# Instrument 2, my Second Watch project..



## Arie Kabaalstra

Recently i started on a new endeavour, creating a new watch from scratch..

This will be the second watch, since a while ago i made the "Instrument 1"










This watch has a 36 mm case made of Anodized Aluminium, with an ETA 2763 movement, wich i repaired and serviced.

I have some Titanium Rod, wich i put in the lathe










then.. i made a Mandrel, to clamp the caseblank in the Milling machine










The Case doesn't know what's going to hit it.. i do.. a 4 mm solid carbide endmill.. running 10.000 Rpm's ;-)










Now the case knows... :-d.. and a while later...










the outer contour is milled.. ready for the next step..









Applying "Math Rays, this pattern is achieved by programming some mathematical functions into a CNC program.. Yes the mill is CNC Controlled..


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## abo_hosni

Nice!

Waiting for more steps


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## spain72

Hey! Well done!
You're a real artisan!


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## Arie Kabaalstra

I'm planning on making the caseback tomorrow, that can be done on the lathe, because i need the CNC mill for another job, clutch parts for a racing motorbike.. 

if you all are wondering, what will it look like when it is finished?.. there are two options.. either.. have patience my friends, and see the progress as it is made, or beg me to place a drawing of the finished product..


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## Arie Kabaalstra

Ok.. As promised.. Making the Caseback..

I started with a square piece of Stainless steel, put it in my lathe... and turned the inside...










Then.. i could take it out, and press it on another plate..










To Turn the outside..










and i ground a sunburstpattern.. wil do more grinding tomorrow.. need a new grinding disc, and daylight to pull this off..










But.. the Caseback fits!... that's most important..


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## Arie Kabaalstra

Caseback re-done.. i just wasn't satisfied with the previous attempt on making a sunburst..


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## YamTEKK

Very good progress so far! I'm looking forward to seeing how is compares to the first watch.

How do you achieve your sunburst grain?


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## Arie Kabaalstra

I do my Sunburst grinding on the lathe, but i use the grindingwheel freehand, this gives me all control, but you'll need a steady hand to achieve a nice pattern..

At the moment the Mill is in use for making parts for a back-torque limiter for a racing motorcycle clutch..










24 of these "puppies".. i'm just halfway, but in the mean time i'm working on the programs for the dial and indexes.. it's handy to have a CNC mill around..


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## Arie Kabaalstra

Just got back from the workshop.. did some engraving..










the Caseback.. now it's also clear what movement will be put in here.. because i have two ETA 2763's lying around..


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## spain72

It's interesting to follow your steps!


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## Arie Kabaalstra

The last few days were full of emailing and calling.. Suppliers of movements, and metals.. but.. i have some offers now... so i can start Calculating what materials costs a watch will be.. then.. based upon the time required to build it.. i can calculate a selling price.. so maybe in the future.. i can make a living out of it..


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## spain72

About costs, you could ask to me...


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## Arie Kabaalstra

I ran into Errors when trying to make arc-texts in my Cam program.. turned out i had a newer .NET framework than what the plugin was written for.. new plugin installed..










Jay!.. everything works.. now to make some new Casebacks..


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## Arie Kabaalstra

I went into the workshop this afternoon.. i felt the need to do something else than comparing offers.

so i took a piece of brass sheet.. and milled out some parts










then.. after some deburring..










and.. inside the case:










these are not the definitive parts.. but merely a "proof of concept"

i'm gonna paint the dial now.. to see how she looks with some color


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## PeterK.

looks good for proof, can't wait to see your paint work.


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## blackbolt

You're a genius, to come up with that concept of the indiced brass dial, and the execution is perfect. Congratulations.


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## jwicaksana

Some real skills there, staying tuned for more updates. Good luck on your project.


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## Arie Kabaalstra

the execution is far from perfect.. but.. it gives a good view of the "general idea..










the 3D effect came out nicely with some color added though..

Now for a movement holder and some hands...finishing the case.. and putting it all together..


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## abo_hosni

Great mind, planner, patient, hard worker, fine hands..... can't tell more


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## Arie Kabaalstra

Thanks.. 

For me it is also having a good time.. it's nice to see something "grow" in your hands, starting with nothing but a "slug" of titanium, and "peeling" away the material to reveal it's inner beauty.. that watchcase was already in that titanium slug.. i just had to uncover it.. to reveal it to the world..


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## Arie Kabaalstra

It has been a little quite the last days, but that's not because i havent been working on the watch..

Like mentioned before.. i wasn't at all satisfied with the indices.. so i made a new set, and i engraved the dial.. logo is a bit too big to my taste.. it has already been changed on the drawing..










This is more like it.. the hour indices are milled out, so they can be filled with Lume

Furthermore.. i went in to the shop.










and.. i made hands.. but before they look like this.. a lot must happen.. like..










Deburring... with a fine diamond file, the rough edges are smoothed.. after wich the surfaces of the hands are ground..










The "Fruits of labour" I spent all evening behind the workbench, deburring and smoothing the hands.. the polishing will be done tomorrow.. and the hubs will be drawn.


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## Arie Kabaalstra

At the moment, i just returned from the workbench, working the lathe.. i'm making tools to measure the hands hubs.
The Hands have a press fit of course, so i need to take precise measurements.. so i made a Caliber










a small pin on a Handle to check the hour hand hub diameter. this pin is made to the exact diameter of 1.500 mm ±2µm, to check the hour hand..

Later i will make a caliber of 0.900 mm and 0.240 mm for the minutehand and seconds hand.. ( the ETA 2763 has a 0.24 mm hubdiameter instead of the nowadays more common 0.18 mm )


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## Arie Kabaalstra

2 down.. one to go..










I made a small die to "calibrate" the hands.. i.e. make them the correct diameter.. the hour- and minute hand now fit the movement..now the seconds hands only needs some work..


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## Arie Kabaalstra

the 8th of March.. and it's snowing?..










Just Kidding.. i needed plastic nibs for the handsetting tool... instead of the steel ones it came with.. those might scratch my meticulously polished home-made Hands.. can't have that of course.. so i put a piece of Delrin in the lathe to make me some new ones..


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## amacman

Insane attention to detail-loving it!


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## Arie Kabaalstra

thanks, i must have attention to detail.. everything in a watch can be considered a detail, given the size of the parts.. the hands are only 0.1 mm thick.. that's 0.004" (about 3 layers of cigarette paper ).. still it has thickness.. so the sides must be worked... 

0.1 mm.. something you can barely see.. but.. if you dont pay attention to the finish.. everyone will see it!..that's why..


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## abo_hosni

Arie Kabaalstra said:


> 0.1 mm.. something you can barely see.. but.. if you dont pay attention to the finish.. everyone will see it!..that's why..


Exactly! When every detail is OK, you will never notice. But when there's a tiny flaw, it will always hurt your eyes


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## Arie Kabaalstra

That's also why i made those Delrin nibs for my handsetting tool.. don't want scratches on my precious hand made hands.. 

I'm a toolmaker by profession, so making and altering tools is something i'm used to.. and as a toolmaker.. you have to deliver the best.. it's a habit really.. 

Being a toolmaker or a watchmaker is not a job you can learn.. it's not something you become.. it's something you've always been.. it is a way of life..and.. by making watches.. i can express myself.. the tools i made over the years do their work silently and unnoticed.. a watch is somehting you see, feel and experience.. it's so cool being able to make watches..


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## Arie Kabaalstra

I went into the workshop this evening, to do some work on the "big lathe"..










made a Caliber-ring, to house the caliber, dial and indices..

And.. after putting on the hands.. i put the case on top of it..










everything fits nice and snug..only things left to do: drill lugholes, stem bore, finishmill the lugs, paint dial, fit secondshand, press in Crystal, attach strap.. i ordered a Navy blue Nato strap of 22 mm..

"almost there"


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## MRoy888

Really great work. Good Luck!


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## Arie Kabaalstra

Thanks..

It is my ambition to make all parts myself.. over and over i see those "watch projects" of other people, they design a watch, and then have it made.. i want to do everything myself..

That's why i went behind the lathe yesterday, and made the ring to fit


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## Arie Kabaalstra

Almost there...










To do: 
Stem must be made to size, Crystal gasket needs to be made, dial must be laquered... piec of cake.. 

I ran into a little snag last night.. i broke a drill, when drilling the lugholes.. point of the drill was stuck in the hole.. had do manually grind it out with a diamond tool.. took me 1 hour...for only 3 mm..


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## Arie Kabaalstra

*Done!*










Now.. let's have a beer..


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## dsmcastro

Wow! What a great project. How I wish I could make my concepts by myself. Congratulations!


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## Arie Kabaalstra

Well... stop wishing.. start doing.. pursue your dreams and ambitions... who's gonna stop you anyway.. ?

after all.. that is exactly what i did..


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## dsmcastro

Arie Kabaalstra said:


> Well... stop wishing.. start doing.. pursue your dreams and ambitions... who's gonna stop you anyway.. ?
> after all.. that is exactly what i did..


yeah, you got that right. I'm on my way, still baby steps, but ain't gonna stop for sure!


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## Arie Kabaalstra

Well.. for me.. babysteps?.. can't do anymore.. with this:

An interview with Jan Binnendijk, CEO, JHB Watches - Watchuseek

on the frontpage of WUS.. there's this point of no return.. i seemed to have past at lightningspeed.. can't go back.. the only way is up!..

so now.. i have to figure out how to convert my lathe to CNC.. so i can make the cases much more accurate, and also faster..

Also have to shop for Measuringtools.. because a simple Caliper will not suffice..


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## Bclaessen

very nice project and indeed very nice that you show a lot of steps, so we can follow the progress. 
I too am making my own watches although I must say that for my later project I must admit that I did order some parts from a prototype manufacturer in China.. :-/ 

anyway I am starting my third project soon....Doing all the 3d work now. And I think it would be nice to make a very detailed log of the steps like yours as well.
it's nice to watch and learn from each other.

keep up the good stuff, heel mooi werk


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## Arie Kabaalstra

From now on, i will start working on the Instrument 1 Prototype.. if there's a "2" there must be a "1" as well of course


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## Arie Kabaalstra

I put the JHB Instrument 2 on a leather strap to see how it looks










the strap fits the watch nicely, and it looks awesome, furthermore, comfort is very good, since the watch lies nice and flat on the wrist with this strap..


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## MRoy888

Looks really neat. Great job.


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## Arie Kabaalstra

Thanks.. 

and things are still going forward.. yesterday i received an inquiry about an Instrument 2, with a Carbonfiber dial.. well why not..


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## Richmondmike

That looks absolutely fantastic, I can't wait to see how it develops


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## padu

Very impressive work!

If you don't mind me asking, what are you using for that ID fixture jig? Does it hold position under aggressive cuts or do you have to limit chip removal?

Cheers!



Arie Kabaalstra said:


> Recently i started on a new endeavour, creating a new watch from scratch..
> 
> This will be the second watch, since a while ago i made the "Instrument 1"
> 
> This watch has a 36 mm case made of Anodized Aluminium, with an ETA 2763 movement, wich i repaired and serviced.
> 
> I have some Titanium Rod, wich i put in the lathe
> 
> then.. i made a Mandrel, to clamp the caseblank in the Milling machine
> 
> The Case doesn't know what's going to hit it.. i do.. a 4 mm solid carbide endmill.. running 10.000 Rpm's ;-)
> 
> Now the case knows... :-d.. and a while later...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> the outer contour is milled.. ready for the next step..
> 
> Applying "Math Rays, this pattern is achieved by programming some mathematical functions into a CNC program.. Yes the mill is CNC Controlled..


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## padu

spain72 said:


> About costs, you could ask to me...


Why?

If you have access to suppliers (or are one yourself), could you PM me? I'm developing my own watch and I'm looking for suppliers right now.


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## padu

Hey Arie,

I've been in that boat for 2 years now. Who knows if my watch will ever see the day light, but I'm having so much fun in the process!


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## Serge Panchenko

Good work Arie!


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## Arie Kabaalstra

That ID fixture is quite strong.. i made it from 6061 Aluminium Round bar.
in Titanium, you don't do agressive cuts.. in fact. you don't do agressive cuts in any material.. 

I do however use a high feed, with low depth of cut.. mostly because my spindle is too fast for machining titanium because of the poor heat dissipation of the material.. so i have to make sure the heat goes in the chips, therefore i use high feeds/low cuttingdepths.. in order to deform the chips and keep the material cool..

At the moment i'm planning a whole bunch of such fixtures.. for all kinds of case diameters.. I also have to make a "Fixture plate" to place those fixtures back in the machine at the exact same position ±0.005 mm All ID Fixtures will have the same diameter at the base, and the fixture plate will have a calibrated hole, along with some reference holes and faces, and a key that sits in the slots on the table, to facilitate positioning and referencing.. 

I am after all a toolmaker.. 

I'm Also developping my "other watch" the Instrument 1.. hopefully i will start making the case later this week.. after i put my lathe back in the workshop.. at the moment it sits in my "office" as i've been taking measurements, and drew the entire machine in 3D, to design a CNC Conversion.. i've already ordered some ballscrews to move the slides.. Steppermotors are already purchased... i have got a Second hand Computer that will run the software.. so.. i'm almost there...


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## padu

I hear you. I'm making mine out of 316L and I had to learn a few painful lessons in S&F's.

I have access to a Haas TM-1, but I don't have a lathe. Sometimes I place the stock in the spindle and I temporarily convert my mill into a CNC lathe, but that works only for a handful of applications.


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## Arie Kabaalstra

Recently i ordered to straps.. a Black leather Rally strap, and a Blue and Red Nato..

and this is how they look on the JHB Instrument 2:










and










still can't decide which i like most..


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## Alan_F

The ridges in the nato are in an arguement with your case. The rally looks superior. A canvas from Gunny would look great. The brass on the dial would support Gunny's canvas verte nicely. 

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk


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## Arie Kabaalstra

The Rally is my favourite.. although it is intended for another watch.. the instrument 1.. 

hope to complete that watch in the near future.


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## TheDood

Love this design! Some beautiful work you've done.

I vote for the Rally strap too.


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## spain72

Arie,
I just finished the review of all the process of production.
Compliments again for your Artisan's skills!


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## Magura

That's a real nice project you've got there.


Magura


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## Arie Kabaalstra

Thanks Guys!..

a the moment progress on the watches is little.. because.. i've been asked to produce watch cases for another company!.. 
I recently bought a CNC lathe










and i have a piece of Grade 5 Titanium in it at the moment.. making a prototype Case for my client..

if all goes well. which it should.. i will have that by the middle of the week..and if i get an approval, i will make more cases..

That will enable me to buy movements for my watches.. without the need to go to a bank.. i.e. starting my company debt-free.


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## watchmego3000

Bravo, sir! I have definitely been reading all the wrong threads. Very nice work and documentation.


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## spain72

GOOD LUCK!


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## Arie Kabaalstra

About the CNC lathe.. She's a Runner!..


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## Chronopolis

I LOVED the tour!! Just outstanding!!

SO, did you ever get around to adding lume on the hands?


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## Arie Kabaalstra

Lume is on the "Watchmakers bucketlist" already.. i'm still thinking how and where to put it.. maybe in the holes.. maybe in another place..


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## The Guvnah

Arie Kabaalstra said:


> That will enable me to buy movements for my watches.. *without the need to go to a bank.. i.e. starting my company debt-free.*


|> |> |> :-!

You've gotta admire that attitude! As the Guvnah's sainted mother used oft to say "...neither a borrower nor a lender be."


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## Arie Kabaalstra

I thougt... since my designs are modular... i might as well put the dial i made for the Instrument 1 into the Instrument 2...










Nice.... Sandwich design, Indices are milled on a Titanium Dial, and a blue Aluminium dial with holes fits right over it..


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## The Guvnah

Ooooh, that dial finish really pops!


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## Arie Kabaalstra

Yeah.. i'm really pleased with it.. and it turns the watch from a toolwatch more to a dresser.. quite happy with that.. now for a green dial perhaps?..


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## DictatorCurry

Any date for when you will start selling these?


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## Arie Kabaalstra

No date planned yet.. since i'm busy on other projects as well.. like The SUBDELTA Periscope, a one-hand 24 Hour watch, with a Titanium case.. Crowdfunding is now open.. 

later this year, i hope to start production of my instrument 1 and 2... but.. no specific date yet...


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## Arie Kabaalstra

I've kept you all waiting far too long..

But i've been busy making a new dial!.. 








This too is a sandwich construction.. but with wider indices, so there was room to mill a slot in them..
Also.. on the topdial i added or rather milled out a crosshair..









And i filled everything with Blue Superluminova!


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## girlbehindthewatch

wow super impressive are you a product engineer? Where did you learn to make this from scratch. I know first hand how complicated watch design is. Well done


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## Kai Schraml

I think the lime really makes the end product come alive. Looks very sharp. PM me what you would charge me to make one for me!


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## Kai Schraml

Kai Schraml said:


> I think the lime really makes the end


Darn spell check. Of course, I meant "lume".


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## Arie Kabaalstra

girlbehindthewatch said:


> wow super impressive are you a product engineer? Where did you learn to make this from scratch. I know first hand how complicated watch design is. Well done


Thanks!.. originally i'm a tool and die maker, i spent years making precision parts from hardened tool steel.. Working in that toolroom, i specialized on making small parts.. being a scale modeller, my colleagues assumed ( and they were right ) i could handle small parts better than them.. so, by always getting to make the small parts, you become a specialist.. 
Since 2013 i've been building watches.. i made the very first years before, from tool steel.. just to see if i could do that.. then.. i made 2 out of Aluminium, in 2013.. then.. a friend challenged me.. by stating " Now.. i want to see you pull it off in Titanium".. so i did just that.. bought some titanium bar stock (leftovers) and made my first case.. the one you see over here.. the Dumet Instrument 2.. there is also an Instrument 1 in devellopment at the moment.. with a more classic shape..

Am i a product engineer?. well i guess i am now.. designing a watch, then while making the 3D designs for the parts.. deciding how to build it.. i've taken some watches apart..to see how they are built.. it's a steep learning curve.. but a fun one.. my personal motto is therefore: "learning is fun, otherwise i would have stayed dumb! "

Watch design is complicated.. but over the years.. well.. learning is fun as i said.. when i was a toolmaker..i also did some designing.. eliminating design flaws in tools i had to make..i once broke a part because of mis-aligned springs in a die.. the springs were supposed to sit in pockets in a part that could rotate freely , so when mounting that die, one could insert the springs, but they could be outside the pockets.. and they would not have enough room to compress.. breaking the part.. so i made a new part.. and i milled the pockets in a part that would go on top.. a part that was bolted on.. and couldn't rotate.. problem solved.. that's where i learnt designing..

in Watches.. you face the same "challenges" how to fix a dial.. if you make dials from brass, nickelsilver or silver. you can solder dial feet to them.. when making dials from Titanium, soldering is impossible.. so i had to dream up something else.. in this particular case, a snap-fit inside the caliber-ring.. yes.. snap-fitting a 0.6 mm thick titanium-aluminium sandwich-dial in a 0.6 mm deep recess.. i could add a "positioning-key" but i found it not neccessary.. a small straight portion is also an option.. or a small tab.. i'm gonna try that in a future watch..

Over the last few years i made a lot of watches.. mostly for other watch brands like Subdelta and Pellikaan Timing, also from the Netherlands.. 
the Dutch Watch industry is "booming" at the moment.. a couple of weeks ago we had a "Dutch Made Showcase".. 24 Dutch Watchbrands were present..

about the Dumet Instrument 2.. this is really a prototype.. i've made a number of dials for it.. i tried and tested multiple ways to make dials.. and hands.. i've found a way to CNC mill the hands out of 0.2 mm Nickelsilver sheet..

The Current dial is made out of 2 layers, it is effectively a sandwich-dial, the lower dial is made from Titanium, starting with a 1 mm thick plate.. milling it down to 0.3 mm but leaving the indices unmachined.. therefore they stand 0.7 mm above the dial.. i then made an Aluminium dial, milling the circumference, and holes for the indices.. and i cut a crosshair in it.. then.. onto the lathe.. grinding a sunburst patter.. spray-painted it transparent blue, put Lume into the crosshair.. and i lumed the indices, because i milled a slot in the tops of the indices.. so i could add the lume-paste after polishing the tops of the indices.. then.. just snap the aluminium dial on top of the Titanium bottom-dial.. it's that easy..

About the price.. i will not give 'm away for cheap.. a hand made Titanium watch, with a titanium/aluminium Sandwich dial in it.. do the math..


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## Kai Schraml

Well, no of course, you can't and shouldn't give them away cheap, but I can't do the math because I don't know what it is. Can you do the math for us once and let us know what it comes out to? Thanks, and thanks for sharing your thoughts. You sound like the perfect person to innovate on materials and production.


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## watchcrazy007

WOW


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## CODAFIL

I really like the finish of the case, but I also think that it might be a little bit too thick.


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## rockroyalty

solid effort


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## Arie Kabaalstra

Remie Beijer of 7T2 straps made a cognac Rally strap for me, and i found a new way to make dials.

it looks like the dial has appliqué indices, but no.. they're not put on top of the dial, they protrude from the bottom.. i made a titanium dial 1mm thick, and i milled it down to 0.2 mm, except the indices, i then made an aluminium dial 0.3 mm thick, with holes for the hands, and the 12 indices, they stick through, and i milled in a crosshair, the front of the aluminium topdial was sunburst ground, and laquered transparant blue, the indices, crosshair and the hands were filled with Superluminova.









So you get this "lightshow"

I will do some further experimenting on making dials this way, but i really like the way this turned out.. now to find a padprinter, so i can put my logo on the dial as well..

Hope you like it, i am planning on starting production soon (at last) since i've been planning that for 2 years now.. but my other work got in the way.. in the mean time i've produced some 130 watchcases for others, and i've built 11 workbenches.
Yes.. i also build watchmakers workbenches, the next one to be built will have electric height adjustment with 4 positions memory.. sounds like a professional bench.. and indeed it is.. since 10 of my benches have been sold to professional watchmakers in the netherlands.. some of the best among them... i might be outselling boley already :-d

But well.. no wonder if my benches look like this:


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