At 11:33 AM 7/9/97 +0000, you wrote: >Hi Tom, >I remember Bill Spurlock writing about using two 4" files >epoxied together to size the mortices. I seem to have a hard >time finding a 4" file. You mentioned "correct size files glued >together". Where do you get the differnent files? > >Thanks in advance... > >David ilvedson, RPT >Pacifica, CA David - Perhaps someone with a better filing system can tell you in which issue of the Journal Bill Spurlock's article appeared. I use 4" Nicholson Mill Bastard files. I originally tried a cheaper brand but found them to be warped and of inconsistent thickness. Bastard is the coarsest cut (I believe) which would minimize clogging. I ordered mine from MSC (800-645-7270), a large hardware distributor, mainly in the East and South. Their most Westerly location is in Denver (800-332-0210). You must have suppliers like that out there. I grind the first 3/4' off as it is too narrow to be of use for this purpose and interferes with the penetration of the file, especially into the front mortise. The FILLING used to make the sandwich is optional. Veneer works, I've also tried using precision ground stock (available from same source). I believe Bill or someone used one of the thick gray epoxy materials and used one or more micrometers to clamp/squeeze the sandwich down to the desired thickness. Epoxy has to be thick enough not to run. When dry, the sides can be cleaned up, a slight chamfer ground on the leading edge of the file to make insertion easier, and a nice handle put on. Your hand can tend to cramp without a handle. Remember to be careful doing the key buttons and front mortises of the sharps. The walls are thin. A vice can be helpful, but if the pressure from the vise distorts the sides of the mortise inward, you will be over-enlarging it. Let me know if I've given any egregiously poor advice, somebody. ----------------------------------------- David Skolnik Manhattan School Of Music dskolnik@msmnyc.edu http://msmnyc.edu 212-749-2802 Ext. 455
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