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Fabrication of forged carbon cases - and why the rep manufacturers won't do it


chefcook

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I just love this place! The mad scientists that collaborate here are just amazing!

LOL

You nailed it!

Happy to see Dr.Sander getting active again :thumbsupsmileyanim:

and @eunomians

wait and take a look when ill upload pictures of AP parts available

which i will after my root-canal treatment...

I remember to have taken pics of 2-3 gen movement plates for regular

AP ROOs what might be a good "start" to build/mod your RB plate and add some

cote de geneve to :)

B/R

George

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@eunomians

wait and take a look when ill upload pictures of AP parts available

which i will after my root-canal treatment...

I remember to have taken pics of 2-3 gen movement plates for regular

AP ROOs what might be a good "start" to build/mod your RB plate and add some

cote de geneve to :)

B/R

George

George, I look forward to seeing your pics/post :thumbsupsmileyanim:

Best of luck with the root canal

Cheers :drinks:

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What about a solid blocks of this RTM material, then machining the watch case from it? The part that is shown in the images still needs some finishing, I assume. What about a solid rectangular piece, then you machine the case in a 5-axis CNC. That would be far more doable. The only question is durability during construction, metals are predictable under Tungsten Carbide tools, not sure if this CF/epoxy mix is too brittle to be machined...

Other than that, this project is crazy, you're all nuts!

P.S. I's DEFINITELY be up for one, pending surface quality :o)

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Only thing I am concerned of when machining a case from a CF block is fiber ends sticking out of the surface. That's a main problem with such parts and a huge advantage of RTM where it is very unlikely.

The carbon can be sealed with a thin coat of clear epoxy resin which would also do very well for scratch resistance. This can be hand applied, cut, buffed, polished or sprayed in light coats for a matte finish. You can also spray a coat of acrylate (crazy glue) which soaks into the cf and gives a nice scratch resistant finish. I have no interest in repping AP cases but I'll try a proof of concept with some thick pieces of carbon I have laying around. I do have a little experience with this sort of thing, this is a solid CF bezel insert for a custom maratec:

blackmagic001042.jpg

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The carbon can be sealed with a thin coat of clear epoxy resin which would also do very well for scratch resistance. This can be hand applied, cut, buffed, polished or sprayed in light coats for a matte finish. You can also spray a coat of acrylate (crazy glue) which soaks into the cf and gives a nice scratch resistant finish. I have no interest in repping AP cases but I'll try a proof of concept with some thick pieces of carbon I have laying around. I do have a little experience with this sort of thing, this is a solid CF bezel insert for a custom maratec:

This is getting hot!

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The carbon can be sealed with a thin coat of clear epoxy resin which would also do very well for scratch resistance. This can be hand applied, cut, buffed, polished or sprayed in light coats for a matte finish. You can also spray a coat of acrylate (crazy glue) which soaks into the cf and gives a nice scratch resistant finish. I have no interest in repping AP cases but I'll try a proof of concept with some thick pieces of carbon I have laying around. I do have a little experience with this sort of thing, this is a solid CF bezel insert for a custom maratec:

blackmagic001042.jpg

What material is this dial made out of? And is that an angled day/date at 4:00? Nice!

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What material is this dial made out of? And is that an angled day/date at 4:00? Nice!

Carbon fiber as well.. that dial is just a single layer thick. The watch is set up as a lefty and I swapped in an ETA 2836. I couldn't find lefty date wheels so instead I placed the date at 4:00ish position 231.43 degrees clockwise from the crown. I'm just getting it ready to deliver will take some more pics before I ship.

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A RTM mold for our purposes can be made from aluminium, so I doubt that it will be more then double the price of a single case milled out of a solid block of carbon.

Downside of the RTM is the fabrication time: With home made equipment I'd have to use other epoxy resin than for industrial purpuses so that I estimate a fabrication time of two days per case (of which 99% is time for hardening the resin).

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