Preview: Rattail Reamers You Can Make Yourself. Also, a Neat Chainsaw Sharpener—by Harry Bryan

 A RATTAIL FILE MADE INTO A HANDY REAMER

A rattail file is round, fairly coarse, and tapered at one end.  A 3/8” rattail file, as an example, will be 3/8” diameter from the tang end for about 2/3 of its length, then taper to about ¼”.

Remove the tangwith a hacksaw, cutoff wheel or grinder.  There will be about an inch of the file at the tang end before the teeth begin.  Chuck this smooth end in your hand-held electric drill and you have a versatile reamer.  Make sure to keep the drill turning in reverse, otherwise the file will screw its way into the work, jamming if you are reaming metal, or splitting if using it in wood.

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3 Responses So Far to “Rattail Reamers You Can Make Yourself. Also, a Neat Chainsaw Sharpener—by Harry Bryan”

  • Peter Sibley says:

    Dead files can be given a short term new life by soaking in acid. The acid undercuts the blunt teeth and gives a brittle cutting edge. It doesn’t last long but it can be usefuul.

  • David Young says:

    Sounds like a better chainsaw sharpener than my Dremel tool with one of those quickly disappearing cylindrical stones. Thanks Harry.