# looking for laser work on dial



## PeterK. (Jan 4, 2014)

I design one dial and would like to have it cut on laser but so far
no one is willing to cut it for me in my area all saying is too small for them
the dial is 37.5 mm in diameter.


----------



## spain72 (Oct 27, 2010)

Hi.
In my area there's a laboratory specialized on laser's cut. They work small surfaces e.g.: key-holders.
If you want, I could ask information about your needs. Only problem is: I am placed in Italy.
As usual, a lot depends on the quantity you need.
If you ever need a help, I am available.


----------



## Bclaessen (Jun 1, 2012)

Hi, I think for laser cutting thee material I personally think it is going to be extremely expensive next to that you will see the areas where the laser starts or ends its path. most of the time there will be a little wobble.
I would recommend to have the dial chemically milled. this is a process which which you can reach super high detailed micro cuts. The process is an etching one. a sheet of metal will be silkscreen printed with your 
design and a bath of acid eats away the surrounding, leaving you with a perfect dial. The hands on my watches are made using this technique. 

an A3 size metal sheet (probably around 50 dials or combined with other elements) will cost you around 200 euro.


----------



## spain72 (Oct 27, 2010)

Asked some informations to that laboratory.
Another kind of method has been named to achieve the result (photo-something, maybe? Can't remember right now...).
I am waiting for answer: I am also curious to have informations about it all..


----------



## DEPA (Feb 3, 2012)

Try Laser Fehrentz near Pforzheim-Germany


----------



## PeterK. (Jan 4, 2014)

Im getting quotes from photo chemical machining places, laser by far is the less expensive so far 
but not many willing to cut it .
Im having one done on 3d printer and will post picture once the dial is on my bench
thank you all for your help and dedication to my watch making.


----------



## Somewhere else (Feb 17, 2006)

Bclaessen said:


> Hi, I think for laser cutting thee material I personally think it is going to be extremely expensive next to that you will see the areas where the laser starts or ends its path. most of the time there will be a little wobble.
> I would recommend to have the dial chemically milled. this is a process which which you can reach super high detailed micro cuts. The process is an etching one. a sheet of metal will be silkscreen printed with your
> design and a bath of acid eats away the surrounding, leaving you with a perfect dial. The hands on my watches are made using this technique.
> 
> an A3 size metal sheet (probably around 50 dials or combined with other elements) will cost you around 200 euro.


I think the expression in English you are looking for is photochemical milling. I'm surprised that someone in Arizona is having a hard time finding either precision laser cutting or photochemical milling, as they are both widely used in the electronics industry which is very active in Arizona. You should use Thomas Register or one of the various directories for manufacturing in the USA that tell you who manufactures what. Also, on this very forum (WUS) is the Prometheus Watch Company that makes their dials and hands by laser etching. They are located in the USA. Mybe they can give you some pointers to finding someone willing to work that size.

By the way, you can make that dial yourself entirely by hand with a jewelers saw , a few files and a small drill. That's what I would do and not waste my time trying to find a laser cutter. Indeed, give how skillful a lot of the engravers are down near the border, you can probably get it hand made for you if you want. All you have to do is visit the next gun show in your area, and you'll find any number of engravers showing off their work.


----------



## PeterK. (Jan 4, 2014)

I try 3 lasers and 2 photochemical places here in AZ and only one reply too small forlaser to cut 
for other might be the quantities as it might not be much profit for them to do my work.


----------



## spain72 (Oct 27, 2010)

PeterK. said:


> I try 3 lasers and 2 photochemical places here in AZ and only one reply too small forlaser to cut
> for other might be the quantities as it might not be much profit for them to do my work.


Very common anywhere nowadays, unfortunately...


----------



## Somewhere else (Feb 17, 2006)

PeterK. said:


> I try 3 lasers and 2 photochemical places here in AZ and only one reply too small forlaser to cut
> for other might be the quantities as it might not be much profit for them to do my work.


Why don't you do it by hand? This is not very difficult to do. In fact, it looks quite doable. If you don't feel that you yourself are skilled enough to do it by hand, find either competent jeweler who can do it entirely by hand or a machinist who likes to try something new. Your design can be done in its' entirety on a Sherline lathe and a simple drill press. Advertise on Craig's list for somebody.


----------



## PeterK. (Jan 4, 2014)

I will do it myself as I do have the skills I hope, just like rest of us not enough time to do it
will keep you all posted on the work.


----------



## gruppo ardito (Oct 17, 2012)

The right solution is use the photochemical etching. you can see this site: Photochemical etching and metal milling with laser cutting | Fotomeccanica

bye and good luck


----------



## tomjansen (Mar 27, 2009)

I did something similair recently and the technique I used for this is 'wire EDM'. See Electrical discharge machining - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The advantages are that you can stack the dials and cut them at once, a very perpendicular cut and almost no heat input in the material.

Regards,

Tom


----------



## PeterK. (Jan 4, 2014)

well after some time I found place to do the work and will have my dial on Monday.


----------



## PeterK. (Jan 4, 2014)

2 dials are made on laser


----------



## spain72 (Oct 27, 2010)

GREAT!!!! 
Well done, and in a short time!


----------



## PeterK. (Jan 4, 2014)

almost perfect as you can see #9 have issue but for first dial its ok
and glows in dark hehe


----------



## Split sec (Nov 3, 2013)

Hi guys.

First, grazie "gruppo ardito", molto gentile. PeterK, can we have a name and location of the laser workshop please? Price?


----------



## PeterK. (Jan 4, 2014)

Location Arizona USA for name I will ask and see if they want to do any dial work
as they are aerospace shop and they did the work as a favor for friend of mine .


----------



## PeterK. (Jan 4, 2014)

and finish watch just not sure of hands yet.


----------



## MarkDaniels (Apr 25, 2014)

Just found this, I'm glad it worked out for you, the watch looks great, nice design, looks cool


----------



## PeterK. (Jan 4, 2014)

here is another dial Im working on


----------



## spain72 (Oct 27, 2010)

NICE!


----------



## MechaMind (Mar 23, 2014)

Do you plan to do it as a 2 layer dial? A lasercutter is not able to do it this way with 2 different thicknesses unless you supply the structured coin and he is able to positon it right on the machine ( machines for sheetmetal cut from a oversized material so precision positioning of a tiny coin is not necessary or possible. If the material is brass , for a single piece I would defintely route the part with the right machine it may be similar effort, compared to the other way ( structuring, sending to lasercutter - preparation and cut)


----------



## PeterK. (Jan 4, 2014)

no it will be one layer cut with engraving to looks like 2 layers as the laser Im working with is capable of cutting and engraving .


----------



## PeterK. (Jan 4, 2014)

picture of another dial done on laser and some messing around with lume.


----------



## MechaMind (Mar 23, 2014)

No offence, but it seems to me that the thickness of the dial is much too much for the small numbers.



























These are my experiments until now - ( meanwhile it is going better - even if the effort is not directly comparable with a lasercut dial)


----------



## PeterK. (Jan 4, 2014)

your work looks good.
I know the # are small to the size of the dial as it was my first dial .


----------



## MechaMind (Mar 23, 2014)

If you target a toolwatch for daily wear - perhaps you could try a kind of "stone washed " or "worn" look

http://www.fuzzimo.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/fzm-tutorial-Photoshop-Old-Postmark-28.jpg
http://us.123rf.com/450wm/hayatikay...t--text-stamp-print-with-red-ink-on-white.jpg

I did not find a real good example, but if you would distort or smear fade out the rims of your lasercut this cold be a nice look

Another thing - pleas don't take it for bad - if you intend to sell watches to Germany, you should try to create yourself another facsimile as the clear letters "Pkw"
stand for "Personen Kraft Wagen" ( what simply is a car for transporting persons)


----------



## PeterK. (Jan 4, 2014)

my working prototype.


----------



## MechaMind (Mar 23, 2014)

Really nice looking I had never seen a laser system which is able to level the ground with this surface quality


----------



## PeterK. (Jan 4, 2014)

MechaMind it was done on 3d printer.


----------



## PeterK. (Jan 4, 2014)

another dial done on laser


----------



## Mr.Sandman (Oct 17, 2014)

PeterK. said:


> another dial done on laser
> View attachment 1798074


Was that dial just engraved on, meaning not actually cut thru?

Also, side question, how thin can dials be? Is it safe to go to say .2 or .3mm thick versus the standard .4-.7?


----------



## PeterK. (Jan 4, 2014)

it was done on universal laser machine with some cut through for holes and dial dia.
the markers are engrave the material is .02 of an inch thick 
so that = to .5mm


----------



## Mr.Sandman (Oct 17, 2014)

PeterK. said:


> it was done on universal laser machine with some cut through for holes and dial dia.
> the markers are engrave the material is .02 of an inch thick
> so that = to .5mm


Oh ok great, so the plate itself is about .2m thick? I plan on purchasing a fiber laser soon for more metal marking capabilities that's why I ask. Thanks!


----------



## PeterK. (Jan 4, 2014)

no the plate is .5 mm thick or .02 of an inch


----------



## Mr.Sandman (Oct 17, 2014)

PeterK. said:


> no the plate is .5 mm thick or .02 of an inch


Oh sorry I misread that. Thanks, I'm working with a fiber laser to cut dials and engrave/cut metals is why I was asking.


----------



## kidcisco (Nov 6, 2014)

Nice work. I follow this guy on Instagram ( Wilk Watchworks , not sure if he's on here) but he uses a laser to etch/cut all his faces out of a single piece and his process pictures are pretty neat and inspiring.
Instagram


----------

