Metalworking

Found that WikiPedia has a nice index page on Metalworking with links that jump to specific techniques and equipment. One of the things I want to start playing with is EDM -- Electrical Discharge Machining which can do stress-free taking away of metal for forming dies. The machines to do this are traditionally very expensive but the technology is really simple. Commercial machines are designed to operate at mechanical tolerances far beyond what I need so a simple home-brew system would be perfect. I am looking at making some spring swages like these but I want my own designs and these are a bit pricey. I talked to the owner of Off Center Forge at a conference last July and he has his own EDM machine. The cool thing about EDM is that your tool just has to conduct electricity. It can be soft metal like lead or copper or you can even use graphite. Buy a chunk of graphite for $5, use a pen knife to whittle the shape of the object you want and then using EDM, sink that shape into pieces of tool steel time and again without the graphite master showing wear or erosion.