It's like the first scratch on a new car. At first, you're pissed off, but then you realize you've been liberated.

right now you are upset, but later you will realize it adds character to your tooling and a hilarious story for you to share with friends and peers. as someone else mentioned, you can always repaint it down the road. loving your videos. Can't wait to see more watchmaking. I've been a machinist for the last decade but never made stuff so small. I would very much like to get started.

Just go all in and cove everything with lay out

Dean, just found your channel a few weeks ago. Needless to say I have been watching every spare moment I have...which is not very much. I have a lot to say, but this is not the place for a long read. So I will encapsulate my thoughts as best as possible. Your videos are very important for those of us with a strong interest in watchmaking in general. The videos themselves are very clear and great to watch, the detail is superb. I am very intrigued with your journey, and very happy you are willing to spend your valuable time putting this all on video for us. As a tradesman all my life, fabricator, welder, basic machinist, everything you are showing has great value to me and others. Sometimes I think you and Chris from ClickSpring are related...lol! My interest lies in antique pocketwatch restoration and repair, but anything in watchmaking holds my interest. Just bought an Atlas lathe, 6", model 618 (I think). Needs work, but it will help me build some of the tooling you show us how to make for a watchmakers lathe. My apologies for the rant, thank you so very much Dean.

Just leave those stains, they will be a memory we can talk about it in a few years when I buy a watch made by you. Love your videos man, my girl is trying to make me vacuum and do the dishes, but I have to watch all your vids first! :D

Used Dychem/Dykem at work. I feel your pain. Horrible stuff if you make a mistake with it. Couple of guys at work,got into a fight. One smashed the aerosol tin of Dychem on a protruding stud and sprayed it over the other guy. Both got suspended ( Yep on full pay) 6 months on full pay. End of 6 months the guy who sprayed the other had found another job.Other guy reinstated. 😀😀😀 I have to say,that both of them were Brilliant welders. Two of the best I have ever worked with. We used Dychem/Dykem for crack detection. Along with another product that I forget. Probably another Dychem product.

Thanks for the BHI info! I think I'll try out their distance course after I get settled at my new job. Personally, I think the spill adds charm to the lathe. Looking forward to your next video!

Hello Dean, it not easy to be independent watchmaker but is a passion of what you really wanted to achieve, my personal understanding for AHCI members few of them did not attended watchmaking school, i'm sure with your passion you can achieve what you wanted! Cheers 🥂!

I had a similar episode.. cleaning my lathe with WD 40 fast penetrant stripped the paint off like stripper! Colin at Cowells told me the blue paint he uses for the new machines is from Halfords just the standard blue. Think he said it’s Hammerite

Hi Dean - Thanks for the videos! I've used a dry erase marker to remove sharpie from smooth surfaces. Completely cover the sharpie using small circular motion. Once dry, wipe off as you would the regular dry erase. No idea if it'll work on your layout fluid, but it's worth a try!

hay man at least the lathe runs fine, nobody needs to see that other than your ego bro, cheer up

Hi, Great videos and well done demonstrations for watchmakers!! One thing that I need is to have both tap and die left-handed threads. For some of the watches I work on, they require left-handed threads for some mainspring arbors and other posts and screws! Left-handed screw-plates are few and far between. So, any help to make left handed screw and hole threads? If you keep working on many different kinds of watch repairs, you too will find that these left-handed tap and dies are needed!

Wet sand and then high speed polish it. Polishing it alone with rubbing compound may do it by itself. Just depends how deep it penetrated. Then put some car wax on it to protect it.

Acetone should take care of the marker. If you strip the paint of the lathe in the process... So what? You can always repaint or touch up the lathe. The only function of the paint is to prevent the lathe from rusting (and esthetics. pffrt)! A pink lathe could be a real collector's item :)

Great info! Definitely looking into the BHI distance learning program!

Excellent video. Keep it up!

Can you please give all the data on the file you're using on the screw heads? Other than Swiss and No.4

Can you please share where you purchase the files to cut the slot heads of watch screws?

I'm using Marks courses over at Watch Repair Channel. They're good, cheep and all I need to prep myself for my BHI Courses. FBHI here I come. Oh and thanks for the channel too, you're an inspiration :)

LOL at your front image, and somewhat LOL at your mishap. Sorry :) You'll find it funny too after 6 months of mourning. When I got a shiny new Sieg SC4 lathe some years back, I started using a cutting oil that had some compound in it that coated half the lathe with an indelible brown stain. My two month old lathe looked like it was 10 years old. I wasn't exactly pleased with that.. But wait, there's good news too! The BHI member forum was reopened a few months back. I just posted a new thread about my intermediate year exams experience. Add yours too :)

Maybe try some acetone on the paint, it shouldn't take of the enamel paint but hopefully it will lift away the dye. I know if your in the UK there are monthly member events with a guest speaker and also auctions for clocks, watches and tools. As always great video!

Brake parts cleaner from the auto store, will remove it or acetone. just do a small area with a q-tip on the paint to see how it reacts to the cleaner.

I have found that the best solvent for cleaning Dykem blue off metal is Acetone (NOT isopropyl alcohol). It doesn't even need to be 100% Acetone, as even a 50% solution with water, on a rag, seems to work well. I can't vouch for how this might react with your paintwork, so test an inconspicuous area to determine the effect, and don't over do it. Nail varnish remover is a good domestic source of dilute acetone (check the ingredients, as some types use methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) instead). NB: Acetone is very flammable, and should be used in a well ventilated area.

Thank you so much for the video, I hope things turn out better for you soon!

Maybe this is resolved but Isopropanol works well but perhaps it has interacted with the paint, in which case you have a restoration project :)

I'd use acetone dryish to damage the paint as little as possible but it will ruin the paint some.

Just found your channel...interesting stuff, love it! How you have enough patience just making screws is amazing in and of it's self. lol

If you still have this problem you might want to try a polishing compound like Meguiars ScratchX. This is a very fine liquid automotive polish..

Hi Dean! so I am really sorry about the Dykem accident. But is was an accident and hope you will not blame yourself. Shit happens. All of the comments re acetone and lacquer thinner are correct. However, don't rush into doing something until you contact Cowell's and ask them what solvent will not damage the paint. I think it is worse to cause damage the lathe's paint than to have patches of Dykem on it. With the paint, you have an easier surface to clean and it will stay protected against rust and cutting fluid (if you ever use it). Daniel

One of the reasons i never bought new tools if i could do it. You put them on a pedestal and never fully appreciate them. Well, that, and i like to take them apart from day one, and if it's new, i feel really guilty towards the wallet, if i do it, and mess up. Like that one time i took apart a Starrett test dial indicator and i couldn't match the movement to the spring in the dial anymore. Had to watch a few repair videos online till i figured out the trick. < yes, i am that kind of an idiot, and i'm proud of it, because more than once has it saved my bacon later down the road.

Acetone or xylol takes out everything. But vent the heck out of your studio or take it outside and use a respirator. It's bad for you, but it'll get the job done. I used to clean silk screens with that.

Boeshield Blade and Bit Resin Gum and Pitch Remover or Boeshield Rust Free - Rust and Stain Remover can be found on ebay, they might work!? (but I never tried them!)

Dean, Have you tried lacquer thinner (not paint thinner). Test your try out chemicals on another painted surface first. david

nice green flame on the screw tempering part :))) ; on the paint spill, maybe just get a good "lock' onto the colour of the base paint and have the whole thing re-painted, sorry, but that's the only way to get rid of it { any solvent for the "layout Blue" will craze the finish on your lathe base, because if nail polish remover or turps won't shift it, the solvent is likely to be similar to lacquer thinner ( as in artist paint) so YES it will damage the lathe paint, looks like a nice car candy paint too :(...} but if you do re-paint the base put a "gloss over coat" on it, just like on a car paint job, will make sanding any further accidents off easy- only the top layer would need a re-paint.

Dean, I'd be pretty upset as well! A tidy/clean workshop means I work in the same manner. Dykem do a removing fluid so I wouild try that first. Let us know how you get on.

Acetone and then repaint, nice videos btw.

Pity about the dye-kem. Try acetone. It should not harm the paint. At least the lathe is mechanically intact.

Hey mate, not sure if youre still on here as im very late to the party but nonetheless your videos are inspiring and well of knowledge. Ive just got some questions for you about the BHI course as I'm picking up watch repairs from my father but am looking to begin getting certifications..and the BHI distance learning seems the most doable considering my situation. First question if, because we aren't based in the UK, i would assume that we would have to get our own tools, machine and material. Which costs money, so how much would you say youd have spent to finish the course? And what sort of equipment is required to complete the course? As i wouldnt want to enroll only to find i dont have the logistics to finish it.. For some exams, an examiner needs to be there, and I understand that i can find my own examiner, but what sort of qualification and where do you go to find these people that can be examiner? For those exams in Level 4, which you need to do to the UK, how does that happen? Is it a one day kind of thing? What the process like.. And lastly, starting from Level 3, do I choose from the start if i want to pursure watches or clocks? Because im getting the understanding from BHI that they teach more on the clock than watches for level 3.. I know its really lengthy and alot of questions but youre the only guy i know what I know has done the course.. cheers and keep inspiring!

sorry for your loss, how about using whiteboard marker instead??, it comes off with a moist towel or with the "diggers" mentholated spirits that you have shown, and best of all, if a mistake is made, you can erase it fast and the product is permanently contained in the "pen" dispenser.

I thought from the title you had actually damaged your lathe but it's just a bit of a stain, some of the lathes/machines I've used over the years have been beaten up like crazy but have worked just great. As long as you keep your maintenance up it will last you a very long time but it will look like it should be, used.

I appreciate the info on BHI. I'm planning on going that rout myself. I was wondering, if you know practically nothing about watchmaking if you have to start with the lvl 3 course, before moving to lvl 4 or if ll 4 for starts from the ground up as well. I emailed the folks at BHI, but didn't get a response. Thanks! Your videos are a huge source of motivation.

I use acetone to remove Dyken Blue from everything. Not sure what it will do to your particular paint. Hang in there. Norm Berls Houston, TX

Hi Dean. Mistakes happen :), however they add character to your tools and you need to laugh it off. Nice video like always. How do you select the music, as it fits so nicely? Did you also pay for the feedback package from the BHI for two years? Also does the knowledge from the first courses help you buy a good lathe and mill? I have no experience with power tools and would just buy the wrong stuff :).

HeyDean, Please tell me when your new upload is comming, I Cannot waight.

Oh man, I thought you actually borked it, kinked the spindle, or chewed off a bunch of teeth. You didn't ruin it!I can't afford a Cowells, I have to put up with my Unimat SL, I'd have your 'ruined' Cowells all fucking week.

What tool was did you use to cut the slot on the screw head?

Are the exams written in a hall or like the one you did in the last episode with practical?

If the lathe was painted with an acrylic spray paint then the Dykem has probably diffused into the paint surface, and is now chemically inseparable from it. In which case the only option is to strip down the lathe, remove all the old paint, and then re-paint it with something more resilient. (I'm quote surprised that Cowells didn't use a hard-wearing epoxy or enamel paint, but maybe yours has been re-sprayed?) See this comparison chart www.rustoleumibg.com/images/TechSpecsAndGuides/LIT_CPS_0406_9579550_Chemical-Resistance-Guide.pdf.pdf After looking into this (common) problem, I am currently thinking that a Chemical Resistant Epoxy-based paint would seem to be a good choice. i.e. In future, any solvents spills, oils, or Dykem spills would just wipe-off with a rag soaked in Acetone and no harm would be done to the underlying paintwork. I think that "Blue Sky RAL 5015" is a good match to the colour of the base (although a call to Cowells would confirm this). Here is one vendor that might be suitable www.reprotecuk.co.uk/products/reprotec-acidcheck (I am considering repainting my milling machine with this stuff.)

Dean D K I am trying to find a cross slide for my Peerless 8mm lathe. it looks like you have the same lathe. Do you know where i can order one? Or a certain one to look for? one that will work? I'm a antique car mechanic that is trying to get in to watchmaking as a hobby. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you. Unfortunately the only chemicals that I know that will remove the dye will also remove the paint. Thanks for the info about the associate member of the BHI! I will have to do that! ~Ken

Horologists have no respect for lathe beds, my poor Cowells, haaahaaa🤣🤣😭😭😭♥️♥️♥️

ohh no wath is it inkt or other product poor lathe

Where did you buy your lathe? I am looking for one.

While I sympathise with your dismay, my personal approach to the cosmetic spoiling of your pristine lathe is that it is and will always be a tool - however highly prized. If you had tried to sell it just before the marker spillage, you would have been unlikely to get much more than half the new price - simply because it is a used tool however carefully you have babied it. I know it hurts you to see your baby ruined, but that is my approach to cosmetic damage. I would react more strongly if circumstances had led to severe rusting (floods, corrosive chemical attack, etc) or "apprentice marks" such as gouges or chips. Having said that, if no satisfactory cleaning can be achieved, a rubbing down and repaint may restore some of your pride of ownership. As always, thank you for the effort you put into your videos - I enjoy them greatly.

Why not strip off all the paint? Then it can either be all metal, or you can then paint it any colour you like. 😊

"The only thing that removes Dykem, is...well...Dykem." just try a spot of it on itself and wipe. they have dykem remover but I've never tried it.

that happens to tools(different from expensive toys), not ruined.

I would use wd40 and then iso.

Dean, have you tried Varsol?

I say leave it. Spotless tools just mean work isn't getting done.

Horrible music

99 percent Isopropyl alcohol? worth a try.

Try using hand sanitizer

engineer's blue yes dicum no