Need a jeweller/workshop with cnc laser cutting

Need a jeweller/workshop with cnc laser cutting

Author
Discussion

Lorne

Original Poster:

543 posts

101 months

Saturday 21st October 2017
quotequote all
Does anyone know such a person or workshop here in the UK?

I get self winding rotors cut in Switzerland at the moment, but would like to switch to a UK based workshop. Partly to bring more component manufacture into the country, mainly because the pound vs anything-else exchange rate is not looking like it'll shift anytime soon.

Really need help finding the ideal workshop.

Before and after pics; 30 mm wide, cut part is less than half a mm thick and copper.




CoolC

4,213 posts

213 months

Saturday 21st October 2017
quotequote all
I don't know much about them, other than they do precision laser cutting and are in the same city I live in.

http://micrometric.co.uk/laser-cutting/


Lorne

Original Poster:

543 posts

101 months

Saturday 21st October 2017
quotequote all
thanks CoolC, just emailed them

Mr Pointy

11,143 posts

158 months

Saturday 21st October 2017
quotequote all
Have you tried posting on other watch forums like TZ-UK?

Lorne

Original Poster:

543 posts

101 months

Saturday 21st October 2017
quotequote all
TZ-UK is good for advice on style, but Pistonheads has the sort of person that can get an enormous turbo on their Griffith AND sort out all the problems it causes, and therefore might just know the perfect company for cnc laser cutting. :-)

At the end of the day, building a watch is the same as modifying a car, just smaller, a little less oily and much less likely to annoy the wife.

Mr Pointy

11,143 posts

158 months

Saturday 21st October 2017
quotequote all
Lorne said:
TZ-UK is good for advice on style, but Pistonheads has the sort of person that can get an enormous turbo on their Griffith AND sort out all the problems it causes, and therefore might just know the perfect company for cnc laser cutting. :-)

At the end of the day, building a watch is the same as modifying a car, just smaller, a little less oily and much less likely to annoy the wife.
Well while it does have a preponderance of advice on which Rolex to hoard there have also threads where members have given pointers on access to services such as advanced case lapping & Roccos semi-miraculous laser micro welding repair of case damage.

Still, up to you.

Lorne

Original Poster:

543 posts

101 months

Saturday 21st October 2017
quotequote all
I might have to peruse TZ-UK then. I thought it was ALL about which Rolex to buy.

Pupp

12,205 posts

271 months

Sunday 22nd October 2017
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Pupp said:
Lorne said:
TZ-UK is good for advice on style, but Pistonheads has the sort of person that can get an enormous turbo on their Griffith AND sort out all the problems it causes, and therefore might just know...
It was a Chimaera wink

Lorne

Original Poster:

543 posts

101 months

Monday 23rd October 2017
quotequote all
Pupp said:
Pupp said:
Lorne said:
TZ-UK is good for advice on style, but Pistonheads has the sort of person that can get an enormous turbo on their Griffith AND sort out all the problems it causes, and therefore might just know...
It was a Chimaera wink
The quality of work under the bonnet made me forget which model TVR it was! You didn't use laser cutting to trim some of the plumbing by any chance?

edit: or did the laser go into the centre of the wheel hub so you can really cut up a car as you pass it?



Edited by Lorne on Monday 23 October 16:59

Pupp

12,205 posts

271 months

Monday 23rd October 2017
quotequote all
Lorne said:
You didn't use laser cutting to trim some of the plumbing by any chance?

edit: or did the laser go into the centre of the wheel hub so you can really cut up a car as you pass it?
Cheers Lorne; very kind. Water jetting on a chassis cross-brace was as close as it got!

Liking the die punching idea above if that could be done cleanly enough yes

matjk

1,101 posts

139 months

Tuesday 24th October 2017
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I’m in the laser business , I’m not convinced laser would be the best way to do that , wire EDM would be a better option IMHO , even a small CNC would work but give rounded corners. Copper / brass is the worst stuff to laser cut due to reflection and the edges would probably need cleaning up , water jet is messy , do the jewels come out as they would get covered in water and abrasive powder. I’m not sure if our lasers would cut that thickens as they are designed for laser engraving , if you need that doing then I’m your man !

Lorne

Original Poster:

543 posts

101 months

Tuesday 24th October 2017
quotequote all
matjk said:
I’m in the laser business , I’m not convinced laser would be the best way to do that , wire EDM would be a better option IMHO , even a small CNC would work but give rounded corners. Copper / brass is the worst stuff to laser cut due to reflection and the edges would probably need cleaning up , water jet is messy , do the jewels come out as they would get covered in water and abrasive powder. I’m not sure if our lasers would cut that thickens as they are designed for laser engraving , if you need that doing then I’m your man !
Hi Matjik

Thanks for your thoughts and ideas. I'm not keen on wire cutting as you need to cut the wire in, cnc milling because of the round corners (great for the cases), water cutting because it isn't sharp enough and stamping because I'd like a flat rotor at the end of it.

Currently it's done with a fiber-laser as the fibre-optics apparently produce a tighter focussed laser beam that cuts copper easily. I'm no expert, but I can't see why a reasonably powerful CO2 machine wouldn't be just as good.

matjk

1,101 posts

139 months

Tuesday 24th October 2017
quotequote all
OK well if its being done by fibre laser now and your happy with the results then that's the way to go, Most laser cutters are set up to handle large sheets as that's where most of their work comes from. You will get a better cut from a fibre as the wavelength absorbs into meta, so you can use much lower powers and gas pressures (compared to co2) we use pulsed fibre laser for the engraving but we only go up to 75 watts and I would think a proper cutting set up with gas and .5kw would be needed to do a quick clean job on brass . You already have micrometrics contact info, if they cant help i might have a few more to try.
Cheers