wired EDM, high tech method of making picks

[machinist]

update: THE EDM IS WORKING! I'm going to take a shot tomarrow at lunch break but I'll post some pics of EDM cuts and hte machine and hopefully an attempted pick.

[Shrub]

MIT has a Fablab (fabrication lab) that has been recommended to me as a place that has tools to help people around the world with creating anything fabricated, I was just trying to get a discussion of that going here on the theory that there are people here who know more about it than I. I was told that it was a good source for knowlege and methods to create micro mechanical tools, when I consider the medeco lock or some of the springless laser trak type locks, it always comes to me that lockpicks as we know them are low tech and fairly obvious tools, but a tool that could reach in under the pins and manipulate them up, down and twist them and feed back information about sticking points would be the future. I hope some of the better web searchers out there continue this discussion.

This is my area of interest, is it a forum? i cant get your link to work.

[Shrub]

http://cba.mit.edu/projects/fablab/

[machinist]

update: good news and bad news, the bad news is the machine is out of order again the good news is I got the buisness end of a snowman pick made and it looks beautiful, pics in 1 hour when I get the e-mail of them.

[machinist]

Heres an almost finished pick the biz end is 100% perfect and I cuold chop the thing and round out by hand but, I left it this way for demo purposes.

[img=http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/183/img13464jq.th.jpg]


close up
[img=http://img475.imageshack.us/img475/949/img13486gv.th.jpg]

[Exodus5000]

Wow, i'm really impressed with that result. To think of all the hours i've spent on a bench grinder and dremel. Does anyone know where I can get access to and EDM machine?

[machinist]

just e-mailed:

the doner part a peice of bandsaw blade
[img=http://img282.imageshack.us/img282/5982/img13541dq.th.jpg]

infront of a penny for scale
[img=http://img282.imageshack.us/img282/8123/img13534ev.th.jpg]

I couldn't be happier with the accuracy and quality of the picks ends.

[wsbpress]

Those look good Machinist. I have also been messing around with EDM. I just finished up a class at my university on advanced manufacturing. We had several homework assignments where we were to work on projects of our choosing. Of course I chose to design lock bypassing tools. Earlier in the semester my professor asked me if I had anything ready for him to cut on the EDM machine so that he could demo it for the class. At the time all I had was a comb and lifter for foil-impressioning (both 5&6 pin schlage). Also the only material I had was 0.020" blue-tempered spring steel, I needed 0.015". We cut the comb on the 0.020" anyway to demo the EDM machine and I was able to check my dimensions on the comb.

A friend of mine took some photos and a little bit of video on his digital camera of the tool being cut. I have been wanting to post these but he hasn't gotten them to me yet (we have been busy with finals). I'll get all this and more up in a new thread sometime in the near future.

Anyway, the EDM is absolutely great for cutting lock tools because of its accuracy and it does not ruin the temper of the metal around the edges like a laser cutter.

By the way for my final project in the class I designed a template for a Falle-style deep curve hook set. We use a parametric modeling language called Alpha-1 to create objects almost like you would use a computer language (C, C++, assembly, etc) to create a computer program. This basically means that you can just change the parameters for the hook dimensions (height, length, rise, curvature, etc) by typing them in. I have created some Linux shell scripts which basically ask you for the important dimesions and generate the necessary files for you (go Linux!). This is kind of hard for me to explain but I will give my best attempt at it at a later time when I am not very sleep deprived (4:35 AM). As soon as I get some new material (stainless and spring steel) I will cut a bunch of these deep hook sets at the same time (by stacking the sheets on top of one another). I'll post photos of the results. Now that the semester is over I may have some time to spend on my personal project stuff.

[vector40]

Jeez, you could kill someone with the other end of that

[Shrub]

I once found a guide on the net for making one out of an old microwave!!

All you would then need is the associate hardware with some motor control,

Ive made cnc stuff before and made a cnc wood router not so long ago so it wouldnt be too difficult.

I started making a laser cutter but couldnt get a laser for the right price, water would be a good option but again the pumps are dear.

I will look into this as if someone could make one to have at home it would be a great resourse.

[Shrub]

For anyone interested Click this

[Auto45]

Very nice job looks like a commercially made tip, The back end it of it looks a bit scary
auto

[machinist]

thanks for your comments, I have always been a decent craftsman since I was 10 and 11 years later I'm still learning especially just how tempermental an EDM is.


[img=http://img467.imageshack.us/img467/1659/img13566oq.th.jpg]
Heres the machine I'm using+ the pc to load/modify programs the pc I write with is at home with advanced CNC programming software, I'm using it to type this posting out right now.

I love those home made tools but, (sinker) EDMs like the one the book is about, are preety specialty and were in concept made to cut down/into and leave a pattern and require a pre-machined peice of compressed carbon. A wire EDM can corner on a dime and make all kinds of crazy patterns 99% of them double as sinker EDMS with a quick change.

Only problem is a wire EDM needs a wire feeding system with high tolerance guides and tensioning systems and you practically need a machine shop to make the not readily available parts for it, although if you are good with a lathe and mill I'd say its possible.

Shrub, have you ever seen a 5 axis wire edm? those things are cool. Imagine a 5"x5"x5" cube of tool steel with a 4x4"" square in one end transiontioning into a 4" diameter circle on the other side flawlessly.

[Shrub]

I have seen a 5 axis at Ferodo brake lineings, the factory is the other end of my village, the base is somthing like 15 foot square!!!!

Yes that book is the wrong type for making a wire machine and i slipped up posting it.

Ive since spent a good few hours on the net looking for various construction guides.

Ive found various companies that now sell plans but the ones regarded as being the one to use are sold by camtech or somthing like that (the link is on my laptop and ill post it up later) you can make a wedm at home and it works very well by all accounts, ive also found 2 very good forums, one on cnc (but technical) and the other on edm.

The drawings/plans are $50 i think for the wedm so after christmas im going to see about getting some sent over and hopefully ill have somthing sorted soon.

Ive got all the cnc table and everything already made as i was going to make a laser cutter but couldnt justify the cost of the laser so it wont take much to adapt that for use,

These drawings do suggest kerosene for the liquid (sorry my heads a bit delicate from last night and i cant remember the name) but a good safer alternitive has been suggested on those forums. I take it you use the proper edm fluid?

I would also have a good use for a drop machine but i think the wire on will do me for now.

Edit; just found a printout with the links i have,

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EDMHomebu ... =192882979

http://www.homeshopmachinist.net/store/ ... xrows=10of

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10374

http://s120220635.onlinehome.us/edm-plans.asp

If they work it will be a miricle as ive had to type them out and im not good this morning

[Shrub]

Wow, they worked have fun.