Moving on to more recently acquired machines, there is my Fanuc Tapecut Model M wire EDM machine. Although I already had, and had resurrected, a die sinker EDM machine, wire EDM was new to me.
Basically working but much neglected this machine was me dipping my toe into new areas ! The Fanuc control was working except that it's control panel had so many keys, lamps and buttons not working it was impossible to tell what it was doing. The wire path on the machine wobbled all over the place and was obviously in need of attention. Wire guides in the less critical areas are ceramic pulleys with small ball races in their centres. These all had to be pressed out and replaced. Not all ceramic pulleys survived the experience and some had to be re-made. The critical guides for the final part where the wire enters and leaves the work are rubies, and thankfully were sound.
Basically working but much neglected this machine was me dipping my toe into new areas ! The Fanuc control was working except that it's control panel had so many keys, lamps and buttons not working it was impossible to tell what it was doing. The wire path on the machine wobbled all over the place and was obviously in need of attention. Wire guides in the less critical areas are ceramic pulleys with small ball races in their centres. These all had to be pressed out and replaced. Not all ceramic pulleys survived the experience and some had to be re-made. The critical guides for the final part where the wire enters and leaves the work are rubies, and thankfully were sound.
Andrew Mawson, proud to be a member of MetalworkingFun Forum since Oct 2013.