C96 Cutaways

[Olle]

No, the laser was mostly a joke. Wire EDM works though, but I figure there is a chance that parts can come loose or move as you cut so you would probably have to do some of them separately.

I have had several parts cut with wire EDM, and it could be an expensive proposition as they charge per cut length x cut depth (ie: the area of the cut). For example: One part they made cost me $7 ea for a cut approx. 1" long and 1/8" deep, excluding setup and material. Looking at the pricing for other parts they have made, I figure the average is roughly $50-$60/square inch, so you have several hundred dollars worth of cutting in a C96. I did shop around, but the price I got appeared to be the going rate. You would also need multiple setups, and this will add to the cost as well. Water jet could possibly be an option, but I don't know if it can handle a cut as deep a you would need in this case. Somebody posted a cutaway on a gun forum not too long ago, and it was done with wire EDM. I believe the guy worked in a machine shop though, so cost was probably not such a big issue. I figure an affordable job would have to include sweet talking, after hours, off the books and a case of beer.

Of course, you could accomplish this with a milling machine as well, but like you suggested, the neat thing about EDM is that it will yield two cutaways. IIRC, the cut is in the 5-10/1000" range so it doesn't remove much material at all. Another thing to consider is that the EDM leaves a somewhat rough and discolored surface, almost like a fine sandblasted or etched finish. This would work great if you want to paint the cuts, but you would have to polish the parts on a granite plate if you want the steel to show like in your picture.