Thread Chasing?

[Steve Mathews]

I'm planning to try my hand at thread chasing. Any suggestions on tooling, most common tpi, etc?

[Steve Eure]

Sam Angelo just put out a youtube video on this the other day. He is reviewing the Carter & sons thread chaser. Here's the link.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jODY8wDLxLc
This tool looks promising but a bit pricey. On the other hand, it's two tools in one, so you don't have to buy two separate tools. That may cancel out the price.

[John K Jordan]

I'm planning to try my hand at thread chasing. Any suggestions on tooling, most common tpi, etc?

I like Mark StLeger's chasers. http://www.markstleger.com/tools_for_sale1.htm And he's a nice guy too. :)
I have both the 16tpi and 20tpi. It is often recommended to get the 16tpi first since it may be a little easier to use with various types of wood. It's a good thread for lidded boxes.

For best results a hard, fine-grained wood is best. Practice on PVC.

In addition to the external and internal cutters a relief tool is useful but you can grind one from an old skew or scraper. Look at some sets to see what it looks like. You might be able to see it in use on videos but I rarely watch videos. This tool is for cutting away a little at the far end of the inside thread area so the internal chaser can exit the threads cleanly. Also handy is a hook to apply force toward you on internal chaser. Some people use the relief tool as the hook.

JKJ

[tom lucas]

I have the chefware kits threading jig. It works great. As long as the walls are straight it's nearly foolproof.

[roger wiegand]

There's a terrific video by Alan Batty on youtube on thread chasing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0iEd0kD0S4

[Brian Deakin]

Two more Alan Batty videos

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAXxSkHD0fT55RHHVzFMx1w

video 1 thread chasing

[Peter Blair]

I started making threads in wood with an old tap. I put a long handle on it and used it for both inside and outside. If the wood is good as JJ says it makes the process much more rewarding.

[Steve Mathews]

Being a machine junkie the Chefware jig is tempting, especially the updated version (not so much the current version) shown in one of Mike Pence's videos. However the skill challenge in using the more traditional thread chasing tools is more to my current liking. I plan to corral all of those tool maker options and forge ahead with one of them. So far the makers seem to be limited to only Sorby and Mark StLeger as John mentioned above. Any others?

With some of those mentioned above I'm beginning to discover a good assortment of thread chasing videos online; Alan Batty (makes everything he does on the lathe look so effortless and simple), Mike Pence and San Angelo to name a few.

[John K Jordan]

Being a machine junkie the Chefware jig is tempting...

A true tool junkie would get the Baxter threading jig from Best wood tools! And while at it, any self-respecting tool junkie would order the Vermec sphere jig. I can recommend both from experience.

I haven't looked at the Chefware threading jig lately but when I did it appeared that the alignment might be tricky. Is or was that the case? (I've never used one.)

[tom lucas]

A true tool junkie would get the Baxter threading jig from Best wood tools! And while at it, any self-respecting tool junkie would order the Vermec sphere jig. I can recommend both from experience.

I haven't looked at the Chefware threading jig lately but when I did it appeared that the alignment might be tricky. Is or was that the case? (I've never used one.)

I have the chefwarekit threading and sphere-cutting jig. Sphere's couldn't be easier: really fast and near perfect spheres. The threading isn't too bad. As I said, if you get the walls parrallel to the bed rails and the jig parrallel to the same, it's pretty easy. You can tell pretty quick as you cut the threads. If you take a small bite at first, you can adjust the parrallelism manually to get more even threads. When I can't use a Forstner bit, I use a 12" square and register to the headstock body, and that seems to work for me. I have the 16 and the 10 TPI adapters. I think you can order a couple of other pitches too, like an 8 TPI, which would be good for bigger lids and perhaps custom headstock adapter gadgets one might need. The jig is extremely well made too.

I've got to believe it's way easier and faster than a thread chaser. For me it's about making threaded boxes where the boxes are the fun part. The threads are just a necessity. So I couldn't care less if I ever learn to use a thread chaser.

[John K Jordan]

I've got to believe it's way easier and faster than a thread chaser. For me it's about making threaded boxes where the boxes are the fun part. The threads are just a necessity. So I couldn't care less if I ever learn to use a thread chaser.

I think the chased threads can be quicker, but only with a lot of practice. The threading jigs require setup but not much practice.

Have any pictures of the threaded boxes? I also enjoy the turning more than the threading.

JKJ

[Brian Deakin]

Fourth generation ivory, boxwood and ebony turner, Englishman Bill Jones was the last of a long tradition. This is the only video showing Bill using his home-made specialist tools plus thread chasing.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=bill+jones+ivory+turner

clip 6 shows use of point tool

[Peter Blair]

John, not a box but a hollow form with threaded finial? I used corian and hand chased the threads. I made the mistake of not leaving a shoulder on the insert piece and had to fiddle with it to get the finial to sit square on the piece.

428849428847428846

[Steve Mathews]

A true tool junkie would get the Baxter threading jig from Best wood tools! And while at it, any self-respecting tool junkie would order the Vermec sphere jig. I can recommend both from experience.....


John - You're speaking my language. However, since we're moving into the warmer shop time of the year and my gradual shift to working more with metals than wood I may attempt to make one of the jigs. It should be a nice machining project for my metal lathe, mill and surface grinder.

[John K Jordan]

... since we're moving into the warmer shop time of the year and my gradual shift to working more with metals than wood I may attempt to make one of the jigs. ...

Is your shop time limited when it's cold? A true tool junkie would equip his shop with year-around climate control to keep his tools healthy and increase his time in their presence.

[Steve Mathews]

Is your shop time limited when it's cold? A true tool junkie would equip his shop with year-around climate control to keep his tools healthy and increase his time in their presence.

Good point about climate control to keep tools healthy, something I hadn't considered. But I enjoy working on wood related projects, carving especially in a cold shop with the fireplace going. It's also nice woodturning while wearing protective garb. Also, my shop is somewhat large with a 20+ foot ceiling and not insulated. Proper climate control would be expensive.

[Steve Mathews]

While trying to decide which thread chasing tools to buy I came across a Ray Isles set that used plain carbon steel instead high speed steel. I'm curious why any manufacturer would use softer carbon steel in today's market for a cutting tool.

[John K Jordan]

While trying to decide which thread chasing tools to buy I came across a Ray Isles set that used plain carbon steel instead high speed steel. I'm curious why any manufacturer would use softer carbon steel in today's market for a cutting tool.

Thread chasing is a very low speed operation, not done continuously, and tools last a long time before needing sharpening. Some even make them by cutting threads from mild steel bolts. (I've made taps for wood that way.) And sharpening is easy by using a diamond hone on the top face.

As to why they chose to use carbon steel, besides the above, manufacturing could be easier and cheaper since HSS is takes special effort to harden. But you didn't say whether the carbon steel was mild steel or hardened tool steel. Tool steels are easy to sharpen with minimal equipment - for example you can harden O1 with a propane torch, some a few fire bricks, a can of oil, and a toaster oven that will heat to 400F to anneal.

JKJ

[Steve Mathews]

Thread chasing is a very low speed operation, not done continuously, and tools last a long time before needing sharpening. Some even make them by cutting threads from mild steel bolts. (I've made taps for wood that way.) And sharpening is easy by using a diamond hone on the top face.

As to why they chose to use carbon steel, besides the above, manufacturing could be easier and cheaper since HSS is takes special effort to harden. But you didn't say whether the carbon steel was mild steel or hardened tool steel. Tool steels are easy to sharpen with minimal equipment - for example you can harden O1 with a propane torch, some a few fire bricks, a can of oil, and a toaster oven that will heat to 400F to anneal.

JKJ

Thanks John! I let that thinking slip through and just assumed that the manufacturer's mention of carbon steel was non-hardenable. I see now that the tool will not be subject to excessive heat while being used at slow speeds on wood or sharpened with a diamond hone. I have to ask now though if there's any advantage to using HSS in this application?

PS My knowledge of metals, especially as they apply to machining operations is less than the materials used in woodworking. I've only been at it a few years.

[Bill Dufour]

You have me confused. In metal work thread chasing refers to running a tap or die over existing threads that are buggered up. Do you mean single point threading on a the lathe with a follow up with a tap or die? Or do you just mean tap and die work on smooth stock or bored holes?
Bill D

[Peter Blair]

Bill in wood turning I think the term means that a thread is gradually started and then 'chased' several times to get a complete thread on either smooth stock or a bored hole.