# Filing machine from an old scroll saw?



## Alan J. Richer (Jan 7, 2009)

In another recent post I saw a comment made that "bench filing machines are often misidentified as jig saws".

This got the wheels turning...as you can imagine.

I have a couple of scroll saws around the place - one of which has a base unit that looked remarkably like the die filer.

Now, the blade mount is bloody useless for files - but I was thinking that changing the shaft for one with (let's say) a 1/4" hole with setscrew would turn an essentially useless old Dunlap scroll saw into a wimpy but usable bench filing machine.

Opinions?

       AL Richer


----------



## rleete (Jan 7, 2009)

Probably wouldn't have much "oomph", but it may serve the purpose if you're doing light work.


----------



## mklotz (Jan 7, 2009)

I tried it a long time ago and the saw was way too fast for filing. Perhaps if you can use a Variac to slow it down...

or build your own ... that's what I did. See reply #9 in this thread:

http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=2998.0

You can run it off a variable speed drill motor or use the lathe to power it.


----------



## shred (Jan 7, 2009)

mklotz  said:
			
		

> I tried it a long time ago and the saw was way too fast for filing. Perhaps if you can use a Variac to slow it down...
> 
> or build your own ... that's what I did. See reply #9 in this thread:
> 
> ...


The one I put a motor on in another thread now turns about 520 RPM, which is on the high side of what the commercial ones do. I don't think you'd want to go any faster. Someday I'll get a slower motor or bigger pulley and slow it down more.


----------



## lugnut (Jan 7, 2009)

Now I have to ask a dumb question. Just What, Why or When would I use a filer? Just last week a friend of mine tried to give me a filling machine, and I turned him down because of the limited space I have in my tiny shop. If there is a real advantage to having one I suppose I could stack stuff a little more and make room. He has ask me twice now to take it, maybe I should before he finds someone else.
Mel


----------



## kennyd (Jan 7, 2009)

lugnut  said:
			
		

> Now I have to ask a dumb question. Just What, Why or When would I use a filer? Just last week a friend of mine tried to give me a filling machine, and I turned him down because of the limited space I have in my tiny shop. If there is a real advantage to having one I suppose I could stack stuff a little more and make room. He has ask me twice now to take it, maybe I should before he finds someone else.
> Mel



Where are yo at? I'd be happy to take it 

I would use it for "square corners", like after drilling a hole. Like to mount panel switches.


----------



## shred (Jan 7, 2009)

I've only had mine working for a week now, so I'm not an expert by any means.  but I've been using it sort of as a scroll-saw for metal-- to put square corners on a switch box opening I'd just milled; deburr some parts and cut some freehand shapes-- it's easy to do that because you can safely get your pinkies closer to the cutter than most other machine tools. It's definitely a "powered hand tool", if that makes any sense--you pretty much hold and push the metal around yourself while the file chuff-chuffs up and down in the middle of the table. You can run right up to a line really well, but probably won't be holding half-a-thou-over-8-inches with it, at least not without a lot of practice.

I don't think there's anything it can do that can't be done with hand files, but I'm lazy when it comes to hand-filing and really like this little thing. It's not really a must-have tool like a lathe or milling machine and some of them can get big, so I probably wouldn't want a 500 lb monster one, but I won't sell mine for twice what I paid for it.


----------



## Tin Falcon (Jan 7, 2009)

Lugnut:
It is written Thou shall not refuse free machine tools. 
LOL
Tin


----------



## ghart3 (Jan 7, 2009)

Lugnut,  got one and bought the files for it.  Didn't use much.  Now use it all the time but seldom use it with files.  Think a overarm and variable speed are what make the machine versatile.   Put a 3 phase motor and VFD on it. So have any speed I want.  DC motor with speed control would work just as good. Slow speeds are great and can make a big difference.

Neatest thing is using jeweler's saw blades.  Picture shows some metal cut with one. Those are saw cuts in the cut out piece, think the steel is about .100" thick.  Bi-metal saw blades can be ground down to have a narrow width in cutting area and easily cut curves in 3/16" steel. Being a lazy person made an adapter that clamps on upper blade clamp and has couple of those strong magnets inside that hold the rattle can paint.  Turn on die filer and adjust speed to just hear ball rattle inside can.









 Think you can click on pictures to make larger.      gary


----------



## lugnut (Jan 8, 2009)

I'm going down to Jay's place today to get that filer. I wonder what he is going to say when I tell him I'm going to use it to shake spray paint cans :big:
Mel


----------



## itowbig (Jan 9, 2009)

Tin Falcon  said:
			
		

> Lugnut:
> It is written Thou shall not refuse free machine tools.
> LOL
> Tin



 I second that one

 i sure do like free tools. you just let me know my garage has room for one more ill make sure of that :big: ;D ;


----------

