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Anyone interested in having something machined ( Milled ) in the UK


APguy1

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"I wish you could make gen spec rolex cases..."

 

The easiest way to do this might be to find a low cost cartel case that is close to genuine and modify it to genuine specs. 

Vintage cases...5512/13 and 1680 would not be too hard if you can find something close to begin with. You need the correct dial window opening, case neck od, case back type (gasket in the case back), stem centered in the case tube for the movement etc.

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Personally I would just potter along by yourself, making things for your own use.

 

That way you're under no pressure to make something for someone else by a certain time, for a certain budget.

 

Once you've got the designs for whatever finalised and you are happy with them, I'd send a couple off to people who specialise in building those kinds of frankens and get their feedback, integrate their feedback, produce another couple, send back, until everyone's happy.

 

At that point word of mouth will do the rest.

 

Kind of like TC does for his Rolex builds. He doesn't have a "shop" as such, just a blog, and you don't just buy one, you talk to the man and ask him if he'll build you one.

 

That way you still keep the hobby aspect, and the interest (the most crucial part to me), and it removes a lot of the pressure. It also has the benefit that if what you produce is really good, you can find yourself in "fabled" status where people really, really want one of your cases (or whatever) :)

 

Good luck!

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  • 3 months later...

Hi fellas !!

It's been quite a while since I last posted here but behind the scenes I've been developing the setup and machine :)

I decided that, hell this machine isn't up to what I need it for !! Time to ramp up :D

May I pronounce to you, the AMA25LV Custom CNC Machine !!

post-42790-141678450976.jpg

I've now got around £3,500 into this machine now and till recently I have finished converting it to CNC. I'll share some pics of the conversion just to show what I had to go through to make it CNC :)

post-42790-141678459979.jpgpost-42790-141678462017.jpgpost-42790-141678464227.jpgpost-42790-141678466324.jpgpost-42790-141678467937.jpg

post-42790-14167847238.jpg

All calibrated to within 0.01mm (0.0005mm at best) which is pretty damn good !!

Now the machine is completed I shall start modding the AP Case :)

Stay tuned, MUCH MORE to come :)

Cheers,

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I believe you could make good $$ if you could make oem spec vintage rolex cases. Not much demand for other brands. The biggest expense would probably be buying 316 bar stock and/or sheet.

You would need the specs off a genuine 5513 and 1680 in good condition or a Yuki, Phong etc case that is very, very close.

 

The difference between the average repjunk and high grade cases is the high grade case makers pay a lot more attention to details such as exact distances between lugs, accurately sized case necks/bezels, accurately machined interior of the case, correctly sized lug holes in the correct location, case tube threads accurately placed with the correct relief cut for the case tube gasket etc. One tricky part is probably going to be cutting proper bevels on lug tops and polishing because it can not be done on a machine (unless you have a special machine for it).

Leave the engraving to someone else and besides...unsigned vintage cases are 100% legal.

 

A friend makes a lot of hand made parts, mostly special tools and things for motorcycles (not cnc) and he saws out flat metal close to what he needs then mills/turns it to size. Without a heavy duty punch press and appropriate dies there is not much of an easier way to rough out the blanks on a small scale.

Good luck!

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When you say you can't machine "bevels" on a machine that isn't the case,

If you have the know how it is very possible. Imagine a tool with a radius on the end. We call then ball nose tools and they can create a very curvy surface. With a 8mm ball nose you can create the lugs and case sides as well as boring out the rough ID of the case.

I would do something like this however I would need all of the dimensions in order to design and program the machine. I do have 3D ready CAM software so it is all possible.

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I'm a mechanical/design engineer with extensive CNC set-up/programming experience as well, with a background in the aerospace/defense manufacturing as well as tool & die industries. Been using SolidWorks since before its first release back in '95 (just took the plunge to SWX '15). If you need any help with anything, I'd be excited to be part of some projects with you!!

 

I would think that the final finishing and polishing would be the trickiest parts of completing cases and components... I've seen many times reps are mostly good except the difficult to reach areas, or that the final machining operations weren't fine enough to get the tool marks and chatter out... Keep your finish tooling sharp and your feedrates down, it doesn't have to be a race like in Guangzhou!

Edited by swdivad
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