3D Printed tools, jigs, and helpful accessories

[Oascom]

Adobe Illustrator...lol, I see "Artificial Intelligence" in the news so much, that's where my mind goes by default.
Thanks for letting me know about FFiver, I commissioned one of the artists to convert a bunch of Rolex dials from .jpgs, screen shots, and anything else I could find into svg images by hand tracing them, so they should be PERFECT when it's all done.

Pretty much anything that could be printed in 2 colors without indices or any applied markers, there were like 70 images in total, I think every variation on 4 digit Subs, GMTs, and Explorers/Air Kings/Commandos?Space Dwellers/Everests that I could find. I even threw in a Panerai so I had something else to play with.

And now I'm looking at pad printers, because why not move from 2 color to multiple colors?!?

It's nice they do general mock up and you can later fine tune it yourself.

 

[Caboose]

Here's my PE50 movement holder for use in the VK63 cases found on AliEx.

Moonswatch PE50 Modified Movement Ring by Caboose

Movement holder to fit the following case: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804707033900.htmlhttps://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804920413543.htmlV1 - Original design, unchamfered edges which sometimes caught when closed the casebackV2 - Chamfered edges, different logos for different regions...

www.thingiverse.com

These have been provided at no cost to many members so they could build metal Moonswatches with the watches_77 Moonswatches.

 

[aphmars13]

Copié dans son intégralité à partir d'un autre fil, mais ce gabarit DEVRAIT permet d'utiliser un cadran de génération Rolex avec un mouvement ETA... en supposant que vous puissiez réaliser les coupes/trous précis requis.

3D design Adapter for ETA 2824 to RLX 15XX - Tinkercad

3D design Adapter for ETA 2824 to RLX 15XX created by David Patterson with Tinkercad

www.tinkercad.com

Thx

 

[derjenigewelcher]

6497 holder for perfect aligning small second hand and central hands

 

[derjenigewelcher]

Now I upgraded the tool for the 6497 Movement;

There are 2 positions to set, one is for the central hands, the other is for the small second hand. its fixed perfectly with the arm on the watch press, plus adaptered to the press with the 31mm socket. the stem is also fixed, so perfect setting here

 

[dpd3672]

Now I upgraded the tool for the 6497 Movement;

There are 2 positions to set, one is for the central hands, the other is for the small second hand. its fixed perfectly with the arm on the watch press, plus adaptered to the press with the 31mm socket. the stem is also fixed, so perfect setting here

Setting hands is a special hell reserved for people who were pure evil in a previous life. I'm pretty sure I was Stalin.

 

[derjenigewelcher]

Setting hands is a special hell reserved for people who were pure evil in a previous life. I'm pretty sure I was Stalin.

Was that maybe meant with the "Hitler-Stalin-Pact"?

 

[chrome72]

If you want perfect stencils, you can send your jpg to someone on Fiverr to trace it for you. You'll get a proper vector image in .ai or .svg back.

Would sending

I also wanted to find a way to make dials cheap. I found dial blanks on Ali for a few cents each, but they need to be polished, have holes for the center pinion drilled exactly in the center, and have dial feet soldiered on.

https://www.aliexpress.us/w/wholesale-brass-and-blank-and-circle.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.search.0

Buy the ones that are .5mm thick, in the diameter you need (27mm for Rolex, 28 or 29mm for Raffles, 38-39mm for Panerai, etc)

Polishing is just elbow grease and abrasive...not much time to be saved here.

For drilling the center hole, I made this jig:

3D design Watch Dial Drill Jig - Tinkercad

3D design Watch Dial Drill Jig created by David Patterson with Tinkercad

www.tinkercad.com

Put the dial blank in the correct size opening (27mm, 28mm, 29mm for Rolex, 38mm and 39mm for Panerai) and then the correct "plug" to support it. Flip it over and drill through the 2mm center hole, which should keep the bit straight and parallel. It works better on a drill press than a hand drill, as any variation from perpendicular is prone to snapping bits.

you ever have luck finding 29mm options? I never could. Was able to buy nh35 blank dials for $2 a piece

 

[dpd3672]

Would sending

you ever have luck finding 29mm options? I never could. Was able to buy nh35 blank dials for $2 a piece

One of the Ali sellers sells dials in every size imaginable.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805939419106.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.5.1ca41802VBbqtJ&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa

That said, if they're slightly large, you can always sand them down a bit. I use the dremel cutting wheel attachment...I mount the dial where the disc goes and turn it against sandpaper until it's the right size.

 

[chrome72]

One of the Ali sellers sells dials in every size imaginable.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805939419106.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.5.1ca41802VBbqtJ&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa

That said, if they're slightly large, you can always sand them down a bit. I use the dremel cutting wheel attachment...I mount the dial where the disc goes and turn it against sandpaper until it's the right size.

Ah I tried that once but with a metal file and it warped the dial. I thought sandpaper would take forever so never even seriously tried it. How long does it take to go from say 30mm to 29mm doing it with sandpaper

 

[dpd3672]

Ah I tried that once but with a metal file and it warped the dial. I thought sandpaper would take forever so never even seriously tried it. How long does it take to go from say 30mm to 29mm doing it with sandpaper

Maybe a minute. I turn it for a few seconds, test fit it, and turn it more if it needs it. The nice thing is it's a precise fit, rather than having some slop in the tolerances.