I have a wood threading Kit, 1/2", 3/4", and 1" standard tap and die set up. Taps work fine in any wood I normally use. The dies are giving me fits, When I try to thread a rod I get a complete cut/ tearout of the dowel instead of a thread, almost like I am trying to cut a tennon. Cutter is sharp, can shave with it, I use mineral spirits for lube. The last one I tried was so tight that I broke/twisted apart a 3/4" dowel. I know these tools work since I have cut threads with them in the past. What am I missing here? and what am I doing wrong?
Dowel too large, perhaps? What species of wood? I've never cut threads on wood, but I'd imagine the process would work much better on, say, sugar maple than it would on sugar pine -- perhaps the wood you're using is too brittle?
Any more, with a description like that, it could be almost anything. Used to be that a standard "hardwood dowel" was made in the US or Canada, and was almost certainly either maple or birch. Now, who knows?
Have you tried a different type of wood? Or inspected the cutters for damage?
[grasping at straws here, obviously...] Any possibility at all that you're trying to force a left-hand-thread die to go clockwise? (Do these things even come in LH versions??)
Most likely the nominal size of the dowel is different than the actual size. Also, most dowels, esp at the size you are using, are oval as a result of being originally cut wet and now are dry. Take a caliper to a couple and check.
** make sure your dowel is actually round instead of oval. I custom make all my dowels for threading now....
** double check the ID of the die, and compare it to the OD of the dowel. Sounds like you've got a mismatch (don't forget that your dowel probablyisn't really round!)
** Check the throat of the die. Make sure its not clogging.
** the mineral spirits may be making the dowell swell.... I usually give the outside of the dowel a rub with beeswax, and that seems to lube it pretty well....
** make sure you're using a good straight grained hardwood. If the grain is not stragight along the dowel, it will tear out worse (the more out of alignment it is, the worse the tear-out)
** if you removed the blade to sharpen it (or it was mis-adjusted at the factory) it is cutting the threads too shallow, which will cause major binding. try setting the blade to cut a tad deeper, and see if it loosens up.... (this is if the tightness is after you've cut threads and you're binding when you try and turn the threaded dowl in the "nut")
**some folks have recomended soaking the dowel in some sort of adhesive or penetrating finish to strengthen the grain (reduce tearout). I've never bothered with this, but witgh difficult wood, a good dose of a plasticiser (the superglue type stuff - CSA I think its called), or a soak and long dry in your favorite oil finish is supposed to work...
Dowels are made in the USA by Cinncinatta dowel , where the wood comes from I don't know. When I order them I specify that they are made in the USA. You don't think they would pawn off an off shore product on me do you? I have purchased off shore made dowels from them in the past and found them better then the US made ones in sizes below 1/2 inch.
Tried some home made (lathe truned) oak and had same results. Took die apart and resharpened cutter and found no damage there.
I am sure that if they do come in left hand sombody here will have a set, but I have never seen them.
Miked a couple of them and forund that they were close to the 3/4 size. Mostly a couple thousandths under. They look round and mike close to round at least on the ends.
Done, Cutter blade was way out of adjustment. Re set the blade and cut a PERFECT thread.
Thank you!!!!!! for the step by step and the reminder, I followed it step by step and got the results I wanted in spades. Now the hard part is to stop cutting the threads when they are long enough.
It's been a few years since I used my threading set, but IIRC the instr= uctions recommended using linseed oil as the lubricant and backing off every co= uple of turns to clear the chips.
It's been a few years since I used my threading set, but IIRC the instructions recommended using linseed oil as the lubricant and backing off every couple of turns to clear the chips.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.