shop I went to the flooring store and asked for help.  I explained what I was doing, and how I want a bright, smooth, even color that will make the tiniest thing on it easily visible.  He said OH so you want exactly the OPPOSITE of what everyone ELSE in the world wants!

Now the fad is fake tile squares, fake wood strips, etc, instead of a roll of something you put down across the whole room.  You really want the solid piece with no seams.

We found something good enough, but the color is not perfectly uniform.  I installed it under the baseboards and then caulked the edge where they meet.  I intend to use aluminum tape (the stuff they use on ductwork) around all my furniture too, but haven't yet.

I have worked over carpet before.  It's amazing how easily and permanently things disappear.  One time I lost my whole chair and had to dig around in the carpet for an hour to find it.  I tried a magnet but I just kept finding watches instead.

  • Haha 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing


  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Topics

  • Posts

    • rossjackson01
      Intro

      By rossjackson01 · Posted

      Welcome my friend. 
    • rossjackson01
      Help please.

      By rossjackson01 · Posted

      Been there. Worn that Tshirt.  'ping'. Hands and knees. Nothing. Nada. 20 minutes? Ha! I found it 7 month later. How? Well, after advice from a member, I invested in a £4 UV light torch.  Hands and knees looking for a 'ping' from a Sekonda, found them both within 30 seconds. UV makes the jewel shine. easy peasy. Could have taken longer. Just lucky on the location of the search. Hope this helps.
    • Rixy
      Broken lug

      By Rixy · Posted

      Thanks Dell. I thought about silver soldering. Have never done it but would like to give it a go. Do you think to put flux on the butted joint then run the solder in or to maybe brace it with a piece of scrap spring steel?
    • rossjackson01
      Without Our Forum

      By rossjackson01 · Posted

      Never and others. Yes, like you I do spend a fair amount of time reading the contents of this forum. I find it better that any other. Clear, lucid, no Prima Donas, and most of all an easy access without adverts. All thanks to Mark. God bless you mate. You give so much to many of us. What if? No Mark? Hypothetically. A forum. I did run a forum for a few years. Really enjoyed it, but became so engrossed that it did affect my health. I gave to to others to run. Not been back. It was very successful and rivalled a number of large paying sites. No adverts, no others but me. I did ask and listen to members comments and it worked well.    Costs Having a domain name, £10 annually.  Register the site with a forum company, free. Build the site using the forum company guide lines, free. It looked and ran almost the same a Mark's. All the same facilities. The cost was only £5 per month, but counted visits (views). If I recall, it was that price for 5,000 views. Each extra 5,000 views increased the price by £2 per month. Success was my own personal undoing. From £5 per month initially, it rose to £60 a month and looked like increasing. This was 10 years ago. I could not afford that, and asked it anyone would like to take over and someone did. I would assume that this is the price that Mark is funding for us all. His return is our continued comments on the internet about his course, and the fact that many of the big names on YouTube mention him as their Tutor. Those of us who have done, and are still using, his course, benefit. In comparison to other courses, I can't believe how cheap it is, and the value is exceptional. It is the structure that gives the value. Long may Mark reign. Ross  
    • TheQuietMan
      Help please.

      By TheQuietMan · Posted

      Hi all, total newbie to watchmaking and I've had a bit of a mishap. Just completing level 2 and was doing ok, but I was just on the last part of the reassembly of my ST3620 when the balance end stone shot across the room, just as I was trying to see if I had put the correct amount of oil between it and the balance end, aarrrgh! Been on my hands and knees combing the carpet for 20mins looking for it but to no avail. Does anybody know where I can get a replacement from and what to look for please?? Thanks.
×
×
  • Create New...