Jump to content

My First Test Dial Printing...i'm Over The Moon!

DJW

By DJW
in Watch Repairs Help & Advice

 Share

Recommended Posts

DJW Super WRT Addict

DJW

Posted
Posted

So it's been a few months since I posted here...but I've been regularly checking in. Hi Mark and Geo! 

 

So as a few of you know, I have a hobby of building watches. The one thing I hated was relying on some of the very few companies that actually print dials. Here is the USA there are only a handful that do this type of work! I was lucky enough to find an antique dial printing machine on eBay. It was just a vessel to move the dial from printing plate to paint application. I found a willing company to "Fill in the Blanks!" I won't name them here because I don't want to seem like I'm Selling this company!

 

Anyway, they were a very big help when it came to me having questions. The sales, engineering and billing staff were first rate! They helped me pick the proper printing pads, helping me design and then produce my printing plates and then help me choose the proper ink and also recommended how to prepare the inks, pads and thinners to get the best results! 

 

So, here I am....First try at printing a dial....

 

post-90-0-45007000-1429664182_thumb.jpg

 

I designed the dial myself using a free online software. The dial is printed in 3 stages.

The first step was printing the hour chapter. Then, the second step was to print the sub seconds chapter. Lastly, I printed the name of the manufacturer that I will be using for this build.

 

This was more of a proof of concept to me...Now, I can't wait to try new designs and styles! And, Now I have more control of what I build! That's very important to me...Cheers!

  • Like 12
Link to comment
Share on other sites
jnash Super WRT Addict

jnash

Posted
Posted

So it's been a few months since I posted here...but I've been regularly checking in. Hi Mark and Geo! 

 

So as a few of you know, I have a hobby of building watches. The one thing I hated was relying on some of the very few companies that actually print dials. Here is the USA there are only a handful that do this type of work! I was lucky enough to find an antique dial printing machine on eBay. It was just a vessel to move the dial from printing plate to paint application. I found a willing company to "Fill in the Blanks!" I won't name them here because I don't want to seem like I'm Selling this company!

 

Anyway, they were a very big help when it came to me having questions. The sales, engineering and billing staff were first rate! They helped me pick the proper printing pads, helping me design and then produce my printing plates and then help me choose the proper ink and also recommended how to prepare the inks, pads and thinners to get the best results! 

 

So, here I am....First try at printing a dial....

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20150421_172832402_HDR.jpg

 

I designed the dial myself using a free online software. The dial is printed in 3 stages.

The first step was printing the hour chapter. Then, the second step was to print the sub seconds chapter. Lastly, I printed the name of the manufacturer that I will be using for this build.

 

This was more of a proof of concept to me...Now, I can't wait to try new designs and styles! And, Now I have more control of what I build! That's very important to me...Cheers!

Been trying to find an antique one too.. outcome looks good

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Geo Distinguished Member

Geo

Posted
Posted

Hi Don, it's great to hear from you again!

Last week week I was just wondering how you were getting on, and now we know...............brilliantly. This really is a huge step forward for you, having full control over the design and quality is so important, and I can only imagine the satisfaction you get when seeing your completed watch.

I look forward to seeing more of your high quality productions in the future.

Cheer,

Geo! :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
icius Watch Enthusiast

icius

Posted
Posted

That seriously looks fantastic! Is this screen printing or pad printing?  Or something else?  I would like to try my hand at this sometime down the line as well.  Can you tell us more about the process and equipment?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jnash Super WRT Addict

jnash

Posted
Posted

On the look out for one of these, the only manual ones are in china and i can imagine the tax is a killer that makes it that bit out of reach at the moment, interested how you get on with it...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
clockwatcher WRT Addict

clockwatcher

Posted
Posted

I just did a watch with a Studebaker movement... Funny, it took a long time to get the dial back from the refinishers!

 

Don, I thought I was being funny, knowing that Studebaker Automobiles were made in South Bend. Little did I know that the same family had a watchmaking company and called it the South Bend Watch Co.  facepalm-smiley-emoticon.gif

 

I love Studebakers and was fortunate enough to visit the museum in South Bend on a recent visit to the US. Now I think I want a Studebaker watch!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 years later...
 Share
Go to topic listing


  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Topics

  • Posts

    • ManSkirtBrew
      1972 Bulova President "E" Sea King 11ACACB movement

      By ManSkirtBrew · Posted

      Unfortunately I'm not that lucky. I started on the train side and after I noticed the binding I pulled everything out except the driving wheel to rule everything else out. It still binds. I'm going to double check that the pinion is fully seated on the staff first, then if no joy I'll push the bridge jewel up a fraction of a mm. Fingers crossed!
    • Waggy
      Rado rotor removal

      By Waggy · Posted

      Happy to have helped, great way to start the day with a win! 🥳
    • doober
      Rado rotor removal

      By doober · Posted

      Thank you for the advise!! It worked. The setting screw was a lock/unlock to remove the rotor. 
    • GuyMontag
      1972 Bulova President "E" Sea King 11ACACB movement

      By GuyMontag · Posted

      I have that French tech sheet too, it is a little different than the English one (eg, it doesn't have the auto works diagram). BTW, it looks like you are looking up the case number in the 1979 ABC supplement. The 1974 ABC catalog does have the 3093 case. As you determined it takes the 1222-5 crystal.  When I serviced my President 'A' (which also takes that crystal), I was able to fit a 29.8 crystal from my DPA crystal assortment. Those are, in my opinion, a great deal. The assortment comes with 10 sizes each from 27.8mm to 32.4mm in 0.2 increments. I pretty much use them for any non-armored crystal that takes a high dome crystal. I think they no longer make them but Cousins has still has some in stock but when I bought them they were around $40 for the set and now they are around $100. Still, at 40 cents a crystal it's still a good deal. For the large driving wheel, I remember I once assembled the keyless/motion works first and when I placed the large driving wheel it was interfering with the setting wheel on the dial side as the teeth were not fully meshing and it wouldn't fully seat. If that isn't the issue I got nothing and am looking forward to see how you solve it 🙂
    • Waggy
      Rado rotor removal

      By Waggy · Posted

      Not sure, but just looking at it, it seems like the screw on the right may be a fake? The one on the left may not be a screw in the regular sense at all, rather a 2 position device, I think you need to point the slot towards either of the 2 dots and one will secure and one will open. Like I said this is just my best guess looking at the pictures.
×
×
  • Create New...