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ROLLiWORKS · 19 October 2018, 04:40 AM

Not officially offering this as a service (not yet) but a teaser of what's to come in 2019. How does Rolex make a watch case?

CAD to CAM to CNC Mill.

How does Rolliworks repair a watch case? We're in Silicon Valley so we're gonna use as much tech as possible.

3D Scan to CAD to CAM to CNC Mill! (plus some TIG welding to add new Stainless Steel before milling obviously)

Our process isn't viable to offer commercially for now, but we're getting closer every week.

abs2010 · 19 October 2018, 04:58 AM

This is super cool. Will this give you the ability to do things like weld up and refinish the crown guards? I know via traditional methods this was impossible for places like LAWW to do, which is why you see so many refinishes with great lugs and really thin CG's.

ROLLiWORKS · 19 October 2018, 05:02 AM

You got it! This is exactly why we made the investment into purchasing a CNC mill, CAD computer rigs, industrial 3d scanner, and what seems like and endless amount of end mills. It's crazy how much this stuff costs. It's also taking a lot out of us to learn Fusion, MasterCam, Solidworks etc. We're likely one of a small handful of shops that employ a mechanical engineer. We will be ready to offer some commercially soon. Right now the process is very one-off.

Quote:

Originally Posted by abs2010

This is super cool. Will this give you the ability to do things like weld up and refinish the crown guards? I know via traditional methods this was impossible for places like LAWW to do, which is why you see so many refinishes with great lugs and really thin CG's.

ROLLiWORKS · 22 October 2018, 02:29 PM

We just repaired a nasty dent as part of a full repair of a 7206 Rivet Oyster. Dent repair and the "no polish" request is a very tricky one. Removal of the dent leaves unsightly tool marks and does not look original at all. However we do realize the appeal to leaving the character in the bracelet. This is the main reason other bracelet repair shop requires a polish for this type of work.

Challenge accepted.

(We will post photos if the entire repair job before the end of the week)

So one of these links went though some major dent repair and was brushed and polished to remove the tools marks. Can you tell which one?

Here are some hints: This is what the dent looked like, it was a nasty one.

Another look

First round of dapping

Second round of dapping

After smooth and removing the tool marks.

ROLLiWORKS · 22 October 2018, 02:30 PM

Alright experts. Take your best guess. Which two links 1-5 were brushed and polished as part of the repair shown up above?

ROLLiWORKS · 22 October 2018, 02:34 PM

one more angle.

yoniman · 22 October 2018, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROLLiWORKS

Alright experts. Take your guess. Which two links 1-5 were brushed and polished as part of the repair shown up above?

3

Sent from my TRT-LX2 using Tapatalk

Tomas Eriksson · 22 October 2018, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROLLiWORKS

one more angle.

Im guessing 3 and 4

ROLLiWORKS · 23 October 2018, 07:13 AM

all good guesses. any others?

speedymoonman · 23 October 2018, 09:17 AM

Just this thread AAA+++ work Mike!

MikeyV · 23 October 2018, 11:02 AM

I'd say 1 and 3, but maybe you're sneaky, and scuffed up the repaired ones even more. So maybe 2 and 4.

No guess really...Thanks for always posting these photos. I love seeing your work.

ROLLiWORKS · 23 October 2018, 11:04 AM

Yep that's the point. We repaired some dents and aged it to blend with the rest of the bracelet.

These are all great guesses. We will post the work photos in the next few days. The answer will be obvious after we post them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeyV

I'd say 1 and 3, but maybe you're sneaky, and scuffed up the repaired ones even more. So maybe 2 and 4.

No guess really...Thanks for always posting these photos. I love seeing your work.

ROLLiWORKS · 23 October 2018, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by speedymoonman

Just this thread AAA+++ work Mike!

Your guess?

ROLLiWORKS · 23 October 2018, 12:27 PM

Someone called us and asked that we create a cost for a rivet oyster bracelet.

One good ole 7206 Rivet Oyster with 80 ends. A few dents, some stretch repair, just another day at Rolliworks. The request was for no polish (if possible). With dent repair it's no so easy but it's worth a try.

Before shots

This was the most noticeable dent. There were 3 in total but only this one showed up in photos.

Fully blown apart. That's right, if you send us your treasured 7206 Rivet Oyster we will reduce it to this seemingly worthless pile of sheet metal scraps. You've been warned.

The most valuable piece of sheet metal in the entire tray

It's nice to mock things up before getting down to it

First thing to address, the big dent.

For this we use a dapping stake and a flat metal block. We want to raise the low spot which we will later smooth with an abrasive wheel.

This is what it looks like after Pass #1. Good but still much more to go.

Pass #2

Pass #3 and some smoothing

This is what the inside looks like after all the dapping.

Folded back together

This is why it was worth all the work. The most valuable piece of the bunch.

We worked the dents out of the other two links and started assembly

ROLLiWORKS · 23 October 2018, 12:36 PM

.

With this amount of banging and hammering, you make no friends quickly

Doh No one is perfect

ROLLiWORKS · 23 October 2018, 12:42 PM

Now back to the pieces with the dents. After smoothing this is what we are left with. Not ideal

We applied a few aging techniques to the pieces with the dent repair. I think it blended nicely. You be the judge.

ROLLiWORKS · 23 October 2018, 12:43 PM

ROLLiWORKS · 23 October 2018, 12:45 PM

@MikeyV ... Chicken Dinner!

#1 and #3

ROLLiWORKS · 31 October 2018, 07:03 AM

Long awaited before/afters of the 6636 Expanding Rivet Oyster jobs recently completed. We replaced 6 broken springs in total. 2 were broken 4 were slightly gimpy. 12 new rivets in total.

SearChart · 31 October 2018, 07:07 AM

Very nice work! Thanks for taking the time to capture the work

ROLLiWORKS · 31 October 2018, 08:30 AM

Thanks, you bet.

Now, here are before-afters for the 7206. We knocked out some dents then blended the repaired spots to match the rest of the bracelet which was left w/o polish. Working on rivets bracelets intimidated us at first. Much easier now but still very time consuming.

ROLLiWORKS · 31 October 2018, 09:03 AM

This one is really a time bandit at the moment. 93153 Oyster with chucks of gold missing at the corners. It's a chance to show off our goldsmithing. Our shop is getting really cramped these days. Hope to have a new one in a few months.

MikeyV · 1 November 2018, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROLLiWORKS

@MikeyV ... Chicken Dinner!

#1 and #3

Yay!!

I'm obsessed with small aged metal parts (for guitars) so I've got a good eye!

ROLLiWORKS · 1 November 2018, 08:12 AM

ummm.... no words.

All work done in the good ol’ U.S. of A.

Valenciawatchrepair · 1 November 2018, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROLLiWORKS

ummm.... no words.

All work done in the good ol’ U.S. of A.

Oh geeze. I've seen plenty of that in my time. Ugh. Have fun with that one!! lol

ROLLiWORKS · 1 November 2018, 10:54 AM

it's pretty gross. ultrasonic bath and a brush but no steam unless you want a mouthful of that nasty crud. yuck

Kingsking · 1 November 2018, 11:38 AM

Great work here, Ive skipped a bunch of the thread so sorry if these questions have already been answered, how much do your services cost?. Do you offer laser welding? regarding the laser welding how exactly does the process work? is additional metal added to being the base back to its factory original size? or is the case just reshaped?

Thanks

ROLLiWORKS · 1 November 2018, 12:37 PM

@Kingsking

We quote laser welding in 15 min increments at 80/hr. This is what the welding process looks like at the bottom. Basically it's argon shielding gas and a laser beam of light creating a small puddle of liquid steel that then melts the fill wire. We have both 316L and 904L stainless steel fill wire for early and later models.

Bracelet works run 300 on most steel models and 400 for most two tone models.

cop414 · 1 November 2018, 10:48 PM

Amazing stuff!

037 · 1 November 2018, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cop414

Amazing stuff!

Wrong emoticon, I take it?

1 November 2018, 11:38 AM	#177
Kingsking "TRF" Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: montreal Posts: 620	Great work here, Ive skipped a bunch of the thread so sorry if these questions have already been answered, how much do your services cost?. Do you offer laser welding? regarding the laser welding how exactly does the process work? is additional metal added to being the base back to its factory original size? or is the case just reshaped? Thanks __________________ 5513,16613,16710,116233,9411/0

1 November 2018, 10:48 PM	#179
cop414 TRF Moderator & 2024 DATE-JUST41 Patron Join Date: Apr 2012 Real Name: Tim Location: Pennsylvania Watch: 14060M Posts: 71,820	Amazing stuff! __________________ Rolex Submariner 14060M Omega Seamaster 2254.50 DOXA Professional 1200T Card carrying member of TRF's Global Association of Retro-Grouch-Curmudgeons TRF's "After Dark" Bar & NightClub Patron P Club Member #17 2 FA ENABLED

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19 October 2018, 04:40 AM	#151
ROLLiWORKS "TRF" Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Real Name: Michael H Posts: 964	Not officially offering this as a service (not yet) but a teaser of what's to come in 2019. How does Rolex make a watch case? CAD to CAM to CNC Mill. How does Rolliworks repair a watch case? We're in Silicon Valley so we're gonna use as much tech as possible. 3D Scan to CAD to CAM to CNC Mill! (plus some TIG welding to add new Stainless Steel before milling obviously) Our process isn't viable to offer commercially for now, but we're getting closer every week.

19 October 2018, 04:58 AM	#152
abs2010 "TRF" Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Real Name: A Location: Earth Watch: 16570 Black Posts: 79	This is super cool. Will this give you the ability to do things like weld up and refinish the crown guards? I know via traditional methods this was impossible for places like LAWW to do, which is why you see so many refinishes with great lugs and really thin CG's.

22 October 2018, 02:29 PM	#154
ROLLiWORKS "TRF" Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Real Name: Michael H Posts: 964	We just repaired a nasty dent as part of a full repair of a 7206 Rivet Oyster. Dent repair and the "no polish" request is a very tricky one. Removal of the dent leaves unsightly tool marks and does not look original at all. However we do realize the appeal to leaving the character in the bracelet. This is the main reason other bracelet repair shop requires a polish for this type of work. *Challenge accepted.* (We will post photos if the entire repair job before the end of the week) So one of these links went though some major dent repair and was brushed and polished to remove the tools marks. Can you tell which one? Here are some hints: This is what the dent looked like, it was a nasty one. Another look First round of dapping Second round of dapping After smooth and removing the tool marks.

22 October 2018, 02:30 PM	#155
ROLLiWORKS "TRF" Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Real Name: Michael H Posts: 964	Alright experts. Take your best guess. Which two links 1-5 were brushed and polished as part of the repair shown up above?

22 October 2018, 02:34 PM	#156
ROLLiWORKS "TRF" Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Real Name: Michael H Posts: 964	one more angle.

23 October 2018, 07:13 AM	#159
ROLLiWORKS "TRF" Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Real Name: Michael H Posts: 964	all good guesses. any others?

23 October 2018, 09:17 AM	#160
speedymoonman "TRF" Member Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: California Posts: 145	Just this thread AAA+++ work Mike!

23 October 2018, 11:02 AM	#161
MikeyV "TRF" Member Join Date: Jul 2018 Real Name: Mike Location: N. California Watch: DateJust 41 TT Posts: 544	I'd say 1 and 3, but maybe you're sneaky, and scuffed up the repaired ones even more. So maybe 2 and 4. No guess really...Thanks for always posting these photos. I love seeing your work.

23 October 2018, 12:27 PM	#164
ROLLiWORKS "TRF" Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Real Name: Michael H Posts: 964	Someone called us and asked that we create a cost for a rivet oyster bracelet. One good ole 7206 Rivet Oyster with 80 ends. A few dents, some stretch repair, just another day at Rolliworks. The request was for no polish (if possible). With dent repair it's no so easy but it's worth a try. Before shots This was the most noticeable dent. There were 3 in total but only this one showed up in photos. Fully blown apart. That's right, if you send us your treasured 7206 Rivet Oyster we will reduce it to this seemingly worthless pile of sheet metal scraps. You've been warned. The most valuable piece of sheet metal in the entire tray It's nice to mock things up before getting down to it First thing to address, the big dent. For this we use a dapping stake and a flat metal block. We want to raise the low spot which we will later smooth with an abrasive wheel. This is what it looks like after Pass #1. Good but still much more to go. Pass #2 Pass #3 and some smoothing This is what the inside looks like after all the dapping. Folded back together This is why it was worth all the work. The most valuable piece of the bunch. We worked the dents out of the other two links and started assembly

23 October 2018, 12:36 PM	#165
ROLLiWORKS "TRF" Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Real Name: Michael H Posts: 964	. With this amount of banging and hammering, you make no friends quickly Doh No one is perfect

23 October 2018, 12:42 PM	#166
ROLLiWORKS "TRF" Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Real Name: Michael H Posts: 964	Now back to the pieces with the dents. After smoothing this is what we are left with. Not ideal We applied a few aging techniques to the pieces with the dent repair. I think it blended nicely. You be the judge.

23 October 2018, 12:43 PM	#167
ROLLiWORKS "TRF" Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Real Name: Michael H Posts: 964

23 October 2018, 12:45 PM	#168
ROLLiWORKS "TRF" Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Real Name: Michael H Posts: 964	@MikeyV ... Chicken Dinner! #1 and #3

31 October 2018, 07:03 AM	#169
ROLLiWORKS "TRF" Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Real Name: Michael H Posts: 964	Long awaited before/afters of the 6636 Expanding Rivet Oyster jobs recently completed. We replaced 6 broken springs in total. 2 were broken 4 were slightly gimpy. 12 new rivets in total.

31 October 2018, 08:30 AM	#171
ROLLiWORKS "TRF" Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Real Name: Michael H Posts: 964	Thanks, you bet. Now, here are before-afters for the 7206. We knocked out some dents then blended the repaired spots to match the rest of the bracelet which was left w/o polish. Working on rivets bracelets intimidated us at first. Much easier now but still very time consuming.

31 October 2018, 09:03 AM	#172
ROLLiWORKS "TRF" Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Real Name: Michael H Posts: 964	This one is really a time bandit at the moment. 93153 Oyster with chucks of gold missing at the corners. It's a chance to show off our goldsmithing. Our shop is getting really cramped these days. Hope to have a new one in a few months.

1 November 2018, 08:12 AM	#174
ROLLiWORKS "TRF" Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Real Name: Michael H Posts: 964	ummm.... no words. All work done in the good ol’ U.S. of A.

1 November 2018, 10:54 AM	#176
ROLLiWORKS "TRF" Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Real Name: Michael H Posts: 964	it's pretty gross. ultrasonic bath and a brush but no steam unless you want a mouthful of that nasty crud. yuck

1 November 2018, 12:37 PM	#178
ROLLiWORKS "TRF" Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Real Name: Michael H Posts: 964	@Kingsking We quote laser welding in 15 min increments at 80/hr. This is what the welding process looks like at the bottom. Basically it's argon shielding gas and a laser beam of light creating a small puddle of liquid steel that then melts the fill wire. We have both 316L and 904L stainless steel fill wire for early and later models. Bracelet works run 300 on most steel models and 400 for most two tone models.

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