NEW BLOOD!

  WEEK 106

Willy, Yuriy, Alex, Michael

Origin : Singapore, Canada, Taiwan, Malaysia 

Watchmaking class: Technician & Fullskill 

Current mood: Greetings, lovely people! The activities between technicians and Fullskills are starting to diverge. The technicians are having their trial exams for their version of the hairspring exam which both of them get a strong pass!! Meanwhile, the Fullskills carry on moving towards their version of the exam. Needless to say, it's another week of endless tasks, sucking the life force out of all of us like an ever-hungry blackhole. Cheers~

Renato & David

Origin: Zug, Zürich, Switzerland

Watchmaking class: Fullskill

Current mood: David joined this week (welcome!), I (Renato) already freshly started last week. We're both busy with creating various watchmaking tools, most of which will also be graded. Lots of filing and measuring taking place. Developing and experimenting with the best techniques to get the pieces to measure. This will be important later when under more time pressure. Funny, how far one can dive into details at steps that (at first glance) seem simple. Precisely filing corners and edges to measure is just one example... so many different files and customized tools to explore. In short: many things to learn and we're certainly looking forward to it!!

Name: Markus McDonald.
Origin: Stockholm, Sweden. 
Course: 2 years full skill course.
Current mode: This week I focused on the trail exam for the hairspring and timing section.

This went a lot better than last week as I was able to more efficently tie everything together compared to the first trial, additionally I found my performance to be a lot more efficent than last time taking less time for certain parts and being able to improve certain actions. This made this a good week but incredibly intensive. 

STEP 1:  NEW FULLSKILL STUDENT! (DAVID)

David arrived from Zürich enjoying the tool making!

STEP 2:  EXTRACTING THE STOCK MATERIAL! (RENATO & DAVID)

Before making the tools the material needs to be extracted.

One very long 8 mm thick brass bar ready for further sizing.

Renato sawing the stock to more manageable size.

STEP 3:  NEW TRADITION! (RENATO)

Renato had a great idea and offered to bring one of his watchmaking books each week for everyone to enjoy and learn more. Great idea!!

STEP 4:  ANGLES! (RENATO)

Renato measuring the angles on one of his tools.

STEP 5:  2ND PINNING! (ALEX & MICHAEL)

Michael checking his 2nd pinning point, inner and outer pinning points should align within 10°.

STEP 6:  STUDDING UP, REGULATING CURVE & DOUBLE BEND! (ALEX & MICHAEL)

After the 2nd pinning, Alex and Michael learn how to stud up the hairspring as well as how to form the regulating curve to a radial shape from spiral and separating the body of the hairspring from the regulating curve with a double bend.

STEP 7:  TUNING TOOLS! (YURIY)

Yuriy got some time in between trial exams and upgraded the spring of his escapement meter and also the gear bearings he upgraded with jewels, to reduce friction and make it more sensitive.

HENRIK's WORDS:

Busy week! David from Zürich in Switzerland joined the Fullskill class which was very nice to see! The technicians continue with hairsprings and had 2 trial exams both went very well! Probably next week they will do the real one. Michael and Alex learn how to do the 2nd pinning and also towards the end of the week they learn how to do the studding up, regulating curve and double bend. Markus continue with another trial exam and is getting closer to the real one. Renato had a great idea to start a new tradition; he will weekly bring a new book from his watch book collection for everyone to enjoy and get inspiration from! Thank you Renato! Although it was an intense week it was also very enjoyable!  Have a great weekend everyone!