Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] 3-axis wire-bending?

Brian: I'm guessing it wouldn't be convenient for you to visit Austin Organ
Company in Hartford, CT. But they have a very famous set of in-house
home-brew machines for making the "funny little parts" that go into their
pipe-organ windchest-actions, some made of leather, felt, poplar wood,
magnet-wire, and phosphor-bronze wire, etc.

These machines are, well, "claptrap-looking wonders", and the one that comes
to mind will take a 10' length of #16 ph.bronze wire, bend an eye-loop in the
end, then make several bends and a curve, very "3-D!", and cut off the piece
as it swages an eyelet in that first loop, fastening it to a round
felt/leather [organ-] pallet-valve. It will continue this at a rate of, oh,
one every 5 seconds, best I recall from the one time I ever saw it operate
('84?), cutting the finished piece from the length of "stock" until gone, and
waiting for a new one.

If you could visit (tell 'em to tell Kim Austin I sent you!), they may let
you in. But they ARE a manufacturing firm, so probably don't make a practice
of showing their gear to hobbiests, and I am SURE they get a dozen such
visitors per day!

Jan Rowland, Troll