A while back I picked up an Atkins saw filer, and I'm finally getting around to figuring out how to use it. Any knowledge anyone can share about using saw filers like this one will be appreciated. Even just catalog pictures might be helpful because I'm not sure I have all the parts.
In particular, I'm not sure if this filer used special files. As you can see from the pictures, right now I'm using a triangular file with a piece of half-inch dowel, drilled down the centerline, as a "handle." The dowel fits nicely into one side, but the tip of the file just rests on the other side without anything to secure it. Seems as if I might be missing some parts or using the wrong kind of file or just doing it wrong.
Anyway, here's what I've figured out, including the obvious. The filer slips over the edge of the saw, with the teeth protruding above the base plate, which rests on the top of the saw vice. The fleam adjustment is obvious. The rake is adjusted by loosing the clamp on the file handle and turning the file to the right angle. The bar on one side sets the bottom of the gullet; loosening the thumb screw on the side lets you raise the bar. But it's a lot easier to just clamp the saw in the vice at the right depth that it is to use the depth adjustment on the filer. The bottom corner of the file is not quite parallel to the base, which I think means the gullets will be a little sloped. I can't see a good way to adjust that.
Any words of wisdom? Anyone have experience with this or similar filers? Do I have it set up correctly? Is there something missing?
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