Milling files remove small pieces of material from a workpiece and are commonly used for deburring. They come in various sizes, shapes, and materials for different jobs, with rectangular cross-sections and different tooth configurations. They can also be used for sharpening and other finishing work.
A milling file is a tool used in both woodworking and metalworking applications that removes small pieces of material from a workpiece – they are the most common type of file. At one point, milling files served a very similar purpose to a milling machine, primarily to finish the surfaces of parts. Since the development of the milling machine, milling files are no longer widely used for surface finishing. Instead, they are generally used for small finish jobs, most commonly for deburring a workpiece. Files generally available in a wide variety of sizes, shapes and materials for different jobs.
These variations in file type are necessary to increase usage, as the application can vary greatly. For example, small, narrow milling files with finer tooth arrangements are used for very precise finishing work. On the other hand, larger milling files with wider tooth arrangements are used for larger finish jobs, such as the surface of a metal plate or the end of a block of wood.
The files vary in cross section which allows them to perform more specialized tasks where a specific shape is required. Cross-sections are usually flat, but can be round, triangular, or square. Sometimes, a file will be ground into a certain shape based on a specific job. Milling files, however, do not have specialized or unique cross sections. Instead, their cross sections are rectangular in shape.
A milling file can also vary in tooth configuration to accommodate different cutting applications. The tooth configuration is known as the file cut, which refers to how fine the teeth are. The dimensions of the cut are identified by the name, which from the smoothest to the roughest, includes the smooth cut, smooth and second cut. Bastard, medium and rough come next. Dead smooth files are often used for very small jobs that require precision, while rough files are used for larger surface jobs.
Just like the cut, the configuration of the teeth can also noticeably between files. The most common cut configuration is known as a single cut, where the teeth are a single set of parallel lines. A double cut, on the other hand, consists of two different sets of lines that are perpendicular to each other. This arrangement forms so-called diamond teeth, which can create very well-balanced cuts. While a milling file typically has teeth on both sides, this isn’t always the case; sometimes, one side is left blank, which can help prevent unnecessary trimming in compact spaces.
Finishing work is not the only work a milling file can do. Millet files are also widely used for sharpening applications, primarily for circular and miter saw blades. They can also be used to shorten the end of a piece of metal or wood after it has been cut. In addition to this, they are occasionally used for glass edge finishing and can do other jobs where some finishing work is required.
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