How to make a sssurfer cyclops

[sssurfer]

Recently I got some new requests of my cyclops for the PAM 027 and 028 reps.

Unfortunately I am not able to make new cyclops as real life is keeping me away from reps (I had my 15-years-long-work book finally published, and now I have to promote it).

I told those members how to make a SSS cyclops by themselves. Now it came to my mind that I might post those instructions here too to the public domain, in case other members may need them. I do not know why such a renewed interest on the 027 and 028 these days, but hey.

I tried to post this into the "How To" section. But I was told I was not allowed to post there. Mods please move this post wherever it belongs to.

First of all:

this cyclops is for the 027 and 028 rep with 2892-A2 movement only, with the original 2892-A2 small lens embedded on the date window. I read voices that a former version of my cyclops required removal of that lens. That is not true. My cyclops always worked, it works, and it will ever work, with the original small 2892-A2 lens untouched.

Back to the tutorial now.

In order to make the cyclops you need:

1. This lens from Anchor Optics, stock number 27233, that you can find on this webpage:

http://anchoroptics.com/catalog/product.cfm?id=368

It is 6mm diameter, 12mm focal length, 1.5mm central thickness.

2. A micrometer, or at least a good digital caliper, to measure the cyclops' thickness while your job goes on.

3. Three sheets of sandpaper: one medium grit (400 o 500), one medium-fine grit (about 800), and one fine grit (1000 or 1200). The latter twos made of sandpaper usable with water.

4. One sheet of 3M Micro Finishing Film, 9 micron (light blue), that Cousinsuk sells with the code P1261M. Go to this webpage:

http://www.cousinsuk.com/catalog/7/1343/1561.aspx

and click on the category: "Micron Abrasive Micro Finishing Film".

(With exception for the micrometer, better buying at least two pieces of each item as a backup).

The lens you get from Anchor Optics is 1.5 mm thick. You have to make it thinner, by rubbing its flat surface on the sandpaper, until the lens becomes 0.92mm thick (in reality, any thickness from 0.90 up to 0.95mm is ok as well).

Better going through this sequence:

a. At first use the medium grit sandpaper, until you get down to a thickness of about 1.25mm.

b. Then use the medium-fine sandpaper, with water, until you get down to a thickness of about 1.10 mm.

c. Then use the medium-fine sandpaper, with water, until you get down to a thickness of about 1mm.

d. Finally use the 3M Micro Finishing Film, at dry, until you get down to the final thickness of 0.92mm and the surface you worked on turns polished again.

If you happen to notice a few residual micro hairlines on the surface, you can tolerate them as the glue that will seal the cyclops to the crystal will fill them and make them invisible.

IMPORTANT: on both using the sandpapers and the 3M micro finishing film, avoid to pass the lens twice on the same point of the sheet. I.e., always use "virgin" abrasive surface. This is because the lens leaves micro splinters of glass where it passes on, and those micro splinters can furrow the lens more deeply than the abrasive.

P.S.: the lens from Anchor Optics has a pretty good AR on the convex surface. If you want to preserve it, avoid using solvents.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Best wishes on your projects,

SSS

[iceberg1459]

thanks for the tutorial!

do you think will these also fit the ap sec@12?

[sssurfer]

do you think will these also fit the ap sec@12?

Unfortunately, no. As I said, it is very specific for the 027/028 reps (and genuines ).

[HauteHippie]

M! Haven't seen you on the forum for a while. Great post and great to see you again.

B.

[sssurfer]

M! Haven't seen you on the forum for a while. Great post and great to see you again.

B.

Really very glad to meet you again as well, B!