F.P. JOURNE Young Talent Competition 2022 OPEN FOR ENTRIES!

 WEEK 138

Michael

Origin : Malaysia 

Watchmaking class: Technician & Fullskill 

Current mood: Another busy and lots of drawing and technical week for me. Learned so much about the Swiss lever escapement and how to design a watch. There are a lot of perspective and information how to design a watch and what are the necessary steps to start with so you don’t corner yourself during the designing process. Through designing parts one would have to also know of how to produce the parts, is there enough material or how thick the parts should be. It was a real challenge and I am so far enjoying the whole journey myself. 

Renato & David

Origin: Zug, Zürich, Switzerland

Watchmaking class: Fullskill

Current mood: Made the Maltese cross prototype from brass. Started with a 20x drawing via profile projector, then I did the calculations according to the theory. Afterwards I made a cardboard model. The model did not work optimally, so I adjusted the values based on the 20x projector drawing. The model was great though to understand the function. Then I spent some time and created several versions of carbide cutters to bore to screw head recess until I figured it out. The cross came out fine, only small adjustments needed now. Also started making a screw for it since it's a somewhat exotic size. Looking forward to make the real steel cross next week! Renato

This week I worked on winding stems. I have continued working on them in order to start my practice exams for them. David

Francesco, Åsmund & Robert

Origin: Italy, Norway, USA

Watchmaking class: Fullskill 

Current mood: 

Hello everyone, 

Last weekend I went to Zürich and visited the Breguet  museum which was really good, the museum guide were very nice and knowledgeable. Would recommend anyone to go there and see the historical watches they got there. 

This week I’ve been busy in the milling machine and jig borer, finished the brass anvil and the polishing tripod. Also did the threads on the tripod, so now I only need to finish the screw heads before I can start to use it. Already made supports for larger parts other than the screws. Head over to our school Instagram to see the support and the results for black polishing 😊👍🏻 

Have a great weekend. 

-Å

Hello everyone, this week has been a bit tough for me because of health problems. 

I almost finished the brass anvil tool, I filed the triangle to the right dimensions. 

See you next week,

Francesco

Started off this week by doing minor steps to finish some square-head screws from round brass bar. This was a process that used a lathe (and a milling attachment for it) to reduce the brass bar to the proper diameter for the thread, then used the milling attachment to cut each flat surface into the bar.

I got started on a new project, too. It is one of the tools we need to make, with a little added modification. Mr. Korpela requested a modified drawing so when he grades our work, he knows what dimensions we used to make the modifications, and that they will meet the tolerances for the tool. The drawing was made, and machining has been started. Progress!

Robert

STEP 1:  FANCY SCREWS! (FRANCESCO)

Francesco made these fancy screws for his tools! 

STEP 2:  MACHINING! (RENATO)

Brass prototype!

Measuring space available for Maltese cross!

Cutting screw recess in Maltese cross!

Making a screw for the Maltese cross!

Left to do; slot cutting, heat treatment and finishing!

STEP 3: BOOKS! (KHWCC LIBRARY)

This is a great book if you are studying escapements!

STEP 4:  HAND DRAWING! (MICHAEL)

Michael finalized his design of the Swiss lever escapement!

STEP 5:  CLEANING! (DAVID & RENATO)

David and Renato learn how to disassemble, clean, lubricate, and assemble back the Horia 8 mm lathe!

STEP 6:  COMPETITION!

Got notification that the F.P JOURNE Young Talent Competition is now open for entries!

HENRIK's WORDS:

Real winter has arrived! We got some snow this Friday and forecasting more over the weekend and due to the expected lower temperature it may stick around for some time hopefully! not much new this week, Renato continued on his Maltese cross for his stop work and made a brass prototype and screw for it, David resumed the  making of winding stems, Francesco, Robert and Asmund continued with tool making and Michael finalized his design of the Swiss lever escapement. We also got notified that the F.P. JOURNE Young Talent Competition for 2022 is now open for entries! It was a pleasant week! Have a great weekend everyone!

PROJECTS!

 WEEK 137

Michael

Origin : Malaysia 

Watchmaking class: Technician & Fullskill 

Current mood: Another busy week drawing up the escapement. Did some calculations on the Gear ratio and draft up the available space for the tourbillon cage and start putting the correct measurements to draw the mixed or semi-equidistant escapement. Really enjoy the process and drawing the escapement really helped to understand it even better in my opinion. Have a great weekend everyone! 

Renato & David

Origin: Zug, Zürich, Switzerland

Watchmaking class: Fullskill

Current mood: This week I worked on finishing my tools. I was able to complete my polishing tripod. Still working on completing my brass anvil. I need to file a triangular hole with sharp corners. David

Had to decide on the thread side design of the new stem for the movement I am restoring. So I went with a massive thread and since I have no crown for that movement, I thought I'd make one. Also, I decided on a display case design with 4mm thickness. So I made the crown accordingly from brass by turning and milling in the lathe. Came out cool. A bit modern but OK. Afterwards I rhodium plated it for protection. Besides that I finished the actual steel winding stem as I now had the final dimensions. Friday I started on the Maltese cross design for the same movement and read up on the topic. Nice task for next week! Renato

Francesco, Åsmund & Robert

Origin: Italy, Norway, USA

Watchmaking class: Fullskill 

Current mood: Hello everyone, this week I used a lot of time on the Shaublin 70 to turn some screw heads for the polishing tripod. I tried to get a nice pattern on the surface, you will see them next week on the blog photos.

Then I finished the flanks with the straight graining and the flat surface with frosting.

Now I’ve just started to hand-file the triangular hole on the brass anvil.

Next week will be really busy because I will start my first restoration project for a real client!

It’s going to be a tricky challenge. Stay tuned!

If you want to see my progress with tools and future projects, follow me on Instagram: @fb_watchmaking 

See you next weekend,

Francesco.

Not a lot to say, working on a sharp internal corner for a tool, and projects using finishing techniques: Polishing, frosting, and testing Geneva stripes.

Robert

STEP 1:  POCKET WATCH RESTORATION! (FRANCESCO)

Francesco got an interesting restoration project all the way from an important client in Iceland!

The beautiful Zenith movement came back home visiting her birth place after so many decades gone by! 

STEP 2:  MILLING & TURNING! (FRANCESCO)

Francesco milling parts for his tools!

STEP 3:  MACHINING! (RENATO)

Renato made a cool looking crown for one of his many projects!

STEP 4:  BOOKS! (ROBERT)

Robert got these gold and silver stamps book to do some research on his pocket watches!

STEP 5:  PART MAKING! (RENATO)

Renato also completed his winding stem now in steel, brass prototype to the right and the steel one for his pocket watch on the left!

STEP 6:  MALTESE CROSS! (RENATO)

As the Maltese cross of one of his pocket watch barrel mainspring stop works was missing he has to make a new one, here he is checking the centre distance with the episcope in the profile projector to be able to make the necessary calculations to design a new one.

First concept!

STEP 7:  TOOLS! (ROBERT)

Polishing countersinks!

Experiment placing the Geneva stripes in a sunray pattern!

Robert practicing filing a narrow sharp corner.

HENRIK's WORDS:

Another very busy week! So much going on this week, Francesco was turning and milling some parts for his tools in the Schaublin lathe and in the same time Asmund was also milling his brass anvil but in the Aciera F1 milling machine, Renato completed his winding stem and setting lever and made a crown that he will use for a display case he will later make. Michael continued drawing another type of Swiss lever escapement, last week he draw the equidistant locking type and this week he draw the semi equidistant pallet type. Very creative week! Have a great weekend everyone!

TASTER COURSE!

 WEEK 136

Michael

Origin : Malaysia 

Watchmaking class: Technician & Fullskill 

Current mood: It was a busy week for me, learning to draw the Swiss lever escapement on paper and understanding the escapement in a more detailed approach. I used the escapement book from Henry B Fried as a reference. Have a great weekend everyone! 

Renato & David

Origin: Zug, Zürich, Switzerland

Watchmaking class: Fullskill

Current mood: This week I finally had my winding stem exam after doing plenty of practice stems / exams. Very intense exam and I'm happy it went well. Did a lot of experimenting around the stem heat treatment to make the somewhat random outcome less random. Besides that I continued filing the setting lever I made for one of my movements and to adjust it to the prototype winding stem. Real one from steel to follow next. Intense week, now I'm ready for some relaxation :) Renato

This week I worked on finishing my tools. I completed the balance bridge holder and the pointed head nose vice. Pictures next week. David

Francesco, Åsmund & Robert

Origin: Italy, Norway, USA

Watchmaking class: Fullskill 

Current mood: Hello everyone, this week I’ve finished with plating the tool for balance wheels. It turned out pretty good I would say!

Then I’ve started with the jig borer, I’ve made  some holes for the pointed nose vice and for the polishing tripod. At the beginning it took some time to deal with it, then after some practice, I noticed that’s really handy and intuitive. 

Now I’ve just started with the screws for some tools at the lathe. 

See you next week! 

Francesco.

Hello everyone,

This week I went back to basics with filing, had to make perfect squares and getting the right flatness for both the sides and bottom/top surface and at the same time not rounding corners or edges. So I spent some time trying different tools and techniques. They are going to be milled into a polishing tripod and a brass anvil. 

Have a good weekend.

-Å

STEP 1:  TASTER COURSE! (TETSUYA)

Tetsuya taking the taster course!

STEP 2:  VISITS! (FULLSKILL)

Over the weekend the students also went to visit Greubel and Forsey and some other companies as well!

STEP 3:  BORING HOLES! (FRANCESCO)

Francesco boring out the larger holes on his brass anvil in the jig borer!

STEP 4:  TOOLS! (FRANCESCO)

Francesco almost finished his compass style balance wheel support, just missing 2 decorative stones and some retouching of finish!

STEP 5:  DRAWING! (MICHAEL)

Michael drawing the swiss lever escapement by hand!

STEP 6:  BOOKS! (KHWCC LIBRARY)

This could be a great book if having to work on a marine chronometer, it has great explanations and illustrations!

STEP 7:  ADJUSTMENTS! (RENATO)

Renato adjusting the fit of the setting lever to his prototype brass winding stem!

HENRIK's WORDS:

Very busy week! We had Tetsuya taking the taster course which was really nice! Renato continued with winding stems and also did his winding stem exam and ended the week with continuing to adjust his setting lever for one of his pocket watches. Michael was busy with designing watch parts for a project he is working on, and the other students continued trying to finish as many tools as possible including electro plating them. Francesco finished and plated his compass style balance wheel support. David also finished a couple of tools. Nice week in general! Have a great weekend everyone!