BACK TO THE HUSTLE

 WEEK 20

                                               

Harman Wadhwa 

Origin : New Delhi, India

Age : 28

Watchmaking class : 8 month Service & Technician course

Current mood : 

Pierre Aubert

Origin : Toulouse, France

Age : 23

Watchmaking class : 2Y Fullskill Program

Current mood: Lots of things going in on this week! I finished practicing slots (with the gravers made last week) on blue steel and learned how to thread on the 8mm lathe. I have also started to work on my first real winding stem 😎. I forgot to account for the security margin that I took when starting it- it is now too long 😅 (Silly mistake..!!). But no harm done, I can simply bring it back to the required dimensions and make it as desired! It's only about time😉. I look forward to finishing it on Monday since my first winding stem trial exam is on Tuesday. As for the school watch, I am moving forward 😆

After last week's work on the pantograph, I now made pin holes on my yoke to hold it in place and provide tension. Why? My Yoke and the Yoke spring are only one piece, hence the pins. I also drilled through the original pin of the 6498 main-plate to make a screw that will ensure stability of the Yoke. Last but not least- I began to turn the required pins out of blue steel: they are beveled and around 1mm (length). I will have to friction fit them next week. For that purpose- I will certainly have to adjust their diameter. In fact, I am aiming for 5-8 microns above the main plate and yoke's hole! More in the pictures..!! I apologize for the information overload 😅 Have a great week-end everyone! A la semaine prochaine 😃

Markus McDonald

Origin : Stockholm, Sweden

Age : 20

Current mood: This week was primarily focused on filing the base plates for my tools, this went very well and I was able to complete one tool and begin work on another. Furthermore I was introduced to a new machine for maintaining the gravers, this was exciting followed by a sense of impending euphoria after each intense session. This in combination with the filing allowed the week to be dynamic and keep me energized.

Alex

Origin : Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Age : 26

Watchmaking : 2Y Fullskill Program

Current mood : It's the end to my first week. In day I file in night I search. Search for the furniture that is so desperately  needed in my spacious yet empty apartment. The life style here is very different than what I am used to. There is still a long way to go. The filing is going great though, at least in my mind it is. That's it for me.

STEP 1: SLOT MAKING (PIERRE)

STEP 2: THREADING (PIERRE)

In this first trial we can see the beginning of the threads failed due to too heavy cut, but from half way on the cut was only one sixth of a turn and the result became way better!

STEP 3: DRILLING AND PIN MAKING

 Setting up the Jig-Borer

 

 Drilling

                                                                           Results

      Pin Making

      

                                                          Henrik’s Word

This week I got a new student in the Fullksill course! Alex from Taiwan, after putting his bench in order he started warming up with some filing and will learn drilling next week. Pierre progressed well with his setting mechanism as well as reached the complete making of winding stems, next week he will sit his first winding stem trial exam, Harman did his first trial escapement exam hours ago and will continue with 3 more trial exams before sitting the real one. Markus continued with his tools but also got introduced to the Agathon grinding machine, which he seemed to like! I was very busy this week with various tasks which I like anyway, and I also got one of my restoration articles published with WatchesBySJX which you can find here; https://watchesbysjx.com/2019/08/patek-philippe-pendant-watch-restoration.html  hopefully next week will be as fun and efficient as this one! see you next week!