Couple of pocket watches

[DWK5150]

Well these are a first for me. Wanted to take a break from making pens and I have had these kits laying around for oh a year or so maybe longer cause the batterys have died in a couple other ones I have. I made these out of bocot and cocobolo. They were kinda fun to turn and I will be doing more.

 

[Johnathan]

Your work looks nice. Where are the kits from? I like the kit on the left the best. 22k?

 

[Borg_B_Borg]

They look nice, but they seem a tad too big for my taste, almost approaching the size of small clocks. [] What is their diameter?

Steve

 

[DWK5150]

Originally posted by Johnathan
<br />Your work looks nice. Where are the kits from? I like the kit on the left the best. 22k?

I bought the clocks and chains from woodcraft. They are just the small ones they carry. They sit in a 1 3/8 hole. Craftsupplies also has them as well and are a little cheaper from them.

 

[DWK5150]

Originally posted by Borg_B_Borg
<br />They look nice, but they seem a tad too big for my taste, almost approaching the size of small clocks. [] What is their diameter?

Steve

Steve

They actually look much bigger than they actually are in the picture. The bocote is 2 & 3/8" and the cocobolol is 2 &1/8"

 

[JimGo]

They came out great Don! Nice job!

 

[Fangar]

Nice clocks.

Klockit is a good place for clock related parts and acessories. I have bought from them in the past. Seem to have good prices, and good service.

KLOCKIT

Cheers,

Fangar

 

[Borg_B_Borg]

Now, that's a lot better. Those are very appropriate dimensions for pocket watches. You've prompted me to pick up a couple of these kits at Woodcraft tomorrow. I have a feeling the plating will wear out in no time.

Steve

Originally posted by DWK5150

They actually look much bigger than they actually are in the picture. The bocote is 2 & 3/8" and the cocobolol is 2 &1/8"

 

[woodwish]

Those are very nice, don't know if I would really carry one in my pocket but they are nice. I really like the cocobola one but I would be proud to accept either one as a gift. []

Ironically, last summer I had a bad skin reaction from turning cocobola and rosewood. I have not been able to wear a wristwatch since then, skin breaks out again every time I wear one. I have actually gotten used to not wearing one. I have clocks all around my work and an alarm clock next to my bed so I rarely even need a watch. Thought about getting a pocket watch but my thigh started itching just thinking about putting that cocobola one in my pocket for a day [8D]

 

[Jim15]

Those are really nice. I'm gonna try to make one of those someday.

jim

 

[DWK5150]

Originally posted by Fangar
<br />Nice clocks.

Klockit is a good place for clock related parts and acessories. I have bought from them in the past. Seem to have good prices, and good service.

KLOCKIT

Cheers,

Fangar


Fangar,

I intend to order from them my next time around. I didnt know about them when I got the stuff from woodcraft. Klockit is far cheaper then woodcraft is thats for sure.

 

[Charles]

Really look good. I turned my first one today. I like the top of the one on the left. Mine looks similar to the one on the right. The top to the one on the left elludes to a faux winding stem. The one on the right would be good in a necklace. Not criticising the clocks. Just passing on an observation when I turned mine today and saw your post I wondered where you got the top for the one on left? Is that the woodcraft one? If not where?

 

[badwin]

Those look great. Are they hard to turn. Would love to try one.
Brian

 

[woodbutcher]

I'm going to make some desk sets using those. I really like the way they look.
Jim

 

[DWK5150]

Originally posted by badwin
<br />Those look great. Are they hard to turn. Would love to try one.
Brian

Brian,

Actually they are very simple to turn. All you have to do is drill your hole a 1/4" deep or so then throw it on your chuck and turn away. Only other thing you need to do besides sand and finish is to drill the hole for the chain to attach to. They are that simple.

 

[arioux]

Hi Brian,

Lee Valey sells a good chuck for this that is not too expensive.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=49410&cat=1,330,49238&ap=1

Alfred

 

[Rifleman1776]

Originally posted by Fangar
<br />Nice clocks.

Klockit is a good place for clock related parts and acessories. I have bought from them in the past. Seem to have good prices, and good service.

KLOCKIT

Cheers,

Fangar


I occasionally buy from Klockit but I don't agree with the "good prices" part. I have made some weather stations and have found it is much cheaper to buy a complete finished product at retail then dissasemble the instruments and place into your hand made frame. What Klockit charges for one instrument is about the cost of a complete unit at retail. Their clock movements are similarly high priced, but for many items they are the only act in town.

 

[RussFairfield]

Be aware that the Lee Valley chuck in the link (same as from Penn State) is not self-centering, and it sometimes takes a bit of tweeking to get the piece running true with the chucking recess.

 

[wpenm]

Russ, I bought that chuck from PSI and it would take much more than just tweeking. I found a good home for that chuck in the trash can.[:0]

 

[RussFairfield]

I was trying to be kind.

I make something like 100 of these watches every year, and use wooden jaws that I attached to a set of flat jaws for the Talon Chuck. That allows me to work around to the face of the watch without having to worry about the tool hitting steel.

The plating on these watch inserts will last for several days when worn by a woman as a pendant, and less than a day in a man's pocket. The plating on the "stem" is no better. The way I got around that problem is to recess the watch so the plating is protected by a ring of wood.

I have also started making a "stem" from wood. It looks better and there is no plating to wear off.

Meanwhile, doing these things solved a problem that was keeping a lot of women from buying them. They have an allergy to metal worn next to their skin.

The buyers for these watches are women by about 9 to 1. Therefore, making them easy to use as a pendant is more important than making them look like a pocket watch.

 

[airrat]

Russ are those the PSI watch kits that lose the plating or all of them we can get? I want to make some watches but have not purchased any kits due to my fear of that happening. I have 5 all metal pocket watches and none of them have lost their plating like that. I wish we could find better plating.

 

[RussFairfield]

All of the watches from the various suppliers are the same. The only difference is the price.

There is a lot of difference in their quality, even when they are the same price from a given supplier. Some have metal backs, some have plastic backs, some will have better plating than others, some are plated over pot metal, and some are plated over a brass bezel. Sometimes the supplier identifies those with a brass bezel, and sometimes they don't. Brass is worth the extra cost. Some of them have a glass crystal, and some of them are the cheapest plastic. Some are made by Seiko, and some are generic Chinese. If you order a variety of palting and dials, you will learn the differences. Unfortunately, the faces that people like are those that are the cheapest quality. The better watches are only with plain number dials.

A new battery will last for about 2-years. Some of the watches have a tab under the winding stem that keeps it from running. Those that don't began running when they left the factory, and the batteries may be near their end. I buy the watches from Klockit and replace the battery at the time of sale. A new GE battery is about $1.00 from Klockit. They all share the same battery.

 

[woodmanplus]

Very nice job.Good looking watches. I have been looking at them as I make clocks. I get my clock supplies from Wildwood designs. Thier prices and service is great. I can not deal with the prices at Klockit. I have done the Dome Clock.That one is a challenge.I get most of my pen from Pen State and they have the pocket watches,but I only need the stud and chain.