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Old 11th Jun 2020, 3:11 pm   #14
Skywave
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Chard, South Somerset, UK.
Posts: 7,457
Arrow Re: Cutting hole in 1/8" ali panel

Quote:
Originally Posted by Radio Wrangler View Post
File from the painted side only, release pressure for the return stroke otherwise it will pull paint flakes off.
"Release pressure (on the file) for the return stroke". Exactly: most metal cutting flies have teeth that are non-symmetrical - like a saw blade - so the cutting takes place of the forward stroke. If the pressure is maintained on the reverse stroke, no cutting will result and doing that will also blunt the teeth. It seems that that correct use of a file is not often realised.

Al.
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