Tool Talk
What's-It Forum => What's-It Forum => Topic started by: JessEm on April 25, 2012, 10:23:21 PM
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I picked this up last night. Any ideas what it's used for? Wood carving?? The overall length is 19.5". It has a faint makers name on the side (pictured) but I can't make it out. Looks like it starts with "STAE". Any ideas?
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a131/JAEMERSON_/020.jpg)
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a131/JAEMERSON_/024.jpg)
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a131/JAEMERSON_/022.jpg)
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Sure looks like an old rasp to me. Have seen one like this before.
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A body rasp, used in auto body shops to smooth fillers like Bondo.
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Papaw has it, a bodymans rasp. If I remember correctly those were kinda pricey, and were even sent in to resharpen. I got six still in the paper at an auction, took them to the next swap meet, sold them one at a time, each time raising the dollar amount and nobody complained. I believe they are still sold today. A whole bunch faster than sanding.
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That rasp will remove lots of material, and the rasp is replaceable as well as used on both sides.
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For lead. Before bondo lead was the filler on auto bodies.
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They are also used lightly on bare steel to look for imperfections.
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They are also used lightly on bare steel to look for imperfections.
Once a body panel is pounded out and if the bodyman did a decent job ( or got lucky ) than this file will remove enough material so that no filler would be needed. Depending on what your working and the quality of the file you can really hog out some material
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This type of rasp is also known as a 'float' with either straight cut or curved (MILLENCUT) teeth
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This type of rasp is also known as a 'float' with either straight cut or curved (MILLENCUT) teeth
I suppose it is a float, though I associate floats with the plane makers' tool for working the throats of wooden planes.
With the handle system, it's an auto body tool, certainly. The toothing is found on lead working tools. But like the
plane makers floats I know, these are very good for working wood. I have several and wouldn't be without them.
They can take away a lot of material, and since they are like having a bunch of little plane blades, they leave
behind a very smooth surface.
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Thanks for all the info. This stuff is fascinating. ... Lead makes perfect sense. The blades are very sharp. I'm sure it would cut me if I ran a finger across it.
So, there's no room for an automotive tool in my small woodworking collection... If anyone here is interested let me know. I'll give you guys first dibs, then it's off to the bay.
Papaw, wanna trade that perfect handle hammer? :)
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I'm interested! PM me.
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Papaw, wanna trade that perfect handle hammer? :)
As you might guess- NO!
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Those files with curved teeth are usually called Vixen Files. Here's a source: http://tinyurl.com/d32eddc (http://tinyurl.com/d32eddc)
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Those files with curved teeth are usually called Vixen Files. Here's a source: http://tinyurl.com/d32eddc (http://tinyurl.com/d32eddc)
Thanks, Ron. It's good to know where to look for these. I like them a lot. Knowing they're called vixens is a real plus.
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Papaw, wanna trade that perfect handle hammer? :)
As you might guess- NO!
Dang, I thought you would go for that! Well, you know what they say. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him........... fish!
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There is another type of Vixen file handle. Lets you do both inside and outside curves.
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There is another type of Vixen file handle. Lets you do both inside and outside curves.
Dont hear the term Vixen anymore, most people wouldnt have any idea what you were talking about, its been a long time since I have seen that style, I had forgotten about the adjustable ones, I wonder ifthey are still available. Thanks for the pic/memories
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>I had forgotten about the adjustable ones, I wonder ifthey are still available.
There's one newly listed on ebay...
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>I had forgotten about the adjustable ones, I wonder ifthey are still available.
There's one newly listed on ebay...
Sorry, not that I am interested in purchasing one at this point I was curious if they are still being made new, I bet they are since there are still enough metal craftsmen out there
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They are still made.
http://www.tptools.com/Product.aspx?display_id=490 (http://www.tptools.com/Product.aspx?display_id=490)
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Hard to believe it would be a quality tool at that price
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That is definately a vixen file -- as mentioned by Ron Darner-- and is generally used on softer metals. I used these on a regular basis working USAF aircraft aluminum sheet metal parts. NOT recommended for steel. It cuts alum like butter.
Ours didn't have the wooden handle attachment tho or any handle for that matter, mine is just like any other file with a tang -- I still have one of these and use it very often. Yes they are still available almost anywhere --- don't know if they are still called Vixen tho. I don't think anyone I work with now would even know what I was talking about if I said Vixen.
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I think Vixen is/was a Simonds trademark, so everyone else had to call their version of the file something else...;P
There are still folks who use them for bodywork with plastic fillers also, they work reasonably well for rapid rough cutting.
The strangest thing I ever saw anyone use one on was a fellow who was making a 4" round wooden ball. (somne kind of artsy thing)