THE GUIDE TO FILES AND FILING Apex Tool Group, LLC 14600 York Road, Suite A Sparks, Maryland 21152 www.apextoolgroup.com ATG-1692 6/14 / ITEM NO. T550587 ©2014 Apex Tool Group, LLC Nicholson® is a registered trademark of Apex Brands, Inc., a Division of Apex Tool Group, LLC. Specifications subject to change without notice.
Introduction How a file is made Choosing the right file can be confusing, with so many sizes, shapes and cuts available it is difficult to decide the right one for the job. Today various kinds of material, product finish and working condition make file development an industrial science. File manufacture involves the study of file steels, file design and file performance for all file applications. The range of Nicholson® files available from Apex Tool Group covers every job task requirement.
File Terminology File Terminology Each part of the file has a name and there are many different shapes and sizes of files. Furthermore, there are varying types of file cuts Point Belly Length Type: The cross-sectional shape or style of the file i. e. quadrangular, circular, triangular or irregular. These sections are further classified according to their contours i. e. blunt, taper etc. Blunt: A file whose edges are parallel from end to end and of constant width.
Choosing the right file To achieve the desired results it is essential that the right file be used for the job. In selecting the right file the user should consider the shape, size and coarseness of the file. The size and the coarseness of the file are directly related, so the larger the file the more stock it will remove and the smaller the file the finer the finish it will achieve.
Drawfiling file; the tip of the thumb pointed forward. For lighter strokes however, the thumb can be turned to as much as right angles to the direction of the stroke If the file is being used one-handed for filing pins, dies or edged tools not being held in a vise, the forefinger, and not the thumb is placed on top of the handle in line with the file.
a fine finish is required a Swiss Pattern and or Pillar file in No. 4 should be used. Recommended Surface Feet per Minute for Lathe Filing: Cast Iron Annealed Tool Steel Approximately Approximately 150 175 Machinery Steel Approximately 350 Soft Yellow Brass Approximately 500 Many lathe filers make a practice of not using a new file for work requiring an extremely fine finish. In using the Long Angle Lathe file, care should be taken at shaft ends as this fast cutting file may cut too deeply.
Filing stainless steel Filing Bronze (Copper, tin or other alloying elements) The use of stainless steel and alloy steels has created other filing techniques. These steels with hard chromium and nickel content are tough and dense. This causes them to be abrasive, which shortens the life of the normal file. Bronze is similar in nature to brass in some aspects, but varies according to the percentages of alloying elements. To overcome these problems, files have been developed with good wearing qualities.
Filing soft materials Soft materials such as Aluminum, Brass, Copper, Plastics hard rubber and Wood, a Shear Tooth file provides fast material removal with good smoothing qualities. The combination of the Single Cut and the Long Angle helps the Shear Tooth file to clear. Because of the Long Angle the file has a tendency to run to the left on narrow surfaces. This can be overcome by filing with a diagonal stroke to the right.
Filing chain saw teeth Rounded hooded chain saws: These type of chain saws require Round Chain saw files specifically designed for the task. These files are available in various diameters to fit a sizes of Round Hooded chain saws. Place the file against the beveled cutting surface of the teeth that face both sides and provide their own clearance at an angle of 20∞ to 45∞ with the saw blade, depending on manufacturers specifications. The direction of the filing stroke is off the cutting edge.
rakers clear the cut. This is filed at an angle of 45° from the filer. This permits access to cutters and enables the teeth to be filed at the correct angle. Teeth should be checked for levelness, the raker teeth being between 1/100"/25mm to 1/64"/.4mm below level of cutting teeth. The filer should use a Crosscut Saw file or a Mill file and file all cutter teeth to a point. The saw is placed vertically and the file used across the rakers.
'Job by Job' file selector 'Job by Job' file selector Aluminum alloy Flat Bastard File, Aluminum File, Magicut® Die shop Swiss Pattern Files of appropriate shape Auger Bit Auger Bit File Auto Body Bodifiles Electric Connections (cleaning) If surface is large, use Mill Bastard File, otherwise use Tungsten point.
'Job by Job' file selector 'Job by Job' file selector Lawn mower Mill Bastard File or Home and Garden File. Steel alloy Lock, mending Warding Bastard File. Machinists' work Machinists' File such as Flat, Half Round, Square or Round. Also Mill or Tapers, in cuts according to work. Millwrights' work Flat, Half-Round, Round, Square Mill Files. Model, metal Swiss Pattern Files. Molded part Flat Bastard File or Mill Bastard File. Notch Taper or Knife File.
Profile Selector for Machinist’s Files Cross Section Name Shape Character of Teeth Flat Rectangular Usually bastard. Also Taper in width second-cut and smooth A general purpose file Hand Rectangular One-edge safe. Bastard second-cut and smooth Uniform in width Finishing flat surfaces Pillar Almost square One-edge safe. Bastard second-cut and smooth Uniform in width Keyways, slots narrow work Warding Thin Usually bastard.
Profile Selector for Swiss Pattern Files Cross Section Name Shape Hand Rectangular Character of Teeth Taper General Uses Double-cut on two flat faces and one edge. Other edge safe or uncut Uniform in width Flat surfaces Width narrower than Hand File Double-cut on two flat faces. Both edges safe Uniform in width Flat surfaces Warding Thin Rectangular Double-cut on two flat faces.
