Supposing, however, that from hardness of the metal or from its increased diameter the work cannot make a rotation per file stroke unless that stroke be more slowly performed, then the cuttings gather in the teeth of the file, become locked and form projections, termed pins, above the file teeth, and these projections cut scratches in the work, and this it is that renders it impracticable to hold the file still while the work rotates. But suppose the file be applied to work of such a diameter that, with a stroke in two seconds and the work surface rotating at 200 feet per minute, each stroke acts on a fraction of the circumference only, then there can be no assurance that the filed surface will be cylindrical, because there is no means of applying the file equally over the whole surface. But it is to be noted, nevertheless, that the file acts with greater effect in proportion as the area filed is decreased, and that as the tool marks are filed out the area of surface operated upon is increased. Suppose, then, that starting from any point on the work circumference a file stroke be taken, and that it extends around one-third of the circumference, that the second file stroke extends around one-third also, but that there is an unfiled space of, say, two inches between the area of surface filed by these two strokes, and that at the third file stroke the file starts on the surface filed at the first stroke, passes over the two inches previously unfiled and terminates on the surface filed by the second stroke; then the conditions will be as follows:—
Part of the surface filed at the first stroke will have been filed twice, part of the surface filed at the second stroke will also have been filed twice, while the two inches will have been filed once only. But this latter part will have had much more taken off it during the third stroke than did the rest of the surface filed at that stroke, because it operated on the ridges or tool marks where, being unfiled, their area in contact with the file teeth was at a minimum. This condition will prevail until the tool marks are effaced, and tends to preserve the truth of the work up to that point, hence the necessity of leaving very fine tool marks becomes obvious.
Apart from these considerations, however, there is the fact that filing work in the lathe is a very slow operation, and therefore inapplicable to large work; and furthermore, on large work the surface is not needed to be so smooth as in small work; for example, tool feed marks 1⁄1000 inch deep would upon work of 1⁄2 inch diameter leave a surface appearing very uneven, and the wearing away of those ridges or marks would destroy the fit of the piece; but in a piece, say, six feet in diameter, tool marks of that depth would not appear to much disadvantage, and their wearing away would have but little effect upon the fit of the piece.
Finishing with the file, therefore, is usually applied to work of about 24 inches in diameter, and less, larger work being finished with the cutting tool or by emery grinding, where a greater degree of finish is required.
Small work—as, say, of six inches, or less, in diameter—may be finished with the file so cylindrically true, that no error can be discovered by measurement with measuring tools of the calipering class, though the marks of contact if made apparent by gently forcing the work through a closely fitting ring-gauge may not appear to entirely cover the surface.
To produce filed work thus true, all that is necessary is to set the cutting edge of the finishing tool at the horizontal centre of the work, properly adjust the live spindle of the lathe for fit to its bearings, adjust the slides of the slide rest so that there is no lost motion, and follow the rules already given with reference to the shape of the tool cutting edge, employing a cutting speed not so fast as to dull the tool before it has finished its cut, using a fine feed except in the case of cast iron, as already explained.
The requirement that the tool shall not become dull before it has finished its cut, brings us to the fact that the length of work that can be thus accurately turned is limited, as the diameter of the work increases.
Indeed, the length of the work in proportion to its diameter is a very important element. Thus, it would be very difficult indeed to turn up a spindle of an inch in diameter and, say, 14 feet long, and finish it cylindrically true, parallel, and smooth, because
1st. The slightness of the work would cause it to spring or deflect from the pressure or strain due to the cut. This may to some extent be remedied by steadying the work in a follower rest, but the bore of such follower itself wears as the cut proceeds, though the amount may be so small as to be almost inappreciable.
2nd. The work being better supported (by the lathe centres) at the two ends than in the middle of its length, the duty placed on the follower rest will increase as the middle of the work length is approached, hence the spring or deflection of the follower rest will be a disturbing element.