1970s die filing machine - GIF

**Altair** · Jun 18, 2021, 04:42 PM

Keller die filing machine from the 1970s.

Previously:

Bull's Foot file - photo
Vintage saw sharpening machine working - GIF
Mechanical circular saw blade sharpener - GIF

**Moby Duck** · Jun 19, 2021, 07:28 PM

Wow I am getting old if this is considered vintage machinery.
I can tell it’s 1970’s or earlier because there are no guards fitted on the belt or the file, and no warning notices anywhere.
How did we survive?

**owen moore** · Jun 19, 2021, 08:15 PM

That is a "oldie but goody" right there. I wish I had one in my shop. They are great for intricate parts. Only problem is finding the correct files for them.

**Frank S** · Jun 19, 2021, 09:02 PM

Fairly heavy duty reciprocating gear box on that machine.
I've seen some made from about every size small gasoline engine imaginable from a tiny little COX .50 all the up to a cast iron 10 hp Kohlar
Somebody makes a casting kit for them
https://www.martinmodel.com/products...and%20assembly.

**nova_robotics** · Jun 19, 2021, 10:07 PM

Originally Posted by owen moore

That is a "oldie but goody" right there. I wish I had one in my shop. They are great for intricate parts. Only problem is finding the correct files for them.

I've got an old scroll saw. The motion isn't quite the same but it might be close enough. I wonder if I can grind down an old file. You've got me thinking.

**Moby Duck** · Jun 20, 2021, 04:08 AM

Originally Posted by nova_robotics

I've got an old scroll saw. The motion isn't quite the same but it might be close enough. I wonder if I can grind down an old file. You've got me thinking.

Quite a few examples Scroll Saw conversions on the web.
For example this one on https://www.instructables.com/Scroll...sion-to-Filer/

**mklotz** · Jun 20, 2021, 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by owen moore

That is a "oldie but goody" right there. I wish I had one in my shop. They are great for intricate parts. Only problem is finding the correct files for them.

When I built my miniature die filer...

Miniature die filer

for model-making, I made my own files by silver soldering a bit of threaded rod to the outer, ground-down, end of a conventional file. It worked for my purposes but might not scale up well.

My experience is that die filers must be run at a fairly low speed to get good results. YMMV.