Way Off Topic. (pictures)

L.Fure · Sep 18, 2015

Everyone, at one time or another, has had to make a part for a piece of machinery. I repair watches for collectors and every now and then have to make a part for one. The pictures below are of a brass collet I had to make that holds an escape wheel onto it's arbor. I had set the parts on a dime for contrast as to how small the parts are. I hope you enjoy the pictures.

Greg K · Sep 18, 2015

That's VERY impressive! I can't imagine
trying to hold steady enough to make
something that small

J.Wondergem · Sep 18, 2015

I can't even imagine working with some thing that small.

john in la · Sep 18, 2015

Very impressive work.

With my eyesight and unsteady hands I would be lucky to install those parts on the arbor never alone try to make them.

Greg1959 · Sep 18, 2015

L.Fure- Amazing!

Lou from Wi. · Sep 18, 2015

Now that takes TALENT. Nice work.
Regards LOU.

L.Fure · Sep 18, 2015

Here are a couple pictures of my repair benches. The first is my general repair bench. The watchmakers lathe is on the right, swung out of the way. The second bench is my lathe bench. That's where I make the parts.

old popper · Sep 18, 2015

I'd never be able to do that with my fumble fingers. They have been smashed, pinched cut, and burned too many times to do that precision work.
Nice work!

Steve@Advance · Sep 18, 2015

Nice work! I would like to see how that's done. Did you make the gear too?

And to think, those tiny parts have been made for a long time, wonder how they did it with only hand tools?

dlbuck · Sep 18, 2015

I have to ask how much TIME did it take? Very impressive.

rustred · Sep 18, 2015

bet that takes some steady hand work with good magnifiying glasses. neat stuff.

blue water massey · Sep 18, 2015

very nice work
with my eyesight and arthritic knuckles it would have to be scaled more towards the big nickle in
Sudbury

L.Fure · Sep 18, 2015

I didn't make the gear. In the watchmakers world it's called a wheel. I only made the brass collet. If you look on youtube you'll see videos of watchmakers making parts Steffen Pahlow has the best videos. That man can make a watch from scratch.

L.Fure · Sep 18, 2015

(quoted from post at 02:58:01 09/19/15) I have to ask how much TIME did it take? Very impressive.

It took about a hour to make the part. I had to make two attempts at it before I got it right.

Don-Wi · Sep 18, 2015

I can appreciate what you do. I'm a machinist and the machine I run has a table that's 157" x 98", so I do parts of the other end of the scale. Had a weldment in the machine last night that was around 4,000 lbs. Worked on parts that were well over 10,000 lbs. before as well.

We've got a guy in our gauging department that calibrates our personal tools and repairs indicators and such. As he's a big guy with fat sausage fingers, of all people. Always amazes me how he can even work on some of that small stuff.

Donovan from Wisconsin

Absent Minded Farmer · Sep 18, 2015

That's some mighty fine work! Nice!! At first glance of the second pic, I thought, "HO scale rotary hoe wheels?". Then I realized it's an escape wheel. Which gives me an idea & brings up a question.... where would one find a pile of escape wheels for cheap? Also, what make of camera do you use? Is there a video option? I'm looking for something to help with perspective while building my train layout.

Thanks,
Mike

NCWayne · Sep 18, 2015

As someone who works on machines at the other end of the size spectrum, all I can do is parrot others and say AMAZING WORK. The big stuff is amazing, the miniature stuff even more so......

w1ebb · Sep 18, 2015

Absolutely Amazing!

Scott

SparepartsTN · Sep 19, 2015

I've got about ten old pocket watches that need your skills and a 100 + year old mantle clock that needs cleaning and
oiling. How is your schedule?

There is going to be an auction next weekend about two miles from me. The flyer says over 100 antique clocks, many
pocket watches, watchmakers bench and lots of spare parts. Also lots of about anything you can imagine, I think the
gentleman had varied interests and had room to store it all, but little room to move between the stuff, it's packed in
pretty tight.

Dick L · Sep 19, 2015

Very Good! I love seeing these types of projects.

L.Fure · Sep 19, 2015

(quoted from post at 04:00:42 09/19/15) That's some mighty fine work! Nice!! At first glance of the second pic, I thought, "HO scale rotary hoe wheels?". Then I realized it's an escape wheel. Which gives me an idea & brings up a question.... where would one find a pile of escape wheels for cheap? Also, what make of camera do you use? Is there a video option? I'm looking for something to help with perspective while building my train layout.

Thanks,
Mike

You might find the wheels you need on eBay. Some are listed as steampunk. Steampunk is an art form where they use watch parts to make jewelry and other items. Watchmakers hate these people because they use useful hard to find watch parts to make junk. I use an Olympus camera, but you can use about any brand digital camera that has a macro setting on it.

L.Fure · Sep 19, 2015

(quoted from post at 06:49:10 09/19/15) I've got about ten old pocket watches that need your skills and a 100 + year old mantle clock that needs cleaning and
oiling. How is your schedule?

There is going to be an auction next weekend about two miles from me. The flyer says over 100 antique clocks, many
pocket watches, watchmakers bench and lots of spare parts. Also lots of about anything you can imagine, I think the
gentleman had varied interests and had room to store it all, but little room to move between the stuff, it's packed in
pretty tight.

I sent you a personal message.

wilson ind · Sep 19, 2015

Where are you and possibly would you be interested in working on an older clock? E mail open

L.Fure · Sep 19, 2015

(quoted from post at 15:50:41 09/19/15) Where are you and possibly would you be interested in working on an older clock? E mail open

I'm not set up for clocks, sorry.

Absent Minded Farmer · Sep 19, 2015

I'll give Ebay a try, thanks.

Yes, I'm familiar with the steampuke movement. All I have to say is.... it's become about the most disingenuous & pointless form of artistic nonsense I've researched since the minimalist & brutalist movements.

I haven't had a lot of luck with the macro setting on my camera but, well, I might have to pay in a little more on my next camera purchase. ;v)

Mike

Way Off Topic. (pictures)

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