Thread: 2015

Originally Posted by planemaker

Hi Ian. I am surprised you wasted your money on pferd.

Stewie;

http://jewellerssupplies.com.au/vall...re-p-1149.html

Stewie, I use the Vallorbe files for 15 tpi & smaller, but they aren't really appropriate for 12tpi & larger teeth. For these I like 5" ESTs so I'm stuck with what I can get.

Rob, how I wish I could get my hands on a stash of good 'ol US-made Nicholsons or British made Wiltshires! You wouldn't think it would be that hard for one of the manufacturers in the cheap labour countries to lift their quality to an acceptable standard. It would be worth their while, I reckon,word would soon get around and their sales would get a healthy boost!!

Cheers,

Hi Ian. My own experience with the Vallorbe 160mm lengths, is 12 and above tpi. The 160mm have a slightly wider flat than the shorter versions.

Stewie;

Originally Posted by hiroller

Hi Peter, I picked up the retoother at the from the auctioning off of equipment from the Saw Doctor TAFE in Western Sydney. It has a partial set of retoothing bars but I have a set coming from the U.S. Unfortunately I missed out on all the files!

if you want to run a Sydney saw course, I should be able to fast track the teeth for a class!

Ian, while I know I still need files, I was hoping to at least save half a file or so per saw on the shaping of the teeth. It might be more if the files are crap!

Stewie, which needle files do you use for each PPI / TPI?
Do they do box pricing?

Gavin, sounds good. I do not have a suitable location for a workshop yet, but a couple of possibilities. As I knew many months ago that I was coming to the US, I acquired a number of files (mainly taper, some 3 square, no needle), mainly on eBay (forget 4" XXSlim though), and will be returning next week. Weight is of course a limitation on the flight! Interestingly, Joel at TFWW now only uses 3 Square files for saw sharpening.

Originally Posted by planemaker

Hi Ian. My own experience with the Vallorbe 160mm lengths, is 12 and above tpi. The 160mm have a slightly wider flat than the shorter versions.

Stewie;

Stewie, precisely which file size you use for a given tpi isn't super critical, for sure, and the 160mm needle files can certainly do the job for 12tpi. I do use them at a pinch, and it's actually easier to do a decent job in terms of forming nice clean teeth because they cut cleanly and don't shatter & catch. They also last about 4 or 5 times longer than the other rubbish. However I prefer the slightly rounder corners, hence slightly larger gullets from a 5" DEST for 12tpi. It may be that I have to shelve that preference and go with the needle files for 12 tpi saws, but I still need 'regular' saw files, because I have plenty of larger toothed saws, too, all of which need attention.

One thing I don't like about needle files is their sharp points! I know it's desirable for the jobs they are actually designed for, but it's not ideal for saw files. If only we could persuade Vallorbe to make a just a couple of sizes of dedicated saw files, with either straight sides or slightly tapered, they'd have at least one eager customer!

Cheers,

Talking about files and retoothers, I'm in the market for a Foley Retoother if anyone hears of one going for sale.

I have some larger taper files I bought from Lie Nielsen's stand at a woodshow, and of course Vallorbe needle files. from AJS are excellent.

Ray

Hi Ray,

It took me a while to track one down with all the parts. You see them without carriers and ratchet bars but they are items that you could make with your set up.
I'll keep an eye out for you.