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Burning electrodes

Allen Elishewitz

Aluminum
Joined
Sep 27, 2002
Location
New Braunfels, Texas - USA
A guy that I know told me that he would wire out his electrodes for his sinker. What I am wondering is can you machine an electrode and burn it into another electrode so you have a reverse image of what you machined? The reason why I am asking is that there might be an instance where I can manual machine a design but not the reverse of it.
 
Hi Alan:
Sure you can.
You can wire EDM both copper and graphite...copper is much easier to wire than graphite, and makes very nice electrodes for the sinker.
Using a sinker to make "reverse" electrodes is possible too...graphite can burn into copper very easily, and copper can burn into copper.
I've never tried burning copper into graphite though.
You have to ask yourself though...if you're able to mill the first electrode, that's going to make the second electrode, that's going to burn your final shape...can't you just simply mill the final shape into the job??
I've hard milled up to 60 RC with coated carbide with no major problems.
Milling is much faster than EDM and has better dimensional control too.
I realize that there are circumstances where it's still a better choice to burn the shape even when it could be milled, but I thought I'd throw this comment out anyway, just in case it didn't register when you planned the job.
By the way, how are you making out with your Hansvedt?

Cheers

Marcus
 
Two points to consider here: First, rather than make a single electrode with internal geometries that "might work", you can make a two or three that WILL. EDMing even a copper electrode with graphite would be easier than burning a graphite electrode with copper, but you would still need MANY electrodes for this. I would NOT recommend attempting this the way you have presented it.
 
Thanks to all for your comments. I was just woundering if it can be done for that rare project which might call for it. I had a feeling that the same electrode would not work, but it is good to know that graphite into copper would work.
 








 
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