My dials

[watchguy2021]

hi, thank you for letting me join this forum.  I have made some attempts at making watch dials and thought I would share.  I see many techniques in other sections of the forums, but I can't post there yet due to being new.

Mike

[AshF]

I look forward to hearing about your technique (and some more pictures).

[watchguy2021]

Hi, I uploaded a bunch of my "attempts" over the past few months.  Some worked, some are ready for the trash!

I have tried a lot of things, but what is working best so far is to:

• Use waterslide decals to laser print the design and adhere to a pre-cut dial or even just a piece of sheet metal.  I am finding that brass and aluminum shined up really well are working best
• I invert the design (black becomes white and vice-versa) and adhere to metal.  Then I use salt-water electro-etching to mark the design into the metal.  This can leave either a "raised" or "cut" affect on the metal.
• If I want to try and have the markers/number have a very small amount of height, (like 0.2mm at best) so they stand-out, then I print the markers/numbers/second track in black and the white space is etched away.  I do the opposite if I want the numbers/markers to be etched into the dial.
• Then I print another water slide decal, the inverse of the 1st one, and use that to fill-in what was etched away.
• I use 2-4 layers of water slide decals and might even etch in stages to create "layers" in the dial as best I can...
• Sometimes I etch, then white spray enamel and then put a darker decal on top, so the markers underneath the decal are white.  That's what I did for the black dial/white numbers in the pilot style watches below.

Like I said, some end up in the trash and a just a small few look OK.  

I will make a video at some point once I feel like I am making more quality work.

Mike

 

Edited April 23, 2021 by watchguy2021

[LittleWatchShop]

This process makes me think about PCboards I etch from time to time.  The process I use requires me to thermally impress a laser-printed image on bare copper.  Then etch it in ferric chloride.  The thermal impression uses a thermal laminator which would not work so well for dials!! 

[watchguy2021]

Here the one I am currently wearing. I made using the process I described above.  42mm with 2824 movement

[watchweasol]

Hello Mike  Some very nice watch dials there a credit to your work, lookforward to seeing more.

[AshF]

@watchguy2021One thing that stands out the most is the resolution of your printer.  I can see your pixels!

Have you looked at higher resolution printers?

[watchguy2021]

I know!! I agree!!  It’s something you can see when you take a close up pic but not really when you check the time on your wrist.

but yes, it’s an issue.   I had access to a high quality printer pre-pandemic but now I have a very basic laser at home.  I tried going to Staples to use their printers but they are hit or miss, sometimes they say no and sometimes they screw it up and waste expensive decal pages.   I suppose if I really really fall I love with one of my designs I will buy a better laser printer.

[watchguy2021]

been a few months, but worked on a new chronograph dial.  Watch case is a little beat up, but I think the dial I made looks pretty darn good!  thoughts?

[watchweasol]

That looks good an nice job.

[toptime810]

Good job

[Nomad1001]

Just a sugestion print 2 decals and try rotating one image 90 deg on paper and double layer the decal might get rid of the lines