Bandfile Grob/DoAll opinion for alternate use

I have been doing a lot of TIG welding on some of my older cars, mainly the chassis. I am a big stickler of small gaps, and tight fit-ups for TIG/MIG. Lots of time is spent on the vertical bandsaw reaching the required profile, then grinding/filing to fit. In the one application in particular there were 1/2" notches that had to be cut into 10 Gauge plate for fit-up. It is a PITA to cut with the band saw then try to file square. I started to think about the band-files that Grob and DoAll had out years ago. There seems to be a significant amount of chatter on here about them, however I was hoping to get some opinions on using them for general fabrication as opposed to tool and die work. Would the files provide a significant source of material removal (assuming the course files are used), I know the files are becoming harder and harder to find. In my search I had found a gentleman with a video on the Tube which he converted his DoAll bandsaw to a large belt grinder. I do have a few Dynabrade belt files that I use, I was junt thinking of alternative ways of making brackets. Thanks for the feedback!

I wouldn't burn up my scarce band files on a car chassis, or anything that did not absolutely need them. other methods are probably cheaper & faster.

Using a band file is tool abuse. Wrong answer. I would be looking at a large nibbler. They are loud, accurate and fast.

mymachinery: I know the blades are getting hard to find, but the design of the tool is perfect for this application as well as general everyday use for shop tasks. I know these machines are valued for the unique solution they brought to a shop, and I respect the sentimental value they carry but chassis work is not all I intend to use them for. They are a unique design that I think would benefit other purposes. I did look for alternative methods but I couldn't find anything. That is why I wanted to know how the material removal rate is and I was hoping there were other ideas. If you have any other ideas I am always looking for an alternative.

steve-l: If you can tell me how to cut 1/2" notches 1/2" deep and square with a nibbler I would be grateful. You say tool abuse, well what are you supposed to do with tools if not use them? Just FTR this is an antiquated piece of machinery we are talking about, replaced by wire EDM. So in essence, using a bandfile to do tool and die work in context of todays technology would be abuse. Using an antiquated piece of machinery to do alternative jobs to add value to keep it from a scrap pile, is called due diligence.

Now is there anyone here that can provide real input about removal rate, actual info pertaining to my question. I would be ever so thankful.

I acquired a Grob in a package deal and tried it out briefly before moving it on. I pictured using it like you describe but found it painfully slow in practice. Could feel every segment bump by and the chips don’t add up very fast.

I was surprised by just how much I disliked it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That is the kind of info I am looking for, was that material removal rate at the low SFPM or the higher SFPM?

I don’t recall it having but one fairly slow speed. 50fpm or less??? It’s been a while....

For me it wasn’t worth the space it occupied, but I seldom need a square recesses either. I don’t want to talk you out of it, just don’t expect too much.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think I would buy a lot of thin 4 1/2 grinder wheels before I thought about a band filer

Hell,most automotive shops a whizz wheel is their only metal removal tool

Y'know, if the parts are such that you can slap them on a bandsaw table, they can be cut on a mill.

Or an Ironworker with the correct shape punch and die.

Band filing sounds like a truly bad idea for the intended purpose, since you are welding over the cut anyway.

I'll vote for Zip disks and getting the job done without making yourself miserable, broke, and too slow to make any real money.

I did notch the stuff on my mill that could be held easily and worked, the ironworker is an idea I had put some thought into before but it would take up even more space than the bandfile and I would have to get/make dies that are small enough to do what I need. A pneumatic belt file and various grinders with cutoff wheels are what I am using now, and I was just looking for an alternative to make life easier. I am going to think about it and some other ideas still, I got some quotes from seller for Grob and DoAll files, they are ONLY asking 1200.00-1500.00. I don't know what they are smoking but it must be heavy duty. The last one I saw sell at auction went for 100.00 after NO-ONE bid on it, and that was at a decent sized auction. I will post an update if I find a better solution than the way I am currently doing it, or I prove/disprove the band-file idea.

Band files are intended to just tinker at the edges, that is remove the last bit of material that you can't get any other way. The file segments are carbon steel, not HSS, so if you ever over speed it you will ruin it quite quickly. If you have ever ruined a file on the lathe you know what I mean.

I've got one of these and love it

Makita USA - Product Details -9032

Even if it's not up to this particular job, it's handy as hell for lots of other stuff.

Just ordered some ceramic belts for it from Red Label Abrasives which ought to take care of the short life of AO belts.

I have owned one of those Makitas for about 10 years. Great tool.

Garwood said:

I have owned one of those Makitas for about 10 years. Great tool.

Click to expand...

I have several Dynabrade and Dynafile setups just like the Makita, great tools that get the job done. I was just looking for something to do the job quicker. I am not going to pursue it anymore as the feedback I got suggests it won't be any faster or slower that the belt file. The purists out there can relax as your NOS band files are no longer at risk of making oddly shaped plates for car frames! I am of course just messing around about the purist comment, I do understand the reaction to using the band file for this. No harm I hope!

Do you have a good selection of hand files?

If I needed to notch out a 1/2" x 1/2" square in 10 gauge steel and didn't want to use my laser or plasma or whatever other modern tools I would clamp it to a couple blocks on the bridgeport table and take out 90% with a 3/8" corncob then put the plate in a bench vise and use a real coarse file to get the other 9% and then finish with a fine file.

I have some very aggressive sandvik files and they will remove a lot of metal quickly. Even if I didn't notch it out with an endmill first and just attached the steel with one of those coarse buggers I think 3 strokes on edge would rough a slot 1/4" wide and 1/2" deep through 10 gauge mild steel.