Subject: Re: Cutting an even, flat surface with a file

From: [email-masked] (Rick Cook)
Date: 16 Jun 1996 10:34:49 GMT

The Rifleman wrote:
>Is there any secret to cutting an even, flat surface in mild steel with
>a file?  (Aside from proceeding slowly and carefully... :-)
>
Practice, practice, practice.
Good stance helps.

This used to be one of the tests of an apprentice. Also, Lindsay has, or
had, a book on hand-filing technique. Not very expensive as I recall and it
might provide some guidance.

However don't expect to get it right the first time. Or  the second.

--RC

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From: [email-masked] (J.A.Harvey)
Date: 16 Jun 1996 16:26:48 GMT

In <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (The
>a file?  (Aside from proceeding slowly and carefully... :-)
You might want to use a little Dykem dye on the piece and vary your
filing 90 degrees every so often so you can see the high spots.
Other than that you just have to file a lot of metal and eventually
your get the hang of it, or you'll get so annoyed that you'll spring
for a surface grinder.

Good Luck

Jim Harvey
[email-masked]
http://hre.com/

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From: [email-masked] (Andy Dingley)
Date: Mon, 17 Jun 1996 18:54:14 GMT

The moving finger of [email-masked] (The Rifleman) having

>a file?  (Aside from proceeding slowly and carefully... :-)

Generally you don't. _Edges_ are hand filed, but finishing a _surface_
by hand is such an unpleasant and difficult task that you really ought
to find some piece of machinery to do it.

LTC Rolt's book "Tools For The Job" has some notes on the development
of the shaper machine as a response to the high cost of finishing good
quality surfaces by hand (chiefly steam engine valve faces).

As others have said, you'll need a surface plate and some marking
blue. Personally I'd use a slightly curved half-round hand scraper.

If you are filing an edge, then don't cut too much with the file
between checks against the square or straight-edge, held up to the
light. Use a file with the right size of teeth and make sure you don't
rock the file as you pass it over the metal.

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From: [email-masked] (ErnieLeim)
Date: 17 Jun 1996 17:44:01 -0400

To cut an even flat surface with a hand file takes a lot of practice and a
few tricks.
Use only a single cut file. This prevents chatter.
Keep it very clean with a file-card.
Make sure the workpiece is held firmly.
Never file while sitting.
Brace your feet and get your whole body into each stroke.
Light strokes are near useless.
Never apply force on the backstroke since it can dull the file by chipping
teeth.
Drawfiling will remove the most materiel.
To draw file, hold the file across the materiel, gripping one end of the
file in each hand. Pull the file torwards you while applying enormous
force. If you use a long-angle lathe file, you can really hog away the
metal. To prevent the file from clogging, keep the file teeth filled with
chalk, beeswax, or cutting wax.

The main thing to learn is keeping the file level to the floor.
Try not to flex your wrist.

It just takes practice.
I learned form an old gunsmith who could handfile a perfect 1" cube by
eye. He was amazing, and taught me an undying respect  for handfiles.

Best of luck.

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