# Having A Little Fun



## hamiltonelectric (Feb 27, 2010)

I was hunting through one of my many boxes of parts last night (it's unbelievable how much stuff you can accumulate in 25 years!!) and as I pulled various and sundry pieces out I decided to make myself a little toy.

I've had zillions of Hamilton railroad electrics over the years and have always liked the size and the styling, with the clean, detailed dial, but for whatever reason I never kept one just to wear. (I have a few new-old-stock ones, but I wouldn't want to wear any of those.)

Long story short, I made up a slightly skeletonized 505 (filed train bridge to reveal as much of the train as possible):










Then I cased it in a RR50 case with a cut-out back. Ironically, I have no clue where this back came from. I didn't make it and I don't know where or when I got it. But when I saw it in the box I figured why not??


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## watchnutz (Jan 18, 2008)

Very nice Rene. It's one of those modded watches that makes you say "why didn't they think of that", although the Clearview is close. The movement is interesting to watch unlike Accutron Spaceviews and the skeletonized bridge makes it more so. :notworthy:


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## harleymanstan (May 29, 2009)

Very nice, indeed. I know what you mean about accumulating. I have not been at it nearly as long, and am already getting a little stockplie.

I am going to have to attempt one of those skeleton movements one of these days. A very nice way to show more of the movement.

I don't think you have ever posted pictures of the watch you were wearing when we met. I think everyone would like to see it as well. Be careful, though. Martinus Scriblerus may try to buy it from you. I think he likes skeleton watches. :wink2:

harleymanstan


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## martinus_scriblerus (Sep 29, 2008)

harleymanstan said:


> Very nice, indeed. I know what you mean about accumulating. I have not been at it nearly as long, and am already getting a little stockplie.
> 
> I am going to have to attempt one of those skeleton movements one of these days. A very nice way to show more of the movement.
> 
> ...


Only the Electro-Chron!


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## martinus_scriblerus (Sep 29, 2008)

hamiltonelectric said:


>


Very cool Rene. It would be nice to see a video of it working (in case you don't have enough to do).


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## martinus_scriblerus (Sep 29, 2008)

I tried to add this to my previous post but was too late to edit it. Here's the Electro-Chron as a comparison:


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## hamiltonelectric (Feb 27, 2010)

harleymanstan said:


> I don't think you have ever posted pictures of the watch you were wearing when we met. I think everyone would like to see it as well.


Et voilÃ :



















And running:










It really does look a lot better in real life than in pictures.


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## harleymanstan (May 29, 2009)

Thanks for the pictures. I can vouch that it looks excellent in person. I had trouble keeping my eyes off of it as we visited, until I finally had to ask about it. I knew it looked like a Titan or Van Horn case, but that dial????

Next you are going to get questions as to how that old gold battery is powering the watch (I asked you when I saw it).

Thanks again,

harleymanstan


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

Goodness, that balance bridge has been really trimmed back  . Surely that must flex a little. :huh:



> Next you are going to get questions as to how that old gold battery is powering the watch (I asked you when I saw it).


Modern silver oxide sitting in the shell of an old battery? There looks to be some sort of mod to the original battery as viewed from the dial side.


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

Some folks have waaaay too much time on their hands  - but I have to agree, it looks very NICE! and I don't usually like skelington watches - but a see through back is fine. :yes:

One of these days, The Edinburgh Home for Dispossessed Watches might have a Hamilton resident, the urge gets stronger all the time, it's the budget that gets weaker! :lol:


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## hamiltonelectric (Feb 27, 2010)

Silver Hawk said:


> Goodness, that balance bridge has been really trimmed back  . Surely that must flex a little.


No, it's quite sturdy. The watch runs flawlessly in regular use.



> Modern silver oxide sitting in the shell of an old battery?


Exactly. It's an original battery drilled out to leave just the cap. I insert a 394 into that and place a blue plastic insulator on the bottom. It's not absolutely perfect but it looks WAY better than just a modern battery!

This is one which really must be seen in operation to appreciate. I'll see if I can get a closeup video.


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## luddite (Dec 11, 2009)

That's very interesting hamiltonelectric, but how do you tell the time with it? !


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## hamiltonelectric (Feb 27, 2010)

Actually, I find this one quite easy to read, more so than most skeleton watches. The fairly large chapter ring helps. But I'm very partial to skeleton watches in general so happily make the trade-off between simplicity of reading the time and visual complexity of the movement.


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## haily (Sep 8, 2010)

Well, I like it!r4i


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## Nickc (Oct 31, 2009)

I thought that mods/skeletonised movements to electric watches were not done. Nice to be wrong on this one. Do like that Hamilton.


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## rmcsilva (May 29, 2010)

I like it! Congratulations and enjoy it!


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## lucychen (Aug 27, 2010)

hamiltonelectric said:


> I was hunting through one of my many boxes of parts last night (it's unbelievable how much stuff you can accumulate in 25 years!!) and as I pulled various and sundry pieces out I decided to make myself a little toy.
> 
> I've had zillions of Hamilton railroad electrics over the years and have always liked the size and the styling, with the clean, detailed dial, but for whatever reason I never kept one just to wear. (I have a few new-old-stock ones, but I wouldn't want to wear any of those.)
> 
> ...


WOW~


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## azimuth_pl (Aug 17, 2009)

nice work, both the Hammy and Wittnauer. I like the angled edge on the Wittnauer dial, I modified a Spaceview dial with an opposite angle but I find the Wittnauer idea a lot nicer.

do you guys have some special claws to hold a thin dial firmly in the lathe or do you leave it in the case fixed onto a parts movement that can be sacrificed during the process.

I find dial modifications to be tough as most dials are to soft to work on. Using a dremel will not give a perfect result IMO.

btw. is there some kind of PM functionality within this forum?


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

azimuth_pl said:


> nice work, both the Hammy and Wittnauer. I like the angled edge on the Wittnauer dial, I modified a Spaceview dial with an opposite angle but I find the Wittnauer idea a lot nicer.
> 
> do you guys have some special claws to hold a thin dial firmly in the lathe or do you leave it in the case fixed onto a parts movement that can be sacrificed during the process.
> 
> ...


The Wittnauer is factory, the Hamilton is home made. Get to 50 posts and the PM system will magically appear.


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## azimuth_pl (Aug 17, 2009)

thanks Paul, I'll start spamming some nonsense and I'll get the PM functionality by morning :naughty:

good to know that the Wittnauer was factory made, it somehow seemed to me to be nice for a one-off mod.


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