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!

BORING HOLES!

 WEEK 135

Michael

Origin : Malaysia 

Watchmaking class: Technician & Fullskill 

Current mood: I did a few trials on the Geneva stripes and finished on one of my coursework piece. It was then black rhodium plated afterwards. The pins were hand turned and friction fitted into the plate. For the rest of the week, I took some time to revise on Swiss lever mechanism and measuring dimensions from various omega calibres to references.

Renato & David

Origin: Zug, Zürich, Switzerland

Watchmaking class: Fullskill

Current mood: Did some test fitting of the new setting lever I made and turned the slot on the brass prototype winding stem accordingly. If OK, I can do the real stem as well as finish the lever. Besides that, I was busy doing two trial exams for winding stems. Real one to follow next week. I became much quicker now and have a good process in place to manage the exam. Preparing the tools/gravers took some time too, but now I'm good. Only straightening a bent winding stem is still somewhat tricky. We're therefore still experimenting with the heat treatment as well as different straightening methods to optimize this part for the exam. Looking forward to it! Renato

This week was the first time I worked on the jig boring machine. I used it to finish my brass anvil and polishing tripod. I drilled the holes and also tried the boring attachment. David

Francesco, Åsmund & Robert

Origin: Italy, Norway, USA

Watchmaking class: Fullskill 

Current mood: I finished the compass tool for the balance wheels. 

I tried the charbonnage/grattage technique on both legs, sand blasting on the lower part and straight and round graining on flanks and on the backside. The charbonnage/grattage came out nice, a bit sparkling. 

I’ve also made a special top for a screw, I’m pretty happy with the result.

Now I’ve just started plating screws, next week I’m going to do the two legs, hoping that they fit into the plating basket.

See you next week,

Francesco.

STEP 1:  FINISHING! (MICHAEL)

Michael got a nice finish on one of his practice machining and fitting pieces!

STEP 2:  THE JIG BORING MACHINE! (FRANCESCO, ÅSMUND, DAVID & ROBERT)

Asmund, David, Robert and Francesco got introduced to the jig boring machine!

David drilling the holes for his brass anvil in the jig boring machine!

Trying out scribing with the jig boring machine!

STEP 3:  SNOW! (ALL)

We got snow! but then it immediately disappeared again.

STEP 4:  PART MAKING! (RENATO)

Renato trying his raw newly machined setting lever with his prototype brass winding stem which still needs a slot turned for the setting lever.

STEP 5:  BOOKS! (KHWCC LIBRARY)

If interested in pocket watch collecting this one is a great book to have!

STEP 6:  VISIT! (ASMUND, ROBERT, DAVID, MICHAEL & FRANCESCO)

They also got a nice gift!

They really enjoyed the visit and were amazed by the stunning beauty of these extremely high grade watches!

HENRIK's WORDS:

Winter is coming! We had snow this week but its not cold enough to stick yet, probably soon the real winter arrives! Asmund, Francesco, David and Robert got introduced to the jig boring machine and also rhodium plating, David finished drilling and boring the necessary holes for his tripod and brass anvil, very good step for him! Francesco finished his compass style balance wheel support which he will attempt to rhodium plate next week. Michael got some good results with the Geneva stripe making on one of his exercise pieces which was really nice to see. Asmund and Robert practiced mainly various finishing techniques and Renato continued with his setting lever and had two trial winding stem exams as well. The students also visited Girard-Perregaux watchmaking company and will visit some other brands over the weekend as well! Nice and balanced week! Have a great weekend everyone!

PART MAKING!

 WEEK 134

Michael

Origin : Malaysia 

Watchmaking class: Technician & Fullskill 

Current mood: I have been practising some countersinks and experimenting with the Geneva stripes. It was very hard to make a proper Côtes de Genéve. It should be a thin layer and not deep cuts that will destroy the bevelling. I shall continue next week! Have a great weekend everyone! 

Kind Regards,

Michael Lau 

Renato & David

Origin: Zug, Zürich, Switzerland

Watchmaking class: Fullskill

Current mood: Worked on a new setting lever for one of my pocket watches. I already made the pantograph drawing earlier. We figured it would be a nice exercise to do the whole lever on the jig borer. After drilling the two holes, the rest was mainly milling by rotation and radius adjustments around the rotation centers. Lots of measurement and angle calculation had to be done. Also interesting how the jig borer behaves when milling due to the lower rigidity vs. a milling machine. I now have very good control over the jig borer, especially with regards to milling. Excellent exercise! Renato

This week I moved on to finishing the tools that we have working on before the winding stems. I created 2 screw heads and m4 threads for them. I sandblasted one of them to see what kind of finishing I would get. The second I left with a machined finish. We also tested plating parts. David

Francesco, Åsmund & Robert

Origin: Italy, Norway, USA

Watchmaking class: Fullskill 

Current mood: Hello everyone, this week I used the Schaublin 102 for the first time, I got really surprised how stable and how handy it is. I needed it for a special attachment for the polishing tripod. 

In the second part of the week I started finishing a pallet fork bridge from an old Tissot.

I’m practicing with internal and external bevels, it takes so much time!

See you soon, 

Francesco.

Hello, 

This week I mostly just practiced on black polish, blueing and making brass matt. Spent very long time experimenting with making large brass surfaces matt and getting it perfect without any micro scratches. Getting close, but not as perfect as I want. Also going to black polish all the screws in my 6498, but they are round so all of them has so be flattened. So I’m going to spend the weekend doing that 

Have a nice weekend.

Å

This week was an introduction to:

-The standing grinder and it's functions and  perils (loose clothing, ties, strings on hoodies...),

-Plating and the various metals available,

-Heat treatment and blueing of steel parts.

Otherwise, it was a continuation of last week, with work on bevelling and different methods to do it on inside and outside corners/angles.

While making tools, and selecting screws to use with them, it gave me a deeper appreciation for all the miniature sizes of screws. A tip-o'-the-hat to all the companies and people that make these fasteners in diminutive sizes, for reference, look at the size of a comma for a "small" example.

Weather here in Le Locle: The sun is shining every day, but the sounds of ice being scraped off windshields is heard every morning.

Have a good weekend!

Robert

STEP 1:  PART MAKING! (RENATO)

Partially machined setting lever!

Raw Setting lever!

Strategizing the manufacturing!

STEP 2:  TOOL MAKING! (FRANCESCO)

Francesco made his balance wheel support very fancy! Now he has to finish all the surfaces!

STEP 3:  FROSTING! (DAVID)

David practiced making a rougher type frosted look on this test bridge!

He also tried out the sandblasting machine, left screw sandblasted!

STEP 4:  MAKING SCREWS! (DAVID)

David making above screws for his tools!

STEP 5:  GENEVA STRIPES! (MICHAEL)

Michael practicing making Geneva stripes with different size discs on the Aciera F1!

STEP 6:  BOOKS! (KHWCC LIBRARY)

If you are into collecting vintage automatic Swiss wristwatches, this is the book to have!

HENRIK's WORDS:

Got really great fall weather in Le Locle! This week we continued practicing the various finishing techniques from last week and also learning the heat treatment of steel as well as electroplating the parts with black rhodium and red gold, We also continued with the tool making as well and Renato milled a setting lever in the jig borer, Francesco made his very fancy balance supporting tool, very good machining exercise! Next he has to finish all the surfaces! it was an interesting week as it was really diverse! Have a great weekend everyone!