[mdred68]

Im about to start running a wire edm at work> i want to be a vise and some other tools for use with the machine. What kind of material is used to make edm tooling. Im thinking stainless but what kind. Thank you.

[Machineit]

Generally it is 17-4 Stainless steel.

First because it is stainless steel as is the table and such on the machines and that prevents dissimilar metals electrolysis, which can eat up the table and tooling.

Secondly, 17-4 is heatable to make it hard and more stable.

Third, is is magnetic and that allows it to be held to a magnetic chuck on a surface grinder to be ground for accuracy.

All the bolts and such should be stainless too, 18-8, 316 etc. You can machine anything that conducts electricity and it won't kill the machine to maybe clamp a piece of aluminum to the table to be machined once in a great while, but try to keep only SS tooling touching the table most of the time.

I fairly new to this myself, but try to learn all I can as fast as the old brain will take it in. If I'm wrong on anything the old hands will jump in and help you.

Best of luck----Mike

P.S.: Commercial tooling, like that from System 3R, is very very expensive. Buy what you really really need, then when you have time make your clamps and such. I paid $900.00 for a simple used 3R vise and it was a bargain at that price. That is why you don't see used machines with tooling and why used tooling is soooo hard to find.

Mike

[mdred68]

Thanks for your help Mike

[gabedrummin]

Most big time tooling mfg. use 420 , 440 c Stainless

[Machineit]

Most big time tooling mfg. use 420 , 440 c Stainless

See, I told you someone would jump in!

If you are making it for your self 17-4 is about half the cost of 440c. Both are magnetic and heat treatable. 17-4 can be heat treated to about Rockwell C40 to C45 (condition 900), and 440c to Rockwell C60.

Of course it is not necessary to heat treat either one. If you are planning on heat treating, final grinding should wait until after heat treatment. They could warp during the process.

Have fun!

Mike

[gabedrummin]

Being a tool and die maker for the last 30 years I have found that if your going to make something your self why not make something better than you can buy . All my wire tooling is home made 420 stainless 62 c scale ground flat and parallel within .0002 in 10 inches and the screw is a acme stainless screw .3r uses a cheap V form screw . Why would anyone harden a vise to 45 c not much harder than a piece of pre-hard 4140. You bump a corner its going to dent /scratch very easy .Any quality vise you can buy will be 60/62 Rockwell C scale.

[Machineit]

Being a tool and die maker for the last 30 years I have found that if your going to make something your self why not make something better than you can buy . All my wire tooling is home made 420 stainless 62 c scale ground flat and parallel within .0002 in 10 inches and the screw is a acme stainless screw .3r uses a cheap V form screw . Why would anyone harden a vise to 45 c not much harder than a piece of pre-hard 4140. You bump a corner its going to dent /scratch very easy .Any quality vise you can buy will be 60/62 Rockwell C scale.

Wow, sorry for the interruption, please resume your perfect life.

Mike