Jump to content

Case needed a lapping machine....So I improvised - Results are amateur but promising

thor447
 Share

Recommended Posts

thor447 WRT Addict

thor447

Posted
Posted (edited)

I decided to do a little improvisation last night. I had a case where the sides were extremely worn, dented, etc. The case lines were nearly worn completely down.

I've wanted a lapping machine for some time but those are far too expensive for my humble budget. I improvised by hooking up one of my sanders to a voltage regulator to bring the speed down as much as I could. I put some 1000 grit paper on the disc and started to gently work the side of the case. I'm quite surprised at what I was able to accomplish with these rag-tag tools and bit of creativity. I'm limited by the table because it can only adjust to 45 degrees, so there are some angles on that case I won't be able to reach properly. While looking up pictures on the internet of other examples of this case it looks like there was not a sharp line between the side wall and the lugs, so I just tried to bring back a gentle curve between those to sides. Not too bad for my first attempt! I'm going to keep moving forward and go up to 2500 grit and see what I can get out of this before moving on to the polishing wheel.

 

Screenshot2023-11-28053006.thumb.png.6252579090e31675c5d63c8ef773c3a8.png

Screenshot2023-11-28060747.thumb.png.a9ecccc0f9b352f7dd5d1ed9b52282cd.png

Screenshot2023-11-28053040.thumb.png.f173fc8dcc9c0cd428e4229b49e4c79f.png

image.thumb.png.1bb9cc5ba4e45e49aa7ab8a451276540.png

Edited by thor447
  • Like 8
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
thor447 WRT Addict

thor447

Posted
  • Author
Posted
1 hour ago, watchweasol said:

Hi A tidy job. Improvisation sometimes produces remarkable out comes.   Nice one

Thanks.  I need to work on my photography, clearly!  The rebuild video came out pretty well, but I still struggle with getting a good still shot.  It's a skill that I have yet to learn.  I mainly rely on luck, which isn't reliable at all, haha!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
thor447 WRT Addict

thor447

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)
16 minutes ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

Look great, did you re-brush the top edge or is that how it was ?

I re-brushed it.  Originally it had vertical brushing, but it was all but gone by the time I got the watch. The light reflecting off the top makes it difficult to see the brushing, but it actually looks pretty good in normal light.  As I stated earlier, I'm not a photographer by trade, haha!

I tinker with watches and occasionally upload a video to YouTube, including one for this watch.  I'm not here to promote my channel, as I've been a member here long before I began uploading content (started doing it at the request of a friend).  YouTube is just a hobby, and this is a place I can come to ask for advice, look at other's projects, and is a wealth of knowledge (on top of Mark's courses which I thoroughly enjoyed).  I did not want to sour that by trying to promote a YouTube channel here.  If you'd like I can send you a message with a link to the video.  I recorded the entire process of using the disc sander and brushing the case.  It isn't perfect by any means, but I think it turned out pretty well with the tools I had on hand.

Edited by thor447
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 5 months later...
thor447 WRT Addict

thor447

Posted
  • Author
Posted
5 hours ago, Tippex said:

Apologies for digging up an old post but I am thinking about doing the same. Can I ask the OP what medium he used on the wheel. Was it a sanding disc and polish and if so what grades. Thanks.

Since I couldn't slow the machine down enough for my liking, I started off slowly with a higher grit. 

I began (very lightly) with 1000 grit paper:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DTJBND1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

Finished with 3000 grit:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DTFSMT1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

Afterwards I went on to polish with traditional methods using felt & cotton wheels, with different grades of Dialux.

Hope this helps.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
thor447 WRT Addict

thor447

Posted
  • Author
Posted
4 hours ago, Tippex said:

Thank you very much for the info. I have ordered one of these:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/234999222269

 

It claims to be speed adjustable though by how much I don't yet know. I may have to try a voltage regulator like you did. It may just be cheap rubbish and no good for the intended purpose but on the other hand it might work! We shall see.

Thanks again.

s-l1600.jpg

Looking forward to hearing how it goes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Neverenoughwatches Distinguished Member

Neverenoughwatches

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, Tippex said:

Thank you very much for the info. I have ordered one of these:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/234999222269

 

It claims to be speed adjustable though by how much I don't yet know. I may have to try a voltage regulator like you did. It may just be cheap rubbish and no good for the intended purpose but on the other hand it might work! We shall see.

Thanks again.

s-l1600.jpg

I was thinking of buying the same one 6 months ago but still haven't gotten around to it. I have the same Parkside motor in the bench grinder,  the speed is very adjustable but has inconsistent torque through speed ranges. Not recommended to use an additional voltage regulator considering it already had one installed. Hope this helps.

1 hour ago, Tippex said:

It'll either be great or Ill burn the house down.:)

The parkside gear is ok, apparently German made, I'm sure i have seen Arnie endorse advertising them on tv 😅. I have a few tools for budget price they're good value for money.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Tippex New Member

Tippex

Posted
Posted
17 hours ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

I was thinking of buying the same one 6 months ago but still haven't gotten around to it. I have the same Parkside motor in the bench grinder,  the speed is very adjustable but has inconsistent torque through speed ranges. Not recommended to use an additional voltage regulator considering it already had one installed. Hope this helps.

The parkside gear is ok, apparently German made, I'm sure i have seen Arnie endorse advertising them on tv 😅. I have a few tools for budget price they're good value for money.

Thanks for the useful info. "I'll be back" when I've tried it. 🙂

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing


  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Topics

  • Posts

    • ChrisInOz
      No images showing

      By ChrisInOz · Posted

      The post below contains the link. If you don't already have a discord account it will take you to the registration screen.  Registration is free.   https://www.watchrepairtalk.com/topic/31653-mark/?do=findComment&comment=279066
    • luiazazrambo
      WWW Eterna sucked me in.

      By luiazazrambo · Posted

      HWGIKE#57 Valex FEF 190 15 jewels Swiss lever full service and repair This one was waiting for a balance staff replacement in my cabinet parts and case cleaned up with a new balance staff and a 4th wheel as the original 4th wheel had a broken pivot for the off center second hand. I never attempted a balance staff replacement before however I received a Bergeon Molfres (i was hunting it for about 2 years) and with the help of it I managed to remove the old staff and riveted the new one in. It also received a new MS, crystal and the hole for the MS arbor was also tightened. With the new MS now it has an acceptable performance meaning that the amplitude goes up to 280 fully wound, has an acceptable beat error and I have the two nice lines but only dial up, dial down is not as nice and I could not figure out as why. I have the two lines but the amplitude is dropping to around 230 and the lines are a bit hairy. Both dial up and dial down the lines just go up and down without seemingly any pattern. I cleaned the movement two times, and then a 3rd time pegged out the main plate and train bridge holes but made no change. Both the HS collet and the roller table was too lose on the new staff... I did not count how many times I took the balance cock off to sort out the HS collet, the roller table and the beat error, somebody before me also shortened the HS by pushing it out a bit and it seems every time somebody is messing with the end of the HS the protruding bit is most of the time twisted bent etc. This one was probably one of the most challenging repair and service. I might take the new MS out and clean it lubricate it as I just pushed the new one in to the barrel from the retaining ring. Plus started to re-read the theory of the escapement and how to analyse the graph on the timing machine: Greiner Chronografic Record manual. I am also thinking to put the watch on a 24 hour long run with the eTimer SW it once helped me to figure out what was wrong with a watch. There is an interesting part of the Greiner record manual talking about the pallets and the end shake of the balance and pallet staff. Maybe this is my issue? Who could that possibly identify? After a few years now I am still without a clue how could watchmakers make parts I can only see with my microscope or how could/can they carry out complicated services impossible to do.. real magic..... .... ..... before I sent this post while the pics were uploading I had an idea, i was browsing the possible outcomes on the timing machine I had one for magnetism..... so I demagnetized the movement and it is not hairy now.... two really nice lines 0.2 ms beat error still a bit wavy, but a lot lot better..... argh....  
    • Nucejoe
      Hello from Cypress, CA

      By Nucejoe · Posted

      Hi there, welcome here.  
    • JohnR725
      No images showing

      By JohnR725 · Posted

      yes the advertising revenue should generate money. The question is how much money? Then as far as the cost of the website goes that's relatively easy to determine? all you would have to do to grasp costs and profitability would be to go to the link below and you can actually get a website for free try it out for free I believe you get no advertising initially. They also talk about that they'll help you out they have marketing tools and some sort of paid subscription or something. So I guess were shopping for a whatever just ask them what would a maybe could use this one as an example in other words it's going to look basically identical to this is going to have advertising a paid subscriptions what's it going to cost? After all they want to sell or give us a message board like this they should bill answer the questions as they're the people who did the software for this. Yes they really said you can have a free discussion group at least to start. https://invisioncommunity.com/ I was curious about the monthly supporter thing where exactly do we find that on this message board? A quick search I'm not finding it so obviously I'm not looking in the right place?
    • Curare
      No images showing

      By Curare · Posted

      Help me out here, but with all the advertising on this site (which I don't mind) wouldn't it pay for itself or even make money for the owner ???
×
×
  • Create New...