My first attempt at making hands.

[Angrybear]

This is something I've been putting off as it seemed like such a daunting task. I needed to make some hands for a design I had been working on, but without access to a lathe, staking set, or infact a lot of the tools I figured I would need, I didn't think It would be possible.

I had a go anyway and this is how they turned out. Lots of work left to do (like actually trying to make the round bits round, polishing, plating etc), but here they are.

PS please ignore the dial. Its an experiment in engraving a design I'm working on, but ill talk about that in a separate thread.

[Angrybear]

[HectorLooi]

Nice job! 

What material did you use?

Did you make the small seconds hand too?

[Angrybear]

Thanks Hector. I made them out of a sheet of 0.7mm brass I had. Although I had some 0.5mm stainless steel I thought it may be too hard to grip the cannon pinion and the hour wheel. I knew I didn’t have the correct equipment to fit brass tubes to stainless steel hands, so I figured if I just made the entire hand out of brass that may work instead. 
If I had made the hands out of stainless, do you think they would have fitted ok without the brass tubes? 
I assumed that the soft brass was necessary to ‘grip’ the cannon pinion/ hour wheel without damaging them. 
I feel the stainless would have made superior hands that took a better polish, and wouldn’t need plating. 

[Angrybear]

Haven’t made the seconds hand yet. Still can’t figure out the work holding, and where to get 0.28mm ID brass tubing from (I can’t make it). 

[HectorLooi]

There are some stainless steels that are quite soft. Anyway, a steel file can cut stainless steel, so it's softer than steel.

I watched a video on YouTube recently on making a brass tube for a seconds hand. Let's see if I can find it.

[HectorLooi]

Here you go.

But it's quite involved and needs a lathe and staking set.

[Angrybear]

Thanks for the video, very interesting. I only used a hand drill and a set of needle files for the hour and minute hands, so this would be quite a big step forward. I think I’ll try to make another set from stainless steel and see what happens. I’ll keep you posted. 

[watchweasol]

Well done , creditable job.

[Kepas]

Great work, very inspiring… please keep posting your achievements.

[Kepas]

11 hours ago, HectorLooi said:

Here you go.

But it's quite involved and needs a lathe and staking set.

Thank you Hector for posting this video, really fine watch making indeed!!!

[LittleWatchShop]

Nice! I just received my Croker style graver sharpener. My lathe skills will improve 10 fold. I am not afraid to try this now!

[Angrybear]

Touch of silvering powder and I’m almost happy with them. 

[HectorLooi]

8 hours ago, LittleWatchShop said:

Nice! I just received my Croker style graver sharpener. My lathe skills will improve 10 fold. I am not afraid to try this now!

Let's move your goalposts....

 

[Angrybear]

I don't need to know how much it is.....I just know I can't afford it!

[anilv]

wow.. nice!

[HectorLooi]

45 minutes ago, anilv said:

wow.. nice!

You're referring to Angrybear's watch hands, right?

[HectorLooi]

Sometimes, even for a small project, I end up spending more time sharpening my gravers than actually cutting metal.

I'm really tempted to get a Chinese knock-off of this system.

[LittleWatchShop]

Yup this is a cool tool.  I am taking baby steps for now!

[Michael1962]

Nice job. Well done.

[Angrybear]

Attempt no 2. This time made out of Nickel Silver. Progress. Possibly. 

[jdm]

19 minutes ago, Angrybear said:

Attempt no 2. This time made out of Nickel Silver. Progress. Possibly. 

Very nice, with anglage chanfrein.

[Angrybear]

The Anglage is pretty shoddy at the moment. I haven’t got used to filing through a loupe with the needle file close to my right eye! Accident waiting to happen! 

[JinTie]

Do you say this?

Edited February 9, 2022 by JinTie

[jdm]

3 hours ago, Angrybear said:

The Anglage is pretty shoddy at the moment. I haven’t got used to filing through a loupe with the needle file close to my right eye! Accident waiting to happen! 

Some definitions and technique elements: https://orologi.forumfree.it/?t=73977026