My dial is here! - 6204 content

[automatico]

"My gens are getting pretty long in the tooth, I still want to wear them, but can't justify daily use."

 

Same here.  I can't remember the last time I wore a genuine rolex for more than a few hours at a time, probably 20+ years ago.  I just do not want to fool with them.

 

"...those Lawn boys are the BOSS if you can make them rev high enough."

 

Yep, I have one (self propelled model 10324) that revved up and down all the time so I took the carb apart and drilled the main jet out a little bit.  Now it runs fine but is a gas hog.  When they outlawed them in California I figured they would discontinue the 2 cycle models so I ran out and bought a new 'spare' 10324 (sure 'nuff they quit making them).  My old one is still going strong 12 or 15 years later so now I have a nos Lawn Boy 10324 with b/p out in the garage.  Also have a 'nos with b/p' Echo backpack blower that I traded a watch for.  They might end up being eBait but shipping rates would be a killer.

 

Here is a Lawn Boy exactly like I mowed with when I was a kid.

We had it for close to 20 years.  It was basically a magnesium deck with blade/handlebar/wheels etc and an OMC air cooled trolling motor.  The articulated left front wheel was supposed to prevent scalping.

https://www.gasenginemagazine.com/equipment/vintage-lawn-boy-mowers

 

I had a paper route when I was 13 to 15 and mowed a few yards on the paper route.  Since most of the yards were over a mile away, a friend took me to the yards on his Cushman Eagle.  I rode on the luggage rack and pulled the LB behind us.  The Police Chief (family friend) stopped us one time and said we were not allowed to pull a lawn mower behind a motor scooter.  I said "We sure as hell ain't gonna push it in front of us."  He busted out laughing and let us go.  I called him 'Chief No Mow' after that.

 

Still have the first rolex I bought in 1972 but have not worn it in 40+ years.  Probably never will.

 

 

[jimcon11]

Awesome 6204. Now that I've been here a little while I have a lot more appreciation for the slow opportunistic style of build where you just accumulate parts and let it finish on its own time. Results in a more cohesive end product. And in this instance it's cool to see your decision process and a lot of parts that are old/rare/unknown origin that add up to a really unique build. 

 

You mentioned the hands being not quite right and I'd agree for the hour and minute at least. When I search 6204 I see plenty of Mercedes hands come up so I'd venture that Slays handset could be perfect on this watch. If you are dead set on the pencil hour hand I have a spare here from Raffles that I could widen out the lume plot on and send you.

Edited October 3, 2020 by jimcon11

[Nanuq]

Ah Jim, you dirty dog!  Now when I look at my baby all I see is that poor underfed skinny hours hand accusing me of withholding nutrition!

 

To be honest I never noticed the width of the lume plot in the hours hand vs the minutes hand.  I figured they were the same.  Now on your very kind offer, I went googling and sure enough, you're right, the hours hand lume is noticeably wider.  Isn't that just a "Rolex thing" for you, them being different.  I suppose it's to be expected, consider the Milgauss 6541 hands or the 6204 vs 6200 hands.  I suppose earlier days and smaller facilities meant more unique bits.

 

Anyway, the Mercedes hand first appeared about 1/3 of the way through the 6205, so the pencil hands qualify as original on a 6204.  As to my comment about them "not being quite right" I meant mine are crude in their dimensions, not finished like Rolex would finish them.  Mine need to have flatter sides, eased top edges, all that.

 

These bloody things are so gratifying, and so annoying!  In the end I think if it looks good enough under wrist distance scrutiny, that's as much as I'll go for, loupes de damned.  Yes I would love to have you open up the lume plot on an hours hand and send it, that would be very kind and generous.  I'm using ETA postsizes.  At some point I'm sure I won't be able to tolerate these detail flaws any more and it will be off for more fine tuning.  Then your kindly offered hours hand would love to find a home on my build.  Thank you!   

 

 

[jimcon11]

I totally agree that it's splitting hairs....the 50s Rolex hands are intricate as all hell. Yet they fit the dials so perfectly and they've made me a huge stickler for proper sized and detailed hands in all watches . I'll see a beautiful old JLC and then the hands dont reach the chapter ring--what fresh hell is this?

 

We all key in on different details so a community like this one is essential. I thought the 6204 pencil-set minute hand was identical to the 6538 Mercedes-set minute hand (like on your big crown), but looking closer I see the lume plot and really the whole hand is a bit slimmer on the former. The one you have on your 6204 now is pretty damn close.

 

The pencil hour hand I have is for ETA so I'll get it reshaped and relumed here shortly, just PM me your address. 

Edited October 5, 2020 by jimcon11

[JoeyB]

I think this pic of the gen offers a good idea of the dimensions of the hands. 

[Nanuq]

That’s a great photo Joey. My original hours hand looked like that but fell completely apart, like it was bits of card stock glued together.