45-110 Asked About Threading Wood

[Tim Crosby]

"I have never tried to thread wood, would  a normal metal die and tap work or are they different so as to get non fuzzy or torn threads?
best kw"

  Here is what I use:







 The second Pic shows how I trimmed the bottom plate of the die so the threads would be closer to the main part of the piece. 1/-6TPI, works really well, they are available up to 3/4s I think, bought it on line can't remember where.

   Tim C.

[wmrike]

V nice set-up, Tim.

I have used dies on blackwood and hickory w/o any issues.  The big caveat is that my dies are old and sharp.  I have recently purchased some new dies that are pre-dulled from the factory, and I imagine they would just chew wood.

[FDR]

see if this helps:
https://www.garrettwade.com/wood-threader-tap-and-die-set-gp.html?SCID=W6071005&mkwid=sXryIoSNE&crid=200269291416&mp_kw=&mp_mt=b&pdv=c&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI5rbK3PSr3QIVxIKzCh3qcwTkEAEYBiAAEgJfcfD_BwE

Fred

[Mark Elliott]

I used exactly the same thing as Tim.   I did find out that curly maple does work so well when cutting external threads with that die.   It chipped badly on me.   I ended up using Poplar.

[Tim Crosby]

see if this helps:
https://www.garrettwade.com/wood-threader-tap-and-die-set-gp.html?SCID=W6071005&mkwid=sXryIoSNE&crid=200269291416&mp_kw=&mp_mt=b&pdv=c&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI5rbK3PSr3QIVxIKzCh3qcwTkEAEYBiAAEgJfcfD_BwE

Fred

 Thanks, first I've seen where a spare cutter is available, will order one.

     Tim

[45-110]

thanks Tim for pics and info. the Garrett wade tool looks like a reasonably priced tool. but i hate to buy one for just one hole, so being cheap as i am. i may try my hand at making the box cutter first and see how that goes. what size thread do you use for the horn base fill plug, i was thinking 5/8" for a medium size horn?
best kw

[David R. Pennington]

I have an antique wood thread box and had trouble getting clean threads without chipping out until I soaked the dowells in water first then I got great results.

[Tim Crosby]

I have an antique wood thread box and had trouble getting clean threads without chipping out until I soaked the dowells in water first then I got great results.

 As a matter of fact the directions that come with the tool suggest that, says a few minutes to a few days.
I have used Hickory, Ash, Walnut and Maple with no problem. Make the dowel longer than needed, chamfer the end to make it easer to start the die. Also lubricating the dowel with Linseed or Tung oil, I used a little bees wax.

  Tim

[Tim Crosby]

thanks Tim for pics and info. the Garrett wade tool looks like a reasonably priced tool. but i hate to buy one for just one hole, so being cheap as i am. i may try my hand at making the box cutter first and see how that goes. what size thread do you use for the horn base fill plug, i was thinking 5/8" for a medium size horn?
best kw

 Mine is 1/2-6 tpi, 5/8s may be a little big.

    Tim

[Mark Elliott]

I missed the part about soaking the wood to be threaded.    Hopefully,  next time will go better for me.

[David R. Pennington]

I learned the soaking part by accident. I had turned some cherry dowells I wanted to thread and couldn't get clean threads so in frustration I just threw the failures into a bucket of water I was using to quench some other project. Next day I pulled one out and tried it and it worked great.

[dogcatcher]

I soak the wood with thin CA glue the day before I start cutting threads.  It strengthens the wood enough that it eliminates some of the chipping.  After the thread is cut, I will again add thin CA glue, wait a day and re run the tap or die over the threads.   Make sure the CA glue is dry before cutting threads, or you will have  amess that will have to be soaked in acetone to get the tap or die free from the wood.  It doesn't take a day for the CA glue to dry, but I have gotten in a hurry and ruined more than one piece of wood. 

[P.W.Berkuta]

thanks Tim for pics and info. the Garrett wade tool looks like a reasonably priced tool. but i hate to buy one for just one hole, so being cheap as i am. i may try my hand at making the box cutter first and see how that goes. what size thread do you use for the horn base fill plug, i was thinking 5/8" for a medium size horn?
best kw

I think Roy Underhill did a show on building a threading box on one of his Woodright TV programs if I'm not mistaken

[Nhgrants]

Fine working had an article showing how to make the tap and die. The tap was for much larger screws
Like bench vice screw.
I think Roy under hill showed in one of his books how to file a smaller tap.  You would use the to make the
Die/box.

[Nordnecker]

i have a couple of those taiwan thread boxes, too. IIRC, they won't tap an external tread all the way to a shoulder.

[Tim Crosby]

i have a couple of those taiwan thread boxes, too. IIRC, they won't tap an external tread all the way to a shoulder.

  If you take a look at the second Pic above you will see where I have trimmed the bottom plate, it is used as a guide to get the dowel started. Now, trimmed I can change out the plates and get closer to the shoulder. Actually once the plate is trimmed, thread your dowel using the thicker piece then remove the plate, screw the dowel in carefully and you can get almost to the shoulder, Pic below. With some file work and chamfering the male side it will screw up tight.
 I used mine mostly for screw-in plugs for Horns and want a space between the shoulder and the Butt for the strap.

   Tim