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New Guy's intro and first 116610 Franken build thread

beau7816

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Are you keeping this beauty or selling - interested
 

alfonzo

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Plan is to keep and enjoy but building is also very fun. I will keep you in mind if I decide to sell it but of course will go though the correct process here with the admins before putting it up for sale.

Thanks for the interest!
 

WATCH HACKER

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Currently in South Hampton
Plan is to keep and enjoy but building is also very fun. I will keep you in mind if I decide to sell it but of course will go though the correct process here with the admins before putting it up for sale.

Thanks for the interest!

I will not be surprised if one day you will become a modder here =)
Nice job! =) I'm envy of your tinkering skills =D hehehe

I'll be following this thread
 
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alfonzo

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LOL Right now I only have one customer and I am a very good customer!

Thanks so much I appreciate it.
 

alfonzo

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With the interest shown in the piece (Thanks again) and since I am waiting for the last of the parts to arrive I knew the time had come. I dreaded this part, doing the math. My goal was to spend 3k Hahahaha...ha

The complete Alfonzo’s hyper Franken Clone 116610LN (Don’t tell the wife LOL) specs. The good the bad and the ugly.

I am sure I spent too much for some parts and got decent pricing on others. It is really hard to even budget something like this when demand far outstrips supply, at least when it comes to getting new or as close to new as possible. Prices are landed.

New NoobV9 Base - $700 (Slightly over paid but it got here my way)
New Gen Complete Bezel assembly w/insert, gen ball springs and lock - $1522.89
New Gen Dial, Hands, Crystal and ARF bracelet as a package - $1736.47
New Gen Date corrector - $70
New 3 Gen screws - $70
New Gen Crown - $230
New Gen Crown tube - $122
New Gen Rotor assembly - $274
New Gen Click spring - $30
Used Gen winding bridge - $88
Used Gen Date disc - $109
Used Gen date plate - $100

$4930.36usd

Avg price of Gen’s as far as I can tell is around $10K so 50% the cost of a Gen but just as resalable or even more so. But the real thing that makes it worth it to me is I spent $5k to learn a new skill acquiring very specific and detailed knowledge that very few posses AND I got a free 116610LN, that I built, out of it. That, my friend’s, is a true bargain indeed.

Semper in doctrina




close.jpg
 
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bc1221

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Damn. For a intro post, this is pretty damn awesome.
Welcome!
 

Flinnt

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Excellent work. Thanks for sharing it.

I’m learning movement servicing off the net and now you’ve got me looking at that wooden tool box for my tools. It’s cheap in the US but different story downunder. My sister is taking up fine woodwork as a hobby, maybe I should ask her to make it for me.
 

alfonzo

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Thanks Gents!

Yeah the machinists tool box is perfect for watch making tools and parts and yeah it is cheap here. I hope your sister can make one. If she does I would love to see it.
 
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alfonzo

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So I have really had a challenge with the crown tube. I trashed a gen part but turned it into a tool. Partly from frustration and mostly because counter sinking and getting it right is almost impossible at least the way my case is. If I were to go any further than I did it would tear out the side of the watch. I would kill for my milling machine right now! Soon...soon...So I got it as far as I could go. I got it to the point that the crown coronet is almost straight up and down when screwed fully in. It is not quite flush due to the countersink issue but ever so close as to only be noticed by you lot. I guess I could shave just a touch off of the crown tube but I just don't think it will be an issue.

Now for the next quandary, in most circumstances I would use locktite on the threads and use the gasket but not being able to get the counter sink right makes me lean toward using epoxy and making it permanent. I'is not really a big deal since it's a Noob case and a gen tube so I think that is what I am going to do. It will make that part water proof for sure.

The tube really was a bugger and once I am in the garage-ma-hall I will have the milling machine do my bidding.

Pics to follow...
 
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DD60

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Welcome and keep up the learning with passion.

Subscribed !
 

alfonzo

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Thanks and agreed! Anything worth doing is worth doing with passion! That is the cheapest part!
 

nzhoward

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I have the exact same problem with the gen 7030 crown tube on my franken Noob V9. The tube refuses to screw all the way in! Is it the same situation for you?

I see many people using gen 7030 tube for franken SubC projects. I wonder how they do it?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

vkhaa

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11/3/19
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> New Gen Complete Bezel assembly w/insert, gen ball springs and lock - $1522.89

Oh wow! it is now 1522 for the bezel set?
What's your opinion the main difference between Noob vs. Gen bezel/insert? Was it worth it?
I'm curious how does the black colour compare between the two?
Thank you!
 

alfonzo

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I have the exact same problem with the gen 7030 crown tube on my franken Noob V9. The tube refuses to screw all the way in! Is it the same situation for you?

I see many people using gen 7030 tube for franken SubC projects. I wonder how they do it?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It was indeed the 7030 and I agree I am not sure how it gets flush without a little more meat on the case and milling machine to do the correct countersink. I got it very close and like I said I may try to shave some off of the top of the tube.
 

alfonzo

Active Member
25/7/19
426
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> New Gen Complete Bezel assembly w/insert, gen ball springs and lock - $1522.89

Oh wow! it is now 1522 for the bezel set?
What's your opinion the main difference between Noob vs. Gen bezel/insert? Was it worth it?
I'm curious how does the black colour compare between the two?
Thank you!

The difference in the bezel is noticeable with the naked eye. I need to take a closer look at the blacks but where it really tells is the platinum plating. When you put them side by side and on the case you can really see the difference and to me it was worth it to change those parts to gen. The way I figured it was any part that was touched or seen I would try to replace with the gen part. The case and bracelet being the exception.
 
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alfonzo

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Here we go. It is what it is. I turned the crown so that it would be upright just for the pic. After the epoxy the crown coronet was about a half a turn form being upright. Only other option is the shave.


flush.jpg


crowninstalled.jpg
 

alfonzo

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Alright on to something a bit less frustrating. I got the seating for date indicator and date disc installed and works like a rolex. Snappy, Snappy, Snappy! I think this is the only way to do it.

Next stop the dial and hands. The hands have me tense and I am contemplating using the noobs first since I may want to add a few more gen parts to the movement and would rather only put the hands on once if possible.

date.jpg
 
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alfonzo

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SO I think tonight I am going to attempt to install the crystal and bezel. The Bezel is complete and I do not want to screw that up.

This question is for any of the modder's out there that are reading this.

What is the best method for installing the crystal with the bezel ring not using the bezel as a push point? In other words is there specific tool or modified tool that you use to seat the bezel ring that goes on the crystal?

I have a crystal press but I am not sure how to get a good purchase on the ring to seat it.
 
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