I read here that Die-sinker and wire EDM's work on the same principle. Has anyone thought of using a set-up using a MIG welder set-up? Maybe use the controls from the book available on the die sinker and combinding them with the wire feed system off a mig welder or something similar. I haven't ordered the book yet so I'm not sure of the controls yet. I'll try to spin up some drawings and get them here when I get time.

later all..... (wedge)

You mean using a mig machine as a donor for a wire edm?
Hmmm intereting idea!
Will it work?

Klox

The DC voltage for EDM is usually alot higher than the MIG 35v or so.
Al

the mig feeds by pushing the wire thru the liner to the workpiece. Wire edm's create tension on the wire by pulling the wire thru the workpiece with tension on the spool side. this used to be straight mechanical tension using drag, or a jockey pulley with weights. Modern edm's use brake motors on the spool side to create accurate and consistent tension. This is critical to successful burning. The most common wire size is .010/.012 diameter. Some machines cut with as small as .001, the largest i've seen is .016. I believe the mig's use larger wire than that? If this doesn't scare you off, there are several more obstacles to overcome. I'll be glad to give you some pointers on how the oem's do it. good luck!

I've never ran an EDM so I'm not sure how the wire EDM's work. I Think I understand from roysol's post now though. There has to be a hole in the material and the wire threaded through the hole and then run around another spool to take up the wire as it is fed through the workpiece. Am I correct on this? AS for the power supply, I was thinking of just using the power supply form the book that is available on how to build your own sinker EDM (the one that uses graphite electrodes). I still think it could work. I'll have to try it and see what happens.

Yes, the wire edm is for thru contours, usally from a start hole, although you can burn in from an edge. older machines used a take up spool to rewind the wire, some just dumped it into a bin. the new machines use a wire chopper after the pinch rollers to cut the scrap brass into little pieces. have you thought about flushing and dielectric fluid?