Got the Die Filer home

[lugnut]

Well as mentioned in another post, I was given a All American Die Filer. At first I turned it down, but on further thinking and discussion I went and got it today. It runs and is not all dinged up but the over-arm is missing I think it is something I can build. I searched google for a manual and found a little information here:
http://www.wentztech.com/metalworking/DieFiler/DieFiler.html but it's not enough for a dummy like me. I would post a photo of it if I could get into my Photo bucket account, but for some reason it won't let me in. ??? soon as it get that figured out I will show it off. Maybe tomorrow I will get some time to mess with it. Looks like a handy and very nice machine. If any one has any information they would like to share it would be appreciated.
Mel

 

[shred]

Cool. However you may not find much more info than that page and the links from it. That's way more than I found on mine a few weeks ago (googling on anything to do with 'file' is pretty much a waste of time given how often that word is used in computer contexts). You'll probably just have to grab some scrap and play around for a bit. I'm still doing that; it's fun.

At the very heart it's a simple beast-- motor turns pulley, file (or saw or hone with overarm) goes up and down. Cut is on the down stroke. Put some oil in the crankcase.

 

[lugnut]

I finally got into my Photo Bucket account, here is a photo of the All American Die Filer that my friend gave me. It's missing a couple of parts but still usable and I hope to find more operating instructions which should help me build some of the missing parts.

 

[shred]

Mine's a "POSTEL" brand as near as I can tell, though functionally and size-wise it appears very similar. There's about zero information on the Postels except for a couple that have turned up on E-Bay over the years (at least one misidentified as a scroll saw). It appears to never have had an overarm, at least there's no place to mount one. It's basic in that while you can set the angle of the table, there's no scale or index for it like the AA is supposed to have.

From reading the description, the AA variable speed was done with a spring-loaded variable-size pulley that gets effectively larger or smaller depending on how hard you pull the belt. Think two dinner plates back to back pulled together by a spring-- not much belt tension, the belt rides near the outside of the plates. Crank on the belt tension and it pushes the plates apart and rides lower down, making a smaller radius curve. Even so, the speed range was something like 250 to 500 RPM.

Some people swear by variable speed motors on them, but I set mine for about 500 RPM and will leave it like that unless I run across a 7" v-belt pulley lying around-- using the 5" pulley that was on it, the slowest I could go with any off-the-shelf motor pulley for that size belt was about 500.

 

[moconnor]

Hello again:

Just wanted to say that I have all of the original paper work that came with my All American Die Filer when new (bought from original owner) and what is on the website referenced in my previous post is everything that there is.

Sorry, for repeating the same information that shred gave you Lugnut. In my enthusiasm to contribute something useful, I did not realize it was the same source until after I posted it.

Regards,
Mike

 

[jack404]

I finally got into my Photo Bucket account, here is a photo of the All American Die Filer that my friend gave me. It's missing a couple of parts but still usable and I hope to find more operating instructions which should help me build some of the missing parts.

here i am figuring how to make one and your mate sells you one

with a pully drive!!!

(wanna sell it minus the motor motor? )

its ok i'll put my table together in the next week or so ( i'll make you a decnent offer eh)

i'm boring the collar for the lineal bearings

then gotta make the drive shaft ( pay shipping and handling)

yeah! lots to do not time to do it

cheers

jack

 

[dwentz]

The page with the manual on it is mine. I added some new info to the page last friday.

There seems to be lots of interest in this die filer. If any of you have any info you think everyone would find useful, e-mail it to me and I will add it to the page.

Dale

 

[lugnut]

Thanks for all the help guys, I think I need to take some time and get acquainted with the machine. Then start building some of the missing parts.
Thanks again
MEl