Cutting Metal
 
I started making my first case in aluminum -- so far, so good. Since my milling machine is very light duty, it’s very slow: milling just one side of the back piece took all weekend!  But other than a broken bit, it’s been going well.
 
I love the marks that milling makes & hope to incorporate it in to the back of the watch. The circles reflect light from different directions and sparkles a little like a gemstone:
 
 
closeup
 
When talking about watches, the technical term for this is “Glashütte ribbing”, named after the watch-making city in Saxony.  It looks a little better on an A. Lange & Söhne watch:
 
 
 
I would have loved to do an exhibition back (which is basically another crystal on the back to be able to view the movement), but I’m still starting simply.
 
I still have to mill the back of this piece and then do the main body of the watch. I also need to start on the design of the charger and order parts for it.
 
 
Monday, January 22, 2007