I am thinking about purchasing a thread chasing jig based on the ability to cut threads in softer hardwoods. Need opinions on the available jigs, speed and ease of setup. Also if it is true you can put threads in Oak, walnut,cherry etc. Would appreciate all replies even if you happen to sell a certain jig as more information should lead to a better buying decision.
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Thread chasing jigs
- Thread starter Sharon Yeagle
- Start date
I have not heard of any threading jig or hand threading in any of those woods.
I'm not a guy that threads YET but it's what I've heard.
I'm not a guy that threads YET but it's what I've heard.
Threads in soft woods
Soft wood tends to tear out, so use thin superglue to strengthen the wood before you start either hand or machine threading. You may need to use the superglue again as the thread is being cut, depending on the depth of the thread and the porosity of the wood.🙂
Soft wood tends to tear out, so use thin superglue to strengthen the wood before you start either hand or machine threading. You may need to use the superglue again as the thread is being cut, depending on the depth of the thread and the porosity of the wood.🙂
If you are looking for a threading jig, I would encourage you to consider the jig sold by Bonnie Klein.
Softer woods are more difficult to thread and would require a courser pitch. For very hard woods (African Blackwood, Bubinga, Purpleheart, etc) I use 20 TPI. As I recall, Bonnie's jig is 16 tpi which might work for cherry and walnut if you reinforce the threads with CA glue. Oak has very large pores and I wouldn't think it would work well for threading.
Softer woods are more difficult to thread and would require a courser pitch. For very hard woods (African Blackwood, Bubinga, Purpleheart, etc) I use 20 TPI. As I recall, Bonnie's jig is 16 tpi which might work for cherry and walnut if you reinforce the threads with CA glue. Oak has very large pores and I wouldn't think it would work well for threading.
Another source of a Threading Jig is Best Wood Tools.
The "Thread Master" is based on Willard Baxter's modifications of the Klein jig (from what I have been told). Several members of our Chapter (including me) have a few Baxter/Bestwood jigs (all 16 tpi) and they have proven to be an excellent tool. I really have not used mine very much (I'm still in the learning curve phase), but our more experienced members who do threading often (mostly for urns) use it routinely with excellent results in a wide range of woods. It cuts threads easily in most woods, even the softer species, particularly if the softer woods to be threaded are firmed up with thin CA glue before turning.
Have a look at:
http://bestwoodtools.stores.yahoo.net/bathma.html
Best Wood Tools does not produce the jigs to inventory them; he makes them as orders are received, so it takes several weeks to complete and ship the jig once the order has been placed. The quality of machining is excellent, and the fit (at least to my 12" Jet 1220 lathe) is perfect.
If I had more experience with mine, I would offer some tips, but I am not there yet... 😱
A more expensive option is the Vermec Jig, which I have only seen at the AAW Symposium; I have never seen one "live" in use:
http://www.woodworkersemporium.com/Vermec_ACC-415?filter_name=threading
Perhaps others could comment on it?
Good Luck!
Rob
The "Thread Master" is based on Willard Baxter's modifications of the Klein jig (from what I have been told). Several members of our Chapter (including me) have a few Baxter/Bestwood jigs (all 16 tpi) and they have proven to be an excellent tool. I really have not used mine very much (I'm still in the learning curve phase), but our more experienced members who do threading often (mostly for urns) use it routinely with excellent results in a wide range of woods. It cuts threads easily in most woods, even the softer species, particularly if the softer woods to be threaded are firmed up with thin CA glue before turning.
Have a look at:
http://bestwoodtools.stores.yahoo.net/bathma.html
Best Wood Tools does not produce the jigs to inventory them; he makes them as orders are received, so it takes several weeks to complete and ship the jig once the order has been placed. The quality of machining is excellent, and the fit (at least to my 12" Jet 1220 lathe) is perfect.
If I had more experience with mine, I would offer some tips, but I am not there yet... 😱
A more expensive option is the Vermec Jig, which I have only seen at the AAW Symposium; I have never seen one "live" in use:
http://www.woodworkersemporium.com/Vermec_ACC-415?filter_name=threading
Perhaps others could comment on it?
Good Luck!
Rob
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I have used the Baxter jig and agree it is an improvement over the Klein. Here is a cheaper alternative that also works. http://www.threadingjig.com/
You can buy this a few bucks cheaper on ebay direct from the manufacturer in the UK. The Baxter jig is better.
I know a professional urn maker that routinely cuts 10 TPI in white oak with a jig. I have cut threads with a shop made jig with 16 tpi in a number of domestic hardwoods including maple, ash, dogwood, bradford pear, and walnut.
My article on making your own threading jig is scheduled to appear in the April issue of American Woodturner . Keep in mind you can cut threads in softer hardwoods with a jig but some woods may not hold up with heavy use.
You can buy this a few bucks cheaper on ebay direct from the manufacturer in the UK. The Baxter jig is better.
I know a professional urn maker that routinely cuts 10 TPI in white oak with a jig. I have cut threads with a shop made jig with 16 tpi in a number of domestic hardwoods including maple, ash, dogwood, bradford pear, and walnut.
My article on making your own threading jig is scheduled to appear in the April issue of American Woodturner . Keep in mind you can cut threads in softer hardwoods with a jig but some woods may not hold up with heavy use.
All the replies in this thread are great answers. However, one of the turners in my club, Gulf Coast Woodturners Assoc, Thomas Irven came up with a brilliant solution for putting threads on just about any wood you can think of, gluing pre-cut Corian thread on to the box. He actually hand-chases threads in Corian which takes a lot practice to get proficient. If you eventually get a Bonnie Klein or Baxter threading jig to cut threads but have trouble holding threads in wood, give Corian a try.
I have the Klein jig. Have never tried the Baxter one. I believe Soren Berger has a set up for sale also. I have found the 16 tpi to work fine in just about any wood. I did try the CA glue to chase the threads in the softer woods (BLM, Madrone, English Walnut, and others) but either I never figured out the proper way to do it, or it just won't work well enough for me. Seems like there was always glue spill where I didn't want it and couldn't clean it up properly. What I do now is cut the threads to about half depth. Then I chase the threads with some oil/wax bowl mix or just some oil (Mahoney's or The Doctor's Woodshop). This lubricates the wood like wetting wood to help you remove tear out with one or two last cuts. I then take 2 or 3 more cuts, lubricating between each cut, till the thread is to full depth.
I would not want threads coarser than 16 tpi. Reason is that with this thread count, you only have to remove at most, 1/16 of an inch to line up the grain, which I heard some one call 'timing' the threads. If you use 8 tpi, then you can have to remove 1/8 inch of wood on the shoulder to line things up, and that might mean you have to cut the threads farther down, which means having to remount and re align the threads with the cutter again, which means way too much work.
I did discover a way to time the threads every time, so you don't end up with one box that needs just under 1/16 inch of shoulder trim (almost 1 full rotation of the part on the jig), and the next one needs maybe 0.005 inch removed (maybe 1/16 of a rotation). It involves 2 things. First, the male thread (on bottom part of box with the Klein jig) has to be cut onto a tongue that is exactly 1/4 inch tall. The other part is a spacer block, and I use a 1/2 inch piece of plywood. The box parts are mounted on pine waste blocks that have nuts epoxied into the bottoms of them. I make a pencil line on the box parts where the grains line up. When cutting either piece, which is screwed onto the threading jig, I rotate the piece till the pencil line is at 12 o'clock, then slide it up to the cutter with the spacer block to tell you how far to slide it, then lock it in place. I use the same timing/lining up method for the bottom of the box. I found, with mine, that I have to back the bottom one off to about 11 o'clock, which leaves me with just a hair of 'adjustment' to the shoulder. Note, you have to screw the bottom piece out farther away from the jig, than you do with the lid (about 1 inch compared to 1/2 inch). This is because when you are cutting the lid, you only have to back it out far enough for the cutter to clear. When you are cutting the bottom threads, you have to totally remove it from the threading jig to test the fit. So, try one first with both the pencil line at 12 o'clock, and then see how much you have to adjust the timing of the second piece. The spacer block allows the cuts to start at the exact same place/rotation spot every time, and the exact 1/4 inch lip on the bottom part means it will screw down the exact same depth every time.
robo hippy
I would not want threads coarser than 16 tpi. Reason is that with this thread count, you only have to remove at most, 1/16 of an inch to line up the grain, which I heard some one call 'timing' the threads. If you use 8 tpi, then you can have to remove 1/8 inch of wood on the shoulder to line things up, and that might mean you have to cut the threads farther down, which means having to remount and re align the threads with the cutter again, which means way too much work.
I did discover a way to time the threads every time, so you don't end up with one box that needs just under 1/16 inch of shoulder trim (almost 1 full rotation of the part on the jig), and the next one needs maybe 0.005 inch removed (maybe 1/16 of a rotation). It involves 2 things. First, the male thread (on bottom part of box with the Klein jig) has to be cut onto a tongue that is exactly 1/4 inch tall. The other part is a spacer block, and I use a 1/2 inch piece of plywood. The box parts are mounted on pine waste blocks that have nuts epoxied into the bottoms of them. I make a pencil line on the box parts where the grains line up. When cutting either piece, which is screwed onto the threading jig, I rotate the piece till the pencil line is at 12 o'clock, then slide it up to the cutter with the spacer block to tell you how far to slide it, then lock it in place. I use the same timing/lining up method for the bottom of the box. I found, with mine, that I have to back the bottom one off to about 11 o'clock, which leaves me with just a hair of 'adjustment' to the shoulder. Note, you have to screw the bottom piece out farther away from the jig, than you do with the lid (about 1 inch compared to 1/2 inch). This is because when you are cutting the lid, you only have to back it out far enough for the cutter to clear. When you are cutting the bottom threads, you have to totally remove it from the threading jig to test the fit. So, try one first with both the pencil line at 12 o'clock, and then see how much you have to adjust the timing of the second piece. The spacer block allows the cuts to start at the exact same place/rotation spot every time, and the exact 1/4 inch lip on the bottom part means it will screw down the exact same depth every time.
robo hippy
I have made and used a shop made threading jig that work OK. I now have Lindow White Ot lathe with the threading attachment jig, it makes fantastic threads with 4 different pitches.
A tip for all thread cutters is flood the area to cut with thin CA glue, let it dry good and then cut the threads and after the cut is made give a another coat, let it dry good and run the cutter over the threads. This makes good threads in softer woods.
Dan
A tip for all thread cutters is flood the area to cut with thin CA glue, let it dry good and then cut the threads and after the cut is made give a another coat, let it dry good and run the cutter over the threads. This makes good threads in softer woods.
Dan
john lucas
AAW Forum Expert
I've been using the Baxter jig for about 7 years or more now. It is excellent. It can be purchased to fit any lathe and you have the option of choosing different thread sizes althought I find 16 threads the most useful. I purchased it because you can cut threads in very soft woods. You can only hand chase threads in woods I can seldom afford.
Bonnie Klein sells one similar to the Baxter although not as versatile. Soren Berger sells one that is very easy to use and fits in the tailstock. His cutter is proprietary however. The Klein and Baxter use a common metal machining cutter. , Vermec sells a really nice one with bearings and a commercial crossfeed. Not quite as vesatile as the Baxter but a little less expensive. There is a new one on the market that fits in the banjo tool rest. I don't have info on it right now and haven't used it so can't comment on it. It's a little less expensive the all the others.
Bonnie Klein sells one similar to the Baxter although not as versatile. Soren Berger sells one that is very easy to use and fits in the tailstock. His cutter is proprietary however. The Klein and Baxter use a common metal machining cutter. , Vermec sells a really nice one with bearings and a commercial crossfeed. Not quite as vesatile as the Baxter but a little less expensive. There is a new one on the market that fits in the banjo tool rest. I don't have info on it right now and haven't used it so can't comment on it. It's a little less expensive the all the others.
I have made a threading device& ground the cutter on the white wheel, using the exhaust valve from a Briggs & Stratten engine. These have a quarter in. dia. shank that fits my die grinder. Used valves are free from the scrap bin. I have found that threads made into cross-grain timber are easier to form, so if I need a thread on a spindle, I'll turn a collar from good wood using the faceplate or chuck, & then glue it on to the spindle. With care, you can keep things neat so the add-on is difficult to notice.
Thanks for all the replys. Decided to purchase the Baxter jig. Had not heard of this jig before,so glad for the input.
john lucas
AAW Forum Expert
Sharon May take a while to get one. It's just Vic and his wife running the business and Vic does all the machining. Hang in there, it's worth it. His wife's name is Sharon so you should get along. 🙂