Wooden Threads

[Josh Bowman]

I bought a wood craft thread maker from a SMC member (thanks). He included some hard maple dowels. Pictured are my first attempts at making threads. I champered the end, then used linsead oil on a rag to lube the dowel and threader. Here's what I found. The threader would go so far then become hard to manage. So I would back it back off the dowel and relube and it would go a little futher. If I stopped and did not back the threader off the dowel, it was a bear to back it off! The threads look good but fit tightly in a pine block that I tapped (tapping is easy).
I need some experiance here.
1) How can I make the process go easier. The included instructions say to soak the dowel for minutes to days. I just wiped some linsead oil on.
2)How can I make the treads go better in the nut? I'm heading for clamps and vises and this is far to tight.
Do I like it? Yes very much even with the learning curve. I'm sure a router driven one would be easier, but I only want a few screws.
Thanks

[Garrett Ellis]

the process for using a tap/die on metal is to turn it 1 or 2 turns, then back it off about a turn, and continue this forward/backward pattern until done, lubing along the way. this allows the chips to clear out and not bind up against the cutter.

i've never done this with wood but i would assume the process is similar...

[Josh Bowman]

the process for using a tap/die on metal is to turn it 1 or 2 turns, then back it off about a turn, and continue this forward/backward pattern until done, lubing along the way. this allows the chips to clear out and not bind up against the cutter.

i've never done this with wood but i would assume the process is similar...
That's the issue, backing off is just as hard as going on. I'm wondering if the threads are being cut deep enough?

[Robert Rozaieski]

Could be a couple of things. First, the the diameter of the dowels might be too big. As a matter of fact, this is likely the case. Vary rarely are store bought dowels the size they are labeled as. Sometimes they are bigger, sometimes a little smaller, but rarely exactly the labeled diameter. In fact, they are often oval in shape rather than round because they are often formed when still a little wet and then they dry and shrink unevenly. If they are even a hair bigger than they are supposed to be, the threader won't work. So first, check that the dowel diameter is exactly what it is supposed to be for the threadbox.

If the dowel is exactly the correct diameter, the next thing to check is the depth of cut of the cutter. These things rarely come set correctly. If the dowel is the correct diameter, set the cutter to cut a hair deeper; and I mean a hair at a time. These things can be finicky to set up but once set up and dialed in, they work very well and make very nice threads.

As an FYI, I actually like to use mineral oil with these instead of linseed as linseed oil will dry on the tap and threadbox and make them sticky and gummy if it's not completely cleaned off. Mineral oil doesn't dry and therfore won't foul up the tap and threadbox.

[Stephen Shepherd]

The problem is that the dowels need to be undersize. When you use threaders you go all the way and don't back out like you do when you thread metal.

This link will help:

http://www.fullchisel.com/alburnam10.htm#Threads

Stephen

[Josh Bowman]

Update:
As per your comments. I do think the dowel may be a little off. But when I looked at the threads under a magnifer, they did not look deep enough even though the point of the cutter was set per the instructions to the tops of the lead threads. Sooo I set it deeper. That seem to reduce the dowel diameter a little as well and made it very easy to operate the threader. Look at the 2nd picture, the threads I first started are blackend and even have a little metal in them from the lead threads. Now look futher down, the threads look clean. I rethreaded another 2x4 and once I get past the blackened threads it turns much easier. It's still kind of tight. The 1st picture I show for folks like me who never saw one of these things. There is a brass nut that allows the cutter to be moved. Now the tip of the cutter sits about a 1/16" above the lead threads. Is that OK? How should I lube the new threads, wax?

[Tri Hoang]

Congrats, Josh. Very nice threads.

[Josh Bowman]

Congrats, Josh. Very nice threads.
Could not have done it with out you ;)
Thanks again.

[Josh Bowman]

I think I'm on the right path. I reshapened my chipped 3/4" dies cutter, then taking a diffenent tack, I decided to stick the 3/4" dowel into a bottle of baby oil (cheap mineral oil). After letting it soak about an hour, I went at it again. Best threads I've cut yet in birch. They look perfect. The oil did not quit soak all the way to the bottom of the threads. Should I soak longer? I know they look good, but would more soaking make it easier and give even better threads. Up til now I've just wiped some babe oil on the dowel....soaking seems to help. Or did the Tormek resharpening?

[george wilson]

Yes,use mineral oil,NOT linseed,which will dry and could gum up your threads later on.

[Carl Maeda-San Diego]

I bought one of these too and found you had to adjust the cutter and threads come out much better if you soak them a while. I soaked mine overnight. I tried it with white oak, maple and ash dowels. White oak didn't work so well but ash and maple worked wonderfully as long as you soaked them. The longer you soak them, the better the threads came out for me.