What kind of hacksaw blade to cut a mill bastard file?

[Slobrain]

I know, probably a dumb question to ask but What would anyone here suggest for a type of hacksaw blade to cut a mill bastard file down?

I'm going to make my own fret level file and glue a handle to this to use to grind off frets from the sides of the neck after refretting. The other one I made using a file inside a piece of wood did not work that well. I figure making a better file is cheaper than buying the Stewmac type.

Thanks

SLO

[Jazz P Bass]

Wow.
A hacksaw blade typically has a hardness of 64.
A bastard file would be about 62.
So, the saw will win.
Barely.
But at what cost?
If you must cut the file, I would suggest a bench grinder setup with a "cutoff" wheel.
The last item I would suggest is a Dremel tool.
It might do o/k with 2 discs mounted.
Wear a face guard!

[big_teee]

A friend of mine makes fret dressing tools.
He takes files and grinds a little notch, or groove on each side of the file with a grinding wheel.
Then he puts the file in a vise near the notch, or groove and then Breaks off the file.
Then He dresses the end where the break occurred with a belt sander or a grinder.
Caution, I recommend you wear Safety Glasses for sure.
Good Luck,
Terry

[David Schwab]

A friend of mine makes fret dressing tools.
He takes files and grinds a little notch, or groove on each side of the file with a grinding wheel.
Then he puts the file in a vise near the notch, or groove and then Breaks off the file.
Then He dresses the end where the break occurred with a belt sander or a grinder.
Caution, I recommend you wear Safety Glasses for sure.
Good Luck,
Terry

Thats the way I've seen it done also.

[defaced]

Grinder and a cut off wheel, but I have both of those handy.

[Slobrain]

Thanks for the good ideas guys, I tried the notch on the grinder and bam, broke right off, then grinded the edge smooth.

I cut out some pine handles for two that I did tonight, just need to decide what glue will hold these on pine real well.

Epoxy or super glue, maybe Gorilla glue???

Yeah, got me a homer box at HD tonight to make a fret tool box.

This is much better than a $40.00 files from stewmac.

Cheers

[Chuck H]

just need to decide what glue will hold these on pine real well.

Epoxy or super glue, maybe Gorilla glue???

Files are typically swedge mounted in hardwood. Gorilla glue might work. Epoxy is probably too brittle and may crack and let go. Pine is a soft handle and can't take the stress of much file work. But for light duty...???.

One thing that has worked for me is to wrap a bailing wire bezel around the mount. Drill a hole (just the right size), stick the file in, wedge shims in the voids and then drill a tiny hole near the tang mounting area of the handle. Insert one end of a piece of bailing wire in the hole, bend flush with the handle surface and wrap tightly with no space between the wraps (like mounting a guide with thread on a fishing rod). You can terminate with a loop hitch or if your really cool you can insert the finished end in another tiny hole. It's really amazing how much squeeze you can compound with several loops of wire wrap.

[Slobrain]

Thanks for the good advice fellas. I wound up using the wood/metal epoxy and set the two files up last night. I was lucky to try them tonight on my 2nd refret. A buddy brought over a Fender USA maple neck and we refretted that and the files worked great. We did find that maple chips easy with the finish off. he changed his 9.5 raduis to a 10. But all in all it was fun.

What a blast to do my 2nd refret. Now I'm looking at two other guitars that have medium frets that I think I'll replace with Dunlop 6100.

Nothing better than a challenge you can live up too.

Also, nothing better than a cool forum with so many knowledable people that are really great and helping a fellow guitar player and repair guy out. Thanks again guys...

On a side note my buddy had bought fret wire he bought from a local guitar shop and this was the hugest fret wire I have ever seen in my life, makes Dunlop 6000 look like vintage thin... This fret wire was really HUGE....

[jrfrond]

Grooving, breaking and grinding smooth is the way. Steer clear of cutoff wheels. They can shatter instantly cause major bodily harm. Do your "safe" edges on a belt sander and finish up with emery paper and crocus cloth. Epoxy works well to hold the file to a wood block. Mine are all still holding after a couple of decades. Don't use Super Glue, as it poor shear strength as compare to epoxy, which has a bit of flexibility.

[defaced]

Steer clear of cutoff wheels. They can shatter instantly cause major bodily harm.

Grinders come with guards for this reason. A cut off wheel shattering *when properly used* is about as likely to happen as getting into a car accident, but we still drive cars every day.

[scole]

place the file in a vice where you want it cut, whack it with a hammer, wear safety glasses.

[Chuck H]

That could work. But some modern files are only surface hardened. In which case it may only crack the surface steel and bend or at least leave a very distended bend at the break point. But if it's hardened all the way through it could work. I'd probably make a shallow cut with my Dremel at the break point and then stick it in a vice right on that line, place a block of wood against it and give it a serious unreserved whack. First thing I'd try. And, as mentioned, wear safety glasses.

[big_teee]

place the file in a vice where you want it cut, whack it with a hammer, wear safety glasses.

If it is not a real thick file, that does work.
It can be unpredictable where it breaks at times.
Just a small score line, even if on one side helps.
I use a small Dewalt 18V cordless 5 inch grinder.
I just bump the trigger so not to go full speed.
Works great.
Then hit it in the Vise.
Wear Your Hard Hat, Safety glasses, Goggles, and steel toed Boots!
B_T

[jbltwin1]

I use an air cutoff wheel on a die grinder. These are the cutoff wheels with the fibre in them and it takes quite a bit to break them and they don't shatter. We used them in the body shop for years and they last forever when used right. They are about 3 inches in diameter and with the fibre in them, they're tough. Mike.

[Chuck H]

Also... If, for example, you want to cut the tang area off a big flat bastard to make a leveling file, you can submerge the file in water to the cut line and use a MAP torch to heat the like red and keep it there about five min. This keeps the temper on the rest of the file but softens above the water line for easier cutting