It’s been 12 years!

[Tanukjaju]

I was snooping around in the ‘other’ forum and discovered that this month is my 12th anniversary since I decided to open up the caseback in a watch and fell into this rabbit hole of building madness.

March 2010: I posted…..looking for a broken watch so I can learn about watches. Soon after …… I found you guys(HFv1) while trying to figure out how to thread a 1.4/1.5mm stem into a 1.2mm crown.

I converted my 1st 2 watches having spent around $100 each and thinking that I had accomplished my goal and I was done.
Pocket watch conversions/Builds #1 and 2





Some/many of you I’ve gotten to know over the years, a few have moved on, but also sadly a few that have left us…….
Countless lessons from a super sharing community….

To my most recent builds from many of the lessons I have picked up over the years, probably 100+ (sold/failed/kept) builds later.

Builds #150 and #151 ()



Things I love about this place…

1). It’s never been run for profit so we never have to kiss up to anyone
2). there is no stupid questions here.
3). And of course, you guys.

Cheers!
Luke

[Thrasher]

100%, I love this forum and appreciate all you guys.

[Obscuranocte]

HF pure love

[kilowattore]

What's great about this place is that each watch has unique character, just like its members

[Mellons]

Congratulations! You are doing well more than 10 builds per year…

[Tanukjaju]

Congratulations! You are doing well more than 10 builds per year…

I did quite a few builds at one point for friends and family…….then there was a guy I did 7 builds for one time, then I went through a 3646 phase, big bezel phase , then a kemmner case phase, franken phase, then an 8 day phase… well I’m still in that phase…. Now I’m in my 1 off fantasy / experimentation phase.

I remember you Lume shot phase and ennebi/Mille Metri phase,
@blueradish’s banana phase

[straps68]

Wow, I can't believe you have kept track of the numbers

[TimeLost]

Hi, what type of paint did you use for the bezel? Enamel or watch specific paint? Thanks

[Yoda]

I was snooping around in the ‘other’ forum and discovered that this month is my 12th anniversary since I decided to open up the caseback in a watch and fell into this rabbit hole of building madness.

March 2010: I posted…..looking for a broken watch so I can learn about watches. Soon after …… I found you guys(HFv1) while trying to figure out how to thread a 1.4/1.5mm stem into a 1.2mm crown.

I converted my 1st 2 watches having spent around $100 each and thinking that I had accomplished my goal and I was done.
Pocket watch conversions/Builds #1 and 2





Some/many of you I’ve gotten to know over the years, a few have moved on, but also sadly a few that have left us…….
Countless lessons from a super sharing community….

To my most recent builds from many of the lessons I have picked up over the years, probably 100+ (sold/failed/kept) builds later.

Builds #150 and #151 ()



Things I love about this place…

1). It’s never been run for profit so we never have to kiss up to anyone
2). there is no stupid questions here.
3). And of course, you guys.

Cheers!
Luke

Indeed, 12 years.....time flies.

So you came to HFv1 in March, I joined in June when I searched for a staff for a Longines calibre 21 from 1873.
I stumbled in and commented on this and that, also offered my help from day one, both advice and hands on help.
You have created a lot of creative watches over the years, I can't do anything less than admire the thoughts and creativity behind those builds.
We have seen a few other amazing watches over the years and a few of those members are not here now.
We have come a long way since then, the natural way of life.

[Tanukjaju]

Hi, what type of paint did you use for the bezel? Enamel or watch specific paint? Thanks

Enamel. Now you have me curious on other kinds of paint!

Indeed, 12 years.....time flies.

So you came to HFv1 in March, I joined in June when I searched for a staff for a Longines calibre 21 from 1873.
I stumbled in and commented on this and that, also offered my help from day one, both advice and hands on help.
You have created a lot of creative watches over the years, I can't do anything less than admire the thoughts and creativity behind those builds.
We have seen a few other amazing watches over the years and a few of those members are not here now.
We have come a long way since then, the natural way of life.

Yep, I remember the stress I used to feel about cutting a stem and am thankful there was a watchmaker on board. You worked on my first 240…and many after. You were the enabler. Then you taught me some basics… enough for me to try servicing my first 649x. Then your best advice. Buy the right tool for the job. My wife doesn’t appreciate you but I do

Didn’t you do a GTG with Pompe once? I remember he came back feeling like a pro watchmaker after that…. Giving advice like this.



…….classic and a goodie. This always makes me smile. For those that didn’t know Pompe, he used to treat minichat like a bar, he once said, I can go to a bar and drink with strangers or I can hang here with my friends and drink. We could always tell when he was 6-7 beers in. Happy that he found a GF and is sober. Cheers to one of the fun guys.