Creating my own „open 6 & 9“ 3135 datedisc (or what happens when you get bored till corona)

[HootschiGootschi]

Hi all my dear RWI members.

Let me take you on a „crazy journey“ in these days....

While I’m in a build of a vintage project based on a 3135 caliber, I decided that i need to have a „champagne datedisc with open 6 & 9“ therefore.
Very soon i noticed that these are hard to find (if not even impossible), no matter if it is genuine or rep.

Overlays exist, but doesn’t make sense at a 3135.

In a moment of distraction i came to the idea:
Why not build your own open 6 & 9 datedisc?

and that’s where the journey begins:

So my idea was:
- to do a high resolution scan of the DWOs,
- to edit the scans on my PC
- laserprint the master on decal paper
- prepare an old ARF/JF 3135 datedisc as carrier (remove the print on the DW, etc.)
- bring the decal to the carrier DW
- finish the DW with clear lacquer for better resistance

Chapter 1.)

luckily i had a few DWO at stock to use them as sample for scanning

 

[HootschiGootschi]

Chapter 2.)

Before i did the scans of the overlays it make sense to clean up the scanner

I used GIMP for the imaging process (scan, edit & print) because i discovered several „sizing“ issues with the default MickeyMouse programs.

In between i printed some examples of the outcome on normal paper, just to compare size, possible alignment, etc.
at this stage the print quality wasn’t my top priority.

 

[HootschiGootschi]

Chapter 3.)

Now it was about time to prepare the unused ARF datedisc to be used as „the base datedisc“
first thing i did here was to remove the (much to bold) painting with nail polish remover.

after that i decided to sand it a bit with very fine sanding paper (1000)

I liked the brass so much, that i decided to use it as background base & print the numbers only on it.

so i printed the „DW master“ onto a laser decal paper, which i got from Amazon

and bring the decal print on top of the datedisc base.
doesn’t look bad for the first attempt....

This has to dry for several hours before you could remove the upper film.

Stay tuned ....

 

[p0pperini]

Great work so far, looking forward to seeing how it looks when finished. Subscribed!

 

[pippoh_eja]

Wow, congrats for the effort!

 

[Ams55557]

Too funny. I tried the same thing but I have adhd, so my process broke apart when the laser print on decal obviously looked like poop the first time, for reel reasons: bad scan and laser ink is so/so.

That sent me into I figuring out what typeset is used. Or at least a similar enough typeset. Which led me to read about the history of typeset sand fonts (not my first time down this rabbit hole). Which also sent me into the mathematics involved in making sure each character is angled correctly along the circular path. Which led me to learn about photoshop ind ink scape’s ability to do that automatically. Which led me to realize that the printer really wasn’t going to do it. Which led me to trying cricut puffy ink pens, which was a dead end. And now, I’m waiting for my epson ink jet printer which can take many different ink jet ink types as well as a bunch of other ink types to try. Which includes sublimation ink for t-shirt printing.

So once I’m thinking I’ll end up with a t-shirt with a 3135 date wheel printed on it. Mind sharing your gimp file? I’ll just have to download it, relearn gimp, compared it photoshop, then learn photoshop. Heck come to think of it, maybe I’ll try to 3 print it! Now, where is that fusion 360 book?

 

[HootschiGootschi]

Too funny. I tried the same thing but I have adhd, so my process broke apart when the laser print on decal obviously looked like poop the first time, for reel reasons: bad scan and laser ink is so/so.

That sent me into I figuring out what typeset is used. Or at least a similar enough typeset. Which led me to read about the history of typeset sand fonts (not my first time down this rabbit hole). Which also sent me into the mathematics involved in making sure each character is angled correctly along the circular path. Which led me to learn about photoshop ind ink scape’s ability to do that automatically. Which led me to realize that the printer really wasn’t going to do it. Which led me to trying cricut puffy ink pens, which was a dead end. And now, I’m waiting for my epson ink jet printer which can take many different ink jet ink types as well as a bunch of other ink types to try. Which includes sublimation ink for t-shirt printing.

So once I’m thinking I’ll end up with a t-shirt with a 3135 date wheel printed on it. Mind sharing your gimp file? I’ll just have to download it, relearn gimp, compared it photoshop, then learn photoshop. Heck come to think of it, maybe I’ll try to 3 print it! Now, where is that fusion 360 book?

:bounce:

Pretty sure „we“ are not alone

drop me a pm with your mail address & i will send you the xcf file

 

[HootschiGootschi]

Chapter 4.)

after let the decal dry for 24 hours at the basewheel, it’s time to get rid of the last foil.....
which was very difficult to do to avoid that the print come of aswell.

After this i sprayed it with some clear lacquer for stability.

here is the result (which is far from perfect, but not that bad for the first attempt):

Next i placed it into a 3135 for mechanical testing...
& what should i say... works as expected

then i took the next best 3135 dial for alignment check...
not bad either.

and yes, the print of the numbers are bit bumpy,
which is caused by my laserprinter (i knew before..)

Since looking at the result, i start to like it as it is now, because this may fit perfectly to my aged vintage project...


however,
next step would be to extend the printing quality to an more acceptable level & retry again.

 

[Katarsis]

This is really cool. Keep up the good work.
​​​​​​

 

[Katarsis]

Too funny. I tried the same thing but I have adhd, so my process broke apart when the laser print on decal obviously looked like poop the first time, for reel reasons: bad scan and laser ink is so/so.

That sent me into I figuring out what typeset is used. Or at least a similar enough typeset. Which led me to read about the history of typeset sand fonts (not my first time down this rabbit hole). Which also sent me into the mathematics involved in making sure each character is angled correctly along the circular path. Which led me to learn about photoshop ind ink scape’s ability to do that automatically. Which led me to realize that the printer really wasn’t going to do it. Which led me to trying cricut puffy ink pens, which was a dead end. And now, I’m waiting for my epson ink jet printer which can take many different ink jet ink types as well as a bunch of other ink types to try. Which includes sublimation ink for t-shirt printing.

So once I’m thinking I’ll end up with a t-shirt with a 3135 date wheel printed on it. Mind sharing your gimp file? I’ll just have to download it, relearn gimp, compared it photoshop, then learn photoshop. Heck come to think of it, maybe I’ll try to 3 print it! Now, where is that fusion 360 book?

We can't stop here. This is bat country.

Got to love the rabbit hole.

 

[HootschiGootschi]

While my skills getting better & I get asked by some members to produce some more of these date discs,
I wonder if there is a real interest behind.

I probably can replicate these in a small amount as it is manual work.

To do so, I’m in the need of brass date discs as the base.
which are mostly used in ARF / JF watches (with BOLD printing)

Therefore i would be happy for any donated brass 3135 date disc and a PM with intend to get one of mine.

 

[watchoself]

While my skills getting better & I get asked by some members to produce some more of these date discs,
I wonder if there is a real interest behind.

I probably can replicate these in a small amount as it is manual work.

To do so, I’m in the need of brass date discs as the base.
which are mostly used in ARF / JF watches (with BOLD printing)

Therefore i would be happy for any donated brass 3135 date disc and a PM with intend to get one of mine.

Great idea and I am keen if this happens to pick one up for sure