[sudo-discuss] EDM electrical discharge machining at sudoroom

[Jake]

We could make an Electrical Discharge Machining setup at Sudoroom pretty
easily.

https://www.wired.com/story/gaze-upon-the-black-magic-of-electrical-discharge-machining/

at sudoroom, we have an old CSAM (Confocal Scanning Accoustic Microscope) in
the corner which is basically an extremely precise 3-axis CNC machine with a
granite base (for stability) and a liquid tank below the toolhead where the
CSAM used to happen.  (attached picture is somewhat similar to what we have)

We still have all the old CSAM stuff (including the ultrasonic pickup and
amplifier) but the software on the old computer (RUNNING WINDOWS 95) barely
works and probably is not worth resurrecting, besides who cares about CSAM?

The point being that we could pretty easily put a piece of metal in a clamp
attached to the toolhead and move it through a stationary brass wire in a
distilled-water bath, and thus be able to do 2-dimensional Electrical Discharge
Machining pretty easily.  We could cut flat stencils and even make thick stuff.

I believe we could also do conventional 3-axis CNC machining with the same
idea, if the toolhead held a conductive point and just machined away at the
material from above.  EDM is slow, but doesn't pollute the air with fumes or
even noise, so it would be fine to just leave it going overnight or even during
meetings.

I don't have any experience or detailed knowledge of EDM but I could certainly
get the motors of this CNC machine working and i know how to pour distilled
water, and could probably hook up the appropriate high-frequency power supply
between the brass electrode and the work, if other people are interested in
bottomlining this process.

-jake
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: CSAM.png
Type: image/png
Size: 305539 bytes
Desc: 
URL: <http://sudoroom.org/pipermail/sudo-discuss/attachments/20190210/83edfaf5/attachment.png>