Another Nutty Trick

Let us say that you need to remove a nut with the use of an open end wrench but the wrench is too large for the nut. When you can do is insert a coin or a washer in between the nut and the wrench. The coin or the washer is going to serve as an excellent little wedge that will make it possible for you to turn the nut even though the wrench is too big.

Creating a Lock Washer

If you do not have a lock washer but you need one in order to secure a nut, consider wrapping a layer of plastic film or a rubber band around the threaded end of the bolt, and then tighten the nut. As the nut begins to tighten, the material is going to run into the threads, which will lock the nut in its permanent position.

Files and Rasps

Single cut files have parallel rows of ridged teeth and they are capable of smoothing as well as sharpening metal as needed. Double cut files have second, crossing sets of ridges that are parallel, and they are responsible for rapidly removing metal and wood stock. Rasps on the other hand have individual teeth that are wider than the ridges, and rasps give a rough cut on soft metals and woods. The bigger that the teeth are, the coarser the finish is going to be.

You can use what is known as a bastard file to achieve a coarse finish. A second cut file is good for a medium to a coarse finish. If you want a fine finish then you need to use a smooth file. Generally the bigger the job is that you have to do, the longer the file is going to be.

If you want safety and better control when you are dealing with a file, then you need to make sure that your file has a handle before you use it. Some files have handles that screw onto the tang while others are held using friction. If the latter is the case for your file, then you should insert the tang into the handle, then hold it up vertically and rap the handle down on a firm surface so that the file will be set properly in the handle. Do not strike the file or its handle using a hammer or you will cause damage rather than set the file in the handle.

Files are designed only to cut on the push stroke but never on the pull stroke or the return stroke. If you want to avoid dulling the teeth, you should be lifting the tool up off of the work surface at the end of every push stroke rather than pulling it back and expecting it to do anything.

Photo Credits: (Brian)

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Categories:

Handy Man, Tools

Tags:

bastard, bolt, friction, hammer, job, lock washer, parallel rows, plastic film, position files, rap, rasps, rough cut, rubber band, screw, single cut, soft metals, tang, teeth, threads, wood stock