8 Old School Tips For Better Hand Filing

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8 Old School Tips For Better Hand Filing, by Clickspring
This video was done as a one-off viewer request but I like the format so I'm going to keep it going as a request driven series - Let me know what you want to see covered in the comments below - Cheers :)
If you would like to help support the creation of these videos, then head on over to the Clickspring Patreon page: / clickspring
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Cameras used in this video:
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Digital Calipers: amzn.to/2IkFh4O
Abbreviated Transcript:
00:42 I use Swiss made Grobet files for the vast majority of my filing and I find them to be excellent. So If you're looking to track some down, be sure to confirm that they are actually made in Switzerland before you buy, and keep an eye out for the bunny on the tang.
01:22 A safe edge like this effectively isolates the cutting to a single surface, and it forms a key part of my filing technique. Because when I'm filing something that needs to be precise, like for example a rectangle thats required to be dead on center. I like to have the basic target profile formed, very early in the filing process, before I use up too much of the available metal.
02:49 Next I identify the critical corners of the workpiece. These are the locations that must be well positioned for the part to be acceptable. And then I start the cut working directly towards those corners, with the objective of establishing the overall shape whilst using up as little of the metal margin as possible.
03:32 And its not unusual for this last part of the process to take up most of the time. Because there's often only a handful of file strokes between a tight and a perfect fit. The very last thing I want to do is take it too far, and remove too much metal. Now this idea can be applied to just about any profile, whether it be internal or external.
04:07 If I get the corners correctly established early, then the orientation can be locked in. And the whole shape can be slowly worked toward the final profile. Now of course that's the ideal, but it rarely goes according to the plan, which leads to tip Number 4. 05:36 Now there is an even more immediate technique that can be used to pick up errors, as they occur. Just prior to each cut, a light cross grain pattern can be made on the surface of the work, and then a light can be positioned to make that pattern more visible.
06:14 Because it means that rather than reacting after completing a surface, I can take a much more proactive approach while the cut is in progress. And it makes creating a taper or dealing with a localised error easier too. Just mark the region where more metal needs to be removed, and then concentrate the work there.
06:59 And although the effect is quite subtle, the shop itself has a few reference edges too, that can also help the process. Aligning the work with the vise, and then the vise with the bench means that all of these edges that are sitting in my peripheral vision as I work, and can now also give me cues for better alignment of the file.
07:38 And the fact that its held with both hands means that there's a good controlled grip to keep it that way. So the technique is perfect for delivering a very precise surface. Its also an excellent technique help generate on 2 or more parts at the same time.
08:47 And the same idea can be expanded to generate more complex shapes using guides, like for example the crossings on this wheel. The shape near the center of the wheel needs to be exactly the same for each opening, and a filing guide makes this much easier to achieve.
References:
"Watchmaking" by Daniels: amzn.to/2FH3cyh
"Workshop practice Series": amzn.to/2DyPs2D
The Nicholson Guide to Files & Filing: www.nicholsontool.com/MagentoS...
8 Old School Tips For Better Hand Filing, by Clickspring

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22 май 2024

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Комментарии : 1 тыс.

@TheSoundOfTwang 6 лет назад

Always backup your files..

@ODGColornChrome 6 лет назад

TheSoundOfTwang what does backing up mean?

@shelterskelter 6 лет назад

Darren Cannell computer joke

@DonariaRegia 6 лет назад

@0:52 "keep an eye out for the bunny on the tang."

@1320crusier 6 лет назад

You win.

@VictorGarciaR 6 лет назад

daaaammm....

@Mudsuitable 5 лет назад

when I was growing up my father always said "You're eating like a new file" when I was eating too fast and it always made me smile and still does

@paulfeist 4 года назад

In the same vein as your tip #5 - when you're not yet super-steady at making flat surfaces out of random or rounded ones, a quick swipe with a red sharpie pen can give you a layout surface where you can see where your file is cutting and where it's not. My only tip is keep your files in a wooden block, NOT dumped in a drawer banging against each other! Your good quality files are a PRECISION TOOL! I wince every time I see a hardware store where they've dumped all the files into a box so they can chip and dull each other! Folks; I'm good with a file - Clickspring is EXTRAORDINARY! These are all GREAT tips! Listen to them and RESPECT THE METAL FILE AS A PRECISION TOOL!

@makenchips Месяц назад

Paul, You're 100% correct I'll give you an extra 10% For calling It out Correctly! They are precision tools They shouldn't be stacked together But no one's also talked about keeping the file clean I use a stainless steel brush What's fenders, Of the brush don't flare out. I also give all my files a light coding oil And then brush it out well with a toothbrush Always rated to go never put them away dirty. Like your teeth if something stuck in the file Dig it out with a straight Pin Only takes a second You won't leave lio Lines ns in your work When you go to use it

@carsonrowe8948 Месяц назад

@@makenchipsfor cleaning out files there is something called a file card.

@MichaelKingsfordGray Месяц назад

Emgineers' blue has been the marker of choice for centuries.

@Clickspring 6 лет назад

This video was done as a one-off viewer request but I like the format so I'm going to keep it going as a request driven series - Let me know what you want to see covered in the comments below - Cheers :)

@elidouek5438 6 лет назад

Clickspring what tips do you have for workholding and fixturing small or thin parts like the ones you make?

@Chillimanfly 6 лет назад

Clickspring was it requested by Alec Steele? 😋

@narcoleptic8982 6 лет назад

So.. not an April fool's joke then?

@HybelFever 6 лет назад

ikr

@peddfast 6 лет назад

Lathe tips and tricks!

@ThisOldTony 6 лет назад

great vid and glad to hear of the new series! went too quick, though: time files when you're having fun.

@Misack8 6 лет назад

Where is your april's fool?

@MaxMakerChannel 6 лет назад

He recorded one, but then lost the files.

@troyam6607 6 лет назад

Time Files, and the dad jokes keep rolling haha

@Gottenhimfella 6 лет назад

Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like bananas.

@ekirenrut 4 года назад

Har har 😁. Typical.

@dumbdance 6 лет назад

Not sure if anyone has already mentioned; filing, like any other hand fitting activity, is a whole body exercise. Foot placement and balance is central to producing consistent work. Like any other physical activity it can be fatiguing and when you start to fade, walk away and take a break.

@teddahrable 6 лет назад

Brian Monger, I was going to post this very thing. As a young man learning carpentry, I was told by an old carpenter that, "Your body knows straight, plumb, and square. Just let it do it, and you'll always be right!" I learned that this was true, but you have to position yourself into it. I have since learned in 35 years that this carries into blacksmithing, metal work, cabinet work, and even shooting. Allow your body to align itself, and you will be straight, square, or plumb. Unfortunately, this is not something that is taught anymore. Everything is machine guided.

@1ton4god 4 года назад

@@teddahrable Yeah, but what if your spines like mine it's so Crooked run for Congress.

@jjbailey01 3 года назад

Indeed. Same goes for any hand tool work, including handheld power tools.

@jjbailey01 3 года назад

@@teddahrable wisdom is a fading art.

@ssmithstonetank1766 6 лет назад

For checking small work, a first-surface mirror is useful. Lay the work on the mirror; any deviation from true is doubled where the object and the reflection meet. Any line that should be normal to the base, but isn't, will kink where it meets the reflection. An old hard drive platter works well as a mirror, as does a piece of plate glass with the bottom painted black.

@RichardMerrill3Hawk 2 года назад

Old CDs work well too, if the part is bigger than the hole.

@llamamanism 4 года назад

I have never seen just spectacular precision achieved with hand tools in my life. Thank you for showing me

@martinsalko1 6 лет назад

My advice for hand filing abs plastics: #1 get to know the material, by trying to file some 90° cuts #2 get to work on your piece #3 start over because the plastic changed it's shape #4 start yet again because the plastic cracked #5 get a 3d printer #6 get frustrated with setting the first layer #7 get frustrated with filament inconsistency #8 think of how much money you've spent on materials and tools #9 give up, and watch as your life runs away every day #10 quit your job so you have more time for your hobbies, and your friends #11 start working on your project again #12 start thinking about your future, and start making plans for future projects #13 finish the part you started the work on, making sure you don't put much pressure on the plastic, and removing as little plastic as you need #14 use silicone oil to keep the plastic from developing white marks while finishing #15 dry using a paper towel #16 leave the piece for few hours so that you can see if it doesn't warp, then test fit it #17 you're done, if you want to grease the part use grease that doesn't contain carbon as that will grind your plastic. Now, I'm not claiming this is the best method, it takes about 2 years, but by the end you'll have your part and your life will better.

@hi1172 6 лет назад

zumbazumba1 you still have to deburr parts with files generally

@EdM66410 6 лет назад

zumbazumba1 put a little respek on it

@EdM66410 6 лет назад

I hope the day comes when you find yourself in a situation where filing is the cheapest, fastest, and easiest way to get a job done.

@owain6207 6 лет назад

When everything is done by CNC there will be no real craftsmen left, lets hope humans dont forget all the skills weve learned over the years. I know id rarther make things by hand than watch a computer do it anyway.

@turningpoint6643 6 лет назад

Well I know a guy who ran a tool & die shop and after the cnc's got done an old Chinese guy they enticed out of retirement came in and hand filed and polished those dies to perfection. He also got paid much more than any of the machinist's because of that skill. Cnc can't do everything and there will always be a demand for highly developed hand skills. Cnc also can't do high precision scraping to the required level that an experienced hand scraper can do that the very best cnc machines require simply to be classed and operate as a high precision machine. Moore Tools build some of the worlds most accurate machine tools and there all HAND scraped. If anyone could build a cnc machine to do that scraping they could.

@AlecSteele 6 лет назад

Truly phenomenal tutorial! Thank you so much for creating this!!!

@Clickspring 6 лет назад

Thank you mate :)

@asindigo1729 6 лет назад

I'm 13 years old and I gotta say that both of you inspired me to make my first knife... Thanks for introducing to this amazing craft

@Ketaset999 6 лет назад

My secret to cleaning files: I have a bit of copper pipe I smashed down into a chisel edge. Basically just kink and bend off a sturdy bit of copper pipe. I hold the file in the vise and rub parallel to the cutting teeth. The teeth cut their profile into the edge of the copper and it makes for a perfectly fitted scraper that indexes in the teeth. It cleans out the gullets wonderfully. I've only ever used the cheapest files, but your work is convincing me I could do better.

@jjbailey01 3 года назад

Life is too short for cheap tools.

@hotdrippyglass 6 лет назад

These are the kind of tips that used to be passed on to the apprentice during the first weeks of training. So much second nature to the seasoned craftsman that they're not even thought of when demonstrating to the layman but absolutely invaluable to anyone hoping to learn how the 'magic' happens in the shop. Thanks Again.

@aubreyaub 6 лет назад

Good onya Chris. One thing that is important also, is to remember that a file is a cutting tool, and can be bluntened, by letting them "bash around" together in a box. A file roll, piece of heavy cloth or such, laid out, files laid parallel with a gap between each, and then rolled up. Keeps them safely, separated and stored. That last few thou' is a joy to remove, when fitting. A very satisfactory feeling when done correctly.

@TheTomBevis 4 года назад

The tip of "use good files" is probably he best one. I never thought of having a "safe side", though. that sounds like a great idea.

@bettytherussiantortoise2808 4 года назад

TheTomBevis I use my great grand fathers files, cut well but are magnetic I might get some new files.

@inactive67 3 года назад

OMFG, just to watch the craftsmen ship takes me back to being a kid at friends jeweler these old grizzled guys with their loops and magnifying goggles, great tips and beautiful reminders of a time honored tradition. Thanks for sharing!!!!

@petergoodall6258 11 часов назад

I did about 12 months of weld-prep working on a power-station build when a lad. I did a lot of angle grinding. After about 6 months I worked out I could prep a 12” 1/4” (?) oil line faster with a half-round rough bastard file than with the combination of the file and the grinder. No picking up and putting down to change tools. Quieter safer faster. I looked after my files too. Love your work!!

@bub_lite_6361 6 лет назад

ATTN CLICKSPEING: I cannot put into words how I feel when watching your videos. The skills you display when crafting your projects are nothing less than astounding. What I wouldn't give to know 10% of what you know. Of course now I'm legally blind, and that knowledge would be wasted on me. But no matter. I am compelled to tell you how much I admire you and the things you've built. This latest project, the Antikythera mechanism, seems like a monumental task due to your decision to make all parts entirely by hand. I'm eager to see it when completed. Finally, I want to thank you for allowing us to look over the shoulder of a master craftsman. 👍

@Clickspring 6 лет назад

Very much appreciate your kind words and support mate, thank you :)

@bub_lite_6361 6 лет назад

Clickspring: You're most welcome.

@seef1234 6 лет назад

I would love to see a tutorial on measuring & marking. Whilst it sounds easy, measuring & marking can be one of the hardest (and most crucial) part of many builds.

@trublgrl 4 года назад

Your New Filing Technique is Unstoppable.

@pcb1962 4 года назад

Wow, came here after searching for filing tips, blown away by the parts that you made!

@snowflakemelter1172 4 года назад

I used to file actions and parts for some of the finest guns , we used soft lead covers for our vice jaws which re regularly re cast as they got chewed up, you can squash small steel parts in the lead without damaging them while you file them up.

@hpoels851 4 года назад

Vice jaw covers, may they be lead aluminum or even leather must be kept religiously clean or else steel filings may embed themselves into the soft material and cause scratching.

@Miata822 4 года назад

As I worked on a simple blower mount this week I thought back to these videos as I hand filed the part to its final dimensions. While the things I make don't require clockwork precision, watching your technique over the years has vastly improved my own work and the satisfaction I gain from it. I felt the need to stop by your channel and offer my gratitude for the practice and patience you taught me. Thank you.

@Clickspring 4 года назад

Thanks very much Bill, great to hear things are going well :)

@andydelarue9344 6 лет назад

Chris the human milling machine. Thanks that blew me away. I have felt guilty dead edging a couple on mine , I will proudly do a few more.

@aka_pcfx 6 лет назад

My tip for beginners is when possible change the orientation you work form a few times so that errors in your posture don't translate to the part. Basicly: if you tend to file away the bottom left corner of your workpiece, spin it so that the previously highest corner is now in the bottom left. This tip is only realy applicable if you want to get within a couple of hundreth of a milimeter. for everithing more precice than that, there is only good old fashioned training.

@verdatum 5 лет назад

Somehow I missed this video until today. As a blackmith, this is a subject that I am very passionate about. People think about blacksmithing as though it is only blades and rough hammered pieces, but in reality, they would file many piece to amazing precision and beauty. As I understand it, filing was often the very first practice given to blacksmith apprentices. I've put a lot of work into learning to file effectively, and I have found that it has payed off immensely.

@leonardpearlman4017 4 года назад

This is so advanced! I have spent a large part of my life yelling at students: "Don't file backward!"! Simple things like that, getting the work close to the vise jaws, picking the right file, not abusing the file, stop when you hear that loud screeching noise.... I might lose sight of the fact that you can do a GOOD JOB! It's very inspiring to see. Watching this gives me HOPE.

@woozhi9218 4 года назад

Shouldnt putting the work near the jaw a good thing you prevent the the metal from flexing a bit and avoud file chattering same goes with milling

@1SweetPete 2 года назад

Filing backwards being detrimental was proven to be 100% myth. Pretty mind blowing stuff. Fact of the matter is nobody who's repeated that lesson to others had ever tested it, and for good reason: it doesn't seem like it'd be wrong! but it is. Fireball Tool recently tested it pretty exhaustively, the results speak for themselves.

@dgretlein 4 года назад

Would love to see the clock works completed, if this is indeed what you were working on. Regardless, I would love to see your craftsmanship in whatever project you are making. Please. It’s wonderful to see true hand craftsmanship alive and well. Thanks for sharing.

@Pashinski1 6 лет назад

Blacksmith Alec Steele suggested this video. I'm glad I came by. Nice job and beautiful work.

@PeterWMeek 6 лет назад

As someone who spend the better part of a month when I was about ten years old making 1 inch cubes using only files, micrometer, and square (+/- 0.0005" at any location and no light under the square at any location), filing videos are always welcome to me. Looking forward to the next in this series.

@Weretyu7777 Год назад

All of that at 10 years old? You have some serious skills.

@colemanadamson5943 4 года назад

Thank you for posting. There is something satisfying watching a master at work. God bless you.

@crankyhead1089 4 года назад

Handfiling your own cogwheels? What a madman! That must take alot of patience

@simoncrabb 5 лет назад

Insane amounts of skill demonstrated here.

@colincreedtattoomachines 6 лет назад

Chris, great advice & video, Well done!! As an old Jeweller my advice is buy those various standard needle file profiles in #2 cut for roughing to shape, #4 cut for tidy up & finishing, then #6 cut for fine tuning to a precision fit. For extra delicate work buy the Escapement files in #8 cut. HTH, Colin

@Clickspring 6 лет назад

Completely agree, cheers Colin :)

@DanGoodShotHD 6 лет назад

Excellent tips. One tip I'd like to add I've seen often overlooked is to keep your work peice and file clean. Clean off metal shavings often. Many a good surfaces have been marred by a single metal shaving.

@TechGorilla1987 6 лет назад

I recently read that a light coating of wax on the files helps to keep material from galling in to the serrations and sticking. I'm not advocating that idea, but I think it dovetails with your excellent comment. Reading further down, I may have misspoke. It may be chalk I am thinking of and some clever person already beat me to the punch.

@turningpoint6643 6 лет назад

chalk works for that.

@tracyjones9428 6 лет назад

Awesome video. Filing has become a disappearing art. Glad you are helping to keep it alive.

@AlbiesProductsOnline 5 лет назад

Do you know what is better than an Old school tips video? A second old school video

@drubradley8821 6 лет назад

I keep an eye out at the end of the summer season, for discount BBQ grill brushes, as they are typically brass wire and very fine, "NOT ALL" but most are for cleaning the files out of the load-up. The brass wired brushes will last a a few years each. The actual file cards seem to have too thick of wire bristles do not reach deep into the valley of the groves of the file. I have files that are 20 years old and still cut, of course, not like they did when they were new. The BBQ brushes I hunt for are the replacement inserts to a handle, and they are approx 2 inches wide by 3 inches long and have a plastic molded body and sometimes, they have a wing nut stud, that would poke through the handle to hold it fast, I have others models that snap in to the handle. Please note, I do not own any of the "would-be" handles, I simply just buy the replacement inserts and cleaning the files this way feels secure when the leading edge is held on the corner of something like the edge of the workbench or tool box drawer so you have full range of cleaning. I suppose it isn't much of a file tip, but the file cards that one would buy from a tool supplier, mine all went to the trash bin as they do not work on the double cut and finer type files. The fine brass wire grill brushes even clean out the diamond type micro grain files... I just measured the brass wire diameter, 0.0060 inches (0.15mm) and the typically wooden bodied file cards have a much larger wire diameter approx 0.0120 (0.30mm), at least the ones I have ordered over the past 25 years here in the U.S.A. here is what they look like : grillpartssearch.com/product/WB8RH.html?adpos=1o2&scid=scplpWB8RH&sc_intid=WB8RH&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhoLWBRD9ARIsADIRaxRdMoTZ9RywYrp0lERi-ebH_5E6CVYtxA39y6n3S5mK-0gDCddH5WoaAlu_EALw_wcB

@zacablaster 6 лет назад

This comment right here is why the internet is beautiful. Such an eclectic, yet incredibly useful piece of knowledge would go unnoticed without it.

@leonardpearlman4017 4 года назад

That's a good one! Also those little brass wires don't seem like the would WEAR the file. I use that, and keep some kind of needle or scribe kind of thing handy to push out "pins". That's the way.

@murphy13295 4 года назад

Try and get your hands on a piece of UMWPE . a piece that is comfortable fit in your hand . Push it down, & through file grain . It will cut the matching cut in file in itself and push most all the grime and filings out of teeth . I have two lengths left from a parts run , held onto them for " just because " and tried this stuff while thinking about how well the peaned over edge of my copper and brass knocker pieces work . { even better than them } .

@forrestaddy9644 6 лет назад

Here's a few more: Files are seldom "flat." It makes sense to map in your mind the convexities and concavities of a new file and take advantage for them depending on the features you need to file. If you have large flat surfaces to file use the convex surfaces to concentrate stock removal where needed. If you have much to remove, look at the "belly" of three and four square files (American usage) where their more exaggeratedconvexity focuses effort on a smaller area improving stock removal as well. Cheat. Use filing guides, filing machines, pair up identical parts, etc to broaden narrow edges to mitigate "roll-off" and other geometry errors. There's no merit to making parts over and over until you get one right on principal following purist notions of emulating "old school" skill. Practice, start simple, make shape guages, etc to improve your hand skills and train your eye and muscle memory before you attempt production parts. I think Chris is absolutely correct: Grobet, the authentic Swiss article, is about the sole remaining maker of precision files left in the world. They are expensive but in soft materials like brass and annealed steels they will last for many years of daily use. Thus they are cheap in the long run but getting outfitted will be a shock. Study their catalogs and assess your work. Then select the grades and shapes accordingly. Eight or ten assorted files of the right shapes can cover an amazing array of work situations. It's only money. You can eat next week. File cleaning: NEVER USE THE WIRE SIDE OF A FILE CARD!!! The wires are hard and blunt therefore incredibly wearing on the delicate cutting edges of a file. My favorite file cleaning trick is to make a wood "chisel" of some low silica hardwood like maple or beech. Use the cutting edge of the wooden chisel to clear swarf accumulations in overlapping strokes following the file teeth. Use the fiber brush side of the card to tidy up. Pinning: Ideally, the swarf - the tiny chips - drop from the tooth spaces as they clear the work. Some soft malleable materials self weld to a degree like aluminum or iron to form "pins" - little hard-packed deposits of swarf - between the teeth. Most of these may be picked out with a pointed soft steel "scribe". Harder pins may require a hard scribe but care must be taken to avoid damaging the adjacent file teeth. Clean the file frequently. There is no remedy for pinning more effective than file cleaning, care, and vigilence.

@threegreencharms 2 года назад

Great advice

@stevesloan6775 3 года назад

So gooood! You win the internet today! I love a well presented tutorial.🇦🇺🤜🏼🤛🏼🍀🤓🎄

@smallmoneysalvia 6 лет назад

I am so happy to live in a time where I can learn tricks from people who make things this beautiful and well crafted.

@Mrcaffinebean 6 лет назад

Great tips, I like the “file cross gain to see where your removing material” best. Seems a lot faster and cheaper then constantly picking up blue dyem.

@keirfarnum6811 4 года назад

To clean my files, I use a small piece of soft wood to clean the teeth. It strips any wax or gunk without dulling the cutting edge. That’s some of the most precise hand filing I have ever seen! Really impressive technique! I really like the grinding off of one side to make a safe edge; that’s a great idea for getting a sharper cutting edge. Thanks for the tip!

@rongravel4585 4 года назад

Damn dude. You have the patience of a god. Thanks for making me a better filer. I thought I was good till I seen this. Great tips.

@arisuva9629 6 лет назад

dude, the skill that you show to us, is amazing.. id probably would have to practice for over 20 years to get even close to your skill level...

@MakersMuse 6 лет назад

This was the most educational April 1st upload I've ever watched! Great video dude, love my small thumb files.

@Clickspring 6 лет назад

Cheers mate :)

@mikedrop4421 6 лет назад

Love seeing comments on channels that I love left by channels that I love. RU-vid (for all its faults) can be beautiful.

@WahooLee 5 лет назад

I'm a repairman and often have to work far away from a proper workbench. Here are some filing tips I use: 1. I use Vise-Grips locking pliers as removable file handles. The ones without bolt cutters have a hollow space the tang fits in, and the shape helps me keep the file in a constant orientation. (They also can be used for other things--the less stuff in my toolbox, the easier it is to carry.) 2. To file a thin piece of sheet metal evenly, first file a bevel at a 45-degree angle along the entire edge. It's easy to see if the 2 edges of the bevel are parallel so you can make corrections. When the deeper part of the cut is right, then you can commit to filing down to that edge. You can use this for enlarging holes as well. 3. I usually keep my files dry, but filing aluminum and pot metal (aluminum-zinc "white metal") won't clog my file if I spray WD-40 on it and I clean the file with a terry-cloth rag often. I'm going to try your copper-pipe file-cleaner idea, too. 4. For close fitting of parts or when impressioning keys, use a very fine file to make a smooth parallel stroke all the way across the surface, thus making lots of parallel lines. When you try fitting the part or testing the key blank and then holding the piece in the light, it will be easy where your fine lines were disturbed so you know where to remove more material. Thank you for your informative videos.

@Prefer2Hibrn8 4 года назад

a) you're an Aussie! b) never ever heard the concept of a safe edge and am totally blown away! c) you have one new subscriber!

@marktate3431 5 лет назад

Reminds me of my apprenticeship.. we did a LOT of filing and how I hated it back then however 40 years latter I am glad I paid attention.

@johncruikshank8112 6 лет назад

Keep a small level handy to your vise and clamp your part level for filing and tapping. We naturally tend toward level while we work.

@jonwilliamson9005 6 лет назад

Pro tip: always have crap files for down and dirty fixes. Sometimes cut quality will be bad but cut speed is good for tings like dressing the end of a cold chisel

@LeCafeRacer 6 лет назад

Grobet files are basically a must for tool & die. I've had good success finding them on eBay. Even the rusted ones can be brought back to life.

@windyhillfoundry5940 4 года назад

You are one of those guys I'd just like to hang out with for a month. Nice demonstration 👌

@altaroffire56 6 лет назад

My tip: *don't get too attached to your files* They will wear down and eventually become useless. There's no way of sharpening them again. As difficult as it is, some day you'll have to throw them away and get new ones; the more you delay the decision, the more frustrating your work will become.

@Clickspring 6 лет назад

Completely agree

@SkullCollectorD5 6 лет назад

Assuming you're on a tight budget, about where on your list of priorities should that be? How quality should 'good quality' be? I got files that literally my grandfather used and I guess they work, but I've also never had brand new files.

@justandy333 6 лет назад

I find Bahco files are a good go between. Their price is notable but not crippling and you get a good cut from them and they're pretty durable. They wont last forever but they will last about 3 or 4 times longer than the cheap £10 sets. Im not too sure how small they make them however.

@453421abcdefg12345 6 лет назад

Jose: One thing that you can do to sharpen a file and that is to drop it in a weak acid overnight, it works very well by undercutting the blunt teeth, many people dismiss this as an idea as they assume that the acid blunts the file, but they offer their comments without having tried it.

@lariwoo 6 лет назад

Lol i have an old "Bedford" file that i have not been able to identify the cut of to source a replacement of similar quality. Consequently the file is kept indoors in a leather pouch with dessicant after a good clean!! i use it sparingly cause i know what happens if it's damaged or worn :(

@doubledown9333 6 лет назад

Good stuff,i am a boilermaker and when i started my trade many years ago they taught us how to file properly.Use a cold chisel to take a 5mm strip of the edge off 12mm by 100mm flat bar and then file to the line and draw file a true surface and blue check.Not something they teach now but it taught us how to file with precision and i can even now make complicated and accurate shapes,even though i am a boilermaker and we don't usually do things like that.

@jeffreycadzow6770 2 года назад

Yeah good lesson. I have held the humble file in high regard for 40 years and picked up a few valuable tips. Thanks , Jeff Perth WA.

@wobblysauce 6 лет назад

Your work after all this time still amazes.

@KarlBunker 6 лет назад

I've always thought your incredible filing abilities were one of the most impressive parts of your videos, so it's great to get these tips from you. I'm going to keep this video on hand so I can watch it multiple times.

@cameronmccreary4758 2 года назад

Safe edge files are the way to go. I do the same thing, make my own safe edge files and buy Grobet Vallorbe or F. Dick. I like to also buy parallel surface files or cut the ends off to make them parallel. I also use mild steel rounds on each side of what I need to file round and then coat the mild steel rounds with felt pen, black or purple. When I touch the felt pen ink on the steel rounds I am finished, and my file work in the middle is round. You do beautiful European-style work; ask somebody in India to do the same thing and it just isn't going to come out like your work.

@rouge5140 5 лет назад

i love how subtle the music is, didn't notice it until the end.

@kristianhansen3453 6 лет назад

I expected this video to be an April fools gag. I was pleasantly surprised :) Looking farward to the next episode.

@jonhayes2937 4 года назад

Most important thing I ever learned about filing was to take my time. When you get in a hurry you are more likely to make mistakes and they tend to be much larger.

@briangaudet7661 5 лет назад

my trick is to file a piece of soap stone before filing to help stop the file from loading up , and cleans easy .

@jessehunter1194 4 года назад

What is this sorcery? This level of precision by hand is astonishing.

@daviemaclean61 6 лет назад

Superb. When I started as an engineer in the Merchant Navy (1980!) our workshops had big frames with amazing hand filed pieces of work from years gone by. The vast majority of what we did was done with lathes, mills and shaping machines, but I always marvelled at the stuff in the display cases.

@turningpoint6643 6 лет назад

Great video Chris. I'd certainly agree about using hardened filing buttons and the damage that can be done to the files teeth. The one exception to that I think is when filing in the lathe with the work stationary. A lathe milling attachment works well for setting the hardened rolling buttons mounted on a bar of steel to the correct height for your parts finished dimensions, and since the files only running on the hardened rollers and not skating across them it does little to no harm to the cutting teeth. Cheap woodworking router bearings make great hardened and rotating filing buttons for that work. A simple washer a bit larger in diameter on both bearings makes a good stop for the file in the Z axis. Other than speed if your headstock dividing is accurate you can file a square, octagon etc. shape onto any bar held in the lathe chuck that's just as accurate as anything done on a mill with a dividing head. One other tip, once you've used a file on steel it will no longer cut brass anywhere as well as it would when new. For best results keep your files separate for the two materials if possible.

@ihatelogincrap 4 года назад

Many of these file techniques I recognize as things I do with a 4-1/2" grinder, especially how you stroke out of an inside corner. Also using cross hatching patterns to see low spots or just achieve flatness. I didn't know that a "safe edge" had a name ! That's cool. I've done that for years didn't know that.

@sblack48 6 лет назад

I tried grinding off one edge. I thought it was crazy but I gave it a shot and it really worked great. Way better control in a corner. Thanks for the great tip.

@lodgecav490 6 лет назад

It's been quite a week for Australian's using abrasive tools....sorry, couldn't resist! Great video, as always, learning all the time! Thank you!

@Clickspring 6 лет назад

Ouch... :)

@totally_not_a_bot 6 лет назад

1. Keep your files clean. Chips suck. 2. Files cut in one direction. By trying to cut on a reverse stroke, you mash the teeth flat and effectively blunt the file. More of a trap for new players than anything. 3. For heavy cuts with a coarse file where a lot of material is being removed quickly, don't trust you arms to move in straight lines. Firm up your shoulders and move from the hips. More of a farm tip than anything. 4. If you're sitting, draw filing is by far the most effective way to do it. Has to do with leverage. 5. Get up to the work like it insulted your mother. Then take half a step back so you can sock the boyo in the mouth. Up close for leverage and control, a touch back so you can actually move. Pretty basic stuff, but it hurts to watch people miss some of it.

@1SweetPete 2 года назад

Fireball Tool pretty exhaustively tested point 2 of yours, it's false. Surprisingly. Recommend checking it out for some mind blowing stuff.

@SmashingBricksAU 6 лет назад

Wow thanks for the tips and to watch some amazing parts come to life. Marking out would make and excellent old school tips video

@Clickspring 6 лет назад

Righto, will add to the list - Cheers :)

@cho03 3 года назад

Have done a bit of filing for copper, steel and titanium, and these are some great tips and techniques I can use

@chrisgift7508 3 года назад

I'm so grateful for the insight you shared on filing I just didn't get how one can file straight and square efficiently to minimise wasting time in the workshop

@BernhardHofmann 6 лет назад

Oh my hat; all that beautiful polished brass at the end. 😍

@brandonstews238 6 лет назад

Two rules I would add to this well done video. 1.) Never use a file without a handle. Seen to many people stab themselves. 2.) Files will only cut in one direction. So lift the file when returning to a new cut. Basic rules, many people over look them when working.

@woozhi9218 3 года назад

I think its ok to slide it on the returning stroke just dont press it

@malcolmpeake8893 3 года назад

I just discovered your channel through Adam Savages Tested and I have to say your work is beautiful.

@HappyYodeler4 6 лет назад

I could watch you hand filing for hours, so relaxing

@terrygingell7253 6 лет назад

Video suggestion: geometric construction with straight edge and dividers for layout work. What do you think?

@Clickspring 6 лет назад

You bet - now on the list :)

@Nathan-mg7ho 6 лет назад

How long is the list?

@najroe 6 лет назад

toolmaker buttons is another great trick for some things

@yt66228 6 лет назад

I paint the tang of my brass files yellow, silver for aluminium, after they are worn they are general purpose I remove paint.

@Clickspring 6 лет назад

Nice :)

@stefantrethan 6 лет назад

Why do you use separate ones for brass and aluminium? Because of the hard aluminium oxide or is there another reason? I use green handles for non-ferrous and grey for steel.

@yt66228 6 лет назад

Aluminium files have adifferent cut pattern. So do lathe files.

@stefantrethan 6 лет назад

I see, but then they shouldn't need marking. ;-) Where do you get your aluminium files? I bought a couple Nicholson Magicut files for a project with a lot of aluminium filing. After replacing the handles with something decent they worked great, but that's a very limited selection shape wise.

@yt66228 6 лет назад

I get my files from Travers tools. I mark the aluminium ones because have a mistake in the past when I am in a rush.

@WillN2Go1 5 лет назад

6:50 Reference edges. Excellent, excellent point. I was watching this thinking, I'll never be this good... but using the edges of the vice as reference edges. Well this is something I know about. (When you visited Canterbury Cathedral was one of the first things you noticed the column near the nave was bowing in? Did that building down the street at New Lanark stop you cold? It's on a couple of sloping streets, I had to stop an appreciate it. 2 degrees tilt.) As an old carpenter, photographer I spot these things. I can usually walk into a room to photograph a painting on the wall and roughly set up my camera within a couple of cm of dead center on the painting, get the distance right, and even match the angle the painting is hanging on its wire.... However, if I need to hang black paper (seamless-US, No seam-UK) behind the painting, the edges are never plumb. An edge that is a couple of degrees off will always completely throw me off. Edges are very powerful at orienting us. They can get disorient us, or they they can turn us into human theodolites. What I'd suggest for a shop set-up where edges are useful is to experiment with lots of different things, make the set up rectilinear to the walls, bench, If there are any unstraight joints, gouges in the bench top, fill them in (lower the contrast) and use shadows. A light that is orthogonal (90 degrees or straight on) to a piece casts a 'straight' shadow. Off to the side, even just a little, diagonal shadow. Clearly, Mr Clickspring, you are well on top of your game, but some of the rest of us? The top of your vice are flat rectangles, what if there were two long blocks running parallel to the opening? Or lines were drawn on the top leather? These might help judge level, or keep the file in a straight line, or be able to subtly go just off axis. Also, is the vise level and plumb? On my iPhone is a Measuring App that has a bubble level function. It's amazing how close we can get to perfectly level without looking at it. So a vise that is off a bit might throw this ability a bit out of whack. I envy your skill and precision, and I think I can appreciate it even more being both sloppy but spatially aware. Have you ever used a chisel with a crooked handle? Sometimes it makes no difference, sometimes it throws everything off. It's very subtle and interesting how all this works. Great videos, this one is like having a great teacher.

@dave1812 6 лет назад

Wow, not an April Fools Video! Great useful Tips!

@pilotsworkshop4554 6 лет назад

When I grow up, I want to be like Clickspring :D

@johngalt9262 6 лет назад

I just want to have half his patience.

@woozhi9218 3 года назад

Be better then him

@shelterskelter 6 лет назад

Hey click. You should make a leather holder for all your files. Shape it like a manilla folder.....call it the File Folder lol.

@arvindpinto3303 5 лет назад

haha nice one though not really productive.

@garethbaus5471 4 года назад

Perhaps put some internal pockets within it to prevent files rubbing each other.

@timhyatt9185 5 лет назад

why is it there is something very relaxing to watching you file on bits and pieces and start fitting them together...... :) really looking forward to the next installment of the Antikythera Mechanism build!

@peterpocock9062 6 лет назад

Ah Chris, another fine epistle. With your filing buttons, I make the bolt a close sliding fit on the buttons and the section thru the part to be filed. When I file down to them they roll with the file stroke. It often means I can use the same buttons many times. And, by the way, you were spot on using mild steel, unhardend. Bit of a no brainer really.😎 Pete

@brucematthews6417 6 лет назад

Chris, great video! On the idea of using buttons and guides I always cringed at the idea of hardened steel. Good files these days are NOT cheap ! ! ! ! So I agree with the idea of mild steel buttons. As a helper though a felt marker could be used to ink up the edges of a guide or button to aid with spotting the limits. And unlike Dykem or similar the felt marker can be touched up easily during mid operation without tearing down the setup. The times I've used this trick with guides it's proven helpful.

@AndreaArzensek 6 лет назад

Wonderful tips Chris! Happy easter!

@Clickspring 6 лет назад

And to you mate :)

@sidecarbod1441 6 лет назад

You have far more patience than I have, I would have gone mad making some of those parts just by filing! I found watching you work very therapeutic!

@Neffers_UK 6 лет назад

Your work is absolutely gorgeous, Chris.

@lrtnz8191 6 лет назад

Great Video Chris! It is good to see another one of your videos. However, I thought being an Aussie and all, you would prefer to use sandpaper ? :P (Us Kiwis really aren't going to let you live that one down, not until you improve your throwing style at least ....). In all seriousness, it is a great video, and I am looking forward to seeing the rest of the videos on those parts you were filing in this video. I especially like that tip on filing across the previous grain. So much better than clogging a file with layout dye trying to get a flat surface.

@ryankeane9517 6 лет назад

Chris I was getting worried something had happened it's good to hear your voice mate

@DennisSuitters 4 года назад

Thanks for sharing Chris, some very valuable information, I think it says a lot about you that you're willing to share, not a lot of people are these days.

@briandillon3543 6 лет назад

Thanks for the tips. I often have problems filing a straight flat surface without having low or high spots. I often get in a hurry or get aggravated and start over. The file blocks will help with that.

@Gottenhimfella 6 лет назад

Thanks Chris, that's an absolute masterclass. A few people may not know it is possible with care to file hard materials (hardened tool steels, up to maybe 50 Rockwell C absolute tops): But take heed of these tips: don't use a new file; use lots of pressure; do not use a rapid stroke (and this is crucial): lift the file off the workpiece for the return stroke (or you will ruin the file). Clean the shavings out regularly, perhaps as often as each stroke. The general rule about pressure is to use less for soft materials. For speed: fastest for brass, slowest for cast iron. For filing aluminium alloy, use a specialised aluminium file (eg Nicholson Type A, or a "shear tooth" file). It must be sharp. Clean the file as soon as you detect pinning, or preferably before (or you will produce deep ugly grooves in the workpiece). Pinning is retained aluminium in the gaps (gullets) between the teeth. Chalk the file (soapstone also works, possibly better) if pinning is a problem, particularly with "gummy" grades of aluminium . Alternatively: Kerosene may help. Again, but for a different reason: Don't drag on the return stroke. For filing brass, you can get specialised brass files (eg the Nicholson "brass file" with "short upcut angle and a fine long angle overcut, which produces small scallops to break up filings and enable the file to clear." Using round or half round files: work clockwise around a contour for best results. The best way to clean a pinned file, particularly a high quality, expensive file, is to take a piece of brass or bronze (not too hard if the latter) in flat bar form, perhaps 20mm x 3mm rectangular cross section, and align the long axis of the bar with one of the groove or gullet axes of the file (the deepest groove, if there is one). Raise the end you're holding to say 25 to 30 degrees, then force the corner touching the file along the groove direction, to create grooves in that corner so that your tool takes the converse shape (female recesses in the tool corresponding to the male teeth of the file). Repeat the same action to clean out the gullets of the file. That corner of the cleaning tool should only be used with identical files to the one which created it, but each tool has four corners available, permitting up to four types of file on each tool. Store files carefully. They should never come into contact with another file's teeth.

@TheLilboy6 5 лет назад

Wow man your work is just perfect

@deanomec 6 лет назад

Being a machinist and being around CNC machines all the time, it is so inspiring to see someone apply craftsmanship to make a part look CNC precise.

@Clickspring 6 лет назад

Thank you mate, terrific to have you watching :)

@TheLongerIRun 5 лет назад

LOVED this! Ive been a jewellery for over 18 years, and hand filing is still something that slips away from me at times... these are great tips! and like always, i'm impressed with your work :D

@Clickspring 5 лет назад

Thank you Rowan, terrific to have you watching :)

@peglegnoid6139 6 лет назад

Good lighting and good posture

@scotth6848 6 лет назад

Excellent video Chris, thank you!! I have hand filed much of my fabrication work for most of my life and without any instruction, all trial and error. This video is a tremendous help for those without a lot of knowledge on the subject. This is literally the first of any instruction on the subject with this much depth. I started hand filing with Knifemaking decades ago, and a lot of mistakes and disasters in the learning process. One thing I would add here, CLEAN YOUR FILES as much as possible. It is very difficult with the small files you are using in this video, but any cleaning will help during a filing project. For the small files you are using here, I suggest searching for a fine bristle brush and clean the file often as you can during the process. A file filled with shavings tends to dull the cut on your file over time. Again, thank you for a fantastic video!

@jamielodge3930 5 лет назад

You have the patience of a saint! There’s no way I’d be able to use a file like you I’m too heavy handed!

@cheif10thumbs 6 лет назад

I've been using Nicholson files for the last 40 years. More expensive than the Grobet. I have some special profile Grobet files. I like them just as much. Great video Chris! Thank you again.