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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

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61033918534__0E92F0F9-3096-419B-85FC-A0AD12FCE448.JPG

61670680393__DB1AED38-BFF0-4F67-9CDD-87BEAAEA89B1.JPG

61930474419__55BD56A2-3390-4F85-94FF-B5F90608E795.JPG

62415263893__4C2B6E93-B818-418F-B739-FD4B8D50E38B.JPG

62422079280__A5C9433F-A1B4-484B-87EB-F9F8CE059B72.JPG

62423987554__7CC33DC8-B11F-492E-ABAF-C7A675BF605F.JPG

IMG_3854.JPG

IMG_5445.JPG

 

Edited by watchguy2021
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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.

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