Knowledge You Can Build On — Est. 1998
Thread Chasing?
Tom Albrecht
Anybody here into Thread Chasing?
It looks like something I'd like to get into in the "standard" way, using hand tools, without the aid of a router jig, and without spending a bucket of money.
Am I too old school?
Is there a big learning and waste curve?
Re: Thread Chasing?
Doc Green
Sam Angelo, the Wyoming Woodturner, has a lot of videos on youtube relating to thread chasing by hand.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLL5-IWEcq6B9UA1YSW19pZGTanviEKNTy
Re: Thread Chasing?
john lucas
It's fun and interesting. finding wood suitable is a challenge. Do some google searches and search this site and you will find lots of info. I recommend getting the chasers from Mark StLeger. Normally you buy a male and female chaser. Marks are 2 ended so it's just one tool, you never lose the mate.
16TPI is a good starting point. Practice with PVC pipe. If you can chase threads in that you can chase thread in the other good woods. Boxwood is the best. Cocobolo and blackwood are good. It can be done with Hard maple but is more challenging. I've tried other hardwoods from the US with so so success. Some pieces chase OK and next batch won't. Don't know why other than possibly where they come from may change the hardness somehow.
Re: Thread Chasing?
Joe Fleming
Some people create a void where the threads go and pour resin in the void. then, they chase on that. Mike Mahoney uses a plastic (teflon perhaps) when he make his threaded lids for his urns. Joe
Curious why the high thread count?
Dick Coers
What is the theory behind using the 16 tpi? Is it a compromise between height and width so the chipping is limited? Too big of thread cut and it really wants to chip out? With threaded box lids, you need so few threads. So wondering why all the threads per inch.
Re: Thread Chasing?
John K Jordan
Did you try dogwood? It's so fine-grained I wondered if it would be good. Maybe I'll drag out the thread chasers while my BoC glue-up dries.
Dogwood warps so much it would have to real dry and even then it might move too much with humidity changes to be useful. CA glue soak?
JKJ
thread count
john lucas
16 isn't that fine. It's really middle of the road. I have 11 through 20. 20 is too fine for many woods. The threads crumble. It will work with my Bestwoodtools Baxter threader that's powered but I have trouble with hand chasing most woods with 20. 10 and 11 are good thread sizes for large boxes that might have wood movement problems. If you use 20TPI on a large box it's possible for the wood to move enough the threads won't engage. Most people I know use and recommend 16TPI, me included.
chasing epoxy
john lucas
I do that a lot because I don't have a lot of woods that are hard enough take clean threads. I cut a groove in the wood that is the right diameter for either the male or female thread. Then fill it with epoxy. turn away part of the wood to expose the epoxy and then chase your thread. I will often color the epoxy to give a contrasting look. I use West System epoxy.
Re: Curious why the high thread count?
mike peace
I find 10 tpi to look too course or industrial looking on boxes 2" or so and smaller. I guess it is a matter of scale and proportion. Of course, the finer the thread, the more the need for "uranium enriched" exotics.
Re: Curious why the high thread count?
George
Mike and Dick,
First I want to say that I've never done this, but I've heard that another reason for the higher tpi is that the tool will get pulled along too quickly at the lower thread count.
George
