HOW TO FILE

Year Published: 1941

Creator: PBF (Petroleum Films Bureau)

Description: This black-and-white film titled “How to File” is an instructional film presented by PBF (Petroleum Films Bureau) in 1941. It provides detailed instructions on how to correctly file metal, explaining the proper stands, angles, grips, strokes, techniques, and file types used when filing metal. The film is directed by Kay Mander, photographed by Sydney Beadle, and produced by Edgar Anstey. It was almost certainly made as part of the WWII defense build up, in hopes of training new machine shop workers how to do the job more efficiently. Credits (00:07). “How to File” title banner (00:14). Credits (00:20). A worker is filing a piece of metal (00:33). A student secures a metal piece in a table vise (00:51). His teacher adjusts the metal piece’s position in the vise (01:08). He hands the student a file (01:21) and provides the student with instructions on how to properly position oneself and stand when filing (01:24). The teacher takes the file and shows the student how to correctly hold and angle the file (01:57). An animation shows a close-up view of a file and the direction of its teeth (02:28). The teacher is filing (02:38). An animation shows a close-up view of a file and the direction of its teeth (02:44). The teacher is showing his student how to file (02:50). He cleans the file from metal swarf with a wire brush (03:12). A double-cut file is used to file in both forwards and backwards filing strokes (03:18). The teacher uses a wire brush to clean the file (03:34). He then demonstrates how to file at an angle to file more evenly as the student observes (03:39). An animation explains this (04:01). The teacher hands his student the file (04:12). The student attempts filing (04:15). An animation explains how his strokes led to an uneven edge (04:30). The teacher demonstrates the corrected technique (04:37). The student attempts again (04:39). He checks the accuracy of his work (05:03). The teacher files in the opposite direction and exposes high points on the piece of metal (05:07). He continues filing in the new direction until the piece is even (05:19). He removes the piece from the table vise (05:32). He uses the side of the file to test if the piece has a straight edge (05:38). He then rubs the piece on a red led stain to reveal any last imperfections (05:52). The teacher secures the metal in the table vise again (06:01). He files it using a technique called draw filing which requires a different grip on the file (06:13). The same technique is used to file rounded ends (06:35) and to file in narrow slits using a warding file (06:44). A rat tail file is used to file small curves (06:54). A safe edge file is used to file one side of a right angle (07:05). A half round file is used to file a circular shape (07:21). The student is filing (07:39). “The End” text overlay (07:56).

Complete Record: This black-and-white film titled “How to File” is an instructional film presented by PBF (Petroleum Films Bureau) in 1941. It provides detailed instructions on how to correctly file metal, explaining the proper stands, angles, grips, strokes, techniques, and file types used when filing metal. The film is directed by Kay Mander, photographed by Sydney Beadle, and produced by Edgar Anstey. It was almost certainly made as part of the WWII defense build up, in hopes of training new machine shop workers how to do the job more efficiently. Credits (00:07). “How to File” title banner (00:14). Credits (00:20). A worker is filing a piece of metal (00:33). A student secures a metal piece in a table vise (00:51). His teacher adjusts the metal piece’s position in the vise (01:08). He hands the student a file (01:21) and provides the student with instructions on how to properly position oneself and stand when filing (01:24). The teacher takes the file and shows the student how to correctly hold and angle the file (01:57). An animation shows a close-up view of a file and the direction of its teeth (02:28). The teacher is filing (02:38). An animation shows a close-up view of a file and the direction of its teeth (02:44). The teacher is showing his student how to file (02:50). He cleans the file from metal swarf with a wire brush (03:12). A double-cut file is used to file in both forwards and backwards filing strokes (03:18). The teacher uses a wire brush to clean the file (03:34). He then demonstrates how to file at an angle to file more evenly as the student observes (03:39). An animation explains this (04:01). The teacher hands his student the file (04:12). The student attempts filing (04:15). An animation explains how his strokes led to an uneven edge (04:30). The teacher demonstrates the corrected technique (04:37). The student attempts again (04:39). He checks the accuracy of his work (05:03). The teacher files in the opposite direction and exposes high points on the piece of metal (05:07). He continues filing in the new direction until the piece is even (05:19). He removes the piece from the table vise (05:32). He uses the side of the file to test if the piece has a straight edge (05:38). He then rubs the piece on a red led stain to reveal any last imperfections (05:52). The teacher secures the metal in the table vise again (06:01). He files it using a technique called draw filing which requires a different grip on the file (06:13). The same technique is used to file rounded ends (06:35) and to file in narrow slits using a warding file (06:44). A rat tail file is used to file small curves (06:54). A safe edge file is used to file one side of a right angle (07:05). A half round file is used to file a circular shape (07:21). The student is filing (07:39). “The End” text overlay (07:56).