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GailInNM

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Like many others, I keep several files on my workbench. I have three that take care of most of my filing jobs. One for steel and iron, one for brass and aluminum, and a safe edge file for getting into corners. All are 6 inch mill bastard files. As my workspace is limited the three files took up a lot of valuable area of the bench. So a 1/2 X 1-1/4 X 5 inch piece of aluminum got three 3/16 X 7/8 inch slots cut in it. The slots were beveled with a countersink so the files could drop in easily. It was mounted on the edge of the workbench ( really and old cast iron table saw) in an out of the way area.

While I was at it, I painted the file handles. I had been marking the steel file with a few dots of paint near the tang, but this meant that I really had to look at the files to tell which was which. Now it easy to tell which file is for what. The black handle is for steel, the yellow is for soft metals and the white is the safe edge file which has the teeth on one side and one edge ground off. I like the Nicholson file handles. They fit my hand and come with several inserts to fit different size files. Since file handles are necessary we might as well have good ones. We all do have file handles don't we? stickpoke

Files.jpg
 
GailInNM said:
Like many others, I keep several files on my workbench. I have three that take care of most of my filing jobs. One for steel and iron, one for brass and aluminum, and a safe edge file for getting into corners. All are 6 inch mill bastard files. As my workspace is limited the three files took up a lot of valuable area of the bench. So a 1/2 X 1-1/4 X 5 inch piece of aluminum got three 3/16 X 7/8 inch slots cut in it. The slots were beveled with a countersink so the files could drop in easily. It was mounted on the edge of the workbench ( really and old cast iron table saw) in an out of the way area.

While I was at it, I painted the file handles. I had been marking the steel file with a few dots of paint near the tang, but this meant that I really had to look at the files to tell which was which. Now it easy to tell which file is for what. The black handle is for steel, the yellow is for soft metals and the white is the safe edge file which has the teeth on one side and one edge ground off. I like the Nicholson file handles. They fit my hand and come with several inserts to fit different size files. Since file handles are necessary we might as well have good ones. We all do have file handles don't we? stickpoke

Very nice solution! I must build one for myself now.

Being the COF (cheap ol' fart) that I am I make my own file handles out of discarded broom handles. I cut them to length, press on a 1/2" wide section of aluminum tubing to prevent splitting, and drill a pilot hole so I can drive them onto the file tang. They work just fine and are the right price...free. :big:
 
Here is my quick to make file rack . its a length of angle and a length of flat bar welded up with a spacer at each end too form a long slot

P8050070.jpg


P8050071.jpg


Regards Rob

Also good for screwdrivers and i will be making one for my wood turning chisels with a rubber coating so i don't damage the cutting edge

Must get round to giving it a coat of paint
 
I made a similar one for my wood chisels out of, wait for it.....wood. Easier than messing around with rubber coatings. Of course it doesn't keep the chisels from hitting each other from time to time, but for me they are tools not a religion and it's never been a problem.
 

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