Sorby Thread Chaser

[Tim Thiebaut]

Hi Everyone, does anyone here own one of these tools? I purchased one when I was collecting all of my tools to get started and would like to talk...via PM or email, with someone that also has this tool as I could use some input from someone that has had some success with this tool. I have been practising here and there with it, I have the 16tpi version, and could use some input...Thanks and have a good day everyone, Tim

[mike ash]

Tim - I'm familiar with the Sorby thread chasers. One of the masters at chasing threads by hand is Allan Batty (from England) and I took a class from him a number of years ago. Probably the best thing you can do if you want to learn is look into his video (http://www.allan-batty.com/dvds.aspx). It takes some practice and patience....plus the right wood. I haven't been able to get much success with much of anything except boxwood. Most of our woods here are not suited for thread chasing. Just a few evenings ago I talked to a master turner about thread chasing and he too told me that the woods we have here aren't suited for this and for that reason most turners wanting to develop some threads are using a threading system from Bonnie Klein (http://www.bonnieklein.com/turning-products-list/threading-jig). Back to the Sorby system, if you pursue this, you'll most likely need to make a couple of tools to assist you. I think you'll see them on the Batty video. I've made them and can send you a photo if you wish to go this route.

Good Luck, Mike Ash

[Tim Rinehart]

Tim T,
I've played around with the hand chasers, and they can be a challenge to get consistency and good threads, even with the right wood. That being said...throw out what you might guess about what woods work well based on hardness...takes more that that, but it helps. Some very hard woods end up being too brittle...ebony I didn't like, but african blackwood is TOPS.
I picked up some redheart and osage orange from bargain bins at Woodcraft..these are decent woods to thread, as is lignum vitae.
I spent an entire weekend just playing with them, and for me, this was the takeaways...
- speed about 400-500 rpms was about right for the pace of my moving the chaser
- thread the chamfer area lead thread well at the front of the piece (female or male) and the rest will go much better
- watch the videos by Batty and others more than once, and at least once after trying to do your own!
- final cuts to clean up thread were preceded by applying some paste wax as lubricant

FWIW, 16 pitch is a good inbetween pitch. Not too fine as to make for brittle threads, and not so coarse as to feed very quickly!
Good luck.

[Richard Madden]

Tim,
I have the Ray Iles 16tpi chasers and at the beginning I wasted some expensive blackwood trying to learn the technique. I found out later that PVC pipe is a good practice material. Mike Mahoney touches on the subject in his Hollow Form and Urn video. I still have my chasers and plan on using them, but for now the threading I do is on more common (and cheaper) woods. I made a threading jig with the help of Dick Mahaney here on SMC, and I am happy with the results. I strongly suggest the PVC for practice in using the chasers. Slow speed is a must.

[David E Keller]

I've got a set of the Sorby chasers, and I've had some success using them. I'm far from being an expert, and you've gotten some good advice so far. African blackwood is the nicest threading material that I've found, but Richard is right about using PVC as a practice material. My set came with a DVD that was very good, but I can't remember who the presenter was... Might have been Batty. I've got the 20 tpi set which is supposed to be the easiest, but I'd rather have the 16 tpi as I think the threads would be more durable.

I agree with Tim about applying some paste wax to the area you're threading. I've found that makes the job a bit easier.

The whole process is about consistency... Consistent tool presentation, consistent speed, and consistent practice.

[Michael Armstrong]

I found that corian is an excellent material to practice cutting the male threads. I cut the female threads in boxwood and they cut really nicely and easily.

Michael

[Tim Thiebaut]

Wow a lot more people have a version of this then I thought would. Thank you for all of the advice I will try and get some blackwood next time to the store, if they dont have it will try to order on line. Sorbys video that came with the set said to forget all woods except for Lignam V. and Boxwood...according to the video these are the only viable woods to try this with....I didnt believe that when I heard it but it was all the info I had at the time. I Have used paste wax while chasing threads, as well as starting off by tapering the front portion of the piece to be threaded. I Have also paste waxed my tool rest to help the tool glide easier across it, I found I couldnt keep up with the tool unless I turned my 1220vs all the way down as low as I could go...listed says thats about 120rpm I think, I would have to go look to be sure I dont remember off the top of my head but pretty sure thats what my rating plate says. I have never been able to find any boxwood around here, so will try to order some online as well. I have even gone so far as to CA the work piece and then let it set up for a couple of days in hopes it would help it stay together better.

So with all of the above being said I have though a couple of times I was getting a decent thread started but when I stopped and blew off all of the dust it was just knarly broken up threads that would be no good for anything, actauly David I have been wishing I had the 10tpi set as the threads would have more substance to them is what I thought anyway. Ok...off to the test facility, ie...basement, with all of this info, thanks again, once I get my hands on some blackwood and boxwood will let you know how it is going...thanks again, Tim

[Tim Thiebaut]

@ Mike Ash - Hi Mike, could you please post the photos of those tools you make here so that everyone can learn from them as well as myself? Thanks, Tim

[Bernie Weishapl]

I just got my threaders and was told these are the best woods for threading in order of ease. Lignium Vitae, boxwood, African Blackwood, Osage Orange, desert ironwood and purpleheart. Haven't tried any yet but hopefully I will have some time soon as I have acquired some of these woods to try on.

[Tim Thiebaut]

Bernie please let me know how it goes when you give it a shot...Tim

[mike ash]

181749Tim - I've taken a photo of the two tools that Allan Batty uses to work on the inside (female threads) of the trhreaded lid. The tool on the top is used as a guide to rest the cutter on while making the inside threads. The catch at the end allows you to get apply a llight and consistent sideways pressure towards you on the cutter. The tool on the bottom is for cutting a relief at the end of the cap you are about to thread, otherwise the cutting tool runs up against the top of the cap and causes you to strip the threads. This gves you a bit of time to back off on the cutter before it comes to the end.

I haven't actually watched Allan's video, as I saw him in person for 3 days, but I am sure you will see these two tools in his demo.

Hopefully this photo will turn out (my first time with photos).

Mike Ash

[Reed Gray]

I also took a class with Allen Batty. He told me the only American wood that was good for hand chasing threads is Mountain Mahogany. It isn't one you will find in stores. Some have had luck with hard maple, and waxing the threads as you cut down into the wood. I did talk to my local arborist, and he said they do get an occasional box wood tree. Do use dry wood, and I rough turn my box blanks and let them sit for a couple of weeks to 'adjust'. I have the Bonnie Klein thread cutter, and it is a lot easier.

robo hippy

[Jim Sebring]

Have any of you experienced 'chasers' tried to use Holly? I have a fair amount on hand and thought it might be a good material since it's so dense.

[Tim Thiebaut]

Thanks for the photos Mike, the set I have came with the relief cutter similar to what you have in the photo, a thread gauge from male to female, and both enternal and external thread cutters. The top tool in your photo I have seen, although you have to purchase it seperately and I did not buy that one...although for what it is it I bet I could make my own easy enough if I find I need it, thanks again Mike...Tim

[Dale Bright]

I have been told that Dogwood can be threaded with the hand chasers but is s little more difficult than Boxwood or Blackwood. I have not tried hand chasing threads yet. It is on my list of things to accomplish.

Dale

[Mark Hubl]

Practice, practice, practice. I have the 20's. I started with PVC and quickly moved to wood. I have done coco, ebony, lignum, osage, and blackwood with success. I would say lignum and blackwood were the best to work with for me. Dry wood is also needed. The stuff I get from wood craft is not dry enough. Not so much for the cutting, but for it holding its shape. When making collar inserts they can change shape quite a bit overnight. good luck.

[Tim Thiebaut]

Mark - I think this is a good part of my problem, I went and checked the Lignum I have this morning and it is soaking wet...so I have no pieces of wood that are dry enough to try this with I guess, and I never even thought about that before when I was trying it. So now I need to find some wood that is truely dry to try working with...I am sure I will have to order it from somewhere, almost everything I get from Rocklers is still wet.

[David E Keller]

Tim, you can try Gilmerwood for African blackwood. They had bundles of wood that yielded pretty good prices. I know John Keeton, Scott Hackler, and I all got bundles of the stuff from there. It's quite a bit of wood, and they were willing to split bundle at the time we ordered. They also sold the pieces individually, but the prices were better for a bundle. They were listed under new arrivals on their website. The stuff I got was dry spindle stock about 1 3/8 square in varying lengths. They have a $100 minimum order, but it's not hard to drop a hundred on the wood they've got.

[Richard Madden]

As Mark said, a collar insert can go out-of-round if not dry. I try to keep a supply of tenoned wafers, 1/2" thick or so with a hole drilled through to speed up the drying.

[Ryan Baker]

You've gotten a lot of good advise already. You need to get the speed down in the 300-500 rpm range for hand threading. If the speed is too high, you will have a hard time keeping up with it. You will also have a really hard time getting the tool disengaged at the end of the thread before you run into the end and strip out the threads you have. The crumbling threads often has a lot to do with the type of wood. Don't try to cut too deep with the threader or that will tear up the threads too. If you have cut the full thread depth and still want to reduce the diameter, reduce the diameter with a gouge or scraper (at higher rpm), then go back and recut the thread. Then practice, practice, practice.

[Tim Thiebaut]

Thank you David I will go check them out, dropping a $100 on wood is cool with me, you should see how much Rockler has made off me just in wood the past 2 months!

Ryan- As I said my 1220vs goes down to 120rpm, which is way below the 300-500 range you are talking of, I am not sure we are on the same page here. At 300-500 there is no way I could keep up.

[Ryan Baker]

Tim. Sorry. Brain fart. I was thinking you said 1200. Never mind.

[Tim Thiebaut]

LOL...Ryan it happens to me every single day dont sweat it bud!

[Bill O'Conner]

I know I'm a little late here with a reply but I have a few tips for cutting threads. 20 tpi are the easiest to learn with. Hard Maple is a good practice wood,might need to dripple a thin CA over the threads and wait for it to dry, than rechase them. Sharp tools are also a must take a daimond hone to the top of the tool pushing away from the handle. If you need any more help let me know I've turn a lot of threaded boxes

Bill