FILES
 |
 |
|
|
|
CLICK HERE TO VIEW OUR "Diamond Files" PAGE
CLICK HERE TO VIEW OUR "Carbide Burrs" PAGE
 |
 |
 |
Files come in many types & sizes. Most common files in engineering are the flat file, hand file, round file (tapered rat tail file), 3 square file ( triangle file ) square file. Miller’s Tooling offers several good quality brands , files can be sold individually or as file sets.
The long angle lathe file is ideal to remove or round off an edge whilst lathe is running, long angle lathe file MUST be used with a handle. In fact all files must be used with a good handle, so as the tang doesn’t injure the tradesman.
Most files are hand tools made of a case hardened steel bar of rectangular, square, triangular, or round cross-section, with one or more surfaces cut with sharp, generally parallel teeth. A narrow, pointed tang is common at one end, to which a handle may be fitted.
Three different cuts are used on files. The Bastard (coarse) cut file , 2nd cut ( medium) file and Smooth cut files. The length and shape of a file dictates its size description and identification.
ie; 10” flat 2nd cut file
A hand file generally is tapered, a flat file can also have a safety edge, ( only 1 edge with teeth) used for filing against a side of a job without cutting it.
Other types of files are riffler files, bent & weird shapes for polishing moulds in toolmaking.
Needle files are tiny files (aprox 4” – 6” long). Diamond files are used for fine filing on very hard steels.
 |
|
 |
All files should be kept in a soft roll, to preserve the sharp file cutting edge, with the swarf build up cleaned with a file card. You should never touch the file teeth, as rust & body oil gets on the file teeth. Likewise files should not be in contact with each other, as will dull the file teeth.
|
|
|
File Types and Uses |
||
|
Name |
|
Description |
|
Mill file |
|
The most common shape, single-cut, rectangular in cross section, with an even thickness throughout their length; they may be either parallel sided or taper slightly in width from heel to end[8] |
|
Flat file |
|
Similar to a mill file, but may be double-cut |
|
Hand file |
|
Parallel in width and tapered in thickness, used for general work |
|
Square file |
|
Gradually tapered and cut on all four sides. Used for a wide variety of tasks |
|
Three square/Triangular file |
|
Triangular in cross-section, which may taper gradually, often to a point on smaller files. The sides may be equal in cross-section, or have two long and one short surface |
|
Round/Rat tail |
|
Round in cross-section and gradually tapered over their length. They are used for enlarging round holes or cutting scalloped edges |
|
Half round file |
|
Has one flat and one convex surface, and either tapering slightly or maintaining an even thickness, width, or both over their length |
