I start the hands from a solid piece of steel.
The hands are created in various steps. Here I turn down the body of the hand an approximate diameter.
I leave a larger diameter hub for where the hole will be that sits on the minute/hour pinions. Here I am parting the minute hands.
The hour hand is slightly shorter, and thicker.
Parting off the hour hand.
Here is the rough stock for the hands, the next step is to make the holes for the pinions.
The dial is also started and turned from a solid piece of aluminum.
The area is faced off.
The diameter reduced.
Creating space behind the dial in order to part it off once the dial is completed.
Turning the interior opening of the dial.
The interior opening diameter turned to measure.
Creating a bevel on the top interior portion of the dial.
Further facing of the dial.
Creating an outer bevel on the dial edge.
Creating the inner step of the bezel that sits both on the top of the movement and on the case.
The dial is ready to be milled with the minute and hour dot indexes.
I turned the dial slightly further, and decided to change the design.
So I start from the billet again.
Working on the outside of the bezel area
Turning the back side of the bezel (which sit against the movement), what you see here is the outside portion).
Ready to be milled with the index markers.
Due to having the large portion of the billet I need to monitor the concentricity, as the billet itself is not perfectly cylindrical.
Starting to mill the minute markers (black marker is used to find the center of the dial where the dots are placed).
Hour markers milled out with 1.1mm diameter (and minutes at .8mm diameter).
Parting off on the lathe.
I milled the hour markers too large, and I don't like the effect. The markers are too large and contrast is not pleasing.
Cleaning the ink from the dial.
Checking on the watch, I'm not happy with te result.
Starting the dial again.
This time I part the dial with a temporary base to guarantee concentricity of minute markes on the milling machine chuck.
Having harked the center of the minute marks, I moe the bit to position.
The minute markers are milled, on top I mill the hour markers every 5 minutes.
A new dial, much better proportions, which were reduced to .5mm minute marks and .8mm hour markers.
The dial was parted and needs to be faced off the back so that it sits on the movement porperly.
Further adjustment on a smaller lathe for more delicate touches.
The dial on the watch. We'll need to consider enamelling the markers or not.
I continue work on the hands here. I place this on a 6 jaw chuck, center it with a counter point, and then turn the perpendicular hub.
Turning down the hub.
And reinserting in the 6-jaw chuck to continue turning the perpendicular hub which will hold the hand onto the hour and minute pinions.
Hub turned.
A view of the hub, the excess needs to be removed.
Turning on the lathe.
Further turning of the area behind the hand.
Turning the hub on the other hand.
Both hands have their temporary hubs turned.
Grinding the bottom of the hands off, as with a file one risks to break the hand off.
Further turning of hubs.
The outer perimeter of the round hub is ground.
Further shaping of the hand with a hand file.
Temporary profile of the hand, with an end pipet that will the be cut off.
Placing the hand on a pinion, and then using the jig borer fitted with a grinding disk to turn the circular portion of the hub.
The perpendicular portion of the hand (hub) is turned round.
Drilling the hole to size.
Turning one of the hubs off.
Hour hand, about 40% complete.
Sawing off the back work-holding stem on the hour hand.
The hub of the hour hand needs to be cleaned.
It is placed in the jig borer, along with the watchmakers lathe in order to turn the hub perfectly round.
The hour hand is about 70% finished.
In order to shape the outer perimeter of the hub better, I needed to create a slitting saw holder that will be held in the jig borer. As the current grinding stone's diameter does not permit me to grind the area close to the hand well.
Turning the slitting saw arbor from an old fly cutter.
Fitting the arbor onto the jig borer collet.
How I turn the slitting saw centering holders so that the saw turns concentrically on the shaft.
Testing the seating of the slitting saw.
Turning the cap.
Parting the cap.
Turning the lower seat.
Finishing off.
Components that were made to be able to use the slitting saw.
Installing the slitting saw.
Using the saw to cut the outer perimeter of the hub.
Hub turned concentrically, and the end-pip cut off.
The minute hand previous to polishing.
The same operations to the minute hand.
Bottom of the minute hand reduced.
Turning the outer perimeter of the hub.
One side turned, the other awaiting.
Sides turned.
Drilling the center hole larger in order to receive a cap-hub.
End-pip cut off.
Further cutting of the hub perimeter.
Minute hand about 60% complete.
Turning the center hub cap for the minute hand. The minute hand will be 2 part.
Measuring the diameter with a pivot dial gauge.
Turning the top taper on the cap.
Drilling the cap.
Further drilling.
Having parted off the part, it is given a countersink.
Selection of early 20th century countersink tools for jewel holes and screw holes.
A semi-circular countersink is given to the cap.
Countersink drilled.
And polishing with diamond lapping paste.
Minute hand hub cap finished.
Polishing of the hour hand on a wood block.
The minute hand is polished.
And the hour hand are polished.
Turning off the hub from the minute hand.
The hub is turned away.
Cutting the bottom hub off the minute hand so that the hub-cap can be fitted.
The minute hand ready to be staked.
Staking the hub-cap on the minute hand.
Minute hand is complete.
The bottom of the hour hand hub is turned down to sit lower on the hub, and give clearance to the minute hand.
Laying the hands on the watch.
The dial is prepared to be filled with enamel.
The dots have to be filled, then the excess enamel removed.
The process is done three times so that the enamel fills the recesses properly, and then it is heat set.
Bluing the hands over an alcohol flame with brass chips on a bluing tray.
The hand is then quickly taken off the heat and dropped in room-temperature brass chips to help dissapate the heat, and thus stop the bluing process.
The minute hand is next.
Once the hands are blued, the hand itself is covered with tape, and the hub portion turned on the lathe to remove the bluing which is only superficial.
Checking two sides of the dial with different colored indexes combination.
This was the version that was decided on.
Two side by side.
Polishing the hand with diamond paste to remove the bluing and start the process over to correct color (as it was in the deep purple color).
Filling out all the markers with enamel.
Turning a billet blank for the buckle.
The billet was faced off.
And then it was parted off the rod.
The billet is colored with blue marking ink, and using an old watchmaker's compass (used to make movements actually) and measuring caliper I mark out the rough design of the buckle.
The buckle cross out on the bronze billet.
Using the milling machine to cut the rough shape of the buckle.
Cutting a side.
Cutting the bottom end of the buckle
Spot driling holes in order to ease milling of interior profile.
Marking out the line of inscision with holes.
The buckle is turned around and the bottom side profie is milled out.
The curvature is done with a special ball-end milling cutter.
Progressively milling the shape.
The top of the buckle is hand filed to final shape.
Examining the profile of the buckle.
Further view on the buckle profile.
Milling out the area for the strap to pass through the buckle.
Area progressively milled out.
Milling out the prong seat on the buckle.
Prong seat milled out.
Cutting out the excess of the bukle.
Rough buckle ready to be finished further with hand files.
Hand filing the botto portion of the buckle.
Nearing completion of the bottom area.
Nearing completion of the top of the buckle.
Marking out the depth of the strap on the buckle.
The excess bronze is used to make the prong.
The piece is cut to thicnkess on the milling machine.
The pieces will be rough marked.
Very rough marking out and then tailered to the buckle (this is the first, ill fated prong).
First version of the buckle and prong.
After the failure of the 1st prong, I start a new billet slab on the new milling machine setup.
Cutting the slab.
These are the two new prongs, with the top left being the successfull candidate (I unfortunately did not document the process again).
