spikey Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 Has anyone found a quick and easy way of completely removing the dust from fine files used on plastics, particularly the Wills sheets (brick, slates etc)? The wire on the ordinary file card brush I use for files used on metals isn't fine enough to do the business. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Dagworth Posted January 17, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 17, 2021 Use the edge of a piece of brass, push it across the file a few times in line with the teeth which will cut the brass to match the file and remove all the crud. Andi 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philou Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 Depending on the speed of the cut/filing, it may well be that the plastic has melted onto the surface - found out the hard way in sawing perspex sheet with a fine toothed jigsaw. Slow cut with a large-toothed tenon saw worked the best. On another thread (Mr Wolf?) uses a large cut file (8" IIRC) on his plasticard. I don't have a solution other than 'pick' at the residue, if it has melted, with a brad or other such hard pointed implement. Cheers, Philip PS: I see Dagworth has a more sensible solution. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibbo675 Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 Hi Folks, Plastics are one thing, it is Milliput that clogs my files, and yes I do let it cure before filing it !!! Gibbo. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
spikey Posted January 17, 2021 Author Share Posted January 17, 2021 14 minutes ago, Philou said: Depending on the speed of the cut/filing, it may well be that the plastic has melted onto the surface ... Nope, it's just fine dust accumulating in fine grooves. Never thought of Dagworth's brass idea though, so off now to search through the bits boxes ... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium polybear Posted January 17, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 17, 2021 A brass wire brush works well for me HTH 2 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted January 18, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 18, 2021 If it's just fine dust, I wipe the file on my jeans. If it's a bit more substantial, eg. whitemetal, then an old, pointed scalpel blade, applied to each groove on the file in turn, does the job. Long-winded and tedious, but effective. 3 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnH Posted January 18, 2021 Share Posted January 18, 2021 I've had some success removing fine plastic dust from files by standing them in a container of MEK. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Andy 53B Posted January 18, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 18, 2021 I use one of the Albion Alloys abrasive cleaning discs, not cheap but works well and lasts Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurenceb Posted January 18, 2021 Share Posted January 18, 2021 Provided you dont leave it too long a lump of blu tac will shift most of it 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete smith Posted February 28, 2021 Share Posted February 28, 2021 The reply from Dagworth can be used to clean almost all files from plastic, aluminium etc. And even nail files - brownie points? Do not use a wire brush as it will blunt the file. Also note that files are designed to cut on the forward stroke and should be lifted off on the return stroke to prevent the teeth becoming blunt. To prevent clogging or pinning as it was also known the advice from the old timers ( that’s us now ) was to rub chalk into the teeth but I had better results with WD 40. In the good old days at The Royal Small Arms, the first apprentice “task” was to collect your new tools - 3 grades of files, ruler, try square, scriber and vernier callipers and reduce the 2” cube of mild steel to 1” cube using only the tools provided. Tolerance of 25 thou and all sides to be filed. They always took on twice as many as required as they knew failure rate was 50%. You certainly knew how to file after that. I think Royal Navy artificers did a similar task. No tools to be replaced so if you made it blunt so be it. The fitting of gun parts was by smoke from candles to leave carbon deposit, fit, remove and file off the high spots to get perfect gas proof fit. I used to know a lady that did that task from 1939 till the end of the war, sent her home and brought her back for the Korean War. She was the best of the best. I got all my school technicians from the Small Arms cos they knew what to do. pete 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold nickwood Posted February 28, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 28, 2021 I’ve found the wife’s toothbrush usually does the trick. Please don’t tell her. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Mick Bonwick Posted February 28, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 28, 2021 2 minutes ago, nickwood said: Please don’t tell her. What's it worth not to? 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold nickwood Posted March 1, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 1, 2021 12 hours ago, Mick Bonwick said: What's it worth not to? Well you’ve met her a few times so what is your opening gambit. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Mick Bonwick Posted March 1, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 1, 2021 50 minutes ago, nickwood said: Well you’ve met her a few times so what is your opening gambit. Red or white tonight, dear? 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibbo675 Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 13 hours ago, nickwood said: I’ve found the wife’s toothbrush usually does the trick. Please don’t tell her. Just wait until you find out what she cleans with yours ! 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cypherman Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 Hi all, I use a small wire brush with brass bristles. It is the size of a tooth brush. Works well. Got it out of a pack of cheap Chinese various sized wire brushes several years ago. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Clive Mortimore Posted March 1, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 1, 2021 As an apprentice with the CEGB I was taught to use a file card, and to use it when I finished a job or at the end of the day, which ever came first. https://www.wonkeedonkeetools.co.uk/file-card-brushes/how-to-use-a-file-card-brush I was given a cheap set of files by my mum in 1970s, I am still using them because they get cleaned with a file card that is possibly older than me. The file card was a gift from my first wife's father. On 17/01/2021 at 14:00, spikey said: Has anyone found a quick and easy way of completely removing the dust from fine files used on plastics, particularly the Wills sheets (brick, slates etc)? The wire on the ordinary file card brush I use for files used on metals isn't fine enough to do the business. I do not have any problems using a file card after filing plastics. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Smith Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 I use emory boards more than files for plastic...they don't need cleaning! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeremyC Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 (edited) Something I was taught as an apprentice was don't use files you want to use for brass on steel, a file thats been used on steel will not cut brass properly. Edited March 1, 2021 by JeremyC 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWolf Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 I have used a file card for years, the one that I am using was "liberated" from work by my grandfather, so they last well. On the finer files and those used for cupro materials, I have always used a brass brush designed for cleaning suede shoes. This works fine for me where I use an 8" second cut engineers file and basically drag Will's sheet lengthwise up it to form bevelled corners. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
spikey Posted March 17, 2021 Author Share Posted March 17, 2021 Coming back to this thread as the OP ... An ordinary file card wasn't working on account of the files in question are either too fine-cut or are needle files. But I've now found that, as suggested above, a fine brass brush of the type apparently used on suede shoes does the job admirably. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete smith Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 I still have the brush that came with my “hush puppies”. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWolf Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 I have distant memories of big vans with a Bassett Hound? painted on the side coming out of the British Shoe Corporation factory. Must have been about 1980! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cypherman Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 Hi all, I just use a small wire brush. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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