How do I attach a case back to a hand drill for circular graining ?

[mikepilk]

As I don't have a lathe, or one of these Horotec (£££) case back holders, has anyone found a way to hold a case back on some sort of drill attachment?

I have done it with just Blue Tack or Rodico pushed on to the drill chuck, but it's not very secure or easy to centre. I've been looking for some sort of drill attachment, but I don't know what to search for.

[Waggy]

I have one of these on my wish list too, but they are crazy expensive... Would be keen to know if there is an alternative out there.

[Marc]

I haven't tried this myself other than for these pics, but how about using a crystal lift?

On this one the (for want of a better term) knob end has a 6.5mm centrally located hole. If you could affix a 6.5mm rod or even an old drill bit into that it could then be chucked up into a standard drill chuck.

Disclaimer.... you try this entirely at your own risk!!!!

[JohnR725]

You make this really hard if you don't have a lathe how can you do watch work without a lathe? Don't answer that question is more there for my amusement reasons that anything serious.

2 hours ago, mikepilk said:

drill attachment

A picture of the drill would be nice or better description.

If you had something flats you could use a variety of double-sided tapes as they come in all different Thicknesses and double-sided tape works quite well for a lot of stuff if you can find something flat the stick it to. If he can find a sanding disk attachment of the right size for instance that might be something flat that you can stick it to.

[mikepilk]

1 hour ago, JohnR725 said:

You make this really hard if you don't have a lathe how can you do watch work without a lathe?

Oh, but I will answer that question John, for your amusement !

I don't have space.  I live in a teeny weeny house* and don't have room (and lacking about £1m to move to anywhere bigger, it seems a lathe is out). 

[*Cottages built in the 1890s for railways workers  i.e. lowly paid workers, so just 2 small rooms upstairs, 2 downstairs with no kitchens or bathrooms. Some houses up the street are not as wide as the cars parked outside, and we don't have big cars . But you wouldn't believe what they sell for.
And the fools didn't even predict the invention of the motor car, so no garages either  ]

1 hour ago, JohnR725 said:

A picture of the drill would be nice or better description.

You know, drill thingies like these !

 

 

Edited October 16, 2023 by mikepilk

[tomh207]

In the absence of a full lathe what about buying a set of second hand wax chucks off the bay and gluing them to that. You should be able to true it in the drill before shellac/gs hypo sets and remove with acetone.

 

Tom

[JohnR725]

I suppose we need to see examples of the case back. I was thinking of a lot a case back's for wristwatches would be flat inside but that may not necessarily be the case and then things become more interesting.

1 hour ago, tomh207 said:

In the absence of a full lathe what about buying a set of second hand wax chucks off the bay and gluing them to that. You should be able to true it in the drill before shellac/gs hypo sets and remove with acetone

This is actually a really excellent idea as this is basically what they're designed for. Then the electric drills should be able to open up big enough to hold the outside of the  Chuck. Then I wouldn't use shellac as you could use something better. And lapidary work they use I can't remember what is called anymore to be honest they have something that can be heated up and use the hold the stones to like a stick when you're grinding them. I found that worked really well for holding things when I was turning stuff like that on the watchmakers   lathe.

Yes I know the pictures of peculiar example but. Yes I realize they all are for grinding but they also represent a shaft with something on it that has a flat end. Which means you could put your shellac wax even epoxy works although in this case are probably stay away from the epoxy. Epoxy works really well for holding stuff typically like a lathe expressive it's very good because if you boil your item and water the epoxy becomes rubberlike and you can pop it off versus your fear that you may never get it off ever again it works really quite well. But case backs might be a little more problematic.

So in any case something like the shaft with an end that's flat that you could lose something onto. Or you are not seeing example on the right-hand side is something for holding drums of sandpaper they should have one for holding flat Sanding discs and that should also work for what you're doing.

I was looking for pictures of waxed chucks and here's a link with a cover a bunch of things. In addition to the waxed chucks if you can find some but it has a machinist lathe for instance may be can work a deal where they could turn you something that looks like a waxed shock but more suitable for holding in your electric drill possibly having ends the shape you Would like to have.

https://watchmaking.weebly.com/other-lathe-attachments.html

4 hours ago, mikepilk said:

I don't have space.

Space would be less of an issue it's all the bits and pieces that go with that take up space and the endless bits and pieces of things that cost money. The way this I have her on movable basis so if I need them I just bring them to wherever I need them to be. But the accumulation of the various collets over time and the silly prices that watch tools are currently getting it becomes very expensive very fast.

But does not necessarily limit what you can do as you have a lathe In a way. A very long time ago I went to a lecture where a kid I don't remember how old he was a B 1516. His father owned a jewelry store he didn't have  a lathe but like you a drill. He was using the drill to turn a blob of wax on I'm not sure what he was holding it with so they probably put it on the end of the stick. So is usually that the spin is wax psychic carve it into the shape of around watch case. Then using lost wax casting he was casting gold watch cases. Quite impressive for what he was using. The next time I see him his much older for five years later and it purchased a small CNC milling machine to make dials and work on his cases. So it's quite amazing what you can do with the tools if your creative.

 

 

[markr]

How about one of the suction cup toy darts?

[HectorLooi]

7 hours ago, JohnR725 said:

And lapidary work they use I can't remember what is called anymore to be honest they have something that can be heated up and use the hold the stones to like a stick when you're grinding them.

I think it's called dop wax. The stick that the gemstone is fixed to is called a dop stick. I remembered Cousins used to sell jewellery supplies but they seem to have reduced their inventory. But Cousins still has shellac for fixing gemstones. 

https://www.cousinsuk.com/product/shellac-pieces-dark-brown

[Malocchio]

Sacrifice a fitting caseback. Drill a hole in the middle and put a bolt through. I think I've seen someone do that.

[Neverenoughwatches]

14 hours ago, mikepilk said:

Oh, but I will answer that question John, for your amusement !

I don't have space.  I live in a teeny weeny house* and don't have room (and lacking about £1m to move to anywhere bigger, it seems a lathe is out). 

[*Cottages built in the 1890s for railways workers  i.e. lowly paid workers, so just 2 small rooms upstairs, 2 downstairs with no kitchens or bathrooms. Some houses up the street are not as wide as the cars parked outside, and we don't have big cars . But you wouldn't believe what they sell for.
And the fools didn't even predict the invention of the motor car, so no garages either  ]

You know, drill thingies like these !

 

 

How about just a small flat sanding disc pad, i use these at work for blending in skirting board joints. They are 50mm diameter with a hook and loop backing. I would be more inclined for this instead of trying to spin the caseback that has the added hassle of centering the caseback within an adhesive mount. This way the caseback could be doublesided taped to a large nut fastened to a short length of stud bar. With a careful approach the sanding pad should keep the caseback at it's center. Or you could look for one of these mike .

18 hours ago, mikepilk said:

As I don't have a lathe, or one of these Horotec (£££) case back holders, has anyone found a way to hold a case back on some sort of drill attachment?

I have done it with just Blue Tack or Rodico pushed on to the drill chuck, but it's not very secure or easy to centre. I've been looking for some sort of drill attachment, but I don't know what to search for.

I'm not sure whats going on here ? but  pretty sure the caseback is held at the tips of the adjustable jaws. Good example of a seller not knowing how the tool is used. 

[mikepilk]

9 hours ago, markr said:

How about one of the suction cup toy darts?

I'd forgotten about that. I used a suction cup from my aquarium air lines. It works well once you get it centred.

[Neverenoughwatches]

1 minute ago, mikepilk said:

I'd forgotten about that. I used a suction cup from my aquarium air lines. It works well once you get it centred.

I use them to hold crystals when resizing them, i think we discussed it once.

[lexacat]

I've definitely seen the suction cup method mentioned on here before

[Nucejoe]

 Hi Mike,

I have done similare work with tools I made,

Found me a used automobile engine valave,

Mounts on drill like false teeth in 80 year old man's Gum. 

Is centered like earth is to the universe.

Sheet of starfoam,  a few mm thick.

Sand paper 

Glue.

Glue the star foam on valve head, 

Glue sand paper on top of the starfoam. 

Let the glue cure.

Cut round the valve edge.

Light  pressure on the piece as you grind. 

 

Good luck.

 

[LittleWatchShop]

On 10/16/2023 at 10:08 AM, JohnR725 said:

You make this really hard if you don't have a lathe how can you do watch work without a lathe? Don't answer that question is more there for my amusement reasons that anything serious.

Your responses are always fun to read.  At least you didn't say anything about his mother.

[Waggy]

Some interesting ideas, I was thinking, could you file off the lettering from an M12 bolt to get a flat surface and then rough up the surface with a file and super glue it to the back of the case back, then when you are finished remove the bolt with IPA or acetone? you can grip the thread end of the bolt in a standard drill chuck:

 

if the head of the bolt turns out to be too small, maybe you could solder on a large washer or even a coin to the bolt head to increase the surface area? See below

 

[tomh207]

Chronoglide posted a video this past week on circular graining, used a lathe but there is a specific way to form the graining not just a flat piece of sandpaper.

 

Tom

[mikepilk]

I just used a plastic sucker from the aquarium, pushed in to a cordless drill, and some 240 grit paper. It did a decent job. But it's a bit wobbly and not too secure.

I know I can do it this way, or similar, but I posted the question as I was wondering if there was an existing too/drill attachment which would do the job, without bothering with glues, shellac, etc