Thinning down a washer

Almost guaranteed, the axle behind the crosshead on a steam loco will have very tight clearance on a model. Manufacturers will often have you file everything down paper thin to make it work.

In this example the washer needs to reduced to around half it’s thickness. Using a brass pin inserted in a block of timber, I drop the washer over the pin. The pin holds the washer as you file it down. As I file the washer I tend to turn it a bit so as to keep the surface even, filing it from one angle I will likely also file the washer on a bit of an angle…