Akira Posted November 25, 2012 Report Share Posted November 25, 2012 ...into a bare case? My first choice is taking a break from watchmaking Anyone else able to do this? Not enlarging existing ones, but drilling them into a case that doesn't have any yet. Please let me know! Thanks Akira Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krpster Posted November 25, 2012 Report Share Posted November 25, 2012 Member jmb is very good at all things casework. He has shown many projects where he has done lug holes. Not sure if he does this for other on request however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msp Posted November 25, 2012 Report Share Posted November 25, 2012 +1 want to know it aswell... Preferably in the EU Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay Posted November 25, 2012 Report Share Posted November 25, 2012 I was also going to say have a word with JMB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akira Posted November 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2012 "Cough".... JMB was my first choice... "Cough" He's not doing watch work atm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmj Posted November 25, 2012 Report Share Posted November 25, 2012 From what I hear around the traps JMB is your man.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akira Posted November 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2012 Ok, let me be clearer then I've already talked to JMB about the topic days ago and he can do it. However he's not working on watches for the next few months. So, I'm looking for someone else who can do it in near future...If there is nobody, I'll wait for J to be back to business again. Thanks for your replies though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cromag Posted November 25, 2012 Report Share Posted November 25, 2012 I have a watch at 10:10 for this reason. He's working on it now and it should be done in 2 weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akira Posted November 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2012 I have a watch at 10:10 for this reason. He's working on it now and it should be done in 2 weeks. I will talk to 10:10 then Thanks for the info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akira Posted November 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2012 So, to be more specific. This case: To look like this case: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woof* Posted November 26, 2012 Report Share Posted November 26, 2012 I have heard Pbad can do it, you might check with him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Watchgeek Posted November 26, 2012 Report Share Posted November 26, 2012 How can somebody do that ? When the holes are on the inside ? I mean how do you mark the case to be perfect ? I would be interested if it can be done and how as I've got a few I would prefer to have pins showing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtiis Posted November 29, 2012 Report Share Posted November 29, 2012 "How can somebody do that ? When the holes are on the inside ?" Diamond encrusted toothpick and spin baby spin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
automatico Posted November 30, 2012 Report Share Posted November 30, 2012 "How can somebody do that ? When the holes are on the inside ? I mean how do you mark the case to be perfect ?" I have done a few and the success rate is about 50%. Q...Why is it so hard to do? A...Because case sides are slick and curved (DJ etc, subs are flatter). It is hard to start a hole on a slick, rounded surface. The case material may be a lot harder than you think it is going to be. Drill bits walk, break, and seize in the holes. I drilled a few DJ cases that turned out all right and here is how I did it... 1...Put a springbar in both ends of the case. 2...Eyeball the lugs using the springbar as a reference and make a tiny dot mark on the outside of each lug lined up with the springbar (use a Sharpie etc). 3...Make a dimple in the lug with a spring loaded center punch etc. 4...Make a rigid case mounting device of some sort to sit on a drill press bed to hold the case, making sure it is level so the hole will not be slanted. 5...Start the hole (I usually use a slightly smaller drill bit than the finished hole needs to be) and drill it most or all the way through, while hoping it comes out through the original hole inside the lug. Sometimes I use a short drill bit with only 8 or 10mm sticking out of the chuck to prevent walking...be careful not to allow the spinning chuck jaws to touch the lugs. 6...Finish to size with the proper drill bit. 7...Do not chamfer the holes on the outside of the lugs...they are not chamfered from the factory but by improper polishing. Fold the sandpaper over a Popsicle stick etc when sanding around the lug holes to prevent chamfering the holes. 8...Polish the case sides around the holes with 600 wet or dry sandpaper followed by 1000 and 1500 (plus 2000 if you want to), then polish the case sides with Simichrome polish etc. Fresh 1000 sandpaper may be good enough to smooth down the drill burrs around the holes, try it first. tips... You can use a $79 cheapo drill press from Harbor Freight etc but some bench mounts for a hand drill may not be rigid enough. Try drilling lugs first on a junk case (maybe the last one you tried to drill out). The most important tip... Try to con someone else into doing it for you. To quote Charley Chan: Rotsa ruck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbh Posted November 30, 2012 Report Share Posted November 30, 2012 I like the idea of putting in spring bars to eyeball the location better. That's always a problem when you have to "guesstimate" the location. One big problem is what do you do when you see the lug holes, which may fit the bracelet perfectly from the inside of the lugs, are not at all centered in the location you need on the outside of the case? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
automatico Posted November 30, 2012 Report Share Posted November 30, 2012 "One big problem is what do you do when you see the lug holes, which may fit the bracelet perfectly from the inside of the lugs, are not at all centered in the location you need on the outside of the case?" I have had that problem too. Probably not much you can do about it. Also have a few submariner type cases with holes all the way through the lugs but they are off center and will not allow drilling them out to 1.3mm without the holes being on the edge of the lug. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtiis Posted November 30, 2012 Report Share Posted November 30, 2012 You'd only need to guess and pray with the first one right? After that you could due a longer/extended bit and drill down thru the first completed hole (unless the first hole wasn't aligned right in which case you might "extended" off course on the far side lug. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomhorn Posted November 30, 2012 Report Share Posted November 30, 2012 I love this forum .... what starts off as a question about finding someone to drill lug holes evolves into a tutorial from one of the members. Not that I'll ever do it myself, but great info automatico! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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