Old N Rusty Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 check out "Explain wire EDM" on youtube. magic is all i can say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmoothBore Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 If you've ever broken off a tap, in an expensive, or irreplaceable part, you NEED to have a relationship with your local EDM shop.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fosterob Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 If you've ever broken off a tap, in an expensive, or irreplaceable part, you NEED to have a relationship with your local EDM shop. Wire edm is not able to do what you are describing. Think of it as a VERY precise pattern torch. Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Wire edm is not able to do what you are describing. Think of it as a VERY precise pattern torch. Rob I'd say think of it as a "wire saw". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkunkler Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 I'd say think of it as a "wire saw". With little tiny electron teeth. :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmoothBore Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Wire edm is not able to do what you are describing. Think of it as a VERY precise pattern torch. RobPerhaps I failed to adequately communicate, ... in a thorough, and concise fashion, ... or made erroneous assumptions about the frame of reference of the readers.A wire EDM is perfectly capable of burning multiple holes in the "core" of a broken tap, ... effectively destroying it's structural integrity, ... and allowing you to easily shatter, and pick out the bits and pieces of broken tap, ... without inflicting further damage to the surrounding part.Certainly a "sinker" EDM, ... or "tap burner", ... is a good choice as well, ... but it's not nearly as quick, or inexpensive, as a wire electrode. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Perhaps I failed to adequately communicate, ... in a thorough, and concise fashion, ... or made erroneous assumptions about the frame of reference of the readers.A wire EDM is perfectly capable of burning multiple holes in the "core" of a broken tap, ... effectively destroying it's structural integrity, ... and allowing you to easily shatter, and pick out the bits and pieces of broken tap, ... without inflicting further damage to the surrounding part.Certainly a "sinker" EDM, ... or "tap burner", ... is a good choice as well, ... but it's not nearly as quick, or inexpensive, as a wire electrode. For large "through" hole that might work great as long as you can thread the wire through. For blind hole (the most common to be tapping) there is nothing like a sinker. "not nearly as quick, or inexpensive"? I'd use a piece of 1/4" brass tube to burn out a 3/8 tap in less than 5 minutes. EDM wire ain't cheap either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmoothBore Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 There's no need to "thread the wire through" anything.You use the end of the rotating wire, to burn straight down into a blind hole, ... just like with a sinker machine.I'm not saying this is an EASY, or foolproof method, ... because getting broken taps out of blind holes is NEVER easy.And in a "perfect world" there's always a "better" way .....But the thread was about the usefulness of wire EDM .....BTW ..... This is NOT speculation, ... I've done this very thing, ... dozens of times, ... over a 40 year span.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Please turn down the volume. I've been using EDMs for nearly that long and I've never seen a wire EDM machine that could do that. Are you talking about a "hole popper"? Not done with any standard wire EDM (to my knowledge) as the hair-thin wire has to be stretched tight. Certainly not a standard feature on wire EDMs. Never seen a "rotating wire" either. How does it do that when it's attached to the roll? Take a picture! Notice I don't say "it can't be done", show me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fosterob Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 One of my friends here has a wire edm in his shop and you must thread the wire through the part if you do not want to cut in from the edge. He has done some extremely tiny parts with incredible precision. The video Grant posted is very informative of the process. Near the end they show what I think smoothbore is talking about- small hole edm with a rotating pipe electrode for doing blind holes. Thanks for the video Grant. Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 For broken taps at work I just drill them out with solid carbide drills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmoothBore Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 No, it's not a "Hole Popper".The EDM shop that I use, has 2 Hole Poppers that they absolutely love, and use them for holes over 1/4".But the machine I'm talking about, holds about a 2' or 3' length of wire, ( cut from the roll ) vertically, in 2 small collets.It charges the wire, through the top collet, and feeds it straight down, ... while rotating, ... just like a vertical mill can feed the quill.It burns a hole slightly bigger than the diameter of the wire.Several of those holes, burned down through the center of a #6 x 32 tap, and some light blows on a small pin punch, will crumble the tap into pieces that will blow out of the blind hole, with a couple blasts of compressed air.It's saved my butt on numerous occasions. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbruce Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 check out "Explain wire EDM" on youtube. magic is all i can say. poit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 Now I understand what you're talking about. It's not part of the regular wire feed roll part, it's like an accessory on the machine to use it as a wire "sinker" (sorta). Not the sort of thing you see on many wire machines. Pretty cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fosterob Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 But the machine I'm talking about, holds about a 2' or 3' length of wire, ( cut from the roll ) vertically, in 2 small collets.It charges the wire, through the top collet, and feeds it straight down, ... while rotating, ... just like a vertical mill can feed the quill.It burns a hole slightly bigger than the diameter of the wire. Cool, I did not know those machines could do that. Learned something good today, thanks. Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 You trying to do this, Bruce?Instructions here: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old N Rusty Posted September 11, 2011 Author Share Posted September 11, 2011 Mack what is POIT? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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