# Threading wood



## jcgolov (Feb 22, 2017)

Hi Folks.
This might sound crazy to you pro's.
I am having some issues. In the past I have tried to thread some wood trying the usual methods such as adding some layers of CA etc., but I did not like both the outcome and the process. That was months ago.
I have been re-thinking about it lately. I like to thread Aluminite so I was wondering if for instance drilling a hole in the wood blank let say for a 10mm for an M10x1 section. I would then fill that 10mm hole with some transparent/black resin, put the blank back in the pressure tank until ready, put it back on the lathe, and drill that 9mm hole for this M10x1 thread. I would now thread the aluminite rather than the wood.
Is it crazy? 
Anybody has tried that before?
Many thanks for your feedback
Jean Claude


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## southernclay (Feb 22, 2017)

I have drilled wood, turned alumilite down to the size that fits the hole, glued it in place and then drilled and threaded the alumilite. 

As I slowly tiptoe into kitless that is something I plan to do more of. I haven't heard of anyone using the drilled hole as a mold but I suppose it would work.

Turning down a plug works though and can be done with alumilite, ebonite and other materials. 

The pen I did the above with was made from Argentine Lignum Vitae or Verawood which is threadable but it was a clicker. The pressure against the clicker end made the wood threads fail but worked wonderfully with drilling and plugging with alumilite.


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## jcgolov (Feb 22, 2017)

*resin filler*

Thank you for your input very much. I thought I was thinking of some nonsense!

The reason I wanted to mould it is because to make a plug you need precision and I am afraid to say I find turning straight barrels difficult as I do not have yet a metal lathe. Hence the mould idea 

I should maybe perceiver in turning straight lines rather my preferred curvy' ish ones.

Merci

Jean Claude


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## southernclay (Feb 22, 2017)

I don't think the precision has to be perfect but close but the adhesive should fill in slight gaps. 
Very welcome!


Sent from my iPhone using Penturners.org mobile app


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## farmer (Feb 22, 2017)

*Lathe*



jcgolov said:


> Hi Folks.
> This might sound crazy to you pro's.
> I am having some issues. In the past I have tried to thread some wood trying the usual methods such as adding some layers of CA etc., but I did not like both the outcome and the process. That was months ago.
> I have been re-thinking about it lately. I like to thread Aluminite so I was wondering if for instance drilling a hole in the wood blank let say for a 10mm for an M10x1 section. I would then fill that 10mm hole with some transparent/black resin, put the blank back in the pressure tank until ready, put it back on the lathe, and drill that 9mm hole for this M10x1 thread. I would now thread the aluminite rather than the wood.
> ...



Hi 
Threading wood ..

I am live cutting in my wood threads .  
Do you have metal style lathe with a steady rest ?


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## jcgolov (Feb 22, 2017)

farmer said:


> jcgolov said:
> 
> 
> > Hi Folks.
> ...





No I do not have a metal lathe. I am however budgeting for one 
If I had one I might do the metal rods as suggested. I have only a wood turning lathe. Hence the thought of moulding etc.


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## farmer (Feb 22, 2017)

*Metal lathe*



jcgolov said:


> farmer said:
> 
> 
> > jcgolov said:
> ...



When you get a metal lathe Contact me or run a thread on live cutting .
I can help get you set up where you can live cut any thread on your lathe without ever switching it on.
I can also help getting you set up to start segmenting and cutting inlays on your lathe .

When I use a tap or die I wax or grease the wood ..
Try to use sharp taps and dies  and only use the taps and dies on wood ..
If you want to thread metal use different taps or dies ...

PS oiled wood is stronger then dried wood .....

Don't cowboy the tap or die ,, back off or out clean the tap or die and cut a little at time.


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## mredburn (Feb 22, 2017)

You might turn our blank straight but oversized.  Then drill and thread either the wood or insert, then contour the outside to final shape and size.  You can make a threaded mandrell  out of brass to mount in the lathe chuck that  matches the threads in the blank.


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## magpens (Feb 22, 2017)

> The reason I wanted to mould it is because to make a plug you need  precision and I am afraid to say I find turning straight barrels  difficult as I do not have yet a metal lathe. Hence the mould idea
> 
> I should maybe perceiver in turning straight lines rather my preferred curvy' ish ones.
> 
> ...



Since you are only making a short plug on the wood lathe, you can get the sides almost perfectly straight but (a) first turning to the approximate size, but close (just a little over the final size) and then (b) using a wide skew on its side or a wide scraper to take of the last little bit from the side of the plug, leaving it a tiny bit smaller than you hole you will put it into.  Glue (epoxy) will fill up the small gap.

You should have a set of digital readout calipers to check sizes.


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## BRobbins629 (Feb 22, 2017)

From a long time ago...

http://www.penturners.org/forum/f56/tapping-threads-wooden-pens-8415/


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## jttheclockman (Feb 22, 2017)

Alumilite will not adhere to wood very well in that situation. Now if you use a larger thread in the wood and then cast you will now give the alumilite something to grab on. Just another thought.


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## jcgolov (Feb 24, 2017)

many thanks folks for sharing your ideas.


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