- Joined
- Jun 6, 2014
- Messages
- 183
Hello all. Seeing as I nearly have my bridgeport up and running (see this thread if you care> linky) It will soon be onto another project. I am thinking of a die filer (filing machine). I have watched the progress of Bill Gruby's build as well as hearing George Wilson and others rave about them. Having drank the koolaid per-se, it seems like it would be a great tool to have and I feel it would be a manageable "first project" using my mill. I love the look of the MLA kit once built, but I just cant justify the cost at the moment with real life as it is. I have come up with a design that will be quite similar, but will involve more welding and no casting, I think it will work well. Before I finalize things however, I have a couple of questions for those who have actually used one of these contraptions:
1: How necessary is an overarm? I am planning on a pull design with linear bearings above and below a scotch yoke. I understand some old filing machines were effectively modified scroll saws, in which case the overarm makes sense, but many other machines seem to have them as well. I am curious about the rigidity of the file without one' I am planning to utilize the ~3" machine files, but having never used one I don't know what sort of pressure is involved. I would assume it is a "let the tool do the work" situation, where if you are putting any real lateral force on the file you are doing it wrong, but this is a blind assumption. Perhaps some folks with experience using a variety of styles would be able to chime in about what works, and doesn't.
2. Stroke. I have been thinking 1.5", any input?
3. File dimensions, I have read both 3/8" and 1/4" shank, also a variety of lengths. I am quite ignorant on the subject of files, could someone provide a brief primer or point me in the direction of what I need to know that I don't know I don't know yet?
A big thank you to all those who made it to the end of that long and rambling post. An even bigger thank you to anyone who might be willing to help me out.
1: How necessary is an overarm? I am planning on a pull design with linear bearings above and below a scotch yoke. I understand some old filing machines were effectively modified scroll saws, in which case the overarm makes sense, but many other machines seem to have them as well. I am curious about the rigidity of the file without one' I am planning to utilize the ~3" machine files, but having never used one I don't know what sort of pressure is involved. I would assume it is a "let the tool do the work" situation, where if you are putting any real lateral force on the file you are doing it wrong, but this is a blind assumption. Perhaps some folks with experience using a variety of styles would be able to chime in about what works, and doesn't.
2. Stroke. I have been thinking 1.5", any input?
3. File dimensions, I have read both 3/8" and 1/4" shank, also a variety of lengths. I am quite ignorant on the subject of files, could someone provide a brief primer or point me in the direction of what I need to know that I don't know I don't know yet?
A big thank you to all those who made it to the end of that long and rambling post. An even bigger thank you to anyone who might be willing to help me out.