# a horde of watch part pens. ....



## edstreet (May 7, 2015)

Just some collection of pens that I have been ask to photograph.




























....


Enjoy.


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## wyone (May 7, 2015)

wow...  I am in awe.. that is pretty awesome


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## ladycop322 (May 7, 2015)

Beautiful pens!


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## conandy (May 7, 2015)

*awesome*

Those pens are gorgeous!


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## tim self (May 7, 2015)

That is indeed a hoard.  Wonderful work Ed.


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## jondavidj (May 7, 2015)

Thanks Ed! Sold one of those last night! Thanks for making photos for me!


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## wyone (May 7, 2015)

I keep looking at these pictures and am even more amazed each time


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## edstreet (May 7, 2015)

wyone said:


> I keep looking at these pictures and am even more amazed each time



Careful there.  When you start looking at this level of detail you really start to see quality differences and things start jumping out at you with casual observations, often times from arms length away.  Once down that road of super detail forever will it consume you


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## Dale Lynch (May 8, 2015)

Awesome pens John,I can hardly believe you got so many parts is some of them.

Teriffic photos Ed,the upclose detail is tops.Never gonna subject any of my pens to it though.


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## edstreet (May 8, 2015)

Spanx said:


> Awesome pens John,I can hardly believe you got so many parts is some of them.
> 
> Teriffic photos Ed,the upclose detail is tops.Never gonna subject any of my pens to it though.



You should.  I like to encourage everyone to look at their work up close with an honest eye and pay attention to details.  The amount of things you find is incredible and among the mist is where you find rapid skill level advancements.


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## Dale Lynch (May 8, 2015)

I agree about looking at it up close,I use a magnifieng dome to examine the final steps before assembly.I'm just not so sure about doing it online.Maybe I should get over that fear and send you one.Couldn't take the pics if I wanted to.


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## jttheclockman (May 8, 2015)

Spanx said:


> I agree about looking at it up close,I use a magnifieng dome to examine the final steps before assembly.I'm just not so sure about doing it online.Maybe I should get over that fear and send you one.Couldn't take the pics if I wanted to.




Dale

There is absolutely no need to magnify the pen results such as this. Unless you are making a museum piece that pen will get scratched from the very first time used. They are made to be used. If your work is acceptable by the naked eye you are right there.


What I would like to see is someone step up their game and expand on this idea of watch part pens. There are so many more ideas that can be done with these and yet all I see is the same thing. Yes they all look nice.


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## wob50 (May 8, 2015)

Great looking blanks very nice


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## wood128 (May 8, 2015)

work of a true artist.


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## edstreet (May 8, 2015)

jttheclockman said:


> Spanx said:
> 
> 
> > I agree about looking at it up close,I use a magnifieng dome to examine the final steps before assembly.I'm just not so sure about doing it online.Maybe I should get over that fear and send you one.Couldn't take the pics if I wanted to.
> ...




Some have stepped up the game.  I am trying to get my hands on one to do photo's of it to show.  

I can think of many reasons to magnify the pen like this and I can also list several reasons that many would be hesitant to do this and the #1 reason that would be is quality.  It is a very long standing custom to display items like to showcase them.


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## vakmere (May 8, 2015)

Nice to see fingers without CA glue on them. Excellent photography.


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## bitshird (May 8, 2015)

That is truly an awesome hoard of pens, beautifully done


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## Skewer (May 8, 2015)

Ed, these are some nice pens...but your photography is incredible.  I'd love to see more detail on how you took some of these photos.


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## edstreet (May 8, 2015)

Skewer said:


> Ed, these are some nice pens...but your photography is incredible.  I'd love to see more detail on how you took some of these photos.



what details?


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## jttheclockman (May 8, 2015)

edstreet said:


> jttheclockman said:
> 
> 
> > Spanx said:
> ...




Well Ed I disagree with you. Nothing about stepping up ones game when it comes to blowing photos up. Unless you are selling pens to collectors who walk around with loops then the eye is the key. If the fit of the kit is not up to par then you should be able to see it with your eye. If not then you do not know what you are looking at or for. Seeing blownup photos is not going to help. Casting again takes knowledge and practice. We are making hand made pens. We do the very best of our abilities to make them. 

I think if you are going to do this and expose others works then you better get their permission. Then if that person agrees then they better be thick skinned and be subjected to the ridicule. Every pen made will have some sort of flaw.


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## Skewer (May 8, 2015)

edstreet said:


> Skewer said:
> 
> 
> > Ed, these are some nice pens...but your photography is incredible.  I'd love to see more detail on how you took some of these photos.
> ...



What kind of lens, lighting, aperture, shutter speed, etc?  Whatever you'd be willing to share...


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## Waggoner (May 9, 2015)

WOW great looking pens. My favorite is the blue faced Rolex.


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## Band Saw Box (May 9, 2015)

Really beautiful pen's


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## tim self (May 9, 2015)

jttheclockman said:


> Spanx said:
> 
> 
> > I agree about looking at it up close,I use a magnifieng dome to examine the final steps before assembly.I'm just not so sure about doing it online.Maybe I should get over that fear and send you one.Couldn't take the pics if I wanted to.
> ...



But JT, you know how some collectors are with their 30x loop.  If they're examining it that close it better be perfect.


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## jttheclockman (May 9, 2015)

tim self said:


> jttheclockman said:
> 
> 
> > Spanx said:
> ...




Well Tim if those are the people you are selling to then go for it. I bet 99.9% of the pen turners here do not sell to those people.


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## edstreet (May 9, 2015)

Skewer said:


> edstreet said:
> 
> 
> > Skewer said:
> ...



I use a 50mm 1:1 macro lens.  I have a 500 w/s monolight and a light tent.  I hand hold and use 1/200 & F/11 ish (it will sometimes vary according to many things.  I have been known to use F/22.  I also do not use a tripod.



tim self said:


> jttheclockman said:
> 
> 
> > Spanx said:
> ...



Quality artist need not hide from the loop/loupe, the only valid reason that I can see one would wish not to show magnification is if they have something to hide.   I suppose there may be other valid reasons or so but it really does not matter much.

Keep in mind to that a well trained eye in detail can easily spot problems before you even touch the pen.  Details that a loupe will show up good and clear.


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## Dale Lynch (May 10, 2015)

You guys are right,a true artist and master craftsman making a museum grade piece should be able to hold up under such enhanced scrutiny.I don't fit that catagory yet,too many flaws not worked out,but getting better.


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## jttheclockman (May 10, 2015)

Spanx said:


> You guys are right,a true artist and master craftsman making a museum grade piece should be able to hold up under such enhanced scrutiny.I don't fit that catagory yet,too many flaws not worked out,but getting better.




Keep working at it and ask ED how to get to that level. Save some money for those Macro lens and some high powered loops that you will be using. Good luck.   For me I trust my eye as long as I can see out of them which is getting over time to be a problem:biggrin:


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## Robert Taylor (May 10, 2015)

I'll probably be scorned for this, but while they are nicely finished pens a major flaw to me is that they do not have the "hands" on the faces. Thus a very important detail (to me anyhow) has been overlooked. Just my two cents.


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## edstreet (May 10, 2015)

bettyt44720 said:


> I'll probably be scorned for this, but while they are nicely finished pens a major flaw to me is that they do not have the "hands" on the faces. Thus a very important detail (to me anyhow) has been overlooked. Just my two cents.



And this is why voicing opinions matter greatly.  It does help greatly in many regards.

I have noticed that some will have hands and others will not.


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## jttheclockman (May 10, 2015)

bettyt44720 said:


> I'll probably be scorned for this, but while they are nicely finished pens a major flaw to me is that they do not have the "hands" on the faces. Thus a very important detail (to me anyhow) has been overlooked. Just my two cents.



I agree 100%. If you are not going to put them on the face then at least put them within the mix of the other parts. Every watch comes with hands.


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## edstreet (May 10, 2015)

jttheclockman said:


> I agree 100%. If you are not going to put them on the face then at least put them within the mix of the other parts. Every watch comes with hands.



But not all hands comes with watches.


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## OKLAHOMAN (May 10, 2015)

JT. when buying some of the higher end watch faces especially Rolex, Breitling, and others for upwards of $200 hands don't come with.


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## jttheclockman (May 11, 2015)

OKLAHOMAN said:


> JT. when buying some of the higher end watch faces especially Rolex, Breitling, and others for upwards of $200 hands don't come with.




Let me tell you all something if any of you are using real Rolex, Breitling and other highend watches to make those watch part pens you are nuts. The faces are worth more than what you can sell the pens for. The fakes look exactly like the real thing. 

To answer the critics about no hands ebay is your friend. You can buy dozens of hands. By the way I know a thing or two about watches so please.


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## edstreet (May 11, 2015)

How do you tell if it's real or a fake?


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## jttheclockman (May 11, 2015)

edstreet said:


> How do you tell if it's real or a fake?




Lets back it up a bit here ED. You and your buddy Roy attacked my point about me preferring to have hands on the watch dials when cast. (simple statement and my opinion) Then you both made the statement that some dials do not come with hands and I am guessing that is why there is no hands on the dials when cast. So I am now to believe people are either going to Rolex and buying or building a watch so that they can disassemble it to cast in a bunch of resin???  Correct????  Or another scenerio is they found a REAL Rolex and they did not have any hands on it because people walk around with watches with no hands. Correct?????  Or another scenario and people buy just the Rolex dial and put any garbage mechanism in the pen and call it a real ROLEX watch part Pen. Correct????? 

None of this makes sense to me why you would not put hands on the dial. You are not making a statement because all watches have hands on them unless digital. Please explain to me the situation that a watch does not have hands. 

As far as my other statement, if people are taking $500 or $1000+++ watch dials and putting them in these pens, you got alot of money to burn. I wish I were there.


OH and by the way buying a $10 clock motor does not come with hands either. Or $20 clock Bezel does not come with hands either.


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## edstreet (May 11, 2015)

Sorry but I might be off base but I do not think I have attacked anyone on this thread.  It was certainly not my intention to be taken that way at least.

I did notice that some of the pens have hands and others do not.  As to why I can only assume and I have not ask the people who made them.  Others would know that info much better than I would.  I have wanted to put some under my camera for a few years now and I did get the chance so I jumped on it. 

I do agree that hands does make things better. I also have been saying for a good 10 years now that watch parts should be organized differently, see attached photo's.  Make it look like it has a purpose.

As to the person breaking down a watch or buying scrap parts I do not know what is being done.


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## jttheclockman (May 11, 2015)

If that is not an attack than why make the statement that not all watch dials come with hands. My word was WATCHES. All watches come with hands that are not digital. Have to put that disclaimer in there too because someone will jump on that too. Hands are part and i think a big part of a watch. Why people choose not to use them may be because they are afraid they will stick out too far and may be turned off when shaping the pen. Or they loose them or break them when taking apart. Not sure.


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## edstreet (May 11, 2015)

edstreet said:


> But not all hands comes with watches.





jttheclockman said:


> If that is not an attack than why make the statement that not all watch dials come with hands. My word was WATCHES. All watches come with hands that are not digital. Have to put that disclaimer in there too because someone will jump on that too. Hands are part and i think a big part of a watch. Why people choose not to use them may be because they are afraid they will stick out too far and may be turned off when shaping the pen. Or they loose them or break them when taking apart. Not sure.



the above is an attempted at humor and sarcasm.  Meaning my hand does not have a watch on it at all.  I have not worn a watch in decades now.  Sorry this was not an attack and it was not meant that way.


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## Dalepenkala (May 11, 2015)

Ok boys settle down!


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## Robert Taylor (May 11, 2015)

I threw in my two cents because posters were talking about detail. Most all the watch parts pens shown anymore are NOT a watch at all. But a composition of small gears from ebay plus a watch face. Bruce119 made watch pens from a watch and included the screws, plates etc. In my opinion most current watch parts pens are steampunk pens and NOT watch pens.


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## OKLAHOMAN (May 11, 2015)

Bob, you are 100% correct, what you see as watch pens here are in reality watch PART pens not watch pens therefor steampunk.


bettyt44720 said:


> I threw in my two cents because posters were talking about detail. Most all the watch parts pens shown anymore are NOT a watch at all. But a composition of small gears from ebay plus a watch face. Bruce119 made watch pens from a watch and included the screws, plates etc. In my opinion most current watch parts pens are steampunk pens and NOT watch pens.


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## edstreet (May 13, 2015)

OK last photo.  I misplaced this one and just found it.


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## jttheclockman (May 14, 2015)

bettyt44720 said:


> I threw in my two cents because posters were talking about detail. Most all the watch parts pens shown anymore are NOT a watch at all. But a composition of small gears from ebay plus a watch face. Bruce119 made watch pens from a watch and included the screws, plates etc. In my opinion most current watch parts pens are steampunk pens and NOT watch pens.




I agree also but that is the beauty of it. Take it for what its worth. Take the basic idea and expand and run with it. There are a ton more ideas that can be made with this basic concept. Call it what you want but evolve from it and take it to the next level. There are some that still make the so called true watch part pen.   Think outside the box. Lets get creative and not sit on this one basic idea.


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## Gus Jr (May 14, 2015)

What pen kits are you using for the thickness of the watch parts?  I have started to making watch part pens and liked your designs.


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## edstreet (May 14, 2015)

Any gent class will work, senior or junior.  Same with the Sierra class. Have not seen one on the baron/Sedona class ... Yet


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## jttheclockman (May 14, 2015)

Barons, Gents, Sierra Vistas, Majestics, Imperials work well. Depending on what you are casting any of the larger kits will work. Some times it is the shape you give the body of the pen can allow you to use certain kits. So you may need to do a little experimenting on your own too. Good luck.


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