How to put threads on steel rod

On Thu, 29 Apr 2004 09:12:17 -0700, Mitch from NYC wrote:

> I need to use steel rod on a gizmo I'm making. It needs to be smooth
> along its length but the ends need to be threaded. I don't know what
> lengths of rod I'll need but there will be enough different lengths that I
> will need to cut it myself. What tool do I need to put threads on the
> ends? How do I do this?
>
> Thanks,
> Mitch

Go to www.grizzly.com and search for "die"

-Doug

--
"A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always
depend on the support of Paul." - George Bernard Shaw

On 29 Apr 2004 16:17:37 GMT, Dave Hinz <[email protected]> wrote:

>On 29 Apr 2004 09:12:17 -0700, Mitch from NYC <[email protected]> wrote:
>> I need to use steel rod on a gizmo I'm making. It needs to be smooth
>> along its length but the ends need to be threaded. I don't know what
>> lengths of rod I'll need but there will be enough different lengths
>> that I will need to cut it myself. What tool do I need to put threads
>> on the ends? How do I do this?
>
>You want a "die", which kind of looks like a nut, but has sharpened teeth
>to cut the thread. Use cutting fluid (motor oil works in a pinch) to
>keep things lubricated, & just thread it on.

remember to back the die off to clear out the chips frequently. like
every quarter turn or so.



> A good hardware store
>should have an assortment and be able to advise you what thread you
>should use for your application.
>
>Dave "...has a metalworking shop as well" Hinz

[email protected] wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Edwin Pawlowski <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > "Mitch from NYC" <[email protected]> wrote in message ...
> > > What tool do I need to put threads
> > > on the ends? How do I do this?
>
> > No tools needed. You take the rod to work with you. Take a couple of
> > coffees down to the maintenance guys and ask them if it can be done. They
> > will say sure, how long do you want the thread? Tell them. Pick it up ten
> > minutes later.
>
> > No icky cutting oils, no expense for a tool that you will never use again.
>
> Ha! Reminds me of the days when I worked for a research department
> at the university. They had a machine shop and two machinists who's
> job it was to make up fixtures and gadgets for experiments. I needed
> a drill bit one day to put a hole in some aluminum diamond plate
> on an instrument truck. Went in to the shop to ask the machinist for
> a drill bit. He asked what it was for and then proceded to regrind
> the profile of the bit to work better in aluminum. Those guys were
> amazing. They would have had no problem cutting threads on round stock
> to any pitch and length needed, and would have had chamfered
> the end of the thread slightly to make starting the nut easier, and
> probably a couple other nice touches I might or might not notice.
>
> Bill Ranck
> Blacksburg, Va.

Similar experience, only the shop had 4-5 guys on staff and I was a
grad student. I approached things a little differently: I always
asked HOW they would recommend doing something. The pro's were
always interested in teaching if you were willing to learn. Very few
people can come up with custom equipment designs as screwed up as
physicists who haven't spent time making their own parts.

The department also had a reasonably well stocked shop for student use
-- basically old but sound machines with nary a digital readout to be
found. Learned a lot of design by doing my own machining. Of all
the things in grad school time spent in the shop is probably what I
miss the most. Since the current choice is working in wood I don't
have room for metal tools.

hex
-30-

P.S. to keep this at least marginally on topic:
to the OP -- go get a die. If you haven't experience with a die, then
the posts elsewhere in this thread about cutting threads on a lathe
are a little far off. It's not all that hard to cut threads with a
good lathe, but still significantly harder than cutting threads with a
die.

You've already heard about what tool to use. You might also consider
using a bolt of the proper length, cut off the head, then thread the
unthreaded end. End result, a smooth shank thats threaded on both ends
and of sufficient strength (probably) for the project at hand. Cheaper
than buying unthreaded rod and stronger too.

Mitch from NYC wrote:
> I need to use steel rod on a gizmo I'm making. It needs to be smooth
> along its length but the ends need to be threaded. I don't know what
> lengths of rod I'll need but there will be enough different lengths
> that I will need to cut it myself. What tool do I need to put threads
> on the ends? How do I do this?
>
> Thanks,
> Mitch

"Mitch from NYC" <[email protected]> wrote in message ...
> What tool do I need to put threads
> on the ends? How do I do this?
>
> Thanks,
> Mitch

No tools needed. You take the rod to work with you. Take a couple of
coffees down to the maintenance guys and ask them if it can be done. They
will say sure, how long do you want the thread? Tell them. Pick it up ten
minutes later.

No icky cutting oils, no expense for a tool that you will never use again.
Ed

On 29 Apr 2004 09:12:17 -0700, Mitch from NYC <[email protected]> wrote:
> I need to use steel rod on a gizmo I'm making. It needs to be smooth
> along its length but the ends need to be threaded. I don't know what
> lengths of rod I'll need but there will be enough different lengths
> that I will need to cut it myself. What tool do I need to put threads
> on the ends? How do I do this?

You want a "die", which kind of looks like a nut, but has sharpened teeth
to cut the thread. Use cutting fluid (motor oil works in a pinch) to
keep things lubricated, & just thread it on. A good hardware store
should have an assortment and be able to advise you what thread you
should use for your application.

Dave "...has a metalworking shop as well" Hinz

Mitch from NYC <[email protected]> wrote:
> I need to use steel rod on a gizmo I'm making. It needs to be smooth
> along its length but the ends need to be threaded. I don't know what
> lengths of rod I'll need but there will be enough different lengths
> that I will need to cut it myself. What tool do I need to put threads
> on the ends? How do I do this?

You need a die. It's the compliment to a tap. You can
buy individual dies, and a separate handle to mount it in,
at a hardware store. Most standard thread pitches are
readily available. You can also buy tap and die sets.
This might be more economical if you have need for more
than one size thread.

Bill Ranck
Blacksburg, Va.

Edwin Pawlowski <[email protected]> wrote:

> "Mitch from NYC" <[email protected]> wrote in message ...
> > What tool do I need to put threads
> > on the ends? How do I do this?

> No tools needed. You take the rod to work with you. Take a couple of
> coffees down to the maintenance guys and ask them if it can be done. They
> will say sure, how long do you want the thread? Tell them. Pick it up ten
> minutes later.

> No icky cutting oils, no expense for a tool that you will never use again.

Ha! Reminds me of the days when I worked for a research department
at the university. They had a machine shop and two machinists who's
job it was to make up fixtures and gadgets for experiments. I needed
a drill bit one day to put a hole in some aluminum diamond plate
on an instrument truck. Went in to the shop to ask the machinist for
a drill bit. He asked what it was for and then proceded to regrind
the profile of the bit to work better in aluminum. Those guys were
amazing. They would have had no problem cutting threads on round stock
to any pitch and length needed, and would have had chamfered
the end of the thread slightly to make starting the nut easier, and
probably a couple other nice touches I might or might not notice.

Bill Ranck
Blacksburg, Va.

On Thu, 29 Apr 2004 19:37:43 GMT, Edwin Pawlowski <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> No tools needed. You take the rod to work with you. Take a couple of
> coffees down to the maintenance guys and ask them if it can be done. They
> will say sure, how long do you want the thread? Tell them. Pick it up ten
> minutes later.

Good point. Food and/or drink is always a valuable tool for such
situations.

> No icky cutting oils, no expense for a tool that you will never use again.

But...must...buy...tools... I'm not sure how to mentally arrange this.
Clever approach vs. new tools. I thought "buy 'em all" was the
general advice here?

Dave Hinz

You buy a tap and die set.

--
Mike G.
[email protected]
Heirloom Woods
www.heirloom-woods.net
"Mitch from NYC" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I need to use steel rod on a gizmo I'm making. It needs to be smooth
> along its length but the ends need to be threaded. I don't know what
> lengths of rod I'll need but there will be enough different lengths
> that I will need to cut it myself. What tool do I need to put threads
> on the ends? How do I do this?
>
> Thanks,
> Mitch

On 29 Apr 2004 09:12:17 -0700, [email protected] (Mitch from
NYC) wrote:

>I need to use steel rod on a gizmo I'm making. It needs to be smooth
>along its length but the ends need to be threaded. I don't know what
>lengths of rod I'll need but there will be enough different lengths
>that I will need to cut it myself. What tool do I need to put threads
>on the ends? How do I do this?
>
>Thanks,
>Mitch


A "die" will cut threads on bar stock. Use cutting oil.