A Centerless Filing Button

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Feb 13, 2020, 12:27 PM
rgsparber

A Centerless Filing Button

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
Feb 13, 2020, 01:08 PM
DIYer


Thanks rgsparber! We've added your Radius Fixture to our Metalworking category,
as well as to your builder page: rgsparber's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

<div id="blocks"> <div class="block b1 pngfix"> <div class="bimg"> <div> <a href="https://www.homemadetools.net/homemade-radius-fixture-2"> <img src="/uploads/229618/homemade-radius-fixture-2.jpeg"/> </a> </div> </div> <div class="head pngfix"></div> <div class="left pngfix"></div> <div class="right pngfix"></div> <div class="blockover b1 pngfix"> <div class="title"> <a href="https://www.homemadetools.net/homemade-radius-fixture-2">Radius Fixture</a> <span> by <a href="https://www.homemadetools.net/builder/rgsparber">rgsparber</a></span> </div> <div class="tags">tags: <a href='https://www.homemadetools.net/tag/radius'>radius</a>, <a href='https://www.homemadetools.net/tag/fixture'>fixture</a> </div> </div> </div> </div>
Feb 14, 2020, 06:00 AM
baja

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgsparber

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

Thanks Rick! Just solved a problem for me in rounding corners on metal (or plastic) sign blanks.
Feb 14, 2020, 06:24 AM
bobs409

I could see a use for something like that! Great idea. Hmmm, I feel the wheels starting to turn in my head again... Uh oh! :p
Feb 16, 2020, 09:43 AM
Tooler2

Rare earth magnets come to mind.
Feb 16, 2020, 12:06 PM
rgsparber

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tooler2

Rare earth magnets come to mind.

I’ve tried using neodymium magnets. They slide. You certainly do not want to use them as filling buttons. They will shatter.

Rick
Feb 16, 2020, 12:32 PM
Tooler2

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgsparber

I’ve tried using neodymium magnets. They slide. You certainly do not want to use them as filling buttons. They will shatter.

Rick

What kind of ''filing'' are you doing? I have not tried it out but magnet's field may require a minimum thickness of material to stick properly. Not sure if you use one underneath as well if it would have to be perfectly aligned. Once the curve is well defined one can remove the guide and fair the curve freehand with some skill.
Rob
Feb 16, 2020, 12:40 PM
rgsparber

The magnetics I tried take a lot of force to pull straight up. But a slight nudge with the file makes it slide enough to mess up the shape. I suspect that if I had more skill, these bumps would be light enough to not move the magnet.

As shown in the article, I do a lot of shaping on my belt sander.
Feb 16, 2020, 01:03 PM
Tooler2

With any method you should be cutting to a line, not actually cutting till you touch the button?
Feb 16, 2020, 05:04 PM
suther51

I like this, thanks. Been noodeling on how to do similar rounding with thick stock on a milling machine with out the expense of a rotory table. Or maybe a fudgit home brand table. Thinking along the lines of bike chain, sprockets, mabey angle grinder gear head. Chain n sprockets to keep the hight down on my small mill allowing crank and perhaps index plates to be off the table. All the pieces have not noodeled into place yet.
Feb 16, 2020, 05:49 PM
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.
Feb 16, 2020, 05:59 PM
Karl_H

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tooler2

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.
Feb 16, 2020, 06:37 PM
rgsparber

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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,

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

Rick
Feb 16, 2020, 06:38 PM
rgsparber

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karl_H

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.
Feb 17, 2020, 02:04 AM
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).
Feb 21, 2020, 03:07 PM
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 :thumbsup:

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Feb 21, 2020, 07:03 PM
Karl_H

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgsparber

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.
Sep 21, 2022, 09:14 AM
saguaro

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgsparber

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.
Sep 21, 2022, 09:50 AM
mklotz

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karl_H

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.