JohnG 41 Posted October 4, 2009 Project #1 was my stealth mini Fiddy. I got a couple of donor vintage pocket watches not long ago and this past week a watch came from Getat that will be canibalized. I realized that by the time you bought the case, dial, hands, and strap, you have paid for a whole watch, so I got a whole one and ordered it with another gun-metal movement which will go into another future project... So, the first movement I am using is the 1918 Illinois which is losing only 13 seconds per day. I pulled the movement, not difficult at all, comes out through the front, but the stem stays in the case, then you must remove the crown and the stem comes out from the inside - I will have to figure out how to adapt this system to the rad case - so that the stem doesnt drop out. Anyway, I will figure it out, but I at least put the movement into the rad case to see how it looks behind the display back. This will sit about 1mm lower when the rim is shaved so the movement goes all the way in.... Here are some pics: Illinois pocket watch: Getat 47mm to be canibalized: Disassembly of Illinois: Disassembly of Rad: Bezel pulled from Rad: In goes the Illinois: Super Sexeh: I will update this thread as I advance with the project. Tomorrow I would like to shave that lip, then do some work on the dial, and then get age the strap. Gonna have to start thinking about how to adapt the stem.... hmmmm... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sconehead 5 Posted October 4, 2009 Looking good John. I've got a 917 with the the intention of doing something similar. Here's a link that may have some usefull info, it's mainly Hamilton stuff but there is a watch teardown that might be similar... http://library.ihc185.com/catalogs/index.html We should start posting any pocketwatch related links methinks, every little bit helps. I nominate you to compile it John, I think KBH might have some info as he's been playing around with the same sort of stuff lately... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
greg_r 81 Posted October 5, 2009 That's gonna be one helluva watch when it's done.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
landwomble 0 Posted October 5, 2009 Looking good John. I've got a 917 with the the intention of doing something similar. Here's a link that may have some usefull info, it's mainly Hamilton stuff but there is a watch teardown that might be similar... http://library.ihc185.com/catalogs/index.html We should start posting any pocketwatch related links methinks, every little bit helps. I nominate you to compile it John, I think KBH might have some info as he's been playing around with the same sort of stuff lately... Definitely - I'd love to do one of these with a movement with character and I'd be very interested in how it's done. The watch looks gorgeous. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnG 41 Posted October 5, 2009 Thanks guys! Playing around with the sandwich Cali dial that is going into the Illinois Radiomir, not sure if this is how it will end up, going to play with various finishes (both on dial and base plate) before I decide, it is practice for yet ANOTHER project (this one secret for now) that I am running concurrently with this one... this is the finish I gave it today: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
houndoggie 58 Posted October 5, 2009 Thanks guys! Playing around with the sandwich Cali dial that is going into the Illinois Radiomir, not sure if this is how it will end up, going to play with various finishes (both on dial and base plate) before I decide, it is practice for yet ANOTHER project (this one secret for now) that I am running concurrently with this one... this is the finish I gave it today: That is nice!!! I like that look a lot. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sconehead 5 Posted October 5, 2009 Here's my Hamilton, not as nicely decorated as your Illinois but it's what I wanted to use for my first attempt, $39 shipped and keeping good time with a decent power reserve to boot... Cali dial looks good, bit of steam punk going on there John? I was thinking of a Lum-tec reverse lume cali dial like KBH has on his Radomir homage but married to a gold Pam 44mm Getat case for mine... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnG 41 Posted October 5, 2009 I used paint stripper to get the paint off the dial, then I mixed salt and bleach, dipped the dial, and then held it over the flame on the kitchen range (cooker I think they say in the UK?), repeated about ten times, sticking into mix each time while still hot. I basically pulled this recipe out of my ass, because I am not going to town until tomorrow (when I will get ammonia and ferric nitrate for more experiments) and that was all I had on hand and it sounded good... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnG 41 Posted October 5, 2009 Here's my Hamilton, not as nicely decorated as your Illinois but it's what I wanted to use for my first attempt, $39 shipped and keeping good time with a decent power reserve to boot... WOW what a great price! Hamiltons 917's usually go for more, you got a good deal on that one! Cali dial looks good, bit of steam punk going on there John? I told you Greg! I was thinking of a Lum-tec reverse lume cali dial like KBH has on his Radomir homage but married to a gold Pam 44mm Getat case for mine... Are there pics here of that watch? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
greg_r 81 Posted October 5, 2009 LMAO! Well, it sure worked! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
greg_r 81 Posted October 5, 2009 Cali dial looks good, bit of steam punk going on there John? I told you Greg! Okay, you called it. I'll admit I kinda like steampunk, though Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sconehead 5 Posted October 5, 2009 I used paint stripper to get the paint off the dial, then I mixed salt and bleach, dipped the dial, and then held it over the flame on the kitchen range (cooker I think they say in the UK?), repeated about ten times, sticking into mix each time while still hot. I basically pulled this recipe out of my ass, because I am not going to town until tomorrow (when I will get ammonia and ferric nitrate for more experiments) and that was all I had on hand and it sounded good... John + alchemy = BOOM!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sconehead 5 Posted October 5, 2009 Are there pics here of that watch? Yes, under the 'like lume thread' Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnG 41 Posted October 5, 2009 Are there pics here of that watch? Yes, under the 'like lume thread' found it http://www.replica-watch-guide.net/forum/i...amp;#entry42392 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
landwomble 0 Posted October 5, 2009 that dial's great. not so much steampunk, as retro sov-punk or something. the nuclear-war-survivor look of the dial and the cali numerals look great. what do you have to do to get the hamilton movement to fit? mill out the case? does the stem line up OK? is this noob-friendly or am I going to trash a watch trying this kind of engine transplant?! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnG 41 Posted October 5, 2009 that dial's great. not so much steampunk, as retro sov-punk or something. the nuclear-war-survivor look of the dial and the cali numerals look great. what do you have to do to get the hamilton movement to fit? mill out the case? does the stem line up OK? is this noob-friendly or am I going to trash a watch trying this kind of engine transplant?! I am a noob to this, it definitely isn't noob friendly, but if you read, take your time, think, I think you will be okay. I have to shave a lip on the movement about 1/2mm, won't affect function of movement, I will tape/mask the whole movement except the lip so I don't get any metal shavings in the movement... then we will see if the stem lines up. If not, there are options there too, but I think it will from what I have been able to compare between the donor case and the rad.... and then the problem is the stem on these isn't held in the movement, it is held in by the tube - and it has to come out from the inside, which means the tub narrows at a point so that the stem cannot be pulled out from the outside. I may have to fill part fo the tube with solder and redrill it (that is my homemade solution that I am toying with in my head). So, not easy, but if you are mechanically inclined and patient, and inventive, I think you are okay. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites