BANDSAW OPERATIONS - OD1646 - LESSON 1/TASK 1
inch. Short angle-cut band files are commonly used for filing soft metals
on the bandsaw machine.
(b) Band File Shapes.
Band files are manufactured in flat and oval
shapes.
Flat band files are used for most filing jobs.
Oval band files
have a curved face, and are used for filing inside curves and contours.
Band files are made in 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 inch widths.
(c) Selection of Band Files. Band files should be chosen on the basis
of workpiece thickness and the kind of material to be filed. In general, as
the workpiece becomes thicker, the file should be coarser. This is because
larger total chip accumulation from thick pieces requires additional space
for the chips between the teeth. On thin sheet metal, a fine pitch file is
required to prevent chatter. Narrower pitch files are used for tough carbon
and alloy steels; wider and coarser pitch files are used for softer, more
free-cutting materials such as cast iron and nonferrous metals.
Table 5
provides a guide for selecting the proper file for specific materials. If
sheet metal is to be filed, a finer tooth file should be used, if necessary,
to reduce chatter and produce a better finish on the workpiece.
TABLE 5.
SELECTION OF BAND FILES.
(d) Care and Cleaning of Band Files. The particles of metal removed by
the file often lodge in the file teeth, reducing the cutting efficiency of
the file and affecting the quality of the finish. If hard metal particles
are lodged in the
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