EGI Bezel aging

[Timeband]

Ok Guys,
busy again yesterday. I took the case the day before yesterday in a can, together with rusty screws and some other scrap metal, added some water and were waiting for results.
Here is the can with the case and the rusty stuff

And this is what came out yesterday evening after about 24 hours

This was not the result I’ve expected. The rust was not permanent enough. L
I guess the case is made from a higher grade stainless steel, maybe more chrome in it.
So, what now ?
I had some muriatic acid and a rusty drill

Scratched the rust from the drill, applicated it to the case and added some drops of acid

Until the surface was dry, I took the case back in the can with the rusty stuff.

Added some water and cooked it with a propane burner until all water was vaporized.

Now the result was more in the direction I wanted.

But still not permanent enough. Now came the time to go the harder way. The case or me
I grabbed my good old propane burner and started the final treatment. I’ve heated the case up with all the rusty and rotten goodies on it, all or nothing..

OK, it looks like destroying the case, but it allowes a hard treatment.
I didn’t went over 250 - 300C°.
Fast quenching with cold water dripped area by area made the finish.

Enough work for one evening
( Aging of the hands and the dial was also done as a sideline, I will upload the pics later)
This morning at the office I cleaned the case and this is what it looks like now

The crownguard is still in the can, it was also cooked with the rusty stuff.
For me is the aged look of the case good enough, not too hard and not too soft.
Let me know your opinions

Btw, I need a new, higher plexi anyone out there who can help me with that ?
Greetz
Uwe

 

[Wiz]

Thanks again for sharing, these are some serious aging technics!!

About the plexi, I know someone offers what you're after but I can't remember who. Maybe someone at another forum.

 

[Timeband]

Thank you wiz,
still hunting it. I hope someone can provide me with a source
Greetz
Uwe

 

[Timeband]

The next step ( done during waiting for corrosion ) aging the dial and hands
Damn, I just wanted to show the bezel aging, now I am nearly done with the whole watch.
Here is the dial that came with the watch. I’ve relumed it with some lume I got from the nice member homecd. I also bleached it a little bit with wet 2000 grit sandpaper.

I applicated some chestnut wood staine to the backside

But nothing came through to the frontside, so I used a toothpick and applicated the staine to the numbers and indices at the front ( Not really my favourite kind of work )
I also thought it would look nice to have a scratched circle in the diameter of the hourhand.
I cutted a disc in the necessary dimension and made a hole in the middle.
Connected it with the most useful tool, the toothpicker to the dial.

Than I had to move the disc with soft pressure in clockwise rotation against the dial.

The dust needs to be wiped away, but the result so, far, was good enough for me.

Now I came to the hands, it was also logical for me to use muriatic acid, because the sulphur in it reacts with the brass from the hands
I placed the hands on a bottle cap of my favourite beer ( König Pils ) and added some drops of acid to it

After neutralizing the hands with water and cleaning the dial I’ve mounted the dial and hands to the movement

So far so good.
Next thing will be the crownguard aging
Now I need the higher domed plexi, compression lugbars ( Dow provides me with them, Thank you mate ) . I have to go outside and have a look at the contamined, sandblastet piece of stainless steel. Will post pics of it later today.
Thank you for looking and all the replies.
To be continued…….

 

[1kenny1kenny1]

WOW, serious acid ageing here ! , btw I want lume shot !

 

[Timeband]

Ok Kenny,
I will make one this evening at home.
Greetz
Uwe

 

[Timeband]

Today we went into our workshop, my welding supervisor ( indredible welder ) and me.
At first I made a test with 1,6mm welding wire to see if it fits the holes

Was ok for one side, the other side with the thread was smaller ( used 1mm wire )
I’ve cutted the wire in small pieces with 2mm extention out of the lugs, that was necessary
for melting it into the holes.

Now a view with my welding artist at work,

Welding is done and the weld dots came out flat and massive

Here are detailed views of the welded lugs

Next step is filing the lugs back to the shape they had before, after that I have to drill new holes for the lug bars.
To be continued….

 

[ThinkBachs]

Science is Fun.

 

[Wiz]

Another awesome session, congrats mate!!

This thread is like a TV serie, you want to come back everyday to see the newest episode!!

 

[1kenny1kenny1]

Yes Wiz and ThinkBachs said it ! SCIENCE IS FUN !

 

[Timeband]

Thank you guys for watching this serial.
Greetz
Uwe

 

[Bonesey]

You'd better not stop now! We need to see this finished

 

[Timeband]

Me too

 

[Timeband]

OK Guys,
The tack welds were removed.

After that I had to decide which kind of lugbars I want to have.
The compression bar material from Dow ( thank you mate ) arrived today.
I’ve tested some variations, but nothing made me happy.
I found some 2mm wire and cutted a thread at them

Then I’ve drilled some 1,6mm holes into the lugs (forgot to make pics, sorry )
and made the inner threads

Then I cutted the lug bars to the required length and screwed them into the lugs

Now I need a small saw to cut a slot tot he tips oft he lug bars. All my saws are too big fort hat job.
OK, my aging job is now destroyed, I have to do it again. :bang:
To be continued…..

 

[Wiz]

That's some pretty impressive work you've done mate. Thumbs up for you once again!

What kind of welding was that?

 

[Timeband]

Thank you mates
WIG (Wolfram Inert Gasschweissen) inert gas tungsten-arc welding in english
Greetz
Uwe

 

[Bonesey]

Keep it coming man! You going to try anything different on the ageing this time or just same method again?

 

[Timeband]

Why change a winning team ?
No, I will do it the same way.
Greetz
Uwe

 

[Timeband]

Hi Guys, it’s me again.
I found some plexi sheets in my cellar, 4mm thick.
I tried to make a pre-plexi to see how it looks like with this thickness.
At first I cutted out a square piece oft he plexi

Made a circle on it with a permanent marker and filed it nearly tot he requested diameter.

Then I went upstairs to my terasse and made the finetuning with a file and sandpaper.

I allways checked the measurements after some short grinding sessions.

The last fine grindings and I was there

Bezel was mounted and this ist he result

I like it as it is. This is my final plexi.
Tob e continued….

 

[Wiz]

My jaw just fell off... You're a true craftman Uwe, congrats once again!!