Re-editing My Blog Pictures

After discovering some of my original blog pictures elsewhere on the Internet, I decided to watermark them. So then, after completing this little chore this evening, I've done what I can for now, and will review this tomorrow. Hope it is aesthetically appealing!

Making a Sensitive Drilling Attachment for my Milling Machine

I have been feeling the need the last few years of either getting or making myself a sensitive drilling attachment. I admired Sherline's sensitive drilling attachment (Part #1012), but felt I didn't have the bucks to get one, so, I made one essentially based on their model. Below are the individual parts pics, and some assembly and final assembly. Drilled some holes in aluminum with a small #56 bit, and worked great.

I didn't know of a place in town to get the bearing for pulling down the drill, so I got one at our local Ace store in their Hillman boxes. Not the best, a little wobbly, but allows me to pull down on the lip flange of the bearing and control depthing with the drill bit.

Some notes on materials and what I did: The brass tube is 13/32 O.D., the inside shaft is 3/8 O.D. cold roll, the shaft fits inside the brass tube with hardly any side shake to speak of. The drill body is made of aluminum, internally tapped and threaded 3/4" 16 T.P.I. The drill body was drilled to near size of the tube, then bored out to allow the brass tube to be pressed into the body and loctited in place. The set screw guides the steel shaft and also prevents the brass tube of ever twisting in the drill body. I did some knurling on the main shaft so the bearing could be fixed in place, as the tolerances of the bearing were a little sloppy.

The whole project from start to finish would have taken (for me) about a full day with all parts at hand, fabrication of other parts, and cutting threads on the main shaft for the Jacobs chuck with the Sherline. One of the larger purposes I intend on using this for is to make Geneva stripes on some watch and clock movements, along with spotting or perlage besides drilling.

Thanks for looking!..........................gf

`Twill Soon Be Home..........

One of the first things which I want to do is to create my version of Sherline's sensitive drilling attachment for my mill. Already have everything ready to be machined when I get back. Will be taking plenty of photos of how I'm doing it. I also picked up a USB microscope 

(slightly used) with 25X to 136X power to help me in various ways in the shop. Will start blogging regularly in two more weeks when I return. Thanks for dropping by!

Watchmaking by George Daniels

Received in the mail yesterday my copy of George Daniels' classic book, "Watchmaking". I ordered it from Amazon, under their "Used Book" category, for $59.98, shipping included. Listing indicated it was a new book, never read. After opening the package it came in, it was shrink wrapped, with very minor damage to the top right and bottom left corners as you can see above, and one small little finger smudge at the edge of the pages. Other than that, which I consider inconsequential, it IS in new condition, and is the revised 2011, 2013 printing of the book. It made me quite happy to receive this, as I have desired to get this book for at least 3-4 years now. It is a birthday present from my wife to me, I shall be 62 on the last day of this month. 

Next on my list are some books by Steffen Pahlow, "Tourbillion, My Passion", and "Casemaking", and one of Henry Fried's book, "The Watch Repairer's Manual". Thanks for stopping by!

You are always welcome and encouraged to leave comments if you like. I reserve the right to delete or edit if there is foul or offensive language.

This is the polisher kit that I received from Rio Grande Supply a little over two weeks ago. It was $22.50 plus postage, which I think was a good deal. It came with fifty 2.0 mm. craytex sticks, from coarse to fine. The holder is only 2 inches long, but I have some ideas how I will use it in a small jig I would like to build. Below you can see the holder and the packages of sticks. I intend to use this for perlage work on the movement. Thanks for stopping by!........................gf

What I am doing................

I have not done any more work on the watch for the moment as I am trying to tidy up unfinished work in my shop. Once these little matters are finished up, I plan to devote more time to this watch, and get something done with it.

I had stopped in Livingston, MT this past fall and visited with Jeffrey Nashun, owner of Montana Watch Company ( http://www.montanawatch.com ) on his techniques for doing perlage and cote de geneve work for watch movements. He was very helpful and informative, and took some of the mystique away for me, giving some helpful hints, and showing me where he got his tool for doing that work. After the purchase of this watch, I ordered some 2 mm. abrasive sticks and a holder from Rio Grande Jewelry Supply out of Albuquerque, NM, and will be using it for my watch. I'll try including some pics of that tool later today.   gf

A Quick Assessment During and After Teardown

The gong rods were easily moveable, and not at all what they should be. I spoke at length with a watchmaker I've gotten to know, and he told me what they should be, i.e., glass hard, highly polished and touching nothing else in the movement. Where the rods join their respective block, it looks like someone soldered them in, not good, but I believe they are salvageable. Right now they just 'thunk' when struck by the hammers.

Mainspring barrel has a broken spring, not a problem to replace I think.

Balance has a wobble to it, not sure yet if it is due to a bent pivot or in the wheel itself. Will be looked at soon again.

Almost negligible wear anywhere on the wheels and their shafts. I am confident a run through the ultrasonic cleaner and smooth broaching of the brass pivot holes will be fine. No broken or cracked jewels.

All springs are good, none broken.

The fine-toothed chronograph wheel that runs the hand is in excellent shape, no broken or damaged teeth; that goes as well for the rest of the wheels.

Some things I would like to do when I get ready to re-assemble it.

Perlage on the main plates; high polishing, if not black polishing of the flat springs and flat steel surfaces within the movement.

Possible replacement of the balance wheel, with a Breuget overcoil and adjusting for more positions.

The case will be made of flat brass bar stock. The back of the movement will be visible to view internal workings of the chronograph mechanism and the balance wheel. Front and rear bezels will most likely screw on for access.

Winding stem will be shortened, not sure how much yet.

That's some of my ideas, we will see how it all will go when I get closer to doing the work. Thanks for reading!...............................gfields