manodeoro 19 Posted June 29, 2017 (edited) A few month ago (last February),as I was just searching infos for my first build, I went there 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 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. Edited September 26, 2018 by manodeoro Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
narikaa 129 Posted June 29, 2017 7a - Show it the drill and then the spray oil, keep asking it "is it safe?" (in a menacing German accent) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rice crispy 0 Posted June 29, 2017 Wow that's impressive. I don't know if I'd have the skills to pull that off Don't forget to show us the finished watch once you're done modding it! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ShovelnTC 31 Posted June 29, 2017 Nice work but how do you know exactly where to mark them, one of my watches had one of the holes slightly off and the SEL was out at that corner, not a problem if using a strap but this is critical for a bracelet. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manodeoro 19 Posted June 29, 2017 7a - Show it the drill and then the spray oil, keep asking it "is it safe?" (in a menacing German accent) @narikaa ??? what do you mean exactly ??? fire hazard ??? 1 - the oil is sprayed on the watchcase ... not on the driller 2 - I use a "no fire hazard" spray cause the gaz is CO² so not inflammable So YES it's perfectly safe ... until one have two right hands (I am born LEFT handed but now I'm ambidextrous ) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manodeoro 19 Posted June 29, 2017 Wow that's impressive. I don't know if I'd have the skills to pull that off Don't forget to show us the finished watch once you're done modding it! Thanks ... I just did that for a firend so now the watchcase is gone to whom it belongs But I'm preparing a thread about a 16800Comex buid I've done last months Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manodeoro 19 Posted June 29, 2017 Nice work but how do you know exactly where to mark them, one of my watches had one of the holes slightly off and the SEL was out at that corner, not a problem if using a strap but this is critical for a bracelet. I'm just working on watches since a few months so I could go the wrong way, but here's how I proceed : 1 - never drill a watchcase until I have the bracelet in hands 2 - put the endlinks or the bracelet (if SELs) on the watch (without bars) and try to measure the exact position of the hole on the SELs or endlinks in X and Z (no need of Y)... 0/0/0 being the lower point of the lug 3 - measure and check and measure and check again ... and again ... and note everything just in case I get the same case with the same bracelet 4 - send a little prayer to Saint-Eloi ... patron saint of horologists 5 - mark on the outside of the lugs with an ultra fine permanent pen Plus A - if the watch comes with a bracelet with SELs (Solid End Links - not Hollow Endlinks) and I want to keep that bracelet, then I try to drill exactly trough the holes that already exist inside the lugs and I drill the SELs too B - when I do not drill exactly through the holes that already exist inside the lugs, I fill those "non through holes" with some metal expoxy and I soften the edges of the holes I have drilled so that the 2 mm springbars go easily in the right holes Et voilà ... I think that's all and hope that helps Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mr Stubbs 0 Posted June 29, 2017 7a - Show it the drill and then the spray oil, keep asking it "is it safe?" (in a menacing German accent) @narikaa ??? what do you mean exactly ??? fire hazard ??? 1 - the oil is sprayed on the watchcase ... not on the driller 2 - I use a "no fire hazard" spray cause the gaz is CO² so not inflammable So YES it's perfectly safe ... until one have two right hands (I am born LEFT handed but now I'm ambidextrous ) Reg was referring to the classic movie The Marathon Man, in which Dustin Hoffman is tortured by having his teeth drilled out. The villain keeps asking him '...is it SAFE?...' :D And EXCELLENT WORK with your drill press. I'm an amateur machinist and I admire what you have accomplished! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
narikaa 129 Posted June 30, 2017 Give that man a Kewpie doll Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manodeoro 19 Posted June 30, 2017 7a - Show it the drill and then the spray oil, keep asking it "is it safe?" (in a menacing German accent) @narikaa ??? what do you mean exactly ??? fire hazard ??? 1 - the oil is sprayed on the watchcase ... not on the driller 2 - I use a "no fire hazard" spray cause the gaz is CO² so not inflammable So YES it's perfectly safe ... until one have two right hands (I am born LEFT handed but now I'm ambidextrous ) Reg was referring to the classic movie The Marathon Man, in which Dustin Hoffman is tortured by having his teeth drilled out. The villain keeps asking him '...is it SAFE?...' :D And EXCELLENT WORK with your drill press. I'm an amateur machinist and I admire what you have accomplished! Give that man a Kewpie doll OK ... Got it :D I feel a little stupid, but you must know english is not my first language and I'm not certain I've even seen Marathon Man in the original version. Now I MUST watch that movie again !!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manodeoro 19 Posted June 30, 2017 AWESOME! Thanks my friend :) Now I'm working on something a little bigger with a friend who has a lathe ... a heavily modified 6538. We'll probably fail because we are trying to do something that is theoretically impossible but if we succeed that could be huge Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
V1ntage 0 Posted May 23, 2018 I'm starting my first build when the parts arrive in a couple of weeks. I want to drill the lugs through to remove an obvious non-gen feature...your post is brilliant and mucho kudos to you for the method and end result. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bobandshawn 5 Posted May 23, 2018 ...it takes the oil and rubs it on the case.... B Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manodeoro 19 Posted June 15, 2018 On 23/05/2018 at 14:45, V1ntage said: I'm starting my first build when the parts arrive in a couple of weeks. I want to drill the lugs through to remove an obvious non-gen feature...your post is brilliant and mucho kudos to you for the method and end result. Thanks ... it seems I'd better upgrade the pics links so I'll do that soon. On 23/05/2018 at 15:31, bobandshawn said: ...it takes the oil and rubs it on the case.... B Franch Fries need oil Share this post Link to post Share on other sites