Nanuq

I third it... I want to see that gorgeous joinery he did to make all those compartments!

Sitting on the deck playing Heart Full of Soul by the Yardbirds at midnight with my crusty/trusty old Guild (one of 100 made) and a nice bottle of port, in the Land of the Midnight Sun. It just doesn't get better than this.

One day at a time, A. You can do this. Gather strength slowly, build legs of steel again and then let the warrior arise. Not before. My prayers are with you.

Love those hands too...

Yep. Usually when something will thread 2 turns or so, it's a thread pitch problem, not thread diameter. Great write up!

Might as well add to the vintage goodness...

My brother from another mother... a name given to me from Lanikai and now passed on to you. Alvin, some day you will find these messages from your brothers and they will bring you peace. You are strong, you are a warrior. But in your strength do not forget to remain flexible. The strongest rod is broken when it cannot bend. I pray for you, and your father and grandfather. I hope they come home soon from the hospital. I am sorry for the loss of your dear mother. This is a wound that will never heal, but I pray that you find peace with it and welcome its pain when it reminds you how great she was. And now from Henry the Fifth ... there was never a better time to give this quote. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers. By Jove, I am not covetous for gold, Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost; It yearns me not if men my garments wear; Such outward things dwell not in my desires. But if it be a sin to covet honour, I am the most offending soul alive. No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England. God’s peace! I would not lose so great an honour As one man more methinks would share from me For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more! Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host, That he which hath no stomach to this fight, Let him depart; his passport shall be made, And crowns for convoy put into his purse; We would not die in that man’s company That fears his fellowship to die with us. This day is call’d the feast of Crispian. He that outlives this day, and comes safe home, Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam’d, And rouse him at the name of Crispian. He that shall live this day, and see old age, Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours, And say “To-morrow is Saint Crispian.” Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars, And say “These wounds I had on Crispian’s day.” Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot, But he’ll remember, with advantages, What feats he did that day. Then shall our names, Familiar in his mouth as household words- Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter, Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester- Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb’red. This story shall the good man teach his son; And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by, From this day to the ending of the world, But we in it shall be remembered- We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile, This day shall gentle his condition; And gentlemen in England now-a-bed Shall think themselves accurs’d they were not here, And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.

Technically this was today, 12:45am!

Matt, that's a great way to get a consistent arc of metal to remove. Great idea!

Take a look here at a discussion we had a couple years ago: http://www.rwgforum.net/index.php?/topic/146159-Endlink-Question

Just remember yer old pal in Alaska when you decide to sell that! Seriously, I'd rather wear that than my gen vintage 1675.

Very nice, your persistence paid off. However......... I'd still take it apart again and work on it some more. That arc where the curve of the end link meets the curve of the case (covering up the REGISTERED DESIGN and 1680 text) needs to be ground down some. We're talking maybe .25mm here. There's an awful lot of tension on those springbar tips in the lugs. Like JMB said a big Dremel will do it, or wrap sandpaper around a length of 1" dowel and set to it. Keep a nice constant radius curve and take your time. When you're done the end link arc will fit the case curvature and the clamshells will match the lug curves. And, the top of the end link will be flat across from one lug to the other. It takes some dedicated effort and diligence but you'll get it.

I use a pencil in the open "clamshell" of the end link to get the curve I want. Or a slightly thicker wood rod... put it in the opening then press the sharp tips of the clamshell against a table edge to recurve the end piece. I do that to make bands fit lug profiles all the time. Some end pieces are hard to bend, others are flimsy so be careful. Altering the curvature will also change the springbar to case distance so figure that into your efforts.

Man, those are some beautiful hands.

Magnificent!!! Time for a Big brother / Little brother photo shoot.

That's for sure! I want to see a closeup of the joinery you did to make all those compartments!

Pfffffft. See, that case says "steal me, I'm full of expensive stuff". Here's MY watch box, which also doubles as a watch winder. Nobody's gonna steal one of these.

And Bob's yer uncle. Nice find.

IIRC those are two-piece rivets with male and female halves. I think O. Frei has them. You can make your own rivet but make sure it's softish material. A hard nail will resist peening and you'll damage the clasp.

Rover

Exactly. That's what made a MBW something special. Its rarity and Maria's fingerprint inside the plexi. If you were lucky.

Now we just have to figure out how to get ice tires on it so we can drive over the Pole....

Pick me up at the airport AJ?? ....of course it will be the Anchorage airport...

Robert Johnson. The Legend.

Check the top row, 3 on the left. Those alone are worth more than my first house.