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That's how I did it! Then I took some classes at college to make sure I hadn't picked up too many bad habits...

Slarti, if you have an Oyserquartz dial in the works I'd be happy to "test drive" one for ya!

Chief, I started this one on Tuesday.

I'm glad that some have found this process interesting and even entertaining. If I would have included all of the phrases, adjectives, and exclamations used during it's construction probably every other word would here would be [censored]! Since a little shaver I've always been fascinated by how things work and are put together so I guess this is a natural progression (regression?) for me...

I dunno, I'm basically kinda lazy...

R, glad you enjoyed the journey and good words from a builder of your prowess are greatly appreciated.

Attention is now focused on the exterior of the case. I coated the top surface with layout dye and scribed the general case outline. I then clamped the block into the milling vise and machined the "sides": I machined to just a bit shy of the layout line: I then rotated the case and milled the other three corners in a like manner: I then set an aluminum bar into the vise at a 45 degree angle and bolted the case to it. I then machined the "top" of the "ends": The case is then rotated and the other end milled: It is then flipped over and the back side of the ends are milled: The case is once again rotated and the operation repeated on the other end and the back screwed on just for grins: Back and crystal on it now at least resembles a watch case: The case was then roughed down to the layout lines on the belt sander and filed to final shape. It was then necessary to locate the center of the "bore" and prepare the case for the crown tube. After locating the proper spot for the tube the hole is drilled, the case slightly counter-bored, and the hole tapped: Without disturbing the relationship between the machine chuck and the work the proper tap is clamped into the chuck and rotated by hand to get the tap started straight. The case can then be removed and the tube hole tapping finished by hand: At this point it is actually starting to LOOK like a watch: The case is now rough-brushed on the top and top/bottom end angles, the top case edges filed at a 45 degree angle, and the case sides polished: Finally, the bezel is polished, all case pieces washed, and everything put together: The final chapter will be mating the case up to the band. But, that chapter has yet to be written so I must leave you hanging for awhile!

As some of you enjoy "nuts and bolts" stuff (I do) I figured I'd present the "Readers Digest" version of machining a case. This exercise will use the "1530" style as an example as I seem to be obsessed with/fascinated by these at the moment. I started out with a slab of 3/8" thick 316 stainless and centered it up in the 4 jaw chuck in the lathe: The case is then drilled and bored out to the initial size of the diameter of the rehaut: Face off the top of the "slab" leaving a [censored]/stub of the proper diameter for the crystal - Why the H3LL is "FLANG3" censored!!?? I next set the desired angle on the lathe's compound and machined the face of the rehaut: After this step I test fitted the crystal: The "slab" is then flipped around and "indicated" in. This operation uses test indicators to make sure the bore is exactly centered and the surface has no "wobble" or is running true in the plane: The interior features are then machined: An old movement is then test-fit. After this step the back-side was then machined/dished to the proper thickness and the threads cut in the case for the case back. This completes the "interior" of the case. Chapter 2 will cover milling the external features of the case.

It's midnight somewhere so I might as well start it off with this! I guess I realy need to take a new W/C pic now that all of my welding burns have healed up!

LH, I had joked with Ubi about putting it on one of the gen fora as a heretofore undiscovered engineering prototype of a model that never made it out of the lab to see how many bites it got! I'm glad y'all find it interesting and I can truly say it WAS easier to start from scratch than it was to weld up and re-machine a Datejust case... Welded up DJ case:

I continue playing with the idea of building a 1530 so after my experiment welding up and re-machining a case I decided it would be easier to start from scratch. I finished roughing one in today and the only "dressy" looking dial/movement assembly I have laying around is a Prince Date so I tossed it into the case. I must admit it's starting to grow on me... I started with this: And would up with this:

Happy Birthday, R! Glad I ain't the only one getting ancient!

Thanks, guyz. Fantastic birthday - I'm now officially a "senior citizen" and my wife informs me I can get cheap coffee at McDonalds now...

Anything can be done with a big enough hammer, torch, and copious amounts of glue! This started out as a run-of-the-mill $50 16xxxx copy: Is it correct? - NO! Is it worth it? - Unless you just have some parts laying around to cobble together, NO! Is if fun? - Yeah! Would I do this with something as expensive as a WM9? - HELL NO!

highoeyazmuhudee may be correct but anybody that wants any are welcome to them. For one "large" and one "small" it works out to $3 domestic and $4 international.

If anybody needs little compartmented boxes for keeping small parts, screws, springs, etc. just PM me. Only charge will be enough to cover postage, PP fees, and shipping supplies. Right now a limit of 3 per request, one of each style/size. Carbide lathe cutting inserts come in these and the boxes are normally tossed so outside of me getting razzed at work about digging through the trash my cost is nil.

If you are trying to change insert, and maybe want to save the old one, just warm it up (not hot) with a heat gun or hair dryer and that will loosen the glue and you should then be able to carefully pry it off with an Xacto knife or similar...

I bought some from this e-Bay seller that were really cheap and surprisingly don't look that bad. http://cgi.ebay.com/3-SUPER-DOME-CRYSTAL-FIT-ROLEX-1665-SEADWELLER-/280489630856?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item414e7c1c88

Hey, Brian, whasuuuuuup! It does, doesn't it? I really appreciate it, Bro! It was their destiny to be merged...

I'm headed out to the shop and the thought of wearing a pristine plexi crystal while on the lathe is a bit unsettling! Keeping with the GMT theme, and a more scratch resistant crystal, I've switched to this for the rest of the day...

Yeah, F, she is! She started out being rather indifferent toward it and now when I ask for it she gets this look and asks, "Why, what are you going to do to it? You better not break it..." The plexi crystal still has her spooked 'cause she has already scratched it but I told her that awareness will unconsciously modify her movements over time and when it's time for a new crystal her arm will be "trained"!

I have never liked MOP dials but this one looks phenomenal! You always post pics that cause me to buy stuff - GO AWAY!

Crap! They've already replied and told me to submit a "non-listed item request" request. Bright - Thanks for the link, that's what I really need - I ordered the "500 Assortment". kbh - I've ordered from them before but in this case the price difference between JB and them will make up for the stiff shipping charge... The shipping will be about $16 so I will still realize a significant savings and it will be like getting the washer assortment for free! I agree, Cousins is not the way to go for a small low-dollar order from CONUS. Thanks for everybody's help!

The washer is not listed in the data sheet I downloaded from Cousins, it is depicted in the drawings but not called out with a part number. I have e-mailed Cousins to clarify...

She seems very happy with it. She was a bit "cool" toward it at first but the more she has worn it the more she likes it.