manodeoro Posted September 26, 2018 Report Share Posted September 26, 2018 Last year (February),as I was just searching infos for my first build, I went on forums asking for some help about drilling lugs with a dremel. It really seemed to be a dead end way but I tried and tried again and today I'm glad to say that YES ... it's possible to drill your watch cases with a dremel. I have never seen a tuto showing how to drill lugs when you live in a city flat and have a dremel but no place for a real drill-press (unless you show your girl/boy friend how to open the main door and leave) so I hope this one could be usefull. So ... let's go to the facts. A few days ago I had to drill the lugs of a 16610 case with non pre-drilled lugs (and a sh...y paperclip bezel construction) so I have made some pics all along the process. I have NO drill-press (I know I could show my better half how to open the main door and leave but ... I'm not ready to do that). So what did I use and how did I do ? My tools : - a punch - my 40$ dremel-like - a 50$ little drill stand (got it on sale on Amazon) - an 43 mm adapter (10$ on ebay) - a cheap (but good) vise - 1mm + 1.3mm HSS drill bits - cutting oil - "The Foundation" (Zac Brwon Band) I choosed a 5027000 Wolcraft drill-stand because it had a toothed rack and a return spring, it could be put in parts and in a card box (altogether with vise, drill bits and cutting oil) in less than 5 minutes. That cardbox goes to the cellar when I dont need those tools while my dremel-like stays in a drawer with all the watch parts and ongoing projects. And if you ever wonder why I use 1mm drill bits AND 1.3mm drill bits : - it's easier (IMHO) to center on the hole you punched if you drill 1mm first then 1.3mm - where I leave (Europe) I can buy 10x1mm HSS drill bits for about 5$ and 1.3mm HSS drill bits I bought on cousins.uk are 5$ each so I really take care of them An now the process (took me about 1 hour). 1 - Open the cardbox and build the drill stand You'd better protect your (kitchen) table because you will use a bunch of cutting oil 2 - Put the 43mm adapter and prepare you drill bits Of course you screw you dremel on the adapter and put a 1mm HSS drill bit ... I forgot to take a specific pic 3 - Punch the watch lugs Note that I had already marked the lugs with an extra-fine permanent pen You'd better punch large enough so that the 1mm drill bit can easily find its place in the hole 4 - Place you watch case in the vice I put some painter tape on the vice to protect the case It's better to place some metal pieces under the lugs so that the case dont go down when you push a little with the drill bit 5 - Place the vice on the drill stand and center the drill bit precisely on the punched hole 6 - Put some oil on the punched hole and drill Don't be stingy with the oil ... there is never too much of it About the speed I used I cannot be precise because my dremel-like has a variator marked from 0 to 5. I worked bteween 1 and 3 so the speed was probably between 7000rpm and 18000rpm. From my very short experience in drilling and depending on the drill bits, I would say that the speed is good when the "steel-dust" comes out easily with some oil while you drill. And do not forget to clean the lug and put some new oil every times it looks like the last PIC here ... about 3 times on every lug. 7 - Now you have drilled all 4 lugs with a 1mm bit, so place the 1.3mm bit on the dremel-like and drill again That part is very easy as you process the same as with the 1mm drill bit. But do not forget about beeing "oily" 8 - Now you have an early-oily 16610 case so just wash it and clean it and it will be just "early" You still have to thin the lugs a little, cut nice chamfers, polish the sides and crownguards and do a nice Rolex brush on the upside of the case, but all this is itty-bitty cause you have done the tough part. Hope this helps. And please leave your comments, questions and advices. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capice Posted September 26, 2018 Report Share Posted September 26, 2018 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted September 27, 2018 Report Share Posted September 27, 2018 Very nice work!! But one detail you left out, are those SAE or metric washers you used beneath the lugs? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manodeoro Posted September 27, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2018 Very nice work!! But one detail you left out, are those SAE or metric washers you used beneath the lugs? Well ... I’m French you know so, despite my openness and all respect due to the Society of Automotive Engineers, I always use metric washers Envoyé de mon iPhone en utilisant Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manodeoro Posted October 9, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2018 Very nice work!! But one detail you left out, are those SAE or metric washers you used beneath the lugs? @Nanuq ... may I ask/know if you work in oil and gas engineering ?Envoyé de mon Moto G (5) Plus en utilisant Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted October 9, 2018 Report Share Posted October 9, 2018 @manodeoro, I used to. I worked on the arctic coast near Nuiqsut, Kuparuk and Deadhorse. Are those names familiar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manodeoro Posted October 10, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2018 (edited) 15 hours ago, Nanuq said: @manodeoro, I used to. I worked on the arctic coast near Nuiqsut, Kuparuk and Deadhorse. Are those names familiar? Not at all ... I can locate those names in/near Alaska but that's all. Ekofisk, Johan Sverdrup or Coral South means more to me as I have often heard my sons quote those names (they sometimes quote SAE too). My 2 sons, now 33 and 28, both work in oil and gas industry. The older one works in Norway since 2009 ... he dives a lot so I built him a 16800 COMEX last year. The younger one "is based" in France but during the last 2 years he has spent most of his time abroad, Norway / Singapore / India / Russia / etc ... why do I think about building him a GMT ? Edited October 10, 2018 by manodeoro 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted October 10, 2018 Report Share Posted October 10, 2018 You know it's against forum rules.... you can't mention a home made 16800 COMEX and not show pictures of it! Let's see that beauty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manodeoro Posted October 10, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2018 OMG ... I only realize now that I never posted about that watch here ...only on other board. I solemnly promize to repair this forgetfullness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manodeoro Posted October 10, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2018 @Nanuq ... here's a little teaser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted October 10, 2018 Report Share Posted October 10, 2018 Oh yes, that's a beauty. Very tasty! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manodeoro Posted October 11, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2018 8 hours ago, Nanuq said: Oh yes, that's a beauty. Very tasty! Thank you very much That has been my very first build, the one during which I learned almost everything I know now : - reworking case and crownguards - drilling and chamfering lugs - polishing and brushing steel - building dials So, though I have achieved some better builds after that one, it remains my favorite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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