Grain orientation when making threaded wooden jam chucks with Beall tap

[Dave Mount]

I purchased a 1"x8tpi Beall tap with the intent to use it for threading wooden jam chucks. I'm wondering about grain orientation for the threading. For jam chucks I hold in scroll chucks, I usually have the end grain facing the work, but wondering if it would be better to tap through the face grain than into the end grain. My gut is telling me that the thread would be stronger with the grain running more along the "ridge" of the thread (face grain) than across the ridge (end grain). Maybe I'm worrying about a non-issue.

Advice on that and any other tips relating to using the tap appreciated.

Best,

Dave

[Dave Mount]

Why is it spellcheck is so adept at changing things I type correctly into something I didn't want, but doesn't fix things that that are actually typos ("woden jam chucks"). . .

[David Walser]

Dave -- Generally, you'll want to tap into face grain rather than the end grain. As you speculated, the threads will be stronger in that orientation. Also, if you're going to use the wooden faceplate as a glue block, the glue joint will be stronger in this orientation. Some close-grained woods can be tapped in their end grain with acceptable results. Or, you can stabilize the wood (or flood the threads with thin CA) and get acceptable threads. However, close-grained (mostly exotics) wood can be expensive and so is stabilizing the wood. So, while it can be done, why would you?

[Brice Rogers]

I've been threading into the face grain too based on things that I've read. Also, I prefer to use white oak that was salvaged from some 3/4" boards and some cupboard doors. I take two pieces and orient the grain at 90 degrees to each other before gluing with titebond. Then I drill and tap with a Beale tap followed by applying thin or medium CA to the threads. Then after fully cured, I'll re-tap it. Perhaps that is an overkill.

[Peter Blair]

Like Bruce I use CA glue and rethread all my threaded chucks. I too use face grain and about any wood I have laying around. After CA I often use them part of vacuum chucks.