A Centerless Filing Button

[Karl_H]

So how did you shape the jig?
Since it is just a jig, a hole for filing buttons, or for a pivot point on your belt sanding table would certainly be fine and would not effect the appearance of the final part, but your jig has no center hole; so how did you shape it?

I am also wondering how you cut it on the band saw without cutting into the hidden jig? I guess you could flip your workpiece and trace a line using the jig as a template, then flip the piece back (line would now be visible on the top) and cut close to the line instead of close to the jig.

Just thinking as this gets filed in the to do pile.

Thanks for this share (and all your others.)

Karl

Sorry, I missed the cover plate description - that would let you cut and sand close the the final size without damaging the jig.

[Karl_H]

With any method you should be cutting to a line, not actually cutting till you touch the button?

When I have used buttons, I leave then loose enough to rotate and I file perpendicular to the axis of them. That way, when I reach the proper depth of the filing, the buttons rotate and will not be worn at all by the file.

[rgsparber]

So how did you shape the jig?
Since it is just a jig, a hole for filing buttons, or for a pivot point on your belt sanding table would certainly be fine and would not effect the appearance of the final part, but your jig has no center hole; so how did you shape it?

I am also wondering how you cut it on the band saw without cutting into the hidden jig? I guess you could flip your workpiece and trace a line using the jig as a template, then flip the piece back (line would now be visible on the top) and cut close to the line instead of close to the jig.

Just thinking as this gets filed in the to do pile.

Thanks for this share (and all your others.)

Karl

Sorry, I missed the cover plate description - that would let you cut and sand close the the final size without damaging the jig.

Karl,

Great question. I have updated the article to explain that step plus took the liberty of giving you credit for the question.

Rick

[rgsparber]

When I have used buttons, I leave then loose enough to rotate and I file perpendicular to the axis of them. That way, when I reach the proper depth of the filing, the buttons rotate and will not be worn at all by the file.

Karl,

Smart solution. I've never heard of that being done before but it makes a lot of sense.

Thanks,

Rick
PS: a ball bearing fits the bill nicely. The center can be tightly bolted down while the perimeter spins under the file. Just don’t file axially.

[Scotsman Hosie]

You've certainly designed a beautifully functional tool there, Rick. Has Tool of the Week written all over it (if I haven't jinxed it for you).

[Jon]

Congratulations rgsparber - your Centerless Filing Button is the Homemade Tool of the Week!

Clever solution that will be copied in various forms around here

Some more good builds from this week:

Vise Jaw Liners by rgsparber
Mill Tramming Alternative by Crusty
Sliding Angle Grinder Mount by Kwandotechnic
Bench Vise Jaw Jack by rgsparber
Wire Guillotine by thehomeengineer
Grinding Stone Bushing by thehomeengineer
Compass Divider by Art of Boat Building
Welding Clamp by Kwandotechnic
Dog Head Sledgehammer by Philip Davies
Camlock Back Plate by celsoari
Belt Grinder by mariost
Protractor by Salix84
Spline Jig by Christofix
Magnetic V Pads by bouboulas
Fly Cutter with Morse Taper by shopandmath
Vertical Benchtop Planer Table by Didpoolhall
Pocket Hole Jig by Didpoolhall
Sheetmetal Bender by warsztatOdZera
Mill Stand by threesixesinarow
Shovel by Jdplus3


rgsparber - you'll be receiving a $25 online gift card, in your choice of Amazon, PayPal, or bitcoin. Please PM me your current email address and gift card choice and I'll get it sent over right away.

This is your 6th Homemade Tool of the Week. Here are all of your Homemade Tool of the Week winning tools. Congrats again

CNC Controller by rgsparber

tags: CNC, controller

Irrigation Flow System by rgsparber

tags: farm and garden, electronics

Software Defined Edge Finder by rgsparber

tags: electronics, edge finder

Drill Press Clamp Modification by rgsparber

tags: drill press, clamp

Flight Data Recorder by rgsparber

tags: electronics

Radius Fixture by rgsparber

tags: radius, fixture

[Karl_H]

PS: a ball bearing fits the bill nicely. The center can be tightly bolted down while the perimeter spins under the file. Just don’t file axially.

IF you have the bearing with the correct ID and OD.
A chunk of CRS round bar and 5 minutes at the lathe and you are good to go.

[saguaro]

I don't know why, but I have a facination with forming rounded corners on flat stock. The standard way to do this is with a filing button. You drill a hole in the stock, run a bolt through the button and the hole, and add a nut to secure the assembly. Then file down to the button. That hole really bugs me. I did figure out a way to avoid drilling the hole by using hot glue to secure the button. That didn't satisfy me so I kept thinking about the problem. Can't say that I'm done with this journey, but here is my latest "day trip" - a tool that lets me cut a nice 7/8th inch radius in sheet stock. No hole is drilled and no glue is used.

If you are interested, please see

https://rick.sparber.org/CenterlessFilingButton.pdf

Your comments are welcome. All of us are smarter than any one of us.


Thanks,

Rick

Really admire the elegant and smooth shapes that seem visually simple but are so difficult for me to achieve. This rounded corner is a perfect example--mine have been so inelegant and unsmooth, but now I shall gratefully steal this idea and hopefully get some satisfactory results.

[mklotz]

When I have used buttons, I leave then loose enough to rotate and I file perpendicular to the axis of them. That way, when I reach the proper depth of the filing, the buttons rotate and will not be worn at all by the file.

Also, the buttons can be hardened so the file will simply slide over them.