FREEZING!

 WEEK 77

Pierre Aubert

Origin :Toulouse, France.

Age : 24

Watchmaking class: Fullskill

Current mood: More school watch time! Exciting pantograph session to scribe the outside shape of my bridges. I first had to make a reference plate in order to check that the pantograph was calibrated, meaning that you could report exactly what happens on your drawing onto your work piece. This turned out nicely and I was then able to make the outside shapes. Next step: sawing out my bridges :) Have a good weekend everyone!

Name: Markus McDonald.
Origin: Stockholm, Sweden. 
Course: 2 years full skill course.
Current mode: This week I worked on both gear train theory and practical work applying the experience of the gear train to several movements focusing on getting the movements done in bulk, such as the winding and setting, gears and the barrels. This went very well and I was able to cover a substantial amount. Additionally I also did my exam and this went extremely well getting a solid pass. In conclusion this was a solid week.

Michael

Origin : Malaysia

Age : 28

Watchmaking class : 2 years Fullskill Program

Current Mood: I have been preparing for my pivot gauges trial exam this week and amusingly I did broke my 0.12mm pivot at the trial exam which ended miserably. However, looking forward to next week for more trials. 

Alex

Origin : Kaohsiung, Taiwan 

Age : 27

Watchmaking : 2Y Fullskill Program

Current mood: Another weeks full of micromechanics. Modified some files, removed all of the scratches on every one of my hand made tools which only took hours and is totally not boring and tiresome at all, made a proper drawing for my design of the pointed nose vise, hand turning winding stem etc. We might get some snow during the weekend so that's going to be a nice change of scenery!!

STEP 1: THE PANTOGRAPH! (PIERRE)

Pierre setting up the pantograph to scribe the shape of his bridges.

Drawing of his bridges to be followed by hand to reproduce the same pattern on brass.

Scribed bridge shapes on brass for later machining. 

STEP 2: PHOTO SESSION! (ALEX)

Alex practicing taking photos of his tools, these tools have not yet been finished, later he will try out different watch movement finish on them and then re-take the pics.

Turning the pivot of a winding stem that he will later polish.

STEP 3: WINDING STEMS! (ALEX)

Alex turning the winding stem.

Alex filing the square of the winding stem.

HENRIK's WORDS:

Temperature dropped to 6°C today (Friday) and raining, it feels freezing cold! Winter will probably arrive soon as it looks now, some snow was also promised over the weekend. Otherwise this week was pleasant and interesting. Markus will be moving on to the escapement course next week, Alex decided to finish some old micromechanical work and will hook onto the technician course ones it starts again, Pierre is progressing well with the bridges for his school watch and Michael made his first pivot gauge practice exam, unfortunately it snapped at the end. Otherwise nothing special for now except that we are going to get some books and tools tomorrow at Mr. Simonin tool and book store, he just got the new improved and corrected version of the Les Montres Compliquées by François LeCoultre its also a limited edition of 300 copies; https://www.booksimonin.ch/fr/7127-les-montres-compliqu%C3%A9es.php#corps which I have been eagerly waiting to get my hands on. Have a great weekend everyone!

SLOW WEEK!

  WEEK 76

Pierre Aubert

Origin :Toulouse, France.

Age : 24

Watchmaking class: Fullskill

Current mood: Slow week: Started by drilling the recesses for the shoulders of my bridge screws. I am making special recesses to receive conical screws. My sequences were already ready for further op, but I was a bit tired and decided to do some more mindless work for the week! Thought it’d be smarter than messing up with the school watch! I was able to practice my first hairspring raises to make Breguet curves! It’s really interesting and satisfying! See you next week!

Name: Markus McDonald.
Origin: Stockholm, Sweden. 
Course: 2 years full skill course.
Current mode: This week did not go so well being both disruptive and draining which didn’t help for my exam and preparation.

However I was able to get back to it and I will use the weekend to get into the best condition for the exam next week.  

Michael

Origin : Malaysia

Age : 28

Watchmaking class : 2 years Fullskill Program

Current Mood: Burnishing pivot gauge is very challenging And nerve racking in some stages. Especially when it reaches below 0.10mm. Managed to snap a few on the way to 0.07mm. Making the dome was the nightmare, have to get rid of the burrs in a certain way and not damage your previous work. Looking forward for next week. 

Alex

Origin : Kaohsiung, Taiwan 

Age : 27

Watchmaking : 2Y Fullskill Program

Current mood: Another week has passed. I have been mostly working on my pointed nose vise and have successfully made the both upper and lower piece. The screw is yet to be turned but the design is ready. It will be on top of my check list on Monday morning. 

STEP 1: MILLING! (ALEX)

Alex special design pointed nose vice after milling.

STEP 2: RAISED DOUBLE BEND! (BREGUET STYLE) (PIERRE)

Pierre tried out to raise the double bend like Breguet hairsprings, here is his first trial on a scrapped trial hairspring. 

STEP 3: SCHOOL WATCH! (PIERRE)

Pierre planning the screw recesses.

View of the recess through the microscope in the jig boring machine.

HENRIK's WORDS:

 

This was an easy and calm week, the first one in a very long time! Nothing really new to report back, except Michael learn how to shorten pivots and burnishing the dome at the end of them, Alex progressed well on his pointed nose vice and Pierre learned how to make the Breguet hairspring, he practiced making the double bend raise with special tweezers. Oh! If you like unusual mechanisms and watches go to the Naked Watchmaker, he featured some cool looking old pocket watches from my collection, really awesome photography too! https://www.thenakedwatchmaker.com/  and here you can find some of my watches; https://www.thenakedwatchmaker.com/blog See you next week and have a great weekend!

GRADUATION!

 WEEK 75

Pierre Aubert, James Punshon, Jayne Zhuo

Origin : Sydney, Australia. Toulouse, France. Singapore.

Age : 38

Watchmaking class: Technician Course

Current mood: James here, for the final time! Graduation day! It came around so fast!

So sorry to be leaving! Had such an amazing experience. Wouldn't change a thing! So sad to be leaving, I'll be returning in a month for the Chronograph Short Course. Excited for that!

Final exams went well, very pleased. Never thought we'd get to the level we got to, in such a short time!

Time to venture out in to the big wide world, and find work in the industry. Hoping to set up a workshop from home and repair and restore gorgeous vintage timepieces.

Thank you Henrik and Svenja for an incredible 8 months! Will miss you both dearly! 

Until next time!

James

Hi Everyone, Jayne here! Can't believe today is our last day of school. Thanks Henrik for being the most patient teacher. The journey wasn't easy but I learned so much skills from this course. I will miss KHWCC family sooo much! T.T Looking forward to begin the next chapter of horology journey. If you want to learn watchmaking, KHWCC is the school! Farewell readers. =) 

Name: Markus McDonald.
Origin: Stockholm, Sweden. 
Course: 2 years full skill course.
Current mode: This week I continued with the gear train trial exams focusing on consistency, quality and finding new methods through experimentation to maximize time along with results. This went very well and I was able to raise my basics substantially whilst improving the efficiency of all the various tasks for the gear train module. 

Although tiring this week went very well thanks largely to the various different micro mechanics I’ve tackled.

Michael

Origin : Malaysia

Age : 28

Watchmaking class : 2 years Fullskill Program

Current Mood: Another busy week, after turning blue steel with HSS gravers now advancing to Hard Metal gravers to make pivot gauges. It is so much easier, however, the finishing seems better with HSS in a way. Looking forward to learn burnishing next week. On the other hand, Congratulations to James and Jayne for passing the technician course! Well done! Definitely going to miss both of you!

Alex

Origin : Kaohsiung, Taiwan 

Age : 27

Watchmaking : 2Y Fullskill Program

Current mood: It's been a diverse week. Learned and practiced on how to oil the winding and setting, made some tools, finally lock down the design and in the process of making the pointed nose vise. Overall a nice week!! Oh and the technicians graduated. Will sure miss them!!!

STEP 1: GRADUATION DAY! (JAYNE & JAMES)

Everybody smile!

STEP 2: PRIVATE REPAIRS! (MARKUS)

Nice vintage watches from Markus that he will repair later in the course.

STEP 3: SCHOOL WATCH! (PIERRE)

Drilled bridge holes, ready for the next step.

STEP 4: PIVOT GAUGES! (MICHAEL)

Michael progressing well with the pivot gauges.

STEP 5: CELEBRATION OF THE TECHNICIAN COURSE STUDENTS! (ALL)

Apero in the nature!

HENRIK's WORDS:

Today (Friday) was the last day for the technician course! I am very proud of their hard work and always staying so positive! It’s always a bit sad when the students leave but also great for them as a new chapter in their life begins. We wish both Jayne and James the very best continuation on their watchmaking journey. As a celebration we all went to an amazing typical Swiss farm house restaurant, which was an awesome experience as well! We will miss both of them and hope to see them later in life one way or the other! Pierre has been working a lot on his school watch and is nearing the completion of his bridges, faster than I expected! Everything else is going very well for everyone, Michael is trying out to make square holes which means he has to first make the tool for it so that he can broach a round hole into a square hole, this technique may come in handy for him later if he would one day need to make for example a ratchet wheel or sliding pinion in restoration or his own watch. See you next week and have a great weekend!

STAY CALM IT’S THE FINAL EXAM!

 

WEEK 74

HENRIK's WORDS:

 

We arrived to the final exam for the technician course therefore had no time for the blogpost this week. Its unbelievable how fast 8 month passes by! For next week we will share more interesting pictures as Pierre has done good progress on his school watch that might be interesting for you to see. See you next week and have a great weekend!

Teaser for next week;

Pierre's bridges taking shape, here the recesses on the underside of the bridges turned out in the Schaublin 70 lathe, more to come next week.