The 1016: The Under Appreciated Thread

[Karbon74]

If I used my own crazy logic, I would try to laser cut out the letters to the right size on a vinyl stencil. Then use the stencil to guide my stylus on top of the laser etchings. This would avoid most slippage

DPD would probably be using the pentograph with the stencil of the flamingo

 

[dpd3672]

Well that sounds very interesting indeed DPD.
What I'm planning to do is to use the existing laser engraving as a template to bash it up a bit and mask the traces of the laser and make it look more like a stamping/ pantograph finish - as Karbon said - using a diamond tool/ mix of tools, etc.
Surely your suggestion would only be applicable to a blank case-back or have I missed a trick?

It would be better for a blank case back, but technically, if you got everything dialed in, you could trace the outline and kind of overwrite the laser engraving.

 

[316lad]

It would be better for a blank case back, but technically, if you got everything dialed in, you could trace the outline and kind of overwrite the laser engraving.

Certainly. Yep. I'd love a template of some sort to guide the shaking hand initially. Perhaps a thin 3D type coin thickness to overlay on the caseback.
Or, perhaps as Karbon suggests, a "mask" of some sort that we can then use salt methods to "dirty up" the laser evidence.

Oh well, food for thought as we perfect the methods Brothers!

 

[369mafia]

If I used my own crazy logic, I would try to laser cut out the letters to the right size on a vinyl stencil. Then use the stencil to guide my stylus on top of the laser etchings. This would avoid most slippage

DPD would probably be using the pentograph with the stencil of the flamingo

At that point i would just do the salt water etch and then clean up or enhance with the diamond tip tool

 

[Karbon74]

@dpd3672 I just had a thought...

can the pentograph be used to cut vinyl?
Because then, you can use a thicker vinyl to create stencils for saltwater etching, instead of laser cut.

It is manual and obviously limited on number of serials by time, but I don't personally care about time correct. I just want some engravings.

 

[dpd3672]

So this is what I was talking about. I found a 2D image:

And created a 3D image from the outline:

I put that into the pantograph engraver, where the letters and numbers would go and traced it onto the watch:


She likes pink and flamingos and just got scuba certified this year, so this was her Christmas present
So for the inside of the case back, it wouldn't be hard to replicate what the Rolex factory did...the font looks the same as the engraving between the lugs, although it's in a couple different sizes. That's not hard to do, it just requires adjusting the ratio on the engraver. The "Montres Rolex SA" is written in an arc, but that's doable with the right accessory, I did more or less the same thing with the writing around the picture. Tracing OVER existing laser engraving would require lining up everything perfectly, so it might be more trouble than it's worth, but it would be possible, there'd just be a lot of "measure twice, cut once," lol.

That said, I think I'm going to try to recreate the inside caseback engravings and put it onto a plate that I 3D print. Once it's done, it should be good for several dozen or more case backs.

 

[316lad]

Do we need to rename the Thread - The 1016 Flamingo Thread?
Asking for a friend.

 

[dpd3672]

@dpd3672 I just had a thought...

can the pentograph be used to cut vinyl?
Because then, you can use a thicker vinyl to create stencils for saltwater etching, instead of laser cut.

It is manual and obviously limited on number of serials by time, but I don't personally care about time correct. I just want some engravings.

I don't think the engraver would cut it precise enough to use on vinyl. It's not very sharp, and it would probably just stretch and rip the vinyl. It needs to be an extremely sharp/precise cutter, like a laser or a razor blade or small rotating bit.

But for saltwater etching the case back...that could work and not be too difficult to do. You'd need very thick ink and a very flat brush...something the consistency of wallpaper paste, or something like the ink used to fingerprint people. Transfer it to the inside of the case back and it wouldn't be viscous enough to run down into the engraved part, it would just sit on the surface. Then saltwater etch and when you're done, clean off the ink/paint. You'd need to apply the ink with something rigid and flat, so it doesn't deform and get into the engraving.

 

[dpd3672]

Ok, backing away from pink birds and Christmas presents…another big step forward today. Using better vinyl decals and lower settings on the laser, we’re almost there.

Some quick photos to show where it’s at. Disregard the rushed, sloppy sticker placement, and the fact I used a Tudor case I had handy, this might be the answer.

Lug engraving decals, which do seem to be reusable, at least a couple times:



And the mask for painting lume…which needs to be tweaked a bit for size and sharpness (and the superfluous details removed:



Should be ready to go in a week, no more than two.

 

[Karbon74]

order placed

 

[dpd3672]

A bit more progress, tweaking the settings is making things more clear, when I get the files converted to vector(any day now) the prints will be smoother and less pixelated.



Also, painters tape over the decal before removing the back does work to transfer the “islands” in the characters to the target…but I need to come up with a better way to line things up. I have a couple ideas, but calling it a night tonight.

 

[brahmabull]

You guys are true artists. Always am facinated and in awe of everyone’s skills.

 

[Karbon74]

unfunny thing happened to me.
I was ageing some Vostok hands for a mod...the lume half melted

guess I got too used to the indestructible Raffles hands and lume

 

[dpd3672]

unfunny thing happened to me.
I was ageing some Vostok hands for a mod...the lume half melted

guess I got too used to the indestructible Raffles hands and lume

One of the issues I'm having...some dials are more delicate than others. Hard to come up with methods that work on everything, rather than just one particular thing.

For example, the orange vinyl stickers I was using work GREAT on Raffles dials...but they peel off the entire decal on a waterslide dial, lol. Glad I didn't try them on something more expensive.

So now looking into non-adhesive or temporary adhesives.

 

[Karbon74]

how thick is tolerable for the saltwater etching to work?

 

[dpd3672]

how thick is tolerable for the saltwater etching to work?

I don't think the thickness really matters, as long as it's not so thick to be unusable. The important thing is that the "mask" needs to resist electricity, so the charge follows the path of least resistance to the exposed metal. I believe even a Sharpie or similar ink works to some extent.

Vinyl is a little thicker (but still pretty thin), but I'm mostly focused on that because of the other qualities it has...it's cheap, flexible to cover an irregular surface, and if applied and removed carefully, reusable until it falls apart. A standard letter size piece of vinyl sticker paper could have enough stencils for a lifetime of building replicas.

For this project, I was looking for something that anyone could replicate with simple tools and equipment ( I'd like something that can be peeled off and reused, at least a few times).

It's almost there with the laser cutter, I think when the files are converted from jpg to svg they'll be much clearer and less pixelated, and the post office is delivering a precision cutter today, which hopefully is another method to get to the same result.

When all the bugs are worked out of the process, I'll do a write up with all the necessary downloadable files so that anyone can do this themselves.

Basically, download the files and "print" them...either by cutting with a laser engraver or a precision cutter (like a Cricut or Silhouette). Then apply to the "target" (either a watch dial for the lume painting masks, or between the lugs for the lug engraving masks). Paint the lume or etch the metal, remove the decal, and if everything goes as expected, save it for the next time you use it.

The tools to do the saltwater engraving itself are easy and cheap...a battery or old phone charger, a Q-tip (or paint brush...really anything would work as long as current can pass through it) and some saltwater.

The tools for the masks would be a bit more difficult...either buy or borrow a laser engraver (or laser engraving attachment for a 3D printer) or go to a printing shop or Kinko's and have them print for you. I can't imagine the expense would be too great, if you're providing the material and files, all they need to do is run it through their machine.

 

[Karbon74]

I was thinking at 0.5mm flexible balsa wood could work. hence my question.

 

[Karbon74]

or silicone sheets...

 

[dpd3672]

or silicone sheets...

I don't think balsa would work, because the water could potentially run underneath it and conduct the electricity...silicone has a lot going for it, but no idea how cleanly it would cut.

I'm about to pull the trigger on an Amazon order, I'll add some silicone sheets and see how it does. I think how supple and flexible it is would be a huge bonus, but that also might make it difficult to cut cleanly.

Only one way to find out, lol...

 

[Karbon74]

I don't think balsa would work, because the water could potentially run underneath it and conduct the electricity...silicone has a lot going for it, but no idea how cleanly it would cut.

I'm about to pull the trigger on an Amazon order, I'll add some silicone sheets and see how it does. I think how supple and flexible it is would be a huge bonus, but that also might make it difficult to cut cleanly.

Only one way to find out, lol...

you could glue the balsa?