Die Filer Questions

CharlieBiler wrote:

I checked out the die file market last August. Here my summary - GWE :

Winchester Tool Supply 1051 Saw Mill River Road Yonkers, N.Y. 10710 1-800-431-2936 (they answer the phone as "Starr Tools")

They only sell parallel machine files in sets. These sets consist of the following types: round, square, crossing, oval, pillar, half-round, knife, cant, 3-square, pippin, equalling, crochet. Sets come in two widths. 3/16 and 3/8, all files 8" long 6" length of cut. 12 per set and choice of three cuts, 00, 0 & 2. All sets are $96. These files are European (probably from Czechoslovakia). Part nos: 00 0 2 3/16" 1825100 1825110 1825102 3/8" 1825200 1825210 1825202 ----------------------------------------

Tooling Enterprises 1780 Corporate Drive Norcross, GA 30093 (770) 564-0698

Tooling Enterprises apparently is a company which is affiliated with Warrensville File & Knife. Dave at Warrensville File says that Nicholson, although they still show parallel machine files in their catalog, have marked those part numbers "discontinued" on their price sheet. The only other US file manufacturer, Simonds, discontinued production years ago. They only know of 2 other manufacturers in the world. One is a Swiss company, who have cut back production significantly, and the other is Warrensville File's plant in India. They offer E-sized files (8" machine files) in 00 only, but they can also supply blanks so their customers can have them diamond coated if they wish. Neither Warrensville File nor Tooling Enterprises currently support online ordering for machine files.

Here is their product line and pricing (in USD, August 2004):

Cut Diamond Parallel Machine Files for Die Filer 00 PRICE 120G PRICE ------------------------------------------------------------------ Round 8" x 3/16" 70206 9.17 89250 38.50 Round 8" x 1/4" 70209 9.58 89251 40.25 Round 8" x 3/8" 70211 10.00 89252 42.00 ------------------------------------------------------------------ Half Round 8" x 1/4" x 1/8" 70204 16.67 52086 70.00 Half Round 8" x 3/8" x 3/16" 70202 17.50 89249 73.50 ------------------------------------------------------------------ Equalling 8" x 3/8" x 3/16" 70200 11.67 89248 49.90 ------------------------------------------------------------------ Pillar 8" x 3/8" x 3/16" 70224 12.50 89256 51.67 Pillar 8" x 1/2" x 1/4" 70225 15.00 89257 55.00 ------------------------------------------------------------------ Crochet 8" x 3/8" x 3/16" 70160 12.50 89247 52.50 ------------------------------------------------------------------ Square 8" x 1/4" 70212 10.42 89246 43.75 Square 8" x 3/8" 70213 10.83 89245 45.50 ------------------------------------------------------------------ Three Square 8" x 3/16" 70215 11.67 89244 49.00 Three Square 8" x 1/4" 70216 12.08 89243 50.75 Three Square 8" x 3/8" 70217 12.50 89242 52.50 ------------------------------------------------------------------ Knife 8" x 1/2" x 1/8" 70218 15.00 40017 55.00

-------------------------------------------------------

Oliver Instrument Company 831 Division Street PO Box 189 Adrian, MI 49221 517-263-2132 (voice) 517-265-8698 (fax)

They carry parallel machine files but apparently have very little stock. They sent me a price list in early August 2004:

QTY AVAILABLE SIZE/SHAPE #2 #0 #00 PRICE EA.

---------------------------------------------------- Oval 0 0 1 $30.30 Lozenge 20 0 10 $35.40 Cant 22 4 0 $31.67 3/16" Half Round 0 41 5 $25.50 1/4" Half Round 15 0 0 $26.50 3/8" Half Round 0 1 0 $27.20 1/4" Round 16 0 0 $18.00 3/16" Square 5 14 0 $24.20 3/8" Square 30 0 0 $27.20 3/16" Three Square 5 2 0 $24.20 1/4" Three Square 9 0 0 $25.00 3/16" Crochet 0 1 0 $29.00 1/4" Crochet 2 0 0 $29.30 3/8" Crochet 31 0 0 $29.90

Oliver Instrument also carries saws for die filers equipped with the overarm spring-loaded saw attachment:

SAW BLADES FOR BENCH AND SMALL PEDESTAL MACHINES 3/16" x 4-1/2" x .025" 14, 18 teeth per inch at $8.00 per doz. 1/4" x 4-1/2" x .025" 14, 18, 24, 32 teeth per inch at $8.00 per doz. 3/8" x 4-1/2" x .025" 14, 18, 24 teeth per inch at $8.20 per doz. 1/2" x 4-1/2" x .025" 14, 18, 24 teeth per inch at $8.60 per doz.

They write: "Prices quoted are F.O.B. Adrian, Michigan. We accept Visa and MasterCard."

-------------------------------------------------- Federal File Co., Inc. 3354 Winbrook Drive, Memphis TN 38116 Toll Free 1-800-238-3146 Tel. (901) 346-4433 Fax. (901) 396-7941

In August 2004 they showed a complete line of parallel machine files on their Web page but when I called them to inquire they said that right now they are completely out of stock but that they are planning to bring production up within 3-4 months. They say they will sell to individuals, and that although their focus will be on selling sets of 12 files, they will sell individual files. They encourage people to call them to let them know what they're looking for.

Contrary to hand files, machine die filers cut on the DOWN stroke. For my American die filer, I make my own from standard hand files by breaking them in half and silver-brazing the end into a 1/4-inch round steel bar about an inch long with a 3/16 inch drilled hole in one end for a new tang made by grinding down the stock. But thanks to Grant Erwin's survey, you can still find some old stock around. Dave