Where do I find a roller Filing rest for a lathe?

[HilmarParticipant @hilmar]

I may have seen one in MEW, but don't know the issue.
Where do I find a print for a roller Filing rest for a lathe ?
Hilmar

[HilmarParticipant @hilmar]

[Thor 🇳🇴Participant @thor]

Hi Hilmar

Here is one website with pictures of a filing rest. Dean describes how he made one for his Taig lathe. Here is antother.

Regards

Thor

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

I found my filing rest in the scrap bin, some times you have to design your own bits and pieces, at the time I had heard of filing rests, but had never seen one, so I just had to wing it, that was twenty odd years ago, and it's still in use. Ian S C

[Gray62Participant @gray62]

MEW issue 19 had a pull out plan, Hemingway do a kit for a filing rest.

CB

[RJWParticipant @rjw]

MEW over 3x pages, the second page dated Feb/March 1992, not sure if all pages were in a single issue, or spread over a couple of them!

I scanned all construction articles and plans covering about a 20 year span before I sold all my magazines, so I've got the filing rest archived,

The project was taken from Stan Bray's book 'Making Small Workshop Tools' Argus Books!

John

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Interestingly this is one of the few common small tools for the lathe that the importers supply chain hasn't latched on to. Maybe the implication of manual work involved in using it means there is no market in America.

[roy entwistleParticipant @royentwistle24699]

Bazyle and others Filing rests were common accessories with watch makers lathes

Roy

[MadMikeParticipant @madmike]

I have read this thread with some interest, caused in no small way by total curiosity.

What are you guys using these filing rests for? Don't you simply turn metal in your lathes to produce something of a known accurate size and finish. For extremely accurate high finish work do you not simply leave a grinding allowance and grind to final size?

Sorry if I appear stupid, I often do apparently, but I just do not understand this one. Help please.

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

Typically, filing rests are used to produce a flat on a shaft. With some form of indexing on the lathe mandrel then squares, hexagons etc can be produced.

Rod

Edited By Roderick Jenkins on 17/01/2013 22:13:34

[clivelParticipant @clivel]

Probably the simplest filing rest imaginable is one that I made recently. Unfortunately I can't take the credit for it, I copied the idea from someone on the  http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com web site.

I made mine to fit my Unimat lathe. The rollers are delrin, and as they are free running, so far I haven't noticed any wear from the file. But then it hasn't had much use yet.

Here are two views; partly disassembled and assembled:

 

To use it, simply mount it in the lathe toolpost rotated about 30 to 45 degrees from the vertical. The crosslide is then used to adjust the filing depth. Hopefully this picture of it being used to file a flat on the end of a brass rod will make it clearer:

Being more or less a beginner, I am sure that there are probably better ways to have made it. Initial testing revealed two changes that I need to make. The thick washers used to keep the rollers on and to also act as a stop for the file need to be reduced in diameter, currently they limit the maximum diameter of work piece that it can be used on. Also the socket head screws need to be replaced with countersunk screws to allow it to get closer to the chuck.

Clive

Edited By clivel on 17/01/2013 23:55:01

[TerrydParticipant @terryd72465]

Posted by MadMike on 17/01/2013 20:57:40:

I have read this thread with some interest, caused in no small way by total curiosity.

What are you guys using these filing rests for? Don't you simply turn metal in your lathes to produce something of a known accurate size and finish. For extremely accurate high finish work do you not simply leave a grinding allowance and grind to final size?

Sorry if I appear stupid, I often do apparently, but I just do not understand this one. Help please.

The filing rest is not to be used when the lathe is running . It is used when the work is stationary and as pointed by Roderick is used to file flats, squares, hexagons etc on the end of shafts or other parts after turning. An example may be spanner flats or hexagon on a part. It is especially useful when a milling machine is not available and is often more convenient for 'one offs' than the mill.

A good friend of mine who was an excellent modeller used one when reducing the heads of BA bolts for a better scale effect when building his V8 miniature engine.

Regards

Terry

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

There is one just made in model engine maker. Ian S C

[HilmarParticipant @hilmar]

Thank You Guys for all the information.

I will make the one like in Clive's post for now since it will take the shortesd time to make.

I need to mod. some screw heads.

Thanks again . In NY -18° C

Hilmar.

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

> In NY -18° C

Nice and cosy

Neil

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