Files and deburring tools are hand tools used for smoothing, shaping, and removing excess material, but they are designed for different tasks and materials. Here's an explanation of each:
Files are hand tools with a hardened, textured surface used to remove material and shape objects by abrasion.
Key Features:
Made of hardened steel with rows of teeth (cutting edges).
Come in various shapes, sizes, and grades (fine to coarse).
Handle attached for grip.
Common Types:
Flat File: For general smoothing and shaping of flat surfaces.
Round File: For enlarging or smoothing holes and rounded surfaces.
Half-Round File: Combines flat and curved surfaces for versatility.
Triangular File: For sharpening saws or filing internal angles.
Rasp File: Coarse teeth designed for soft materials like wood.
Needle File: Small, precision files for delicate work (e.g., jewelry).
Uses:
Smoothing rough edges or surfaces on metal, wood, or plastic.
Shaping materials during fabrication.
Enlarging or refining holes or slots.
Sharpening tools or saw blades.
Deburring tools are specialized tools designed to remove burrs—small, rough edges or projections left on materials after cutting, machining, or drilling.
Key Features:
Compact, with a handle and replaceable cutting blade.
Blades made of high-speed steel or carbide for durability.
Blade often swivels to follow contours.
Common Types:
Hand Deburring Tools: Feature a swiveling blade for smooth removal of burrs.
Rotary Deburring Tools: Attach to a drill or rotary tool for faster removal.
Chamfering Tools: Designed to create beveled edges, particularly in holes.
Edge Scrapers: For flat surfaces and straight edges.
Uses:
Smoothing sharp edges on drilled or cut holes.
Removing burrs from metal, plastic, or wood.
Refining edges on pipes, sheet metal, or machined components.
Prepping materials for welding or painting.
In this video we will review proper filing technique. Remember that the file cuts on the push and it is easier to push against a bench or a workpiece that is in a vice.