I want to make some bookbinding presses. They (like bench vices) are easiest to use when you have a nice big thread on the screw-bit. And wood is an ideal material because it doesn’t bind up under pressure like metal does.
I don’t have a lathe. Im not completely opposed to getting one… I’ve been looking longingly at treadle lathes…
But looking online it seems like threads seem to be done at very low rotational speed and I’m wondering a few things:
1. Can this be done with some kind of lathe-like drill jig? (I’m looking to make male and female threads with a hole/pole of roughly 30mm I reckon).
2. Anyone made threads before? On a lathe or otherwise? Any tips for a complete newbie?
4. How do you get repeatable results?
3. Are there any other ways to make threads? I’m vaguely considering a rotary CNC, but it won’t be able to do the female.
Replies
Seen these kin d of options?
https://garrettwade.com/product/1-2-in-wood-threading-kit?gclid=Cj0KCQiAgaGgBhC8ARIsAAAyLfGGSypWFZ98HjxwA-o3s_DDMMoSchhskdjBoKh6JvQCDQXBfkzMmDEaAg-aEALw_wcB
Thank you! I had forgotten about them tbh! 😅
I never made threads, but I saw a spiral candle stick being made when I was a summer student at Phil Lowe's furniture institute. The student under Phil's direction spent hours laying out the spiral and using carving tools to remove the material. You are right to seek a mechanized version!
Dang! That sounds intense!
The threadboxes linked above work, but they are very finicky, and the cutters on new ones are crap. A German company makes a modern version that is excellent, but extremely pricey.
If I were going to do wooden threads again, I'd look into the Beall router threading setup.
"And wood is an ideal material because it doesn’t bind up under pressure like metal does. " Have you tried lubing the threads? I do not know how a threaded shaft would bind/
It does. 🤷♀️ I dunno. Maybe because some presses have two screws?
It's also that metal threads are usually pretty small. So you're twisting heaps of rotations to open and close it. If I wanted a similar metal thread I'd have to use like an acroprop or something.
Use acme threaded rod, and it solves that issue. Or use two readily available and inexpensive veneer press screws.
I googled both of your suggestions and the threads are too dense. But thank you anyway!
If you can get a cylindrical shaft of the desired diameter without a lathe (possibly with round over bits and hand work) you can lay out the threads with a paper strip of the right width and file them with a triangular file. Use your spiral lay-out line as the tip of the threads, not the bottom of the gullet. There was an article in fww years ago describing how to cut female threads using an existing male threaded shaft and a jig. If you need to make just one, I would do it by hand and jig. Note: wood threads typically have fairly loose tolerances.
I'll try and find that article, thank you! That's fine re the tolerances, backlash is easier to manage than binding.
They have tap and die kits like that on ebay. There is a Taiwan version advertised that is as cheap as dirt. For under $20 what's to lose? Your probably only going to need it to work once anyway! Lee Valley sells a kit but more money. I wonder if a plumbers tap and die would work? Threads might be a little small for wood but I find that things that can cut metal often cut wood as well! Since you don't have a lathe it's possible that the learning curve to be able to cut male and female treads might slow down your bookbinding.
Have a look at this:
https://www.highlandwoodworking.com/benchcrafted-moxon-vise.aspx