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  #41  
Old 09-10-2012, 09:53 AM
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thingsthatfly2 thingsthatfly2 is offline
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i have been following this thread for a few days now and thought i would ask.

i use some slapper files; course and fine. i was under the understanding that they helped lightly shrink the area. also they leave nice footprints! maybe some more clarification on the uses of these?

also i have always been under the understanding that the vixen file is like your guide coat. most metal only jobs that are sent my way are ones where a bodyman or hobbyist ground too much on each side or one side of a butt seam and i have to make a middle piece so it can be welded. so i am a little more fearfull then most when it comes to thin metal.
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  #42  
Old 09-10-2012, 10:14 AM
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Kerry Pinkerton Kerry Pinkerton is offline
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To the second point of your question David, why are there body files? I've always been under the impression that vixen files were developed to shave and shape lead. I could be totally wrong but that is what I've always thought. I 'assumed' that the way we use them today is an evolution of the tools original purpose.

Do body files (Vixen files) predate lead work?
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  #43  
Old 09-10-2012, 10:15 AM
peter d peter d is offline
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Hi Dan
When you say you use an 8 inch grinder do you mean the ones that use carbourundum wheels that are about a quarter inch thick. Or do you use a sander with a course grit disc.
In australia we have 9 inch grinders usually fitted with grinding or cutting discs usually used in the boiler making trade .We also have 7inch sander polishers with a rubber backing that you can screw sanding discs to they come in lots of grades from very course to fine .
thanks peter d
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  #44  
Old 09-10-2012, 10:42 AM
route56wingnut route56wingnut is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by peter d View Post
Hi Dan
When you say you use an 8 inch grinder do you mean the ones that use carbourundum wheels that are about a quarter inch thick. Or do you use a sander with a course grit disc.
In australia we have 9 inch grinders usually fitted with grinding or cutting discs usually used in the boiler making trade .We also have 7inch sander polishers with a rubber backing that you can screw sanding discs to they come in lots of grades from very course to fine .
thanks peter d
Same as your 7" setup but with an 8" or even 9" disc and I use an air unit with a side discharge on one of the handles . I have a couple of CP units and Cass showed me that these are like a Gyro when brought to speed .They self level and can be used one handed with great control .
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  #45  
Old 09-10-2012, 10:55 AM
RockHillWill RockHillWill is offline
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Kerry, thanks for the posting the pics of the vixen file collection. I only have ONE vixen file. There is a clue to my ability to use one by that revelation, LOL.

I, for one, would be greatly interested in any form of 'file' seminar at the meet if time would allow.
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  #46  
Old 09-10-2012, 12:58 PM
David Gardiner David Gardiner is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kerry Pinkerton View Post
To the second point of your question David, why are there body files? I've always been under the impression that vixen files were developed to shave and shape lead. I could be totally wrong but that is what I've always thought. I 'assumed' that the way we use them today is an evolution of the tools original purpose.

Do body files (Vixen files) predate lead work?
Kerry, the body file has been around since the dawn of the coachbuilders, so before the dawn of the motor car. They are not so different to a farriers file. They used to be available in many different styles and TPI. I think you have more available now than we do here in the UK. The harder the metal the more TPI you are supposed to use. so for steel perhaps 17 TPI for aluminium less TPI and lead even less. Its getting harder to fine any suitable for steel here now, all plastic filler grade files. Sign of the times.

Here in the UK we tend to use wooden handles (at least coachbuilders do) I once watched a program on TV about the making if the silver Arrow cars and the (presumably German) guy working on the body used what looked like a leather strap on the blade and sort of whipped it over the panel almost like a slingshot or that is how I remember it.

David
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Last edited by David Gardiner; 09-10-2012 at 01:00 PM.
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  #47  
Old 09-10-2012, 01:13 PM
John Buchtenkirch John Buchtenkirch is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kerry Pinkerton View Post
To the second point of your question David, why are there body files? I've always been under the impression that vixen files were developed to shave and shape lead. I could be totally wrong but that is what I've always thought. I 'assumed' that the way we use them today is an evolution of the tools original purpose.

Do body files (Vixen files) predate lead work?
Terry, you are correct, they originally were designed for lead or at least were sold as lead working tools but also work very well for cutting my Krylon primer guide coats because the teeth are deep enough so they don’t load up very easily. Because of the curved teeth they work well when filing on diagonals (see my post #29). They will even cut Bondo accurately but load up in no time to the point of being ineffective. Don’t laugh but I also use them for sharpening my snow skies and I’ve even used them to true the edges of sheet metal brakes that I welded up nicks on. For high accuracy metal finishing (prepping for plating) they are just more accurate than using sandpaper. I always just took them for granted because I’ve always used them but all this talk is making me feel like I’m old school for sure. ~ John Buchtenkirch
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  #48  
Old 09-10-2012, 01:36 PM
David Gardiner David Gardiner is offline
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A quick look through a couple of books and in a photo of Vanden Plas works taken around 1923 there is something that looks very like a bodyfile on the bench.

I have a set of original 1936 SS100 wings in my workshop and in all the areas of the joints filing marks can clearly be seen. These are all aluminium.


Here is a link to a history of file making in the UK. I thought it was interesting... http://www.wkfinetools.com/hUS-metal...deWorks-02.asp

David
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Last edited by David Gardiner; 09-10-2012 at 02:00 PM.
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  #49  
Old 09-10-2012, 07:06 PM
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made me feel old school too-but very glad my boss years ago made me at least proficient in their use.i too prefer the crisp clean accurate finish they give compared to the softer,often more radiused finish that i find sandpaper gives.
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  #50  
Old 09-11-2012, 01:04 AM
David Gardiner David Gardiner is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thingsthatfly2 View Post
i have been following this thread for a few days now and thought i would ask.

i use some slapper files; course and fine. i was under the understanding that they helped lightly shrink the area. also they leave nice footprints! maybe some more clarification on the uses of these?

also i have always been under the understanding that the vixen file is like your guide coat. most metal only jobs that are sent my way are ones where a bodyman or hobbyist ground too much on each side or one side of a butt seam and i have to make a middle piece so it can be welded. so i am a little more fearfull then most when it comes to thin metal.
I agree far more damage can be done with a grinder n a few seconds than could be done with a file in hours.

The idea of the flipper file (slapper file to you) is to stretch the low areas up to the same level as the rest of the panel. I can't see how it could be used to shrink metal unless for heat shrinking but would not work any better than a smooth flipper for this. To planish a part to a good finish you need to be able to hit accurately in the low areas. If you are working in steel the flipper file helps you do this.

There are body files other than the vixen type file.

David
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