robofil wire guides ?

trying to determine if my guides need replacing. I'm running .010 brass. I notice a little vertical striping and so I put the guides under a microscope, with a piece of wire in them, and they are 10% or more over the wire diameter. but very round, so I suspect they are for larger wire.

I see .250mm guides say .252 which would seem to say 1% clearance is new. I probaly shouldn't any more than see a sliver of light perhaps between the guide and wire when back lit under a microscope?

I am ordering a new set, I just wonder what is the normal fit is, and what the normal life is with 1/2 hard brass wire (not tapering). Should I keep a spare set on hand or do they last through many many 5kg spools, or how many hours etc...?

'98 robofil 290
Thanks, Dan

I do not work in the wire department at the shop where I am employed, so I cannot answer all of those questions with any real insight.

We have two 290's a 300 and a 510 that use the same wire guides. we run three shifts and the operators are required to do guide alignment before every new job setup. Before they started keeping a few spare sets of guides around for the .006 .010 and .012 wire that they use the repeatably of those guide alignments had been unreliable. Now with the replacements in inventory the complaints have stopped about the ability to repeat quickly from one guide alignment to the next.

Hope this info is useful to you in some way.

Yes Dan... They need replaced.
It's the "out of round" that is a real problem...
No need for a spare set as long as you keep running that brass wire.
They should last you a couple of years at the very least.
Your lower guide will be the first to go.
When depends mostly on what material you are cutting.
Cutting carbide will wear it faster that cutting steel as some material is recast onto the wire and then dragged through the guide.
Just make sure to buy diamond guides...
Other types will wear faster.

Jay