Making a file guide

Jon Buescher

Jon Buescher

Well-Known Member
So!, I am making a file guide for yours truly, I am making it out of 2”x 1/8” precision ground 0-1 tool steel, I have believe I should be able you get reasonable hardness out of that. What temp should I temper it at? In my head I was thinking 375 because it shouldn’t need to be super tight to stay in place but I don’t want it too brittle but I would like it to be hard enough to last me until I can afford one of Bruce’s stainless and Carbide ones
 
Looking forward to seeing the finished project. I got one and wish I had gotten one earlier.
 
Personally, I would leave it full hardness. The "hitch" here is that you'll need to be careful when tightening it on a blade..... as you can apply enough pressure to break it.

I would also add that a file guide works best if you use 3/4" stock or larger. Lot's of folks have made file guides with lesser thickness stock, and always have issues.
While you're using this one, save up some pennies and invest in a carbide model when you can....yes, it's well worth it.
 
EdCaffreyMS said:
Personally, I would leave it full hardness. The "hitch" here is that you'll need to be careful when tightening it on a blade..... as you can apply enough pressure to break it.

I would also add that a file guide works best if you use 3/4" stock or larger. Lot's of folks have made file guides with lesser thickness stock, and always have issues.
While you're using this one, save up some pennies and invest in a carbide model when you can....yes, it's well worth it.
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Ed, just checking here but did you mean
3/4 of an inch thick? That’s a hoss!
 
I've made a couple and I didn't temper mine. One was 1095 and the other was A8 tool steel and both work fine. The A8 is a little more resistant to the belts if you use it on the grinder. I keep a "working" side that takes all the abuse and a reference side. I have a surface grinder so when they get to looking rough, I just resurface them.
 
Across the filing surface(s). All too often people apply too much pressure when using a file guide, and in the process the file "flexes"...... this very often causes slightly rounded "shoulders" on hidden tang designs, and results in gaps in the guard fit. The wider the filing surface(s), the flatter the file must be used in order to cut.

Most folks try to build a file guide using 1/4" thick material.....that means you have 1/2" overall of "flat", and doing so often results in rounded shoulders, which results n the gaps in a guard's fit.
 
JJB11B said:
So!, I am making a file guide for yours truly, I am making it out of 2”x 1/8” precision ground 0-1 tool steel, I have believe I should be able you get reasonable hardness out of that. What temp should I temper it at? In my head I was thinking 375 because it shouldn’t need to be super tight to stay in place but I don’t want it too brittle but I would like it to be hard enough to last me until I can afford one of Bruce’s stainless and Carbide ones
Click to expand...

I made these on my drill press at home. They are 5/8 thick, 1 1/4 tall and 4 1/4 long mild steel. I used 1/4 dowel pins and 1/4-20 bolts. If nothing else you can get the carbide off of Amazon. (1/8" X 1/2" X 3") The two plates were clamped together then drilled and drill reamed for the dowel pins. Still clamped together drill the miner dia (#7drill) for the 1/4-20. Take them apart and drill ream oversize for the shoulder of the bolt. Hand tap the 1/4-20. Now you need a oxy acetylene torch. If you don't have one maybe a friend. Put the pins into both sides of the fixture. Braze then into one side. With c-clamps to hold the carbide flush to the top inside edge braze them. You just saved ??? $130. out of $150. I hope that helps some. Bruce's sure are pretty!!!!

PS: It's just a file fixture. You could get by with epoxy instead of brazing the pins and carbide.
 

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springer82 said:
I made these on my drill press at home. They are 5/8 thick, 1 1/4 tall and 4 1/4 long mild steel. I used 1/4 dowel pins and 1/4-20 bolts. If nothing else you can get the carbide off of Amazon. (1/8" X 1/2" X 3") The two plates were clamped together then drilled and drill reamed for the dowel pins. Still clamped together drill the miner dia (#7drill) for the 1/4-20. Take them apart and drill ream oversize for the shoulder of the bolt. Hand tap the 1/4-20. Now you need a oxy acetylene torch. If you don't have one maybe a friend. Put the pins into both sides of the fixture. Braze then into one side. With c-clamps to hold the carbide flush to the top inside edge braze them. You just saved ??? $130. out of $150. I hope that helps some. Bruce's sure are pretty!!!!

PS: It's just a file fixture. You could get by with epoxy instead of brazing the pins and carbide.
Click to expand...
Where did you buy the carbide parts?
 
Well,,,,, I'm lucky enough that the toolroom guy gave it to me. I have seen carbide on Amazon. There is Granger or McMaster-Carr. More then a few places you can get it.

PS: the carbide plated came that size. Nothing I cut up at work.
 
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I personally feel that carbide is the way to go with file guides. The problem is the attachment of the carbide to the actual file guide..... it either requires a way to mill/grind carbide into a dovetail configuration, and the associated dovetail into the file guide body. OR, as most do, some type of adhesive to hold the carbide in place. I feel it's essential in either case to be able to "face off" the carbide once it's in place....... even a few thousandths in height difference (in the carbide faces) makes a huge difference in use.

I've had both (dovetailed and glued), and found the file guides where the carbide is dovetailed in place to be far more accurate and reliable. When it comes to the "glued on" versions, I've had a couple that have "let go" over time, I believe, because a poor choice was made in what "glue" was used. My favorite carbide guide is one that Bruce Bump built..... although the carbide is "glued on" I trust Bruce to know what he's doing........ it's been durable and reliable for many years.
 
Yep,,,,, A mill to put everything on location and a surface grinder to square it up would be nice. Making your own file guides your going to be a few thousands off anyway you look at it. I'd rather be a few thousands off with carbide then not. Ed I can see why you would like Bruce's guides.
 
So I was gonna just drill a couple holes in my file guide but oopsed on not picking up a piece of 1/8” sheet metal. No more shirts in the shop, no more sheet metal piles
 

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