help ID bicycle spoke threads?
 

I've got this silly idea for a design using bicycle spokes. I can't measure this
thread and I don't know metric threads very well at all. I do have a real cheapo
shadowgraph style optical comparator, and was able to get what I believe is a
usable picture. The scale shown is millimeters, and it appears there are either
20 or 21 threads per 10mm, don't know which to count as #1. The spoke threads
mic at .078" which is real close to 2mm. Not that I have a die this size, but
can anyone ID this thread and explain how to do it? See the image:
http://www.tinyisland.com/images/temp/spokeThreads.jpg

Grant Erwin
Kirkland, Washington

"Grant Erwin" wrote in message
...
I've got this silly idea for a design using bicycle spokes. I can't
measure this
thread and I don't know metric threads very well at all. I do have a real
cheapo
shadowgraph style optical comparator, and was able to get what I believe
is a
usable picture. The scale shown is millimeters, and it appears there are
either
20 or 21 threads per 10mm, don't know which to count as #1. The spoke
threads
mic at .078" which is real close to 2mm. Not that I have a die this size,
but
can anyone ID this thread and explain how to do it? See the image:
http://www.tinyisland.com/images/temp/spokeThreads.jpg

Grant Erwin
Kirkland, Washington

2-56

On Wed, 21 Sep 2005 16:03:07 -0700, Grant Erwin
wrote:

I've got this silly idea for a design using bicycle spokes. I can't measure this
thread and I don't know metric threads very well at all. I do have a real cheapo
shadowgraph style optical comparator, and was able to get what I believe is a
usable picture. The scale shown is millimeters, and it appears there are either
20 or 21 threads per 10mm, don't know which to count as #1. The spoke threads
mic at .078" which is real close to 2mm. Not that I have a die this size, but
can anyone ID this thread and explain how to do it? See the image:
http://www.tinyisland.com/images/temp/spokeThreads.jpg

Grant Erwin
Kirkland, Washington
You want a thread roller. I suspect you have a 2mmX.5 thread.
You can not effectively cut threads that small on a wire spoke, but a
rolled thread is simple, and a lot stronger. A good motorcycle shop
should be able to do the job for you - sounds a bit heavier than the
standard bicycle spoke.

jtaylor wrote:

"Grant Erwin" wrote
can anyone ID this thread and explain how to do it? See the image:
http://www.tinyisland.com/images/temp/spokeThreads.jpg

2-56

Bingo! Should have thought of that. I did in fact have a 2-56 die, and I was
able to extend the thread like I needed to. Wow, that was quick.

Some time ago I saw a design for a tool to center a punchmarked piece in the
4-jaw on a lathe. The guy made a shank which clamped a piece of rubber sheet
vertically in his toolpost, exposed on both sides. There was a tiny hole in the
sheet and through this he inserted a bicycle spoke with a spoke nipple threaded
way on, flange towards the rubber. Then another spoke nipple threaded onto the
end sticking through the rubber, and another spoke threaded into the second
nipple. The effect was to suspend two spokes roughly in alignment with the lathe
axis, mounted on a rubber sheet. He cut down the spoke towards the headstock to
about 1", and sharpened it, and the other spoke he cut off at about 10", and he
sharpened it too. To use it, you catch the short end in your punchmark, spin the
lathe, and adjust your 4-jaw until the far end ran true, pointing right at a
center in the tailstock. There's a 10-1 magnification factor. Sounded real easy
to make, but I never knew anything about bicycle spokes. Until today, that is.
It's a piece of cake to thread 2 spokes and 2 spoke nipples together so the
flanges meet, and it would be real easy to tighten this over a piece of
innertube about the size of a postage stamp.

I'm going to make this, and I'll post pix when I'm done. Might be soon, might be
5 years from now (my queue is l-o-o-o-n-g) but I'll get to it, hopefully before
I need it.

Toughest part's going to be straightening the spokes, which aren't particularly
straight.

Anyone remember the exact source for this design? I'm sure it was either HSM or
PIM but I can't find it.

GWE

Grant Erwin wrote:

jtaylor wrote:

"Grant Erwin" wrote

can anyone ID this thread and explain how to do it? See the image:
http://www.tinyisland.com/images/temp/spokeThreads.jpg


2-56


Bingo! Should have thought of that. I did in fact have a 2-56 die, and I
was able to extend the thread like I needed to. Wow, that was quick.

Some time ago I saw a design for a tool to center a punchmarked piece in
the 4-jaw on a lathe. The guy made a shank which clamped a piece of
rubber sheet vertically in his toolpost, exposed on both sides. There
was a tiny hole in the sheet and through this he inserted a bicycle
spoke with a spoke nipple threaded way on, flange towards the rubber.
Then another spoke nipple threaded onto the end sticking through the
rubber, and another spoke threaded into the second nipple. The effect
was to suspend two spokes roughly in alignment with the lathe axis,
mounted on a rubber sheet. He cut down the spoke towards the headstock
to about 1", and sharpened it, and the other spoke he cut off at about
10", and he sharpened it too. To use it, you catch the short end in your
punchmark, spin the lathe, and adjust your 4-jaw until the far end ran
true, pointing right at a center in the tailstock. There's a 10-1
magnification factor. Sounded real easy to make, but I never knew
anything about bicycle spokes. Until today, that is. It's a piece of
cake to thread 2 spokes and 2 spoke nipples together so the flanges
meet, and it would be real easy to tighten this over a piece of
innertube about the size of a postage stamp.

I'm going to make this, and I'll post pix when I'm done. Might be soon,
might be 5 years from now (my queue is l-o-o-o-n-g) but I'll get to it,
hopefully before I need it.

Toughest part's going to be straightening the spokes, which aren't
particularly straight.

Anyone remember the exact source for this design? I'm sure it was either
HSM or PIM but I can't find it.

GWE

These were more common when I was younger, but "tailor made" ones are
still available new:

http://www.omwcorp.com/prod_ctw.shtml

But if it was me, I'd also make my own and save 30 bux plus shipping.
More fun and satisfaction that way, and little chance of screwing it up. :-)

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia

(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)

"Truth exists; only falsehood has to be invented."

"Grant Erwin" wrote in message
...
Some time ago I saw a design for a tool to center a punchmarked piece in
the 4-jaw on a lathe. The guy made a shank which clamped a piece of rubber
sheet vertically in his toolpost, exposed on both sides. There was a tiny
hole in the sheet and through this he inserted a bicycle spoke with a
spoke nipple threaded way on, flange towards the rubber. Then another
spoke nipple threaded onto the end sticking through the rubber, and
another spoke threaded into the second nipple. The effect was to suspend
two spokes roughly in alignment with the lathe axis, mounted on a rubber
sheet. He cut down the spoke towards the headstock to about 1", and
sharpened it, and the other spoke he cut off at about 10", and he
sharpened it too. To use it, you catch the short end in your punchmark,
spin the lathe, and adjust your 4-jaw until the far end ran true, pointing
right at a center in the tailstock. There's a 10-1 magnification factor.

Wouldn't it be easier to use (and maybe to make) if you drilled out a block
sized to fit in your toolpost, and glued the wiggler (centered) inside the
hole with a little RTV silicone?

You don't need heaps of flexibility, since the wiggler ordinarily wouldn't
make excursions of more than a couple of degrees. The mounting system would
be conducive to quick setup and teardown, and could be adjusted to
near-center easily and quickly with no more tools than it takes to mount a
cutting tool.

LLoyd

jtaylor wrote:
mic at .078" which is real close to 2mm. Not that I have a die this size,

2-56

2-56 has a nominal diameter of 0.086" (0.060+2x0.013).

Ted

"Ted Edwards" wrote in message
news:%uEYe.270159$tt5.196359@edtnps90...
jtaylor wrote:
mic at .078" which is real close to 2mm. Not that I have a die this
size,

2-56

2-56 has a nominal diameter of 0.086" (0.060+2x0.013).


Cycle threads are rolled; the unthreaded spoke diameter could well be .078.

jtaylor wrote:
"Ted Edwards" wrote in message
news:%uEYe.270159$tt5.196359@edtnps90...

jtaylor wrote:

mic at .078" which is real close to 2mm. Not that I have a die this

size,

2-56

2-56 has a nominal diameter of 0.086" (0.060+2x0.013).



Cycle threads are rolled; the unthreaded spoke diameter could well be .078.

My spokes have a rolled thread. They are 2mm x 56 tpi which is a hybrid thread,
but I was able to use a 2-56 die to increase the thread length on one spoke
which was all I needed to do.

GWE