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Homemade Watch Parts 2016


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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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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.

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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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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

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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

 

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