Full Product Manual

10
11
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:
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.
Do not run a hand over lathe work,
as oil and moisture can coat the
surface and make it difficult for the
file to take hold. For lathe work that
has oval, ecliptical or irregularly
round form, the finer Swiss Pattern
files are most satisfactory.
Filing different metals
Different metals vary greatly in
character and properties, some
are softer than others are, and
some are more ductile and so on.
The nature of the metal has to be
taken carefully into account when
choosing the right file and applying
it to the job. For instance, a soft
ductile metal requires a keen file
and only light pressure must be
applied during filing if the work is not
to be deformed. Conversely, a hard
and less ductile metal may require
a file with duller teeth to avoid them
biting too deep and breaking off
when pressure is applied.
When filing a material the user can
normally feel whether or not he is
using the right file,
Cast Iron Approximately 150
Annealed Tool Steel Approximately 175
Machinery Steel Approximately 350
Soft Yellow Brass Approximately 500
and filing in the correct manner.
All things being correct, a smooth
cutting action and a good clean
finish on the work is achieved.
If there is stubborn resistance,
chances are the wrong file is being
used, the file is damaged or the
wrong method is being used.
Filing rough castings
Snagging castings, removing fins,
spurs and other projections, is hard
on normal files. Their teeth are for
fast cutting and do not possess
the ruggedness for driving against
hard projections and edges. This
filing engages only a few teeth,
thus putting a strain on each. For
such work, it is better to use a
Foundry file with sturdier teeth and
heavy-set edges to resist shelling
or breaking out.
Filing die castings
Like foundry castings, die castings
usually have sharp corners, webs,
fins or flashing which are liable to
damage a normal file. In addition,
die castings consist of magnesium,
zinc, aluminum, alloy or similar
combinations of metal which have
the tendency to clog regular files.
Depending on the shape, Apex
Tool Group has a variety of
files that will meet the required
application. Suggested files
are found in the "job by job" file
selector of this book, or you may
contact your Apex Tool Group
Customer Service Representative.