> Hi mick;

> Darn, this temporary vacation after I closed my retail computer business
> has led to some late hours - - I wonder if it is habit forming . . .

> On the subject of filing bevels: After experimenting with planing,
> sanding, and filing rolling bevels on strips that have to be removed from
> the forms and placed in a jig (however simple) and re-cut, then reattached
> and bevels checked and redone ad infinitum, I tend to gravitate toward
> your technique of doing it "in position."

> I would offer what seems to be an improvement, and ask if you have tried
> it or have any comments about the modification. In metal machining, we use
> what are called "safe files." These are files that have one or
> more cutting edges removed by grinding, to produce "safe"
> (non-cutting) sides. These smooth sides can reference one or more surfaces
> for positioning, while the cutting side(s) can cut the desired surface.

> Specifically, I am thinking about removing all but the one, top, wide
> cutting surface from a file and using it as a tool that can be slid
> between adjacent strips and will cut neither the previously installed
> strip surface or the form. It would only cut the newly laid in strip, and
> at the exact angle needed to mate it to the last existing strip. This
> would be done by simply indexing the bottom flat side of the file against
> the existing strip, and cutting the new strip, clear across the stations
> and all points in between.

> Methods other than yours that I 've seen (and tried in the last few days)
> often depend on eyeballing bevels that require setup on the form, removal,
> planing, recheck on the form, etc., are all without solid reference. What
> with my grousing about handling 20' strips in a garage, I think you have
> the right idea doing direct reference right on the form, right at the
> mating strip.

> mick, I propose a new strip fitting standard in the likes of C&B - m&K
> (short for mick & Ken [Ken is my real name]). Plus, we could sell the
> m&K WONDER FILES for $100 each and split the profits . . . Big market on
> this board since they don't know the secret . . . heh, heh, heh . . .

> Best Regards, Spidey

Why cut one strip at a time? Use a flat file, clamp the two strip close but not touching, file the gap. If you keep the file at the same angle ( not difficial to do), you get two perfectly mating strips. You may have to gradually move the strips together and reclamp, but it is a lot easier than taking it off to plane by eyeballing. I learnt that trick from my late father who was a cabinet builder for 50+ years. He used to resaw the gap to get wood to mate together. I used that on my S&G with great result.