Hello Scott,
As far as getting started immediately, a threading jig would get you going much
quicker than hand chasing and would also work with the softer woods like walnut.
The Craft Supplies Ltd. device takes a little more fiddeling than the other
jigs, but it is considerably less expensive and it does do a good job.
In the long run, the skill of thread chasing is a very useful one to have in
your kit. Some time back, I needed to make some 12 tpi external threads, but
didn't have a chaser. I had an old adapter that I had purchased from Grizzley by
accident. I cut a slice out of the threaded area with an abrasive cut off saw
and held it with a pair of vice grips. I chased the threads quite easily.
Without that skill, if would have been difficult to get these threads.
For a box, the normal is 16 tpi, but 14 tpi would likely work well and would
work better in the softer hard woods. A little thin super glue flooded over the
wood often it easier to thread and makes the threads hold together better.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
Fred Holder
http://www.fholder.com/
In article , Scott says...
Fred -
Thanks for the info. I hadn't seen the one from CSLtd, so I'll take a look
at that.
I have thread chasers in 24 tpi, 20 tpi, 18 tpi, 16 tpi, 14 tpi, 12
tpi, 10 tpi,
8 tpi, and 3-1/2 tpi. You can't get that much variation with any
threading jig.
Actually, the Baxter has optional heads for 24, 20, 18, 16, 14, 12, 10, and
8. It comes with one head, and the others are available for (ouch) $110
each -- about twice what each set of chasers would cost?
I make most my boxes from harder woods, like walnut, koa, purpleheart. What
would be the best thread pitch to start out with? Is 16 too fine? Would 14
be better?
I'm just not sure I could get the hang of hand chasing. For someone with
the turning expertise you have, I'm sure hand chasing is easy and fast
compared to the setup time of the jig. Since I'm just slightly beyond the
beginner stage of turning, wouldn't I be better off with the jig?
...Scott
"Fred Holder" wrote in message
...
Hello Scott,
Craft Supplies Ltd. in the UK sell a very simple threading jig that will
fit any
lathe that you can get a tool post for. It was one that I tried out when
writing
my book, Making Screw Threads in Wood. In our shop, we have a Klein Jig on
a
Klein lathe, the threading jig sold in the UK, and the Noval Ornamental
turner
which will cut threads. I also have a drawer full of chasers and much
prefer
them to any of the threading jigs. I ran a test with a fellow several
years ago
to see which of us could make a threaded box the fastest. He had a Klein
jig on
a Carbatec lathe, and I had a thread chaser on a Carbatec lathe. I won the
race.
I have thread chasers in 24 tpi, 20 tpi, 18 tpi, 16 tpi, 14 tpi, 12 tpi,
10 tpi,
8 tpi, and 3-1/2 tpi. You can't get that much variation with any threading
jig.
The learning curve is a bit slower and you can't thread quite as soft of
wood
with a chaser as you can with a rotating cutter.
These are just some additional thoughts for you to consider.
Fred Holder
http://www.fholder.com
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