grifter Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 I've been searching high and low for a way to drill lug holes through a case with no exterior lug hole. I'm happy to report that I might have found a solution! I own a restaurant, which makes it easy to meet lots of different people. There happens to be a company near by and the owners and employees all are regulars at my shop. I knew he did some kind of work with metals, and made a mental note to ask him more about his work when I saw him. Well, he came in today along with one of his machinists. Turns out he deals with stainless steel mostly! I showed Rollie case I had and explained that I wanted to make the lug holes go all the way through. His reply, "no problem, bring the case by and I'll drill it for you." Me, "but you see there is a slope and the bit will walk or bend.." Thn he went on to explain something about a wire that gets super hot and makes the hole. So basically there is no drill involved at first. After the precision hole is made with this "hot wire" then they would drill it out to 2mm. As I've said before, I don't know jack when it comes to these things... JMB or any other experts, please chime in and tell me this "hot wire" exists and he wasn't just BS-ing me to get a discount off his lunch! LOL Also, I told him if this is as easy as he says and since we are neighbors, would he be willing to do a lot more cases for me whenever I needed.. He told me "any time! no problem!" So, If my case isn't ruined and he does in fact drill it with precision (a word that is in his comany's name btw) and any fellow members out there want it done, shoot me a pm and all you need to do is pay for shipping your case here to CA and back. I'll take my watch apart then take the case to him today or tomorrow.. I'll keep you all posted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubiquitous Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 Ehhh... You might want to ask him to drill the holes to ~1.3mm if it's a Sport vintage using the thick springbars; 2mm will be HUGE (that's the actual measurement of the springbar diameter itself; the pivot, which protrudes into the lug is 1.2364537876mm (just a guesstimate). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grifter Posted January 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 WOW! whew!!!!! Thanks ubi! That makes sense.. The springbar would slip right through! I'm not blonde.. really. LOL my noobness is showing.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FxrAndy Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 This would be great news if possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grifter Posted January 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 what springbars did the newer subs use? The newer ones that still had the outside holes? Circa 90's? I'm not even sure when the no holes started to be made.. The same as the older vintage? What kind of endlinks did these newer subs have? SEL? Questions that have been floating around in my head.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmb Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 He may be trying to describe EDM (Electrical Discharge Machining) in layman's terms. That is beyond me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubiquitous Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 16610's had the lug holes until right around the Y into F serial, if I recall correct (2003-ish). I haven't had to think about that in a while, so I may be slightly off on that... 14060 continued on with lug holes even after the 16610 deleted them (they also continued to use loose end links on the bracelets as well)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grifter Posted January 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 @ JMB: So this thing he described really exists? Sorry I'm so ignorant in this field.. @ Ubi: You my hero man, encyclopedia!! What about seadwellers? Gmt Masters? I'm really liking the looks of the holes on the sport models and may end up putting holes in all my sport models Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubiquitous Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 16600 and the sort should share the same lug hole transition, I believe. I seem to recall some Y serials having them and some other Y serials not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmb Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 I'm just taking a guess that that's what he is describing. Here is from wikipaedia: Electric discharge machining (EDM), sometimes colloquially also referred to as spark machining, spark eroding, burning, die sinking or wire erosion,[1] is a manufacturing process whereby a desired shape is obtained using electrical discharges (sparks). Material is removed from the workpiece by a series of rapidly recurring current discharges between two electrodes, separated by a dielectric liquid and subject to an electric voltage. One of the electrodes is called the tool-electrode, or simply the ‘tool’ or ‘electrode’, while the other is called the workpiece-electrode, or ‘workpiece’. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mapman57 Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 Yep thats it J - often used in engineering to cut deep, narrow channels in prime grade hardened steel blocks - as used to manufacture injection moulds, for injection moulding plastic parts. Materials like aluminium can be precision cnc machined.............hardenend steel has to be spark eroded. Not familiar with the technique being used for a surface hole such as a lug hole - but why not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highoeyazmuhudee Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 this is an interesting turn of events. dont exceed 1.25mm - 1.30mm for these holes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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