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Project P1lot One Limited Edition

5K views 21 replies 8 participants last post by  braith7 
#1 · (Edited)
Hi All,

Recently a member of the Dutch Forum "Horlogeforum" asked if there was going to be another "Horlogeforum Limited Edition" or HFLE Watch this year, like there were in recent years..
The idea then develloped of creating our own limited Edition watch.. not just a "run of the mill" watch from a known brand, with an inscription on the back, and a Horlogeforum logo on the dial, like the other limited edition HFLE watches.. but truly a limited Edition.. a watch made by and for forum members...

I then jumped in, and offered to make that watch.. so a Team was formed, to tackle this task..
we decided to make a "Flieger".. not a replica of an existing watch, but a new design.

Forummember Teun AKA Deskdiver made a design, and i fired up my CAD program to engineer his design:



We decided on the following Specifications:
43 x 12 mm Case
lug-to-lug 52mm, pin to pin 48 mm, so it will also fit nicely on 165 mm wrists
22 mm lugwidth
ETA/Unitas 6498-1 Elaboré movement, Côtes de Genève finishing on the bridges Perlage on the main plate
Handmade Leather strap, made by forummember Remie AKA 7T2Straps, wit Titanium Grade 5 Buckle
Sandwich Dial with Swiss SuperLuminova
Sword hands with Swiss SuperLuminova

Case, Bezel and Caseback all made of Titanium Grade 5

Sapphire Crystal with two-sided scratch resistant coating
Laserengraved Caseback

the watch is supplied with an extra Nato Strap..
Packaged in a Leather Toolroll made by forummember Rob

The Team:
Hans (purchasing and PR)
Teun (Design and quality control)
Remie (Straps)
Rob (Toolrol)
Jan (engineering, manufacturing and assembly) <-- That's me! :)

We regularly meet to discuss all the aspects of creating this watch..



One of our Meetings, with from left to right, Remie, Jan (me) and Teun)

the project kicked of with me making a prototype Case.. for dimension checks, fitting the strap and fitting it with a strap in the toolroll



this case was thus given to Remie, to fit the strap:



the wides keeper is stamped with the owners initials, this is Hans' strap, also the prototype Buckle is fitted.

Since Both Teun and me have narrow wrists ( 165 mm ), Teun was eager to check the watch on his wrist.



And as you can see, it fits nicely.. since i have small wrists too, i know some tricks to make a big watch fit small wrists.. making the lugs bend down really helps here..
My own Prototype Dumet Instrument 1 is slightly smaller at ø42 x 47..



fitted with a Strap made by Remie

This is the prototype Case with a prototype Dial... not yet really finished, because the seconds subdial wasn't yet turned, it is slightly recessed in the definitive version.

Thusfar we have this:



the dials have been turned now.. and this is how it's done...



More to come in the following weeks..
if you want to read all about it. check P1lot One | LE & inspired by Fliegeruhren (in Dutch)
 
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#3 ·
Teun, the designer was quite clear about what he wanted.. made my job engineering quite "easy".. i just had to make the case and dial loop like he wanted it... and make all other parts fit inside.. :)
No the hard part has come.. making one watch isn't that hard.. making 52 is well... quite a different cattle of fish to say the least..

I do use CNC machines, but, you have to take tool wear in to the equation.. i can machine 10 cases without problems.. then one tool goes dull, and i have to resharpen, and recalibrate it.. 5 parts later.. tool 2 goes bad.. so.. regrind and recalibrate that as well.. 5 parts later.. you've guessed it.. another tool goes blunt

On the casebacks i'm machining right now.. i use 3 tools.. 1 tool is not important diameter-wise.. as long as it reaches the depth on the inside of the caseback, the tool that comes after that one... needs to go to the exact same depth.. otherwise it will show.. and i'd have a lot of work grinding the inside of the caseback, befor applying perlage..
 
#5 ·
No.. not on the subdial..Fliegerdials must remain "Clean"..

putting a logo on that subdial would "clutter" it too much.. and.. there's plenty of room on the caseback for a nice engraving..

We did send some Casebacks out to engravers.. and this is how the back will look..

 
#7 ·
Unfortunately. No.. this wathch was designed exclusively for members of Horlogeforum.nl, hèt forum voor de liefhebber van horloges. , a dutch watchforum.
the signing in period has expired, and 52 watches have been sold..

There is however a chance that similar watches will be produced in the future, but that all depends on the team, i myself don't make decisions about that..
 
#8 ·
We have another Update for you... we sent off a dial, to have Lume applied.. not just any kind of Lume, but Swiss SuperLuminova..

Light Orange is one of the shades that were available, so we had one done in this color..



i really like the color, in combination with the matt black dial..

and when you turn off the lights...



Let there be light!..
 
#9 ·
A Lot has happened since the last time i posted here..

First of all.. the Movements..



They have arrived.. 52 pieces, ETA/Unitas 6498-1 Elaboree

Also..


52 Casebacks+1 "Spare/prototype/mule" have been turned..I applied Perlage on 2 sofar.. i still need to modify my minimilling machine to apply perlage a bit quicker and better..
Furthermore, i need to make an grinding disc to apply sunburst to the back of the casebacks before they are shipped to the engraver..

And... i needed a special collet for the cases.. since those are turned through, i.e there's no "rim" on the inside to rest the case upon when put on the collet.. so the collet had to have that rim... I also made another collet of 41 mm diameter for machining the thread on the CNCMill, that collet sits in the cavity where the front bezel is pressed in later..



Oh.. and did i mention i'm a toolmaker originally?..
Since i'm gonna be the one to put all the watches together.. i figured i needed a caseback tool.. since we have a screwed caseback..
I needed a tool for that.. so.. i took a piece of aluminium, and put that in the lathe.. and later on the CNC mill..resulting in..



those six pins fit nicely in the cut-outs on the caseback..

So.. it was time to make something to screw that caseback in to.. a Case..
After some lathe work.. i had this.. a ring, with grooves for the gasket, for the movement holder and a seat for the bezel..



which was then put on the CNC mill



to cut the outer shape.. and the lugs..



So i now have one case...

Now for some Bonus pictures..



Dialing in the caseback on the CNC Mill, to get her perfectly centered ( within 0.005 mm) to mill the thread M39x0.5

After milling the thread, it was put back on the lathe for another 11 minutes to first turn the diameter to size : ø42 mm



and also to thickness.. and make a bevelled edge on it..



Also.. P1lot One Squadron Member Remie visited me, with a prototype Leather strap he made.. to fit it to the watch.. and to try for size.. he had a small with him.. since i have 165 mm wrists.

We put on a Titanim buckle..



which i made earlier that day.. it is milled out of 3 mm thick titanium sheet.. and then filed, sanded and finally brushed to give it a smooth satin finish..

then. the dials..

the seconds subdial is slighty recessed. so i had to fire up my lathe..i took a surface plate and drilled a hole at 10.25 mm off center.. ( this is the dimension between the center of the dial and the center of the subdial..
I inserted a pin in the center.. which only protrudes 0.15 mm and fits in the subdial center hole.. since the subdial is recessed 0.15, and the dial is 0.3 mm thick..



So i could now fit the dials on the lathe.. and turn out the subdial...



THat's all for now.. check back for more updates.. production has now really started!
 
#11 ·
I'm Not sure.. but i assume they were produced recently, since our supplier also uses these movements in his own watches...
Home - Pellikaan Timing | Nederlandse horloges

I really like this movement.. nicely built, comfortably large to work on.. if needed.. and a great finish..
Every movement will receive some basic maintenance before being installed.. just some lubrication to ensure they will keep running smoothly..

Tomorrow i will "blast off" with the production of the cases.. 52 need to be made... and they take some time.. think that will keep me busy all week..
 
#12 ·
I'm Not sure.. but i assume they were produced recently, since our supplier also uses these movements in his own watches... . . . . .
No date codes?

. . . Every movement will receive some basic maintenance before being installed.. just some lubrication to ensure they will keep running smoothly.. . . . .
What will you be lubricating?
 

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#13 ·
We just got the movements in the box on the picture.. no date, no further packaging, only the clear containers...

Good enough to me.. i will visually inspect each and every movement.. and lubricate where neccesary.. Cannon pinion/minutewheel is one of those "easy to forget" spots..
 
#15 ·
this week has been quite a productive one..

i've riveted the first seconds hand to its hub.. just for "testing".. i bought a staking tool a few months ago.. and now.. she's finally put into action..



with a blunt punch i riveted the seconds hand to iths hub.. the 0.05 mm that is protruding above the hand is nicely pushed over the hand.. and i can remove the hand without it coming loose from the hub.. NICE..



perlage-Time.. i applied Perlage to all 52 casebacks.. nice job.. took me about a day to finish.. but.. very enjoyable work.. as you see the progress as you work..



also.. i made a caseback tool.. if you have screw-in Casebacks.. you'll need one of those.. the Cheap Jaxa tools you find everywhere.. are just no good.. so i made my own dedicated Caseback tool. a lump of aluminium in the lathe.. then on the mill.. Presto!..



I also cut out all the hands.. and i have thusfar finished the hour-hands. deburring and cleaning. next week: Painting..

after i drew the hubs that is..


so i made this little die.. i am a die maker after all.. and i took a step back to my old profession.. i still can do this.. :-d

with the punches i made on the lathe.. 2.00 and 1.15 mm , i can now..



draw the hubs in the hour and minute hands.. so they fit snugly on the movement..
 
#18 ·
I guess it's too late for me to give suggestion for a small change as the production had already commenced.
The design, the looks, is really impressive. "Out of the typical flieger box" design, by using orangish lume and having seconds subdial on 12. However, the use of diamond crown... if it's sized much small than the case height... some folks may accept it. But... if it's about the same size as the height of the case... some folks may feel discomfort as the "sharp" diamond crown tends to cut the fatty part of the arm?
 
#19 ·
Thanks for your reply and tip. We have allready moved the big crown from 3 to 9 so that all the left-hand wearing people have more comfort. The watch will still have a big crown, but hey, that's the Flieger-style (for example, the IWC big pilot also has this kind of big crown). But by putting the crown on the left we've made a design statement and prevented the crown to drill in your hand (which causes much more irritation then put it on the 9 o'clock position). The watch is also a little bit heigher then the crown and the crown is not that sharp, so I guess it is just a matter of getting used to it.

Have a nice evening!
 
#20 ·
Indeed, as Deskdiver stated, the crown doesn't protrude Under the watch.. it took some effort to get it where we wanted it.. but the crown sits halfway of the height of the case..

last weeks have been extremely busy for all of us.. Remie and Rob still have blisters on their hands from putting all the leather parts together.. Remie did the straps, Rob the Pouches..



Some of the pouches/toolrolls Rob made..



In the mean time, i painted the hands and dials, and i had to send them off to the lumer...to get a nice layer of Superluminova... but those are very fragile parts.. so i had to come up with a clever packaging solution.. i put the dials in the boxes the crystals came in.. and i milled some containers for the hands.. there's a clear sheet on the top and the bottom.. the container itself is made from 2 mm thick plastic sheet..



52 Caseblanks.. turned on the CNC lathe.. ready for...



thread milling, the thread for the casebacks is milled in, with a special mill in a spiral pattern, following the exact diameter and pitch of the threads.. M39x0.5.. a real fine thread.. only 0.25 mm deep.. so.. yes.. those are chips. but most people would refer to it as "Titanium dust"
the special Threadmill is an extremely expensive tool, but it is of very good quality, after 52 cases, and 52 casebacks , still no wear, so i didn't have to adjust the machine... every caseback is test fitted, and they are all exchangable.. which is a good sign of accuracy of my machines..and the cases as well.. i'm really happy with that.. since this is the second time ever that i milled a thread for a watchcase.. i now know how to do it.. and i prefer threaded backs over press-fits



i also played a game of Space-Invaders with the buckles.. yes.. i also made 52 buckles out of a titanium sheet of 3 mm thickness..



While Remie did the straps..

and then.. the mail came in..



the Crowns.. also made of Titanium Grade 5..Sandblasted to remove the sharp edges..and engraved with the serial number of each watch..
So.. when assembly is done.. i have to see to it that every watch has the correct Lume Color, Bezel, and the crown must match the Caseback.. and.. that the correct strap is put on..

This week, i also milled the outer shape of the cases..



and i ground them smoot, prior to brushing.. Still need to smooth all sharp edges.. but with a small radius, as the appearance of the case must remain "sharp"..



The Casebacks also have returned from the engraver..



And Remie Put the straps together, with stitches and Rivets..

While Teun.. .yes.. Teun is still involved in the process..



Had the certificates printed, on high quality gloss paper..

and.. you might wonder.. "What about Hans?".. Well Hans is still working hard behind the scenes.. keeping in touch with suppliers, making sure all work is done to our exact specifications.. while keeping an eye on the budget..
 
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