cpytoxxx commands and comma delimited files

I think this has probably been covered here recently, but a quick search of
the archives didn't turn up what I was looking for.  I'm trying to copy a
data base file to a comma delimited ascii text file

I was fooling with cpytoimpf and getting the traditional garbage character
result.  I looked in the CL manual and a few other places and decided to try
a two pronged approach.
  
First a cpytoimpf to a data base file with a single field long enough to
accomodate the fields and the necessary delimiters.  (I ran out of fingers
pretty quickly.)  Then a cpytostmf from the flat file to my ifs text file
using the translation features.  

It worked fine except for one little detail.  The copy to the flat file
resulted in a left justified numeric field which of course carried over to
the ifs text file.  (The numeric field in the test file was signed.)

Is this just the way it works, or is there something I can do that doesn't
involve actual programming?  The left justified numeric field in the comma
delimited flat file is not enclosed in quotes, just has trailing blanks.  I
have other file transfer options, so this isn't a matter of life and death.

Thanks in advance.
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