Metal files are relatively inexpensive and effective tools for reshaping or smoothing metals and hard plastics and reducing the alloy's potential for precise and long-lasting use.
This article addresses common cross and bias filing techniques, along with maintenance procedures.
Steps
Step 1. Get the piece of metal to work on, plan the operation and mark lines to indicate where to remove the excess material
It is important to make sure that the material to be filed is softer than the file itself, so do not try to file the hardened steel, you will ruin the file (even if it is made of hardened steel) quickly. Likewise, diamond files should not be used on soft materials (including many soft steels), to avoid seeing diamonds fly away.
Step 2. Choose the most suitable file
The numerous types of files differ in shape, size, degree of roughness and geometry of the teeth.
Step 3. Clean the file
There must be no residue (of filed metal) on the teeth; if there are any, clean it with a hard iron brush or, if necessary, with a thin piece of wire or sheet metal. In addition you can also use oil or grease to lubricate the file and make the cut easier (due to the loss of friction due to the rubbing of metal against metal) eliminating the formation of residues and chips in the teeth. The oil and grease also limit the formation of metal dust (cleaning and letting the portion where a significant workload can be done more easily breathe) and protect both the piece and the file itself from rust. However, remember to grease the piece of metal if you need it for a job that requires a clean surface.
Step 4. Sprinkle the file with chalk or grease:
rub plenty of plaster or oil / grease in small quantities on the teeth of the file. It will make it less prone to clogging with residues in the future.
Step 5. Squeeze the workpiece in a vise
It will need to protrude far enough so that you won't be rubbing the file on the hardened steel jaws of the vise, but not much more. In fact, if the piece protrudes too far from the jaws, it will vibrate during filing, increasing the duration of the work and producing poor results.
Step 6. At this point, for the actual filing, you can follow 3 different methods (the steps listed below should not be followed in order but, on the contrary, one can be chosen for all purposes):
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To remove the material by making a hard cross filing, grab the handle of the file with your dominant hand and place the palm of the other hand at the end of the file. Orient the file so that it points away from the body, apply firm downward pressure (so that the file sinks into the metal and cuts it), and take long, slow, away-from-the-body strokes, removing the pressure towards the body. down when you bring the file back to avoid blunting it.
Metal Step 6Bullet1 -
To remove the material with a small file (such as those for fine work) by making a light cross filing, grab the handle of the file with your dominant hand and place the fingers of the other hand at the end of the file. Orient the file so that it points away from the body, apply firm downward pressure (so that the file sinks into the metal and cuts it) and make long, slow, away from the body strokes, removing the pressure towards the body. down when you bring the file back to avoid blunting it.
Metal Step 6Bullet2 -
To create a highly finished surface by making a bias filing, grab both sides of the file with your hands, somehow away from the piece of metal. Orienting the file to point away from you, press down firmly (so that the file penetrates the metal and cuts it) and make long, slow strokes away from the body, removing the downward pressure when you bring the file back to avoid blunting it.
Metal Step 6Bullet3
Advice
- If you file the cast iron, be sure to remove the encrustations first! They are very hard and ruin the file very quickly.
- The file cleaning and greasing step can be repeated as needed to ensure a good finished surface while keeping the file clean of residue.
