HELP! need to make threaded piano legs

[alfred]

Hello all,

I have just received an 1840's French Pleyel piano which has screw-in legs.

the problem is that the seller denied any problems with the piano, but two of the three legs have stripped screws!

the legs have male screws are about two inches in diameter, and they fit into a corresponding female under the piano.

I have other pianos like this and they work fine as long as the screw is tight, but a loose screw puts stress on the joint, and I am afraid the legs will crack off.

what kind of tool needs to be used to make new screws? what is it called?

what kind of workshop would be used to making such a thing?

any help will be appreciated.

[Ferd Farkel]

1840s, they might have been hand cut. Try a knife and a file. Lay out the thread by spiraling tape around the leg at the desired pitch. Really not so much work considering you're only threading two legs.

[Nova]

My guess is that the threads were "chased" using a lathe. See Fred Holder's article on thread chasing at:

is a regular contributor of the "rec.crafts.woodturning" news group.