File work; A few words.

[Mutley]

Thanks for that, i will try that.
I have started with the EZ engine, not much filing on that, but good to know.

 

[Deanofid]

phlematic may not like using chalk, but it's a "to each his own" thing. It's a well known method to minimize pinning, and a practice used by a number of old heads, (machinists), that I know. Pinning can damage a file, and preventing it is the best cure.
Another, and probably the most common way of dulling a file is cutting on the back stroke. The edges on a single cut file are much like those of a reamer, in that they are strong in only one direction of travel.

"Machine shop on a stick". That's a good one, Keg. That was probably one of the tools in the first machine shop, along with a cold chisel and a hammer. Man, we have it good!

Dean

 

[starnovice]

This is a great thread. I am resurrecting it because we may have new members since 2009 that have not seen it.

I had to do filing in shop class in high school but I really learned how to file when I was building my Gingery machines (more motivated probably). My technique for learning was to take a piece of metal cover one end and the sides with Dykem. Then I would scribe a line all around the piece and try to file down to all four lines evenly. The die on the end (replenished by a marking pen) let me know if I was filing the surface where I wanted to file.

Hope this helps someone.

Pat

 

[rodw]

This is a great thread. I am resurrecting it because we may have new members since 2009 that have not seen it.

Hope this helps someone.

Pat

Pat, thanks for bring it to the top for a new members. Very useful.

 

[WCPenney]

Long time reader, but I THINK this is my first post. That said, Tin, I'll scold myself and head over to the introduction sub...

Dean, great post! I really don't think this thread will be complete until you post a picture and explanation of your roller filing rest...

Most of the files I have came from anywhere but a store and were loaded with various material. A strong caustic (draino, sodium hydroxide, washing soda) will eat the aluminum out of an otherwise useless file.

 

[Lew Hartswick]

Resurrecting a thread form 3 or 4 years back and with 7 pages long will not do for a
lot of beginners much good I'm afraid. I don't know the answer but have the major
problem trying to make the students in metal shop understand that a file in NOT like
a piece of sandpaper and should only touch the work on the forward stroke.
( What do you think it would do to a saw blade if it were to be run backward?)

...lew...