EDM Machine

M

Mike Arsenault

Joined
Dec 23, 2006
Messages
84
Saw some plans for sale: " build an automated EDM machine in 1 weekend" or some such thing...

Was just wondering if any of you guys have built one, or know someone who has... Is it really that easy, or is it gonna be the same as " Learn Kung Fu in 7 Days!"

I'd like to have one of those.
 
Real EDM machines are neat but home made ? Probably not worth the effort.
 
As far as I know, all the parts for this machine can be had at your local Radio Shack, ( except for the stuff you need your lathe and mill for ). Then you just need to be able to machine your own "electrodes" (the actual cutters/dies that eat thier way through the metal) from graphite or other sutable materials. Simple as that! lol, seriously though, I've seen lines only .001" wide, in elegant curved designs, cut clean through half inch steel plate with these things. You can bareley see through the cut! I guess it just impressed me too much not to want one. A guy could figure out some very unique applications for that sort of thing.
 
Hi Mike, EDM (Electrical Discharge Machining). What I wouldn't give to have a nice wire edm (sounds like that is what made the very fine cut you mentioned Mike) . The homemade plans you mentioned are for a sinker stye edm and could be very handy in the shop too.
 
Yeah, my fist thought was hey, I'd love to burn my logo onto this blade about a 16th of an inch deep, in 3d! But I think the imagination is the only limit to what you could do with it. (Maybe even find a way for it to help pay some of the knifemaking bills...) Bet you could use it to do some incredible inlays and engraving.

Yeah, that sounds right David. Now that I think of it, I couldn't imagine machining a peice of graphite down to a thou, and THEN using it to cut through steel!
 
I don't do anything EDM related for knifemaking, but at work we do lots of EDM. I mill electrodes for heart valves and other medical implements. I may be able to answer some questions related to EDM and knifemaking.

I don't know how well a homemade EDM would work. Small machines can be had for reasonable prices.

Good luck

Alex
 
they are pretty simple to make..
I have a book some where that tells how to make one, it's one of many projects I want to do as time lets me.:rolleyes: . the big thing is in the way you control it's movements..
 
ritzblitz said:
I don't do anything EDM related for knifemaking, but at work we do lots of EDM. I mill electrodes for heart valves and other medical implements. I may be able to answer some questions related to EDM and knifemaking.

I don't know how well a homemade EDM would work. Small machines can be had for reasonable prices.

Good luck

Alex
Click to expand...
Alex
What is a good price?
 
? for ritzblitz,

I've thought about the logo idea too but was concerned with the longevity of the electrodes. If your not cutting very deep in knife steel how long can you go before replacing them?
 
HI guys
Finally something I can Add to

I have been running EDM For about 13 years now, and would have to say that in regards to knifemaking EDM is not very useful, The only time I have usd them on a knife was to burn a couple hole after heattreat, wire EDM is nice but slow and expecenive, you would be better off getting peices waterjet cut,


For putting in logo's even with high quaity graphite or copper you would only get one or two good logo's. after that you will start to loose detail, we do mostly automotive parts and burn a far amount of logo type things in molds
like the little horns and airbag letters on your sterring wheels or the lettering around the ignition of your car, they are burned , we use two electrodes for 99% of our burning, on after the other. Not to mention that it would probly take at least a 1/2 to 1 hour to burn a good logo with a knife quaily finish

I have run some well made retrofit machines and they are just fustrating,to run. EDM is a very picky process, servos have to be very accurate or the machines will just not run right, It is a fine balance when you are running a .003-.005 bolt of electricity between steel and graphite. And the finishes were less then desireable,at a .003-.005 gap the finish would be about the look of 120 grit belt, you would have to get down to a .0005-.0002 finsh to look like a 400 grit belt and probly triple the time.(not the belt finish but what the belt actuly looks like)



Another thing to mention is that EDM tend to interfear with radios and T.V. signals and if you don't properly insulate your shop you could have so very angry neighbours,



In closing EDM has is place in the machineing world but just not in the knife world, there are much easier quicker ways to do things, I have played with burning pockets for inlays and a couple othe rthings on the sinkers at work and they are not very time efficent or cosy effecive.


for logo,s stamps would do a much better job and would be alot quicker.

If you do want to use EDM for anything, don't for get the overburn,
that is the amount of gap you are allowing for. EX if you want a .500 hole and you want to run a gap of.005 you will have to cut your electrode at .490 allowing for .005/side overburn and then you will get a .500 hole,


hope this helps , if you have any questions feel free to ask


cya
jimi
 
Thanks for the expirienced perspective Jimi, helps to hear from someone whose run one of these things. For some reason it still doesen't seem to abate my curiosity, regardless of the limited applications in blademaking! Maybe I'm just into the idea of being able to do stuff that other people can't, won't, or don't do. I think it's what attacted me to knifemaking (not many bladesmiths here in Canada...), as well as machining.

If anyone is still interested in these machines, I found a forum yesterday, I think it was "American Machinist's" forum, or some such thing. They had a whole forum on EDM machines, from using them to building/fixing them. Seems like there are some very knowledgable over there.
 
Mr. Wade,

Thanks for the info. Probably saved me a bunch of time and psych. counceling fees!
 
Actually guys, EDM is very efficient in cutting blade profiles. We wire-cut the blades for a well known company in California. When you stack them about 16-20 thick and they come out of the machine finished within +-.0005" except for the grinding, that's pretty efficient.

We have (2) wire-edms, (2) sinker edms, and (1) edm drill, along with several cnc mills and lathes.
 
I recall reading an article in Blade several years ago about Mike Walker & how he made his trademark "zipper" titanium/steel folder blades. It said he built his own EDM to do it with. He had to take a college course or two just to understand the technology and how to build & run it. But it still came up WAY cheaper in the end compared to buying a ready-made EDM. So, there's at least somebody in the custom knife world using 'em.
 
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