Homage Forum

Every once in a while an idea, or a dream if you like, pops up in one's mind.

We all know that SF240 conversion parts from Chile are a bit hard to get and it is unfortunately not getting better.

So, I started out with a plan a few years ago and a year ago, or was it two?, I bought the hardest brass available and started measuring an original part. This is where I am now. It will take time before the end result is for sale and it will be limited to the brushed version.

I imagine 5 micron plating is sufficient as it is well protected inside the case. I also need to cut threads for the spring, the click and the intermediate winding wheel.
This is a hand made part, all the way and it took me around 40 hours plus time for sourcing material, running to the post office and emailing friends and contacts.

When I get that far, it will be shipped to a facility in the UK to create a CAD or similar, after that I think that there is a machine shop in the same area and after that the bridges will be shipped back to me and I will have them plated.

Question is: is there still interest in buying these or should I simply finish this one and use it or sell it?

It will not be a money up front thing, when they are ready to sell, you order and pay for the bridge and shipping, it seems to be the simplest and fairest way.

Let me see some hands and I will have an idea of the quantity needed, please.

I will take 4...

+3

I'd purchase several.

Fantastic work by the way. I dabble in amateur watchmaking and have remade 6497 bridge plates for practice and its an extremely difficult thing to do. Especially getting the jewel locations spot on and properly reamed.

If I knew more about movements I would probably want at least two

I'll take 3-5pcs

It was more or less a forgotten project due to my condition, but I think that it is better to crack on with this.
I have checked the plate thickness, if all holes are in the correct spots and it is perfect.
Now to check the spot where the intermediate winding wheel is and ream the hole for the center wheel arbor and create a slight curve for the oil. Lastly I need to thread the bridge and I really look forward to that as I was lucky enough to find a NOS set of Swiss taps from the 1910s-1920s, a complete set of 48 pieces, 3 in each of the 16 envelopes from 0,30 to 1,05.
I should be able to finish the bridge and talk to the CAD expert this week and ship via Emilio next week, I will check if Emilio is still willing to forward parcels destined for non EU countries.
If everything goes according to plan, then we should have the finished result ready to sell and ship in a few months. I am perhaps a bit optimistic, but May-June is the goal without having checked with the other parties involved.

Any ideas on sourcing the gears on the plate? These are different from the alarm version. I am probably down for 1.

Tanukjaju wrote: ↑February 28th, 2023, 9:24 am Any ideas on sourcing the gears on the plate? These are different from the alarm version. I am probably down for 1.

I have been thinking about that and I have made two sets in the past, but I hesitate to stretch thin and go through the ice. The short answer is that I don't know right now.

I can't see myself repairing, servicing and at the same time making parts, I think that it would be overwhelming and take me down.

Tanukjaju wrote: ↑February 28th, 2023, 9:24 am Any ideas on sourcing the gears on the plate? These are different from the alarm version. I am probably down for 1.

I have been thinking about that while making dinner, and I have a faint memory of Kp0y or Belkin12 showing us that some parts from the 649X can be used. Above all that, I have used the alternating wheel from the alarm unit twice and added a bushing to make it sit and work perfectly.