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Posted

Very limited in time at the moment but want to try and do semi-homemade watches for me and the wife before the autumn ends. First day this year in the garage. Starting with the wife's as this "should" be the easier as it must be a quartz. Total hobbyist at this, and although I have a rough idea of what I am trying to achieve, making a lot of it up as I go along. Hope to share progress on this forum for anyone who is interested 

Dial 0.2mm brass sheet

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Cut out and superglued onto a brass 3mm disc (machined from 10SWG sheet)

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Drill centre hole 1.1mm (was going to be 1.0mm but I snapped the drill bit)

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Swap onto the smaller lathe

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Mark out the dial diameter

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Aldi today selling routers for £24.99. Perfect to fix an old Gravograph I bought ages ago on ebay with dead motorIMG_3198nnn.jpg

 

Test piece which will go on the watch box as a plaque. Can now do engraving on the case back of the gents watch (later project still in the head)

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This is movement for my wife's watch. Ronda 1042. Smallest I could find which suites what I think I will need. Beside is a 5pence piece to give scale. Had to be a quartz as winding and setting the time was an absolute no no for the user

 

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Showing with dial in position. Decided I will try to attach with dial stickers rather then solder on feet (more chance of disaster and no time to keep scrapping)

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Trying bath repair enamel. Will leave this for a week to set. Hopefully not too high and works ok

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Square lump of silver. Starting the casing

 

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10mm hole to start things off

 

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  • Like 6
Posted

very cool! i'll be looking for the next installment, also. i live vicariously through you machinist guys. love that stuff.

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

I've always wanted to build a watch from 'scratch', or at least start with basic movement and embellish accordingly. I met a watchmaker, (sort of, on line) who started with ETA 6497/8 and had a variety of dials and hand combinations you could "customize" your own watch. Below pics from his website. I'm not promoting his efforts, just showing what can be done.

Good job on your efforts! Can't wait to see more.

Some of the many parts available for your custom design.

All cases have display backs. These are the plain movements.

Lineup of hand options.

  • Like 1
Posted

A little more progress .....

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Numbers for the dial

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Hands made out of an old mainspring, and polished finish

 

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Can start to see roughly the shape in mind

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  • Like 1
  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

 

Make some silver posts

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Solder everything together

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After pickling

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Case back will be held with 3 screws

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  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

More progress today, getting close to finish line ......

Make the case back ... fit rubber o-ringIMG_3352small.jpg

 

 

 

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This is not finished, but getting close, so just laid things together to see roughly what end result will look like

 

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Cubic zircona finish

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  • Like 5
Posted

Amazing and great job. I'm following this very much interested in the end result. Thanks for posting!

Cheers,

Bob

Posted

very good lathe  work !   as far as snapping drill bits,  " vary feed and speed"  to produce a "proper chip".  drill bit sharpening and dubbing is another  vast subject.   keep up the good work.  vinn

Posted

post 5 A.jpg

 

Thank you for positive comments. Glass is on, all the zircona was glued onto silver setting strips with Araldite Crystal Clear. There is plenty of things not right which I would do differently, but I suppose that is the problem when no prototype to try things out first. Anyway, I learnt a lot doing this project, and I know some of the areas that need to be improved

 

  • Like 3
  • 3 weeks later...
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    • Thanks for this post MikePilk, I just came across a similar problem with an Omega 1022.  The problem I had was the seconds pinion spring was bent out of shape and did not even engage with the wheel properly, so the seconds hand was not moving at all. (no power loss though :) I removed the automatic module so I could access the spring and work on it. Once I bent it back close to the right shape, I experienced the same problem you reported about power loss.  Many tweaks later, and the seconds hand is moving properly again, with amplitude back to good numbers again. Cheers
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    • isn't it nice to have a decent case open or when the case doesn't want to be opened? In the case of a Rolex watch that supposed to pass specific water resistant testing you probably do need to tighten the back down. But they shouldn't be tightened so much that they risk stripping the threads out. Then the other problem that comes up is the gaskets can start to disintegrate and then getting the back off can be quite a challenge unless you have a really good tool and perhaps some penetrating oil to loosen things up. Yes really nice case marking. When I was in school we were taught to mark the cases and  the American watch and clockmakers Institute even had a? So if you joined at one time they would give you an identification number. They were explaining or giving an example of if the watches ever found in you have a unique number they can perhaps figure out the history of the watch or identify the body it's attached to for instance not that that probably comes up that often. So you got a unique number and even made a special metal stamp that you can purchase. It wasn't a super big aggressive stamp but still it left a mark in the back of the case. Then I heard from people at work on Rolex watches they were using a felt pen indelible but later on they decided that was bad because apparently the ink could release  chemicals although it seems like once it's dry that shouldn't be an issue. Then of course today was nice is you can keep computer records sealed have to mark anything at all I personally find it's best to leave no reference behind that you were even there. Especially when you have a beautiful watch that has no markings at all and now it has your scribbling all over it not good typically if there is a typical and watch repair?  a lot of minor repairs you don't need to do a complete servicing. But beyond a certain point you're going to have to take apart a lot of stuff you're going to disrupt the lubrication even if it looks perfect right now and yes you might as well just go ahead the service the whole thing. also in a watch like this where a lot of things seem to be going on the complete service would be better then you'll know exactly where you stand versus dealing with unknown mysteries for prior repair.
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