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Author Topic: Metal working files  (Read 4613 times)

Hugh Conway

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Metal working files
« on: December 26, 2018, 11:58:47 PM »
Somebody must know!
It is time to replace/re-purpose  some of my much used metal files. I've found lots of cheap imitations of real tools, but can't seem to find a source for good ones.
 I have seen some brand recommendations on the web but the next problem is......
Finding a dealer! Seems there are a few good brands ones out there, but nobody appears to sell them in Canada or USA.
Any recommendations of brand or dealer would be appreciated.
Cheers
Hugh
JKson 6/1  (Utterpower PMG ) Off-grid
Lister 6/1 Start-O-Matic engine......running with PMG
1978 Royal Enfield (glutton for punishment by Indian iron)
1963 BMW R-27 project

guest23837

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Re: Metal working files
« Reply #1 on: December 27, 2018, 08:55:52 AM »
Last time I bought a few files it was at an autojumble I think you call them swap meets? They were used but very useable and very cheap. Modern Chinese files are useless I couldn't find any made in the UK anywhere

38ac

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Re: Metal working files
« Reply #2 on: December 27, 2018, 12:18:18 PM »
Current Nicholson  production  is not USA made but if you go to Ebay and search  Nicholson file USA there is always lots of new old stock for sale.
Collector and horder of about anything diesel

tiger

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Re: Metal working files
« Reply #3 on: December 29, 2018, 03:20:09 AM »
A carding brush and muriatic acid helps a lot on old files.
Metro 12/2 ST 10 KW

sirpedrosa

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Re: Metal working files
« Reply #4 on: December 29, 2018, 07:38:12 PM »
Hi Hugh

Adding some help.

There is a old brand, that was known worldwide, and was recognized by British engineering as of excellent quality. Tale a look at: http://www.tome-feteira.pt/produtos.html.

BR
VP
By order of firing up:
Bernard 18A - 1968 (mama's water pump - year of my birth)
Petter PAZ1 - Jun 1967, 3HP, sn 416xxxx
Petter PAZ1 - Nov 1979, 3HP, sn 425xxxx
Lister 12/2 - 12651227, the pearl!
Deutz MAH 914, 1952 - Zündfix in chamber and go (7Mai2023).

Hugh Conway

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Re: Metal working files
« Reply #5 on: January 02, 2019, 11:43:28 PM »
Thanks for all the suggestions.......

Looks like I will have to obtain files from Europe of the US. If any of these good brands are sold in Canada, it''s a secret to the manufacturers.

Unfortunately postage  from US (not as much from Europe) to Canada is insane these days.........For instance ship to Seattle or thereabouts......free. If it goes to my location (maybe 250 miles further and across the border)  It takes another mortgage for postage plus brokerage fees, duties and taxes. My wife was dinged $17.00 in brokerage fees for $0.03 in tax on a yard of fabric.......It was duty free though!

Nothing like free trade!

Cheers
Hugh
JKson 6/1  (Utterpower PMG ) Off-grid
Lister 6/1 Start-O-Matic engine......running with PMG
1978 Royal Enfield (glutton for punishment by Indian iron)
1963 BMW R-27 project

ajaffa1

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Re: Metal working files
« Reply #6 on: January 03, 2019, 06:42:51 AM »
+1 Glort regarding postage fees from the USA. I regularly buy spare parts from China or Singapore, for 1/4 of the prices elsewhere in the world The postage is usually free. I also buy stuff from Europe and pay what I believe are reasonable postage fees. I never ever buy anything from the USA because of the postal charges. I guess they must have the best paid postal workers on earth.

I too don`t like the new GST charges on all online purchases from overseas. If I were running any sort of business I would be able to claim the GST back as a legitimate expense. Sadly as a private citizen I have to pay ten percent to the government so they can squander it on BS and their own gold plated pension scheme.

Bob

ajaffa1

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Re: Metal working files
« Reply #7 on: January 03, 2019, 07:35:26 AM »
Wow, that is really scary, Within half an hour of my last post complaining about the price of postage from the USA, I got an email advertisement from a business offering to deliver stuff from America for less. Big brother is watching us!

Bob

dieselspanner

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Re: Metal working files
« Reply #8 on: January 03, 2019, 01:11:09 PM »
If you believe 25% of the stuff on who's watching who then we've all been under the microscope for years.....

Cheers
Stef
Tighten 'til it strips, weld nut to chassis, peen stud, adjust with angle grinder.

mikenash

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Re: Metal working files
« Reply #9 on: January 03, 2019, 02:29:33 PM »
https://www.facebook.com/jonathan.abundiente/videos/2385592254808952/

Check out this one then, Stef.  One for the conspiracy nuts . . . .  the Heathen Chinese are watching!

dieselspanner

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Re: Metal working files
« Reply #10 on: January 03, 2019, 04:57:34 PM »
I'm a believer, I'm sure there's shed loads we don't know and it's getting bigger every day. 'They' can watch me all 'they' like, it's not that I'm a paragon of virtue, far from it, but when one considers the entertainment value of some of the whack jobs out there, I'm just below zero on the scale!

The only people who care about me are the ones who sent Bob details of cheap postal rates from the US. I don't even get Viagra ads anymore.

Cheers
Tefs

(see how I threw 'them' off the trail there?)
Tighten 'til it strips, weld nut to chassis, peen stud, adjust with angle grinder.

mikenash

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Re: Metal working files
« Reply #11 on: January 03, 2019, 05:12:51 PM »
It's a lonely world Tefs

Natasha & Nadia have stopped sending me nude photos of their six-foot, blonde, curvaceous selves and asking me about help with their immigration processes.  Ngamutu from Nigeria no longer asks for my assistance with his currency-moving issues.  Even the little-blue-pill peddlers seem to have given me up as a bad job

THey warned me old age was going to be cold & lonely . . .

xyzer

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Re: Metal working files
« Reply #12 on: January 03, 2019, 06:51:34 PM »
Vidhata 6/1 portable
Power Solutions portable 6/1
Z482 KUBOTA

BruceM

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Re: Metal working files
« Reply #13 on: January 03, 2019, 07:40:09 PM »
I started using Greenlee hack saw blades-  I cut them into 3 pieces and used them in my air body saw since the body saw blades are pricey and poor quality. 

They cut like crazy when fresh, and are cheap enough I don't mind replacing them often.
I've tried other brands and none were as good for cutting and blade life.


dieselspanner

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Re: Metal working files
« Reply #14 on: January 03, 2019, 09:45:01 PM »
When I was 11 I went to a really good Grammar School. the intake was from the 84 / 92% portion of those passing the 11 plus exam and the aim was to turn out apprentices and middle management (it all went wrong with me!)

Anyway, the first project in metal work was to make a boot scraper, cutting and filing a 1½" square of ¼" steel plate for the blade and then riveting it to a handle, Mr Eaton was not best pleased with those dragged the file on the reverse cut, unless you were draw filing. The thing I did best was getting my apron covered in 'blue' whilst marking out.

These days I do as much as possible with the 4½" grinder and a 1mm slitting disc......


Tighten 'til it strips, weld nut to chassis, peen stud, adjust with angle grinder.