Like Watchmakers in a Tool Store

Week 42

It's been a good season lately for deal hunters and those who enjoy browsing large collections of machinery. Last week the school had a visit from our friend Sabri and his large selection of hand tools for sale.

The students peruse Sabri's wares

This week, students were invited to tour Greub, a local business specializing in the restoration, modification, and sale of watch tools, from desk stands to industrial-sized presses. The massive warehouse and workshop was truly a sight to behold.

 

STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS

Workshop AB

Students:
    Art, Daniel, David, Miguel, Mun, Nine
    Craig, Dunham, Ivan, Louis, Sheikh, Varun

    This week Art passed his pivot gauge exam, and Craig completed the required number of pivot gauges and passed his practice exam. Craig will take his exam next week.

 

    Daniel cut and finished the center wheel pinion for his school watch.

 

    This week Louis investigated the method for applying a ground finish to ratchet gears, with excellent results.

 

 

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Hope to see you again next week!

Busy Week!

 

Week 40

STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS

Workshop AB

Students:
    Art, Daniel, David, Miguel, Mun, Nine
    Craig, Dunham, Ivan, Louis, Sheikh, Varun

    This week Art took a practice exam for pivot gauges. It went very well! He is now preparing to take the real exam next week.

 

    This week David and Miguel planned out a design to use on the pantographe. They are in the process of making a class watch project.

 

3 Different iterations of their design. They are trying to perfect the spacing, angle and size of the text and logo.

    David and Miguel are planning to engrave their class year and initials on the rotors of a 2892 for their class watch project.

 

    This week Ivan and Louis did a practice exam for the hairspring course.

 

    This week Louis restored the bezel of a Glycine! He repainted the indexes on the bezel.

 

BEFORE

AFTER

 

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Hope to see you again next week!

Final Exam

 Week 39

 Daniel, Miguel, and David spent the full week working hard on their final exam. Best of luck to the three of them!

STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS

Workshop A

Art made a specialized burnisher to polish pivot gauge domes.

Polished pivot gauge under magnification

Workshop B

Students:
Craig, Louis, Varun

 Craig began work under the microsope, starting his pivot gauge course.

 

 

Louis took his first hairspring exam, and contiued work on timing.

Varun made a balance staff for a modified 6498 escapement to incorporate a Breguet hairspring.

 

Thank you for reading! 

Hope to see you again next week!

 

Week 38

This week we had a visitor, Thomas, a programmer who develops software for gears and gear-making tools. He presented a software for watch gear calculations to Henrik and Michael. This tool could be of use to watchmakers and watch companies dealing a lot with various gear productions.

Thomas's website

 

 

 

STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS

Workshop A

 Daniel, David, and Miguel started their final exam!

 

Workshop B

Students:
Craig, Ivan, Louis 

 Craig completed the design and construction of a dual-axis sine plate; a tool for adjusting the tilt of a work surface in all directions.

 Ivan re-finished all the steel parts on his 1920s Omega pocket watch. He then compiled what he learned in the process into an instruction book for other students looking to make a snailed finish.

The snailed finish described in Ivan's instruction manual

 

Louis began timing his first hairspring after adjusting the double bend and regulating curve into the proper shape.

 

Thank you for reading! 

Hope to see you again next week!

The Watch Show!

Week 37

This week we had a new bench tester! Philip from Hong Kong!

Here is Philip black polishing several screws.

This week several students went to explore the Technical Watch Show in La Chaux de Fonds!

There they went to interact with various suppliers and companies in the watch industry.

Here Mun, Sheikh, Art, Varun and Miguel (off screen) are getting a demonstration at the Petit Pierre of how their measuring machine works.

The machine has a very accurate camera that will scan the object in the holder.

The computer can then quickly make measurements to determine the size and shape of the object, and determine if it is within programmed tolerances.

Here Art, Varun and Miguel are talking to a Bergeon representative who is explaining the use of their new hand setting tool.

The new hand setting tool (on the right), is attached to a screen (back, left) which reads the amount of torque used to set the hands on the watch and lets you know if it is enough.

Bergeon also has a new device for testing magnetism but the machine also works as a demagnetizer.

Here they are talking to a company that specializes in anglage and finishing of movements.

Here is one of the finished movements on display.

They also saw several companies who make interesting and very vibrant dials. Such as this alternating tile pattern.

They also saw a hand painted fishscale patterned dial.

STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS

Workshop A+B

Students:
    Art, Daniel, David, Miguel, Mun, Nine
    Craig, Dunham, Ivan, Louis, Sheikh, Varun     

       This week Daniel made some watch parts for his school watch. He made the balance wheel on the jig borer and on the lathe and the escapement parts were cut out on the pantograph.

Here is the guide for the escapement levers.

Several levers cut out of circular plates.

The escapement lever after machining.

    This week Miguel continued to work on this 7 movements. He finished the assembly and timing of the 2824, 2892 and the 2671. 

    This week Ivan, Louis and Varun learned how to vibrate hairsprings on the Luthy.

Here is louis watching the hairspring on the luthy.

Varun is inspecting the position of the hairspring to make sure it is sitting in the luthy correctly.

 

Thank you for reading!

Hope to see you again next week!