PRODUCTION!

 WEEK 161

Team A

Origin: Thailand & USA, 

Name: A, Kate, David & Leilani

Watchmaking class: Technician

Current mood: 

This week we have seen the amazing demonstration from Henrik about removal of the balance staff and also how to rivet it nicely and carefully without damaging the balance wheel and the staff itself.

After that, we kept on  practicing on many various kind of balances. Then, we also have to check the flatness and learn how to correct the balance wheel back to flatness as much as possible by using the Bradux tool.

This work is very interesting and demanding but extremely important for the proper functioning of the watch!

A Verachai

Team B

Origin: Japan/Switzerland & Canada

Name: Tetsu & Dean

Watchmaking class: Fullskill 

Current mood:

This week, (02~06. May) Dean & Tetsu have completed 4 months at school and have a basic knowledge of how to operate all the machines.

Dean comfortably finished his work on the main bodies of the Pointed Nose Hand Vise, which he had designed to his style, and handed over to Henrik for grading. He also completed the Poising Plate and now moved on to the Brass Anvil, which requires significant amount of milling, drilling, boring, and hand sawing & filing. This will be a big challenge and a real test of patience.

Tetsu has done the base plate of the Polishing Tripod. He experimented a recessed hole, where the pin vise sits, expecting some more stability gain. Let’s wait and see how it will be in a few weeks (or months) time when it is finished. Another of his projects, the Pointed Nose Hand Vise, is in progress at the same time, and he has just finished the drawing approved by Henrik.

We wish you all a great weekend!

Dean & Tetsu

Team C

Origin: Switzerland, Norway & USA

Name: Renato, David, Francesco, Åsmund & Robert

Watchmaking class: Fullskill 

Current mood:

This weekly report is very weak, still working on winding stems. Once you spend all the time to make one, after heat-treatment, the pivot on one end and the opposite threaded end may not be pointing straight...so the attempt to straighten them begins. Not all end successfully, the learning curve continues.

Robert

STEP 1: MARRIAGE! (FRANCESCO)

A marriage between Cary and Mitutoyo by Francesco!

STEP 2: PRODUCTION! (RENATO)

Renato was busy the whole week with finishing his tools that he started last year!

STEP 4: THE BALANCE! (TECHNICIANS)

The technicians got different type of balances with broken staffs that they extracted, before learning how to rivet back new staffs!

STEP 5: TOOLS! (TETSU)

This is the concept of Tetsu's pointed nose vice!

STEP 6: MILLING! (DEAN)

Dean was working on his pointed nose vice!

STEP 7: TURNING! (FRANCESCO)

Francesco practicing turning pivots from blue steel!

STEP 8: VINTAGE WATCHES! (TECHNICIANS)

The technicians got some nice vintage watches to work on!

STEP 9: BOOKS! (RENATO)

Renato came with this nice picture book, some very close up pictures in it!

STEP 10: HOROTEC! (FOR ALL)

A very kind sales representative from Horotec came by to give each workshop a fresh catalogue!

STEP 11: SCREWS! (FRANCESCO)

Francesco making a screw for his micrometer end piece!

STEP 12: BOOKS! (ROBERT)

Nice reference book from Robert!

STEP 13: WINDING STEMS! (ROBERT)

Robert working hard on making winding stems! 

 HENRIK's WORDS:

 This week it got cold and rainy in Le Locle. We have so much things going on each week that its hard to even capture and show everything! However, it's awesome as we learn faster and more from each others different projects as a bonus! It was a very enjoyable week! have a great weekend everyone!