Wire EDM project

[1mrchristopher]

So the big question: Have you tried it out yet?

[YouLuckyFox]

Guys, thanks for the reviews, I'm glad to see you guys like it!
It's got great feedback (when I would tap the 301 plate, you could feel it vibrate for 2-3 seconds,) but I haven't picked a lock with it just yet --been pretty busy since it was made, yesterday! I'll post how it does once I pick something with it; without embellishment or bias. Any ideas on if I should bother with a handle? A pal of mine makes antler handles and is very good at etching, but I'm not sure if I want to take away the feedback from this thing.

[YouLuckyFox]

Also, it would be weird to have a handle that made room for the fox without looking strange...

[Squelchtone]

That's awesome! at first I thought it was doge and was going to make comments like "such discharge", "much CAD". and "very detail" but then I saw your member name =)

well done,
Squelchtone

[YouLuckyFox]

LOL @ Squelchtone!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=000al7ru3ms
Several people have made "what's the fox say" jokes when seeing my lockpick...

Here's the latest from my CNC class:



Benjamin is my 5-year-old son. I joked about giving this to him when he is 15 or something, but my wife didn't find that very funny...

[GWiens2001]

LOL @ Squelchtone!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=000al7ru3ms
Several people have made "what's the fox say" jokes when seeing my lockpick...

Here's the latest from my CNC class:



Benjamin is my 5-year-old son. I joked about giving this to him when he is 15 or something, but my wife didn't find that very funny...

I'd laugh like heck if you give it to him when he is in high school.

I have a series of videos of my son that, if he starts becoming a brat in high school, will be turned into a 'blackmail video' to encourage him to follow the rules and obey my wife and I.

Gordon

[NinjaLlama]

I wish I had an EDM or a small laser cutter that was not outrageously expensive.

[YouLuckyFox]

LOL @ Gordon. I can only imagine how fun that would be! My "secret weapon" would be to walk him to class in my pajamas and my infamous bedhead (looks like I comb my hair with firecrackers in the morning.) I made an email account for the little dude, I send any videos or emails his way when I have the time. I can only imagine what that will be like when he's older and opens this email account with all these pictures, videos, and emails of him through the years!

*Don't know what the deal is with me and typos lately: my son is only 5-months-old.

[YouLuckyFox]

@Ninja Lama: Agreed, there is not much of a chance of me being able to play around with an EDM outside of college, not many machine shops seem to have them. I have heard that gunshops use them a lot, though. If you have anything cool in mind, NinjaL, just let me know and I can make it and send it your way, as long as you have a graphic for me, the software and machine really do all the rest; like I said, very little coding involved with this project (though other projects have taken the time to manually code.)

[NinjaLlama]

Thanks for the offer but I do not have any particular idea in mind. I would just like to have a laser to make my own picks/brackets/engravings/etc.
Although I will need a new place for any more tools... I am pushing my current apartment to the limits

[YouLuckyFox]

Yeah, man. Totally get what you mean on having space for tools!

[NinjaLlama]

I think I might be addicted, even though the signs are inconclusive. I had to put my new toolbox in my bedroom because I didn't have room elsewhere....
I probably should find a tools anonymous group to attend...

[GWiens2001]

*Don't know what the deal is with me and typos lately: my son is only 5-months-old.

Noticed that and was thinking... dude I know time goes fast, but that can't be right!

Gordon

[YouLuckyFox]

Man, if he grew that fast, he'd probably graduate from college before me!



So, there's a pretty aesthetically insignificant piece next (it just has a lot of tricky features like 4th-axis milling, etc.)
But the next piece after that will be the wood plane. It's a group project so hopefully everyone will make their part, but I'm pretty excited for it. I'll be milling out the profile and slot for the adjuster, milling an approximate angle for the actual chisel tip of the blade, honing the blade, and finally hardening it from Rockwell B85 to Rockwell C65. A lot of firsts for me with this, so hopefully all goes well.

For any who enjoy machining or woodworking, here's a blog that shows some similar processes that we'll be using to make the plane:
http://www.holteyplanes.com/blog/

[YouLuckyFox]

Update:

Here's the live tooling part I made, using nothing other than a CNC lathe. Tomorrow I'll run my prototype for the wood plane blade.