Thread: Wood Screw Help

Thanks for that link, perfect timing, So 1 1/8" 4.5 tpi 90 degree profile. it is

Regards
Ray

I'm driving back from Castlemaine but yes Chris is publishing an article on a copy he made of those benches it won' be out in pop wood until July. But any info he has will match perfect

IMG_1459.jpg

Ooops. I put the router-threader reference in Ian's thread.

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f213/h...9/#post1635783

Dale came for a visit yesterday, ( thanks Dale ) and we made a tap of sorts and cut some threads on the lathe using a router...



The tap didn't work all that well, but it got the job done, and the threads took a few goes to get the right timber and the fit somewhere near right.

Now I'm hoping to see the finished product!

Regards
Ray

Big thanks Ray, you were very generous with your time.

I have the project all laid out, just need to make the vice block, then glue up and use! I will make a go of it as soon as I get shed time.

I first laid eyes on one of these workbenches when I was checking out Chris's blog the other day and noticed a story was going to appear in the next edition of Popular Woodworking Magazine. Well I was VERY happy today when I checked the letterbox as Junes Popular Woodworking was sitting there ready for me to tear open the plastic wrapping. The story has all of the dimensions as well as how to cut the wooden threads. Chris uses the Beall Tool Co wood threading system. After reading the article I'm definitely keen to give this bench a go.

Regards
Richard

Darn! Just not quite in time for me! Here I am sitting 2,000K from my shed and already suffering withdrawal symptoms after only 4 days absence. Five more weeks to go....

I considered bringing a box of tools but my 'portable' workbench has grown heavier & bulkier in the dozen years since it was made (the wood must've been still green & growing! ) and I had to be a bit careful how much I packed. Seeing that little gem has inspired me to try making something smaller. There are visions of a bench-cum-small-toolbox swirling round in my head, but I have lots of time to think about it...

Just a word about thread cutting. Ray's method is great if you have the gear - gives you an almost unlimited range of thread pitches. However, if you don't have access to a sophisticated metal lathe, the method I use is fairly simple to set up. It's the same principle as the Beall, but costs virtually nothing other than the bit. The catch is, as always that you need a tap to begin with, and they are not easy to come by on their own. They are not difficult to make if you are a dab hand on a metal lathe (we seem to go in circles, don't we!?). You don't need to harden taps for wood, so any turn-able steel works well.

If you do make a tap or have one made, I strongly suggest you don't use metal taps as your template. Wooden taps are harder to start straight & keep straight, so a good 25m or more of pilot lead, turned to the minor diameter of your thread (i.e. the same size as the pilot hole) makes them very much more controllable. The other gripe I have with most commercial taps is that they use too fine a thread for the larger sizes. Five or six tpi is ok for 1" diameter sscrews, but 6 tpi is way too fine for a 1.5" tap, imo, and 4 tpi works much better...

Cheers,

Same milkmans bench now with wedges (wood thread not required) ‘Milkman’s Workbench’ Without Screws - Popular Woodworking Magazine

Wedges are another way to go…………But still think I'd rather have a couple of good screws!!

Originally Posted by DSEL74

Wedges are another way to go…………But still think I'd rather have a couple of good screws!!

Wouldn't we all?....

Wedges are certainly an option, but they are a bit clumsy in this situation, if you wish to do any planning. There are other options before you get there, I think. One would be to use some large steel bolts instead of wooden screws. Wood takes internal threads (cross-grain) very well, & the main drawback is that they are more likely to marr your work, so you will need to use a buffer strip or something. They will be a bit slower to open & close due to the typically finer threads for metal, but you could probably live with that. You can use a metal tap if you have one, but no need to buy a large tap if you don't already have it (they're not cheap when you get to larger sizes!). I've used this method successfully: Take a a bolt of the right size & taper off the first 6 or so threads with a file, then cut a wide slot down the centre for 20mm or so, to allow shavings to escape. It's a bit awkward to keep running straight, but it works, & in the right wood will make a surprisingly good thread...

Cheers,

Hand-making Woodscrews