Good quality Files

Rob Pulham

Western Thunderer

• 19 July 2018

• #1

Up to now despite working mostly with metal I have relied on a combination of either cheap sets of standard Mini 4" files from Boyes (approx £5 for half a dozen) or a similar but diamond coated set. No surprise that I have gone through several of the cheap sets of standard type files and for some things, while they do have their uses the diamond coated files are just not accurate enough. So, having built up a small fund for Telford I have proceeded to spend some of it on some decent files.

After looking around a bit I found a good selection of Vallorbe files at Axminster tools and bought 6 x 6" files plus wooden handles to suit

2 x flat files, one smooth cut, one second cut
2 x Round files, one smooth cut, one second cut
2 x Square files, one smooth cut, one second cut

I also got one 4" triangular second cut and a handle for it

All for the princely sum of £38.70 delivered which I thought was pretty good. - I have seen the individual files at £15 or more while I was looking. They do a set of six mini files all second cut for just over £40 which I may invest in as well at some point - I am trying to resist the lure of more kits...

 

AndyB

Western Thunderer

• 19 July 2018

• #2

Rob,
I agree that quality files make such a difference. Choosing Vallorbe files, and trying to compare prices between vendors can be quite challenging though. They say they do 3 ranges, according to this page - Files - added to which the 'Grobet' range also seem to have some connection with Vallorbe.
Another quality brand is Tome Feteira, available at quite good prices here - https://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Cutting-Tools/Tome-Feteira-Files/Engineering-Files.

I think I have a mix of all the above in my collection.

Andy

 

adrian

Flying Squad

• 19 July 2018

• #3

so so tempting. With a birthday fast approaching, although it may get a funny look, I feel the need to request a new set of files

AndyB said:

Another quality brand is Tome Feteira, available at quite good prices here - https://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Cutting-Tools/Tome-Feteira-Files/Engineering-Files.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the link - the video tour around the factory was fascinating to see how they are made.

 

Steph Dale

Western Thunderer

• 19 July 2018

• #4

+1 for Tome Feteira. Reading this thread as it's built through the evening I was desperately trying to remember the company name...

Anyway, very good quality and surprisingly affordable for all that.

Steph

 

Last edited: 19 July 2018

Jon Nazareth

Western Thunderer

• 19 July 2018

• #5

can anyone tell me, is O the finest cut?

Jon

 

Steph Dale

Western Thunderer

• 19 July 2018

• #6

Jon,
I think it's the coarsest actually - I recall I've got some #4 files here, which are very fine. I don't doubt that for special applications there are both finer and coarser available.

Steph

Aah, yes, here you go; https://contenti.com/media/catalog/pdf/library/file_cuts_styles_shapes.pdf

 

AndyB

Western Thunderer

• 20 July 2018

• #7

Steph Dale said:

... for special applications there are both finer and coarser available..... Aah, yes, here you go

Click to expand...

...and they go even finer than that. Escapement files go down to cut 10.
To confuse further, the number of tpi for a given 'cut' number varies according to the type and size of file - see page 5 of this document http://watchmaking.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/7/9/1179986/vallorbe_files.pdf. I previously found somewhere on the Vallorbe site that explained the difference between their 'precision' and standard range files, but i can't find it again now - site seems to have lots of broken links today.
Andy

 

N

Nigel Cliffe

Western Thunderer

• 20 July 2018

• #8

About 18 years ago, a file-nerd member of the 2mm Scale Association wrote a long article on files. Its on the 2mm website:

Files and the 2mm Modeller

 

richard carr

Western Thunderer

• 20 July 2018

• #9

You can't beat decent files they are worth every penny.

But decent files also deserve a decent handle, here's a link to the type I use, I don't usually buy them from Amazon but this was the only link I could quickly find. Most of the file sellers sell these handles too, the file actually screws into the handle for a really solid fit.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Plastic-Ha...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=3A8YSS652YE9H9WBP1H5

Richard

 

Rob Pulham

Western Thunderer

• 23 July 2018

• #10

Just to finish this off, I didn't get much modelling done this weekend but I took the power tools for a test having not used many of them for a while -

Drill press, router table and linisher all brought into play to make this

I thoroughly enjoyed making something from wood for a change and now that I have my router table set up again I have a nice piece of hardwood that I need to turn into a mounting plinth for a cast wagon plate that I bought a few years ago.