A few days ago I was glancing through old threads and re-read my series on rebuilding my Fanuc Tapecut Model M Wire EDM machine. Now apart from playing about, frankly that machine has hardly been used - why? Well threading the wire is an ABSOLUTE PAIN
The wire has to be passed through upper and lower guides that are hole in rubies - wire 0.25 mm hole in ruby 0.255 AND you had to thread from the underneath only being able to see the hole in a mirror. So perhaps you see why it has only had infrequent use !
Original thread HERE:
https://madmodder.net/index.php/topic,10085.msg113699.html#msg113699Now while I was rebuilding the machine I'd had the opportunity to rob a Model L as it was being scrapped - a very similar machine but this particular one was equipped with 'Vee Guides' - no holes, just a sharp Vee shape into which the wire falls held by tension - a slightly less accurate method but VASTLY easier to thread !
Why did I never fit them
Well both machines had been heavily modified over the years and the method of fitting the guides was qite different between them, and the Vee guides were missing all the plumbing for the ionised water electrolyte. Perhaps I should explain, not only does the guide assembly (upper and lower incidentally) have to hold the wire in a precise location, it has to convey the cutting current to the wire, and direct a jet of water along the wire to stop it melting and flush out cutting debris.
Now the current is applied to the wire by it sliding over a polished tungsten carbide stationary roller - relatively easy to engineer. The water is slightly more complicated as the water guide has to be able to open and close to admit the wire when threading. The original (missing) parts are complicated mouldings - but HEY - I HAVE A 3D PRINTER !
Now having had this thought I then could not find where the heck I'd put the Vee guides - I searched high and low, and it wasn't until someone wanted a TG100 collet from me that I went searching in my container and found a mystery ammunition box - and guess what was inside
So, over the next few weeks I plan to try and come up with a design that allows me to relatively easily swap between the two type of guide, and hopefully get it working.
I made a start today with a 'Psychological Clean Up' - a good hoovering to get the dead flies and dust off, then a sponge down with phosphoric acid to remove dried on bits that I been cutting, followed by a good rinse. Always better to work on a clean machine!
Workshop time is severely limited at the moment as Abi(gail) our new Viszla puppy joined us yesterday and needs constant attention - we are 'time sharing' hour on - hour off !
