The 1016: The Under Appreciated Thread

[dpd3672]

I also thought about just have a professional printing company make up some sheets for me. The cost might be a bit steep, but I can't imagine I'd need to have it done more than once. The files I have on the Google drive above are good for quite a few watches per page, so, say, 20 page of each would be enough projects for any one of us to stay busy for years, lol.

I would like to get better dial templates, however. Ones that aren't as pixelated when blown up. I think it has something to do with vector drawing, but just beginning to research this myself.

 

[Karbon74]

I also thought about just have a professional printing company make up some sheets for me. The cost might be a bit steep, but I can't imagine I'd need to have it done more than once. The files I have on the Google drive above are good for quite a few watches per page, so, say, 20 page of each would be enough projects for any one of us to stay busy for years, lol.

I would like to get better dial templates, however. Ones that aren't as pixelated when blown up. I think it has something to do with vector drawing, but just beginning to research this myself.

If you do it, I am happy to share the cost of the print run

 

[dpd3672]

If you do it, I am happy to share the cost of the print run

I would imagine there's a fixed charge for setup, then a much smaller charge per sheet. If I wind up doing this, I'll open it up to as many as would be interested, and we could split the costs evenly. It probably would be very inexpensive that way, although shipping to different countries might open up some customs risks. The dials for sure, although I think the serial numbers would be ok, since there's nothing branded there.

Playing with some software today to convert the .jpg images into vector images, which are much cleaner. This is the first one I tried, but it's got some potential. It's more obvious if you click on the pictures below and view them full size.

On the left is the current image, on the right it's been smoothed up with the conversion software. STill not perfect, but a long way closer to it. The gilt dials I've printed so far came out great...but still a little pixelated on close inspection. This might address that problem.

 

[Karbon74]

I would only take the case serials, and yes, those should be fine

There are some street engravers and I am tempted to ask them too and bring just the raw case

 

[dpd3672]

I would only take the case serials, and yes, those should be fine

There are some street engravers and I am tempted to ask them too and bring just the raw case

Yeah, it's not hard to get cases engraved...I'm just looking for a fairly inexpensive, repeatable method that's reasonably easy and gives good results. It doesn't have to pass infinite scrutiny, just look acceptable. The original Saltwater etching thread showed some really good results, I'm trying to approximate that result. Case engravings on vintage models are often horribly obscurred with wear anway, so they don't have to be perfect.

Kind of the "BP/Cartel/Raffles" level, rather than the "VSF/Clean/Franken" level, lol.

 

[Karbon74]

Yeah, it's not hard to get cases engraved...I'm just looking for a fairly inexpensive, repeatable method that's reasonably easy and gives good results. It doesn't have to pass infinite scrutiny, just look acceptable. The original Saltwater etching thread showed some really good results, I'm trying to approximate that result. Case engravings on vintage models are often horribly obscurred with wear anway, so they don't have to be perfect.

Kind of the "BP/Cartel/Raffles" level, rather than the "VSF/Clean/Franken" level, lol.

exactly. anyway a couple of scratches and sandpaper, and it's credible

I am wearing the 1016 on a strap waiting for the endlinks and the lack of engravings is giving me anxiety bursts

 

[Karbon74]

Sharing this.
Brushing tips

 

[Karbon74]

also, I wanted to share this "game changer"

https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/1005004132257771.html

I used this on an older San Martin modern solid bracelet...but it should also work on the hollow link bracelet, replacing the useless diver extension

 

[369mafia]

defiantly some good techniques for brushing the case in that video.

 

[369mafia]

I would imagine there's a fixed charge for setup, then a much smaller charge per sheet. If I wind up doing this, I'll open it up to as many as would be interested, and we could split the costs evenly. It probably would be very inexpensive that way, although shipping to different countries might open up some customs risks. The dials for sure, although I think the serial numbers would be ok, since there's nothing branded there.

Playing with some software today to convert the .jpg images into vector images, which are much cleaner. This is the first one I tried, but it's got some potential. It's more obvious if you click on the pictures below and view them full size.

On the left is the current image, on the right it's been smoothed up with the conversion software. STill not perfect, but a long way closer to it. The gilt dials I've printed so far came out great...but still a little pixelated on close inspection. This might address that problem.

I use a page called https://vectorizer.ai/


I got a good result I think this would print out well

 

[Caboose]

I use a page called https://vectorizer.ai/


I got a good result I think this would print out well

I've used that site for generating a path for etching glass and it works great.

 

[369mafia]

I've used that site for generating a path for etching glass and it works great.

nice!! like just check out oyster perpetual text. its kinda groovy!! lol

 

[pullthat92]

I received a tropical dial and I'm about to assemble it. I've cut two dial feet to fit the 2824, but the rest seems a bit long. Do I need to cut them a lot?

 

[pullthat92]

Btw, the quality of the Raffles dial is excellent! It's better than I expected.

 

[Karbon74]

I received a tropical dial and I'm about to assemble it. I've cut two dial feet to fit the 2824, but the rest seems a bit long. Do I need to cut them a lot?

don't trim the feet

they go through the holes and lock with the small lock thingies.extra length does not matter, but too short is not good at all

When you put the dial, don't forget the dial spacer.

 

[316lad]

I received a tropical dial and I'm about to assemble it. I've cut two dial feet to fit the 2824, but the rest seems a bit long. Do I need to cut them a lot?

Ii depends - if you fit the dial to the 2824 snuggly - and delete the calendar works, as I did - the feet will poke through the holes and clash with the underside of the rotor. Not good. To test this - fit the dial as you would and use a piece of peg wood to gently revolve the rotor around to see if they hit.
To remedy this I filed away about .60- .70mm. Make sure you use rodico to completely eliminate brass fillings left over before fitting the dial in to the movement.

In the shot below you can clearly see the excessive lenght of the feet before I filed them down.

 

[dpd3672]

I managed to convert the dials from jpg to svg, so they're a lot cleaner and print much better. Shared the file to the Google drive, so anyone is free to use, improve, and share any upgrades with the rest of us. Some of the dials came out worse, but most are quite a bit less pixelated after the conversion. I printed out a test sheet and it looks a LOT better.


OLD:



NEW:



Link to Master layout sheet of vector formatted dials

 

[dpd3672]

And to bring the tangent back to all things Explorer, this is how the Explorer Dials came out:

 

[316lad]

I love it.
Other threads go on arguing amongst themselves about who out there makes the best dial for their watch in question.

We, however, on the 1016 Under-Appreciated-Thread just get the bloody tools out and get down to work and bloody well make our own.

 

[Karbon74]

I love it.
Other threads go on arguing amongst themselves about who out there makes the best dial for their watch in question.

We, however, on the 1016 Under-Appreciated-Thread just get the bloody tools out and get down to work and bloody well make our own.

I humbly admit that I will stick to Raffles for the time being
The wife can't take much more...because I will try the saltwater etching