FITTING

1. Introduction
These days small, medium and heavy industries are using automatic machines. But
bench and fitting work also plays a significant role for completing and finishing a job to the
desired accuracy.
Most of semi-finished works can be accomplished with fairly good degree of accuracy
in a reasonable time through various kinds of quick machining operations. They still require
some minor operations to be performed to finish the job by hand.
The term bench work denotes the production of an article by hand on the bench.
Whereas fitting is the assembling of parts together and removing metals to secure the
necessary fit, and may or may not be carried out at the bench.
These two types of work require the use of a large number of hand tools and other
devices or equipment’s that involve a number of operations for accomplishing the work to
the desired shape and size. Some of the commonly used tools are discussed as under.

2. Fitting tools:
Fitting shop tools are classified as below:
(i) Work Holding Devices/ Clamping Tools.
(ii) Measuring and Marking Tools.
(iii) Cutting Tools.
(iv) Striking Tools.
(v) Drilling Tools.
(vi) Threading Tools.
2.1. Work holding devices /clamping tools:
2.1.1. Work Bench
A fitting process can be done at various places, but most of the important operations of
fitting are generally carried out on a table called work bench.
The work bench is a strong, heavy and rigid table made up of hard wood.
The size of the work bench required is about 150 to 180 cm length, nearly 90 cm width and
approximately 76 to 84 cm height.

1|Page
2.1.2. Bench vice:
It is firmly fixed to the bench with the help of nuts and bolts. It consists of a cast Iron body
and cast-iron jaws. Two jaw plates are fitted on both the jaws. The holding surface of the
jaw plates is knurled in order to increase the gipping. Jaw plates are made up of carbon
steel and are wear resistant. One jaw is fixed to the body and the second slides on a square
threaded screw with the help of a handle.
The jaws are opened up to required length; job is placed in the two jaws and is fully
tightened with the help of handle. Handle is used to move the movable jaw

2.1.3. V Block
In V Block, V grooves are provided to hold the round objects longitudinally. The screw of the
clamp applies the holding pressure. When the handle is rotated there is movement in the
screw.

2.2. Measuring tools

2.2.1. Steel Rule
These are made up of stainless steel and are available in many sizes ranging from 1/2 ft. to
2 ft. These are marked in inches or millimeters. All the faces are machined true. The edges
of steel rule should be protected from rough handling.

2|Page
 Figure: - Steel rule
2.2.2. Calipers
These are generally used to measure the inside or outside diameters. Different types are:
I. Outside Caliper: It is used to measure the outside dimensions.
II. Inside Caliper: It is used to measure the inside dimensions.
III. Spring Caliper: Spring is provided to apply the pressure and lock nut is provided to
lock any desired position.
IV. Hermaphrodite, Jenny or Odd leg Caliper: One leg is bent at the tip inwardly and the
other has a straight pointed end. It is used to scribe lines parallel to the straight
edges.

2.2.3. Vernier Caliper:

It is used for measuring the outer dimensions of round, flat, square components and also
the inner size of the holes and bore. A narrow blade is used to measure the depth of bar
slots etc. The reading accuracy in metric system is 0.02 mm and British system it is 0.001”.
It is made of stainless steel.

3|Page
2.3. Marking tools:
2.3.1. Surface Plate
It is used for testing the flatness, trueness of the surfaces. It is made up of cast iron or
graphite. Its upper face is planned to form a very smooth surface. It is also used in scribing
work. While not in use, it should be covered with a wooden cover.

2.3.2. Angle Plate

It is made up of cast iron in different sizes; it has two planed surfaces at right angles to each
other and has various slots in each surface to hold the work by means of bolts and clamps.
Never do hammering on the angle plate to fasten (lighten) the nuts and bolts.
4|Page
2.3.3. Scribing block or Surface Gauge
It consists of a cast iron bass on the center of which a steel rod is fixed vertically. Scriber is
made up of high carbon steel and is hardened from the front edge. It is used for locating the
Centre’s of round bars or for marking of the lines.

2.3.4. Punches
Punches are used for marking purposes. Dot punches are used for marking dotted line and
Centre punch is used to mark the Centre of hole before drilling. Punches are made up of
high carbon steel or high-speed steels. One end is sharpened. Hammering is done on the

5|Page
second end while working. For dot punch, angle of the punching end is 60 degrees while in
Centre punch; angle of punching end is 90 degrees.

2.3.5. Try Square

It is used for checking squareness of two surfaces. It consists of a blade made up of steel,
which is attached to a base at 90 degrees. The base is made up of cast iron or steel. It is
also used to mark the right angles and measuring straightness of surfaces. Never use try
square as a hammer.

2.4. Method of marking

Marking means setting out dimensions with the help of a working drawing or directly
transferring them from a similar part. The procedure of marking is as follows:
1. The surface to be marked is coated with the paste of chalk or red lead and allowed to dry.
2. Then the work is held in a holding device depending upon shape and size. If it is flat, use
surface plate, if it is round use V block and clamp, else use angle plate etc.
3. Lines in horizontal direction are scribed by means of a surface gauge. Lines at right
angles can be drawn by turning the work through 90 degree and then using the scriber. If
true surface is available, try square can also be used.
4. The Centre on the end of a round bar can be located by using an odd leg caliper, surface
gauge etc.
5. The circles and arcs on a flat surface are marked by means of a divider.
6. After the scribing work is over, indentations on the surface are made using dot punch and
hammer.

2.5. Cutting tools

2.5.1. Hacksaw
Hacksaw is used for cutting of rods, bars,
pipes, flats etc. It consists of a frame, which is
made from mild steel. The blade is placed
inside the frame and is tightened with the help

6|Page
of a flange nut. The blade is made up of high carbon steel or high-speed steel.

The points of the teeth are bent in a zig-zag fashion, to cut a wide groove and prevent the
body of the blade from rubbing or jamming in the saw cut. The teeth of the blades are
generally forward cut so in the case, pressure is applied in the forward direction only.
Depending upon the direction of cut, blades are classified as:

• Forward cut
• Backward cut.
Depending upon the pitch of the teeth (Distance between the two consecutive teeth) blades
is classified as:

• Coarse (8-14 teeth per Inch)

• Medium (16-20 teeth per inch)
• Fine (24-32 teeth per inch)
2.5. Files
Files are multi points cutting tools. It is used to remove the material by rubbing it on the
metals. Files are available in a number of sizes, shapes and degree of coarseness.
Classification of files
On the basis of length
4”, 6”, 8”, 12”
On the basis of grade:
Rough (R) (20 teeth per inch)
7|Page
Bastard (B) (30 teeth per inch)
Second cut (Sc) (40 teeth per inch)
Smooth file (S) (50 teeth per inch)
Dead smooth (DS) (100 teeth per inch)
Rough and bastard files are the big cut files. When the material removal is more, these files
are used. These files have bigger cut but the surface produced Is rough.
Dead smooth and smooth files have smaller teeth and used for finishing work. Second cut
file has degree of finish in between bastard and smooth file.

2.6. On the basis of number of cuts:

Single cut files.
Double cut files.
Rasp files.
In single cut files the
teeth are cut in parallel
rows at an angle of 60
degree to the face.
Another row of teeth
is added in opposite
direction in case of
double cut files. Material
removal is more in case
of double cut files.

8|Page
2.7. On the basis of shape and size:
The length of the files varies from 4' to 14*. The various shapes of cross-section available
are hand file, flat file, triangular, round; square, half round, knife-edge, pillar, needle and mill
file.
a) Flat file: This file has parallel edges for about two-thirds of the length and then it
tapers in width and thickness. The faces are double cut while the edges are single
cut.
b) Hand file: for a hand file the width is constant throughout, but the thickness tapers as
given in flat file. Both faces are double cut and one edge is single cut. The remaining
edge is kept uncut in order to use for filing a right-angled corner on one side only.
c) Square file: It has a square cross-section. It is parallel for two-thirds of its length and
then tapers towards the tip. It is double cut on all sides. It is used for filing square
corners and slots.
d) Triangular file: It has width either parallel throughout or upto middle and then
tapered towards the tip. Its section is triangular (equilateral) and the three faces are
double cut and the edges single cut. It is used for filing square shoulders or comers
and for sharpening wood working saws.
e) Round file: It has round cross-section. It carries single cut teeth all round its surface.
It is normally made tapered towards the tip and is frequently known as rat-tail file.
Parallel round files having same diameter throughout the length are also available.
The round files are used for opening out holes, producing round comers, round-
ended slots etc.
f) Half-round file: Its cross-section is not a true half circle but is only about one-third of
a circle. The width of the file is either parallel throughout or upto middle and then
tapered towards the tip. The flat side of this file is always a double cut and curved
side has single cut. It is used for filing curved surfaces.
g) Knife edge file: It has a width tapered like a knife blade and it is also tapered
towards the tip and thickness. It carries double cut teeth on the two broad faces and
single cut teeth on the edge. It is used for finishing sharp corners of grooves and
slots
h) Diamond file: Its cross-section is like a diamond. It is used for special work.
i) Needle file: These are thin small files having a parallel tang and a thin, narrow and
pointed blade made in different shapes of its cross-section to suit the particular need

9|Page
 of the work. These are available in sizes from 100 mm to 200 mm of various shapes
and cuts. These files are used for filing very thin and delicate work.

3. Methods of filing
The following are the two commonly used methods of filing:
Cross-filing
Draw filing.
3.1. Cross - filing.
This method is used for efficient removal of maximum amount of metal in the shortest
possible time. It may be noted that the file must remain horizontal throughout the stroke
(long, slow and steady) with pressure only applied on the forward motion.

3.2. Draw filing.

This method is used
to remove file marks and
for finishing operations.
10 | P a g e
Here, the file is gripped as close to the work as possible between two hands. In this filing
method, a fine cut file with a flat face should be used.

4. File card:
It is a device fashioned like
a wire brush used to clean
dirt and chips from the teeth of a file. When particles of metal clog the teeth the file is said to
the pinned, a condition that causes scratching of the surface of the work. Files, therefore,
require cleaning by means of a file card or by dislodging the material between the teeth by
means of a piece of soft iron, copper, brass, tin plate and so on, sharpened at the end.
Hardened steel should never be used.

11 | P a g e