FINAL EXAM!

 WEEK 119

Alex, Michael

Origin : Taiwan, Malaysia 

Watchmaking class: Technician & Fullskill 

Current mood: Well done Alex! Alex completed his final exams! Michael was busy hand turning balance staff between centres in the 8mm lathe. Getting some muscle memory back from hand turning is really satisfying. It was a busy week! Hopefully we get better weather soon! 

Renato & David

Origin: Zug, Zürich, Switzerland

Watchmaking class: Fullskill

Current mood: This week was about winding stem practice pieces and heat treatment/tempering/blueing steel. Turned several 3mm pieces to various lengths, each with a cone on both sides. Then started turning them partially down to the correct diameter for the square filing next week. Will try it by hand first, then with some file support in the 8mm lathe. Spent about 2 days on steel heat treatment as well. Very interesting! Hardening and tempering some steel rings I turned on the lathe (square filing limiter). Interesting how glass-like the steel is after hardening. Then prepared several screws to temper at various temperatures to get the full range of colors, see pics. Trying to hit the burgundy tone on the simple heating plate was quite a challenge. Many brown/purple mixes exist and the temperature range is tiny. Finish plays a big role as well. Fun week! (Renato)

This week I completed the steel measuring gauge. I had some difficulties in filing the sharp and correct angles (2×45° 1x 60°), but managed to complete it successfully. I used the profile projector to determine the accuracy of my angles. After that I worked on my filing pre-exam. We had an 8 hour period to complete it. I did the practice exam 2 times. Both times, I had some measurements that went out of tolerance, therefore next week I will do it again. (David)

Francesco, Åsmund & Robert

Origin: Italy, Norway, USA

Watchmaking class: Fullskill 

Current mood: Hey again. Since last time we have moved onto threading external and internal threads, drilling, turning and milling in the lathe and also got to test the microscope in the lathe, which is pretty cool for precise work. After I did all the exercises I wanted to take it a bit further and do a little project which combined all of what we have been practicing. I made a hearth shape which had to be cut out of brass, filed it to the right dimension, then drilled a hole on top of it in the middle of the corner and threaded the hole which is going to fit on a round steel piece. After this I made bevels on both sides to make it look nice. When this was done I got to try out different finishes before I decided to frost the flat surface and straight grain around it. On the way I got one of my classmate’s to help me with rhodium and yellow gold plating. Right now I have turned and threaded the steel tap, just got to use the microscope to drill a hole on the middle of the round surfaced of the steel tap in the lathe, using the milling head before I part it of. 

I’ve taken a photo of the hearth so you can see the progress. 

Until next time! 

Åsmund 

STEP 1:  BALANCE STAFF! (MICHAEL)

Michael made a really nice balance staff!

STEP 2:  BLUEING! (RENATO)

Renato practiced on these test screws the effects of applying different temperatures when tempering/blueing!

STEP 3:  HARDENING STEEL! (RENATO)

He also tried out before the tempering how to harden steel by quenching, here on a steel ring!

STEP 4:  BOOKS! (RENATO)

Some nice books from Renato!

STEP 5:  TURNING! (RENATO)

Preparing bars for square filing!

STEP 6:  HAND FILING! (ÅSMUND)

Special project!

STEP 7:  HAND FILING! (DAVID)

David practicing handfiling!

HENRIK's WORDS:

Luckily this week it was not too hot, the temperature was really ideal as Alex had his practical final exam. The week was rather calm in general, David prepared for his filing exam and did 2 practice exams which went well, he will do the final one next week just before we leave for holiday. Michael turned a really nice balance staff! Renato continued with some creative work, he learned how to harden and temper steal but also how to heat blue steel for visual effects and made a series of different coloured screws representing different temperatures that they were heated at. Asmund continued with his tools and practiced a lot of machining, even turning and threading stainless steel which went really well! Francesco was practicing filing internal corners and modifying files to be able to file as sharp corners as possible, this skill will come in handy when he starts with his school watch! Indeed, a very pleasant week! Have a great weekend everyone!