Author Topic: Today I went to buy some files, and man-----  (Read 1608 times)

Offline Brian Rupnow

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Today I went to buy some files, and man-----
« on: February 09, 2023, 09:08:55 PM »
I have been struggling along for 14 or 15 years now, using files that I inherited from my father. I actually bought two cheap nasty files that were made in India or China at one point. Today I decided to buy a selection of new files. I never ever knew there were so damned many different kinds of files. There are Bastard files, which seem to be separated into Mill Bastards and Ordinary Bastards.  There are files exclusively for use on lathes, and they should be called Son of a Bitch files, but they're not. There are coarse files, medium files, and fine files. There are files which have no teeth on the edges, which I have seen referred to as "Safety files".  I have phoned four different places to compare prices, and they seem to cost about the same at each place. I see that Nicholson files seem to be highly touted. I see that files come in either a diamond pattern or with all the grooves slanting in one direction only. (It appears that files for use on lathes have a longer slope to the grooves than files that are not used on lathes). Really, I just want ordinary, flat, general purpose files for use on mild steel, but I see that they sell files to be used exclusively on aluminum. I may have to go back to college and take a 4 year course in file types, just so I can go down street and buy a couple of files for my machine shop.---Brian

Offline simplyloco

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Re: Today I went to buy some files, and man-----
« Reply #1 on: February 09, 2023, 09:23:42 PM »
Strong minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, weak minds discuss people.” ― Socrates

Online Mike R

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Re: Today I went to buy some files, and man-----
« Reply #2 on: February 09, 2023, 11:39:50 PM »
Do yourself a favor and take a trip to Princess Auto.  They have Nicholson files!  Not as dear as you might expect and much better than the other imports that they are on the shelf beside.
They don't sell as well as the cheap imports cause they don't have handles included - something I'm sure you could solve.

https://www.princessauto.com/en/12-pk-5-in-slim-tapered-files/product/PA0009092123

Offline Krypto

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Re: Today I went to buy some files, and man-----
« Reply #3 on: February 09, 2023, 11:43:35 PM »
My Workshop Blog:  https://doug.sdf.org/

Online Jasonb

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Re: Today I went to buy some files, and man-----
« Reply #4 on: February 10, 2023, 06:59:27 AM »
A dedicated lathe file is a nice thing to have for things like rounding and edge or blending a shaft to finish a fish belly shape, they will shear off whisper thin swarf and don't clog like a standard file.



I susppect you don't actually want a "flat" file but a "hand" file.  Hand files actually narrow down in width and don't have a safety edge. Hand files are parallel and have one safety edge and are the most commonly used.

Bastard refers to the coarse teeth not the type of file

Offline Jo

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Re: Today I went to buy some files, and man-----
« Reply #5 on: February 10, 2023, 09:11:33 AM »
It is strange while people accept that we replace our hacksaw blades regularly as they get worn out for some reason people think hand files last for ever  :headscratch: (Sometime you can pick up good new file second hand but how do you know if it is new? A new file should be sharp go you can feel it if you rub the teeth with your fingers.)

Manufacturers: Across the world there are many quality file manufactures and others that may have started out good and chosen over the years to change how/where they make their files and the quality changes not normally for the better :( I personally love Vallorbe files but they are one of those "you get what you pay for" files. Jason's mates Tome files are so far proving to be ok.

Krypto's link to the File Filosophy book will show you all the variations on files and lots more information besides  :)

Jo
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Offline samc88

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Re: Today I went to buy some files, and man-----
« Reply #6 on: February 10, 2023, 09:37:17 AM »
Ive found Tome Feteira files to be excellent. Good files are well worth spending some money on

Online Jasonb

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Re: Today I went to buy some files, and man-----
« Reply #7 on: February 10, 2023, 09:52:39 AM »
I suppose it depends on the type of filing you do but I would not get much use out of that set posted earlier, I only use the larger and coarser files like it contains on the odd occasion.

My most used files are 150mm (6") ones in number 2 or 3 cut in Hand, Half round and round with the square and triangular ones of the same length being used a bit less. Small items that want just the corner knocking off on the lathe get done with a200mm slim pillar file and as mentioned earlier the lathe file for bigger radii though at 250mm long it would be nice if they made a smaller one.

Video of the Tome ones being cut and induction hardened. I can tell my ones of these are new as they are in individual sealed packets :)
https://arceurotrade.wistia.com/medias/wffq9kzunf


Offline simplyloco

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Re: Today I went to buy some files, and man-----
« Reply #8 on: February 10, 2023, 10:28:59 AM »
I suppose it depends on the type of filing you do but I would not get much use out of that set posted earlier, I only use the larger and coarser files like it contains on the odd occasion.

SNIP

I spent the first year of my apprenticeship with a file in my hand, and as a result I use whatever suits the job at hand, usually the biggest one available! I have a huge Bastard mill file which makes short work of most jobs.
Six inch files? Ppffaff! :stir:
Strong minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, weak minds discuss people.” ― Socrates

Offline Bluechip

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Re: Today I went to buy some files, and man-----
« Reply #9 on: February 10, 2023, 10:50:16 AM »
I spent the first year of my apprenticeship with a file in my hand, and as a result I use whatever suits the job at hand, usually the biggest one available! I have a huge Bastard mill file which makes short work of most jobs.
Six inch files? Ppffaff! :stir:

Grim memories of 14" Dreadnought Files   ::)

Little wonder the fitters all seemed to be built like gorillas.

Dave

P.S. Although, looking back, I think gorillas would have had more O-Levels ...  :)

« Last Edit: February 10, 2023, 10:54:27 AM by Bluechip »

Offline Jo

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Re: Today I went to buy some files, and man-----
« Reply #10 on: February 10, 2023, 11:23:18 AM »
Grim memories of 14" Dreadnought Files   ::)


Size matters  :embarassed:

As does having the appropriate shape and storage. Ideally hung by the handle or carefully laid separately flat. Never banging together in a drawer  :toilet_claw:

Jo
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Offline Bluechip

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Re: Today I went to buy some files, and man-----
« Reply #11 on: February 10, 2023, 12:40:19 PM »

Never banging together in a drawer  :toilet_claw:


Quite right too.

IIRC Father Ted warned us about 'That Sort of Thing' ...     :censored:

D.

Offline simplyloco

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Re: Today I went to buy some files, and man-----
« Reply #12 on: February 10, 2023, 12:59:18 PM »

Grim memories of 14" Dreadnought Files   ::)

Little wonder the fitters all seemed to be built like gorillas.

Dave

P.S. Although, looking back, I think gorillas would have had more O-Levels ...  :)

I have five, including Additional Maths and English: does that make me a gorilla?  :) :LittleAngel:
I'm with Jo, all the files in current use are hung on the wall.
« Last Edit: February 10, 2023, 01:02:33 PM by simplyloco »
Strong minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, weak minds discuss people.” ― Socrates

Offline Del_61

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Re: Today I went to buy some files, and man-----
« Reply #13 on: February 10, 2023, 01:46:52 PM »
Jo,

Those red coloured file handles - are they the ones reserved for brass?

Regards

Derek


Offline john mills

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Re: Today I went to buy some files, and man-----
« Reply #14 on: February 10, 2023, 01:56:31 PM »
when i was running a cnc machine we used files mainly for deburring it would be a 10" 2nd cut wondered were the good file went .
making vee cutters  soon saw the problem was the i think it was S700 high speed steel buy the end of the day the file was worn out.
in those days the were good well made files no imported things like we get now.for normal work they do last .we used to make and finish
lots of tools with files .untill CnC machines then it was mainly de burring but it was all on tool steels.
i think you are lucky if the local suppliers have all those choices hear you are lucky to able to get much more than a few basic more standard
files.
John

 

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