FILE FILE
File holder project
by Sara M. Sanford

A “file file” is a pigeonhole system to keep your files in top condition, prevent damage, and store them safely, both large and small. This is a simple way to organize your files and keep them handy for easy access. Your local home center or well-stocked hardware store will have PVC (polyvinyl chloride) pipe and PVC cement, plus acrylic sheet. Thin-wall PVC comes in 10’ lengths for around a dollar for the entire 10 feet, which will be enough to make 15 or 20 slots for your file file. This whole project should cost less than $10.00, unless you have lots of files!

Cutting the PVC pipe into appropriate lengths
Mark off the lengths you need on the pipe. The file handles should protrude from the front end of the pipe about 1-1/2" to 2". Use a fairly heavy blade in your saw frame, a #2 or #3, but not too thick, because the teeth on a blade that is too thick will catch instead of cut through the pipe. PVC pipe is relatively soft and easily cut. Brace the pipe across your bench so that you can firmly hold the pipe while cutting it. You might want to put a wastebasket underneath the cutting area so you don’t get plastic bits in with your metal filings. (If you have access to a band saw or other power cutter, the cutting will go faster. But be sure you know how to use power tools safely, or ask someone who does to help you.)

4" needle files, with handles, measure a total of 5-1/2", cut the 3/4" inside diameter pipe into 4" long sections; 5-1/4" needle files with handles, are about 7-1/2" long, and require 6" lengths of 3/4" inside diameter pipe. For large 6" files, use 8" long sections of the 1" inside diameter pipe

Sanding the ends of the pipe sections
Once you have all the sections cut, sand both ends of the sections to get rid of any “crumbs” or burs of plastic. An easy way to do this is to put a full sheet of abrasive paper, 320-grit, on a hard and flat surface, and then just grind the pipe ends down until they are smooth.

(Again, a power sander will work more quickly, but obey safety guidelines.) It won’t hurt if you also run the abrasive paper lightly over the surface of the pipe sections, as this will help the cement adhere better.

Cleaning the pipe sections
The PVC pipe will probably have some grease or dirt on it, and this can prevent the cement from adhering to the pipe. You can use a commercial PVC cleaning solution, but denatured alcohol or a good degreasing detergent will also work. Whatever method you use, be sure to do it only in a well-ventilated area, as the fumes from both the cleaner and the alcohol are not only toxic, but highly flammable as well. Decide how many rows across and columns down of pipe sections you are going to cement together. Since files usually come in sets of either 6 or 12, having 6 pipes in a row will organize the same cuts or sizes of files evenly.

Cementing the pipe sections together
First, put down several layers of newspaper on your bench top or table, to prevent damage to the surface. Line up the pipe sections for the first row, and use the dauber attached to the lid of the cement can to apply a line of cement where the sections will touch. If the pipe sections want to roll, use small blocks of wood or metal to keep them lined up and touching each other. Repeat for each row that you want to add. You will have only about 15 minutes of working time; so get everything together before you start. (Use this PVC cement only in a well-ventilated area. It contains some very strong solvents.) Let all the rows of pipes set for at least 1/2 hour before handling them.

When the cement has set, again apply cement in a thin line where each row will rest on top of the one below, and stack them up. A vertical brace, like a bookend or brick, should be used on both sides, because the rows of pipe will tend to slide into a honeycomb, or offset, pattern, and you want them directly one on top of another. This arrangement will allow more room for your fingers to pull the files out.

If you want to stack different size files in one file file, and need different lengths of pipe, align the fronts together, or it will be difficult to get the shorter files out. (You will need to cut a separate, smaller section of acrylic backing for the shorter lengths of pipe; instructions for cutting the acrylic are in Step 5). Let your stacked pipes set for about an hour before handling. Measure the back side to determine what size acrylic sheet to cut for a backing.

Cutting acrylic sheet for backing
Using your jeweler’s saw frame and a #2 blade, cut the size you need for a backing out of the acrylic sheet. This works very much like cutting a sheet of metal or thin wood. If the throat of your saw frame is not deep enough to go all the way through the sheet, stop halfway and reverse the sheet to start in from the opposite side. You can also use an acrylic sheet cutter, which works much like a glass cutter, but I found that the edges tend to be a bit ragged. If you have access to a band saw, table saw or other power cutter, this will be an easy step. But beware of safety considerations, and know how to use these power tools. Also, be sure to use a blade meant for plastics; a blade made for wood may tear the acrylic badly or melt it.

If you buy your acrylic sheet at a plastics store, for a small fee you can have the staff cut it to size if you know what dimensions you are going to need. You can file or sand the edges of the acrylic sheet if it is ragged, but don’t take so much material off that the tip of a file can poke through. Once your sheet is ready, clean it as you did your PVC pipe sections.

Cementing the acrylic backing on
Place the acrylic sheet flat on your newspaper-covered bench or table. Apply the cement to the back side of the pipe stack, then position it on the acrylic sheet. If you need to cement a smaller sheet on for shorter pipe lengths, do so after the larger backing sheet has thoroughly set. It won’t matter if the backing sheet doesn’t completely touch all of the pipe ends — as long as the sheet is attached to enough of them to stay in place, the files won’t slip through.

Once the cement has cured, about 24 hours, you will now have the pleasure of organizing all your files. I found that a small piece of 1/4" thick wood placed under the front edge gave my file file a slight tip backward, which prevents files from slipping out. An alternative to using acrylic sheet to back the file file is to build a wooden container, a simple box which just fits the outside of the stacked pipes. If later you want to add more rows or columns, though, it’s very easy if your file is not enclosed. Just cement the extra pipes to each other, then cement the bundle to the file file, and then cement a strip of acrylic to the back. After all, a metalsmith can never have too many files!

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