Thread: Making wooden vise screws

Forum member and part time author Ian Wilkie (IanW) is the man to follow; he wrote an article on making wooden threads for Australian Wood Review spread over issues 92 and 93. If you google “Ian Wilkie Wooden Threads” you’ll also find a couple of YouTube videos of him manufacturing them.

Thanks Tiff, although I watched Ian’s videos but he doesn’t go in to much detail.

Do you know if the wood review article is more in depth?

Yes; the articles provide enough info to build your own jigs and produce your own threads.

Issues - Australian Wood Review

You may be able to purchase the two back issues; I don’t know if they would be sold by AWR itself or by Yaffa Media.

Fully agree with Chief Tiff's recommendations; Ian is very helpful. He has also posted on this Forum - so do some searching.

Back copies of Wood Review are probably available in your local public library.

Yeah I get the wood review digitally through a free service the library offers but unfortunately it doesn’t quite go back to those issues so I might have to go and see them.

I felt the AWR articles were severely curtailed for editorial space.

It seemed like Ian had much more to say, but it was chopped off.

IanW has done a lot of work in showing the technique, but Id agree with the OP that there is an important element missing in the creation of the nut.

Perhaps its my imagination.

He has, as far as I can tell, done the most of anyone worldwide to promote the art and skill.

I'd really love to see (or even make!) an article or video on this.... Ive two of his enormous screws and they are so sacred to me that they are on display for every guest to see! They are more than tools, they are art.

I believe I save the articles as PDFs. Let me dig them from under the sedimentary layers of woodshavings here....

Hope this is OK - here are the PDFs.



Some sins are worthwhile

Wow thanks Woodpixel!!

Looks like I have some reading to do. At a glance it looks promising, I will get back with my findings.

I googled making wooden bolts and nuts and got heaps of responses, including multiple videos, but no idea of their relative quality. Wisdom or BS ????

One hit laid out a number of different thread profiles - no idea which is best for wooden screws - but it seems worth considering.

Thread Types.jpg

Making Wooden Threads - Homemade Tap and Screw Box - YouTube

Thanks guys, looks like Ian recommends a 60degree sharp V. Has a 5degree relief on the cutter.

I think there is enough there to give it a try, will update here as I go.

Also this series of videos is quite good:
Tap And Screw Jig Tutorial - Part One - YouTube

Well done all, what a great thread.

Had some time this arv so I made a cutter for the tap. I only had a 90deg router bit so I’m just going to give it a go even though Ian suggests 60deg.

I am planning on a 2” screw at 2 TPI so I made the cutter 1/2” wide.

I used an old HSS drill bit, bit of grinding and final shaping on the pro sharp and it came up pretty nice.






I also started on the tap screw. I had a piece of recycled iron bark in the right size. It has a few nail holes but they shouldn’t affect the operation. Waiting on some Forster bit which I will get some exact measurements of before taking the tap down to the final size.

Big-arsed wooden presses like olive, grape and apple presses used 90 degree threads so you’re not bucking tradition!