Smaller still

For a challenge Elaine, my micro-mechanics instructor gave me a tiny movement to get some practice dis and re-assembling. When you are viewing and working with the watch movement under magnification it's east to forget how small the parts are. It's also important not to squeeze too hard with the tweezers unless you want microscopic springs flying all over the place to be lost forever! 

 

 102050 movement pictured with razor for scale. You'll notice it's missing the regulator assembly because I may have accidentally destroyed the exceedingly delicate hairspring

Watches

Today we received our first watch movements.  The task given was to disassemble and then reassemble each movement.  I was able to complete 3 by the end of the day, each smaller than the last.  From here we will move on to cleaning and then lubricating the movements.

All together now

I've completed the next project.  It took a total of two and a half days to complete the parts and the reject pile was fairly substantial.  Hardest part was getting the shoulders of the cut square and even.

Moving right along is turning a piece of half-inch brass bar stock into a 10mm square cube.  Tolerance on this are fairly generous at 0.1mm so I was able to complete the filed part in just about an hour and a half.  Once this is completed I applied a frosted finish using grit and a granite slab.

The most difficult part of the project is in process right now, all twelve edges need an identical beveled and polished edges.  This stage is completed with a burnishing tool.  I should be able to complete that and post the final project in the next couple of days.

The completed parts

The brass cube

Filing Squares

Today I finished polishing my files which allowed me to move on to the next project that required that to be complete.  The project is to take a length of steel rod, cut off an exact length and then file a exact square into the cylindrical metal.  A total of four were assigned for the next several days and as a testament to how difficult this technique was to perfect I was only able to complete one acceptable part in about six hours.  Now that I have the hang of it, I should be able to finish the last three tomorrow.

A shot of the finished polish on the files

A shot of the finished polish on the files

O, herro

A completed part, Tolerance .04mm

Files

Today I spent the better part of six hours trying to get a flawless mirror polish on the safe side of my finish file.  It's very close, but achieving a flawless surface is tricky. I'll give it a shot with diamond paste tomorrow and post the results.

Days 1-2

We received our toolkits on Monday and spent the first part of the day organizing our benches where we will be spending the next year.

First project: The filing block

For this project you need to take a piece of square hardwood stock which is appx. 24mm square and reduce it to 20mm square.  Then once this is accomplished you follow a blueprint and apply angles, grooves and slots to the piece.  It proved to be good filing and sawing experience. 

It took me a total of 3 tries to get a block that was passable and I could turn in.  In the end I think mine turned out quite well.  I guess I'll know when it is scored and returned.

A shot of my block in progress of being filed and sanded to size. 

A picture of the completed product. 

This is now a watch blog.

Greetings again everyone!  Since I last posted I have moved to Seattle to attend the Watch Technology Institute at North Seattle Community college.  It is a two year-long program that trains certified watchmakers.  I will be posting occasionally as I complete projects in class and acquire new skills.