Power File

[James AlfordParticipant @jamesalford67616]

Does anyone have any experience with these cheap power files? I am thinking of mounting one under the bench with the sanding bar sticking upwards through the bench. I plan to use it as a lightweight linisher to clean up the edges of some thin copper shapes (dragon scales) that I am making. I was wondering whether the belts will stay on with the sideways movement.

I have a large linisher with four inch (or so) belt, but this is far too large for almost everything that I do and is mostly redundant.

Regards,

James.

Edited By James Alford on 24/07/2017 07:27:22

[James AlfordParticipant @jamesalford67616]

[Paul LousickParticipant @paullousick59116]

I have a Black and Decker model similar to this. Very handy for removing sharp corners and cleaning/polishing.

I hold mine by hand and can use a sideways movement without the belt coming off the rollers.

Paul

[HacksawParticipant @hacksaw]

My favorite tool ! I bought a Parkside one in Lidls and wouldn't be without it . The few belts that came with it lasted ages , Screwfix sell a pack of ten for cheap , but only one grade and they do snap on the join frequently….

[martin perman 1Participant @martinperman1]

I've had one which clamps onto an angle grinder for about ten years, very useful for tidying welds and edges.

Martin P

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

I've got the Aldi version. Uses so far – slightly enlarging the rectangulat hole in a Chubb striking plate to ease a lock (impossible without it) – sharpening shears (much the best way I've found to do this). No problem with belt sliding off sideways.

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

The belts seem cheep enough, a pack of 5 for 2-3 quid a pop

I did consider one, not got one yet though

Yet another "That might be useful!"

[charadamParticipant @charadam]

I have the B&D model. It worked well for about a year, then the axle in the outboard roller worked loose and eventually detached, splaying the legs with the mounting bolts.

Fixed by persuading the trunnion back into shape and replacing the axle with a SS bolt and locknut.

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

Good buy all round, I have the B&D version and it removes material at a fast rate and the belt stays on even under adverse usage.

BEWARE "Black and Decker" belts sold on Ebay. They have all the B&D printing on them and look kosher, but the glued section gives way in a second or two!

Andrew.

[larry PhelanParticipant @larryphelan54019]

Have seen these units in Aldi,s,might buy one next time they appear. Can think of many jobs where they would be handy.

Regarding Ebay !! I get the feeling that place is used for getting rid of junk which they can,t sell otherwise. You buy a pig-in-a-poke,and have little or no comeback. I stay well away from it.

[Clive FosterParticipant @clivefoster55965]

Like Martin I bought one that clamps onto an angle grinder. Man at a long ago Model Engineer Exhibition convinced me that it was best thing since sliced bread. Um. Nope! Hopeless, belt would hardly stay on long enough to bring it up to the job. Put it on the white elephant shelf and had a few goes at it over the next decade or two but never got it to go any sense.

Clearly there are different breeds so it looks to be a toss up whether the one you buy works or not. 50-50 so far. Martins does, mine doesn't. Next …..

Got one of the Parkside variety from Lidl which seems OK.

Clive.

Edited By Clive Foster on 24/07/2017 16:49:14

[larry PhelanParticipant @larryphelan54019]

Dont believe in things which clamp onto other things to turn it into something it is not. Reminds me of the situation years ago when a 1/4" drill was supposed to A Drill holes

B drive a bench saw

C drive a wood lathe

D Drive a sander

E Power a spraygun

The list went on and on,but not the drill,it,s bearings packed up. Could you blame it?

One tool for one job,simple as that. No such thing as "One tool fits all".

[the artfull-codgerParticipant @theartfull-codger]

I have a dynabrade dynafile the compressed air version, a really fantastic piece of equipment & the beauty of air tools is you can vary the speed as required, they are the rolls royce of power files, american made [I like american tools] poss made in china now, the down side? they cost around £500.0 unless[like me] you pick one up cheap at an auto-jumble,well worth keeping an eye open for one as long as you have a compressor of course, they do make an electric one as well.

[I.M. OUTAHEREParticipant @i-m-outahere]

I have also used the dynabrade unit and they are excellent , i currently own a cheap ryobi air powered unit and it works well although i would like a mains powered unit also .

A local auto parts store used to sell the B&D unit and i always thought one day i will buy one but when i finally got around to it they had dropped that brand 😡

[SteveMParticipant @stevem36008]

Another positive vote for the powerfile from me. Useful for so many things I wouldn't be without it now.

Mine is the B&D 900E model from Amazon, used often and no belt problems. That Silverline is less powerful than the B&D but a lot smaller and more versatile, and with a good level of feedback. For £30 I reckon it doesn't have to be useful very often to be worth it.

[John ReeseParticipant @johnreese12848]

Posted by Andrew Tinsley on 24/07/2017 10:40:15:

Good buy all round, I have the B&D version and it removes material at a fast rate and the belt stays on even under adverse usage.

BEWARE "Black and Decker" belts sold on Ebay. They have all the B&D printing on them and look kosher, but the glued section gives way in a second or two!

Andrew.

I suspect the problem was old belts. I had a lot of 1×42 belts of unknown age. They all failed at the splice shortly after they were put to use. I suspect the adhesive used in splicing deteriorates with age.

[James AlfordParticipant @jamesalford67616]

Thank you for all of the replies and suggestions. I have been waiting for Aldi or Lidl to offer their version again, but so far, no luck. I shall pick up one of the Silverline tools and give it a try. It is cheap enough to play around with and try it out as a bench-mounted tool.

Regards,

James.

[James AlfordParticipant @jamesalford67616]

I bought one of the cheap Silverline sanders from Amazon for a little under £30.00 and rigged it up temporarily to use as a light-weight linisher to find out whether it would be worth the effort of making something more durable and presentable. I used a couple of pieces of scrap MDF, a piece of 1 1/2"by 1" wood and a couple of cable ties, clamping the lot to the bench with a g-clamp.

I have to say that I am really pleased with how it has turned out: it works really well and allows me to shape thin pieces of copper accurately and cleanly. In time, I shall make something stronger, with a quick release clamp for the tool and an adjustable table for the work piece.

Regards,

James.

[MuzzerParticipant @muzzer]

Oh dear, I'll probably end up getting one of these "bandfiles" next time they are in stock at LIDL. There's no law against it and as you know, you can't have too many tools…

Murray

Edited By Muzzer on 10/08/2017 19:53:15

[larry PhelanParticipant @larryphelan54019]

Proper order Muzzer ! Me too ! There is a blank space on one of my shelves and it just dont look right !

[Speedy Builder5Participant @speedybuilder5]

We all know it (Don't we), but getting anything in your eyes is not good, get some brass or copper in your eye can lead to loss of sight. Just treat these machines with a bit of respect, wear some eye protection and you should be OK.
BobH

[larry PhelanParticipant @larryphelan54019]

Speedy;

Too true,you could sing that,if you had an air to it ! Brass chips in the eye Ahhhhhhhhh!!!

Been there ,done that !

[larry PhelanParticipant @larryphelan54019]

Forgot to mention that Good Old Sparey makes that very point in his book,and that,s not today or yesterday !

Some things never change .

[James AlfordParticipant @jamesalford67616]

Posted by Speedy Builder5 on 11/08/2017 11:00:44:

We all know it (Don't we), but getting anything in your eyes is not good, get some brass or copper in your eye can lead to loss of sight. Just treat these machines with a bit of respect, wear some eye protection and you should be OK.
BobH

So is copper worse than other metals in this respect?

[egaParticipant @ega]

"So is copper worse than other metals in this respect?"

Can't be pulled out with a magnet?

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