# Retractable threading tool



## bronson (Jan 15, 2012)

Does anyone have plans for a retractable threading tool i saw one over on another site but no plans. I have a southbend and no thread dial so i thought this would help when leaving the half nuts engaged and reversing the lathe to start the second cut. Thanks


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## tel (Jan 15, 2012)

John Bogstandard built an ingenious 'swing up' type - the build is over on Madmodder


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## bronson (Jan 15, 2012)

Thanks i just found it and am reading it now. Thanks for the quick reply.


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## Ned Ludd (Jan 15, 2012)

Don't just read about it, get on and build one. They come highly recommended! :bow:
Ned


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## Blogwitch (Jan 16, 2012)

Build the much easier to make one, as shown in sketches towards the end.

I made a real meal of the initial one, purely because it was a prototype, and put more into it than what was really required.

BTW, it really does work great. Ever since I have made mine, the drop in dial hasn't been used.


John


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## Niels Abildgaard (Jan 16, 2012)

bronson  said:
			
		

> Thanks i just found it and am reading it now. Thanks for the quick reply.



Link Please?


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## wheeltapper (Jan 16, 2012)

I'll second that, build a swing up toolholder, I did nd it's brilliant.

Roy


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## spuddevans (Jan 16, 2012)

Niels Abildgaard  said:
			
		

> Link Please?



There you go

http://madmodder.net/index.php?topic=2323.0


Tim


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## Niels Abildgaard (Jan 17, 2012)

Hello Tim

Thank You for link


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## Blogwitch (Jan 17, 2012)

I thought that I had better remind everyone.

THE SWING UP THREADING TOOL REQUIRES A LATHE THAT CAN BE RUN IN REVERSE AS WELL.


John


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## TroyO (Jan 17, 2012)

:big: :big:

I can *so* see myself doing that.... spend hours making something then.... ummm... where's the reverse switch? ???


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## bambuko (Jan 17, 2012)

It's not the switch you worry about :big: it's your chuck flying off
Perhaps "CAN BE" should be replaced with "IS SAFE TO"

Chris


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## bronson (Jan 17, 2012)

I am just getting around to the tool now cause i am just installing a new 3/4 hp motor with reverse on my southbend tonight. So soon as the motor install in done i can start on the new tool.


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## Ned Ludd (Jan 17, 2012)

Hi Guys,
There should be little or no risk of the chuck unscrewing itself, unless there is a violent change of direction. The chuck will not unscrew because of any running load as there is none from the tool whilst in reverse.
Ned


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## tel (Jan 22, 2012)

Tel suits actions to words ..... started my version yesterday. Thanks Boggy for a tremendous gizmo - I have high hopes for it!


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## Blogwitch (Jan 22, 2012)

Tel,

Yours is how I should have made my original, but as I said, it was done on the run.

The main advantage of your one is that it has nothing stopping the swing up part from going all the way over. This will allow you to try for fit the nut. With mine, I have to come off the threaded part about an inch before I can do that.

Very nicely made, and I hope it works for you as well as it looks. 

Mine has halved the time it takes me to single point a thread, and I could never go back to the old method of the drop in dial.


John


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## Niels Abildgaard (Jan 22, 2012)

There is another type of retractable tool holder depicted on page 31 Zerspanungswerkzeug from the Swiss firm of Ifanger.
It seems to be a smart way to retreat and re-feed a threading toolpoint up to 4 mm which would satisfy me at any rate.If this kind of toolholder was mounted directly on the locked crosslide real high speed high quality threading must be the outcome.
Has anybody seen or even better used such a thing?
There are triangular toolbits available from another source so some kind of tangential holder is lurking in my brain.
How does the Ifanger thing work or do I have to buy one and put up later on E-bay?
If someone with the ability can put here the relevant link to page 31 Ifanger catalogue our common ignorance can be lifted to an altogether higher level.
The picture seems so old that Patents are no longer an issue.


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## Blogwitch (Jan 22, 2012)

Niels,

I am a bit confused about what you have said, but as a reply, there are a few retracting tool holders that plans can be got for, and they seem to do a reasonable job. I studied those plans before I embarked on the development of this type, from an idea off another forum. The plans ones just looked too complicated for the job they had to do.

The advantage of these swing up ones is that you can put the next feed cut on while it is going back to the start.

John Stevenson actually uses a thread chaser in his version, rather than a single point tool, and he says it does a wonderful job of cutting a perfectly formed thread. 


John


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## tel (Jan 22, 2012)

Thanks John - I could see a bit advantage in having the holder able to swing right back out of the way.

Now I have to give some careful thought to the mounting arrangements - no QCTP and no immediate plans of getting one, so it will have to mount direct to the existing tool holder or to the top of the topslide. And ideally I want to be able to swap it between the ML7 and the 9x20


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## Blogwitch (Jan 22, 2012)

Tel,

Can't you just screw say an oblong section 10mm thick bar along the back of the tool, in line with the cutting tool in the swing up holder, and mount it as you would a normal cutting tool. As you have very little cutting force acting on it, it could stand being away from the toolholder a little. It could then be mounted on both machines.

I showed that bar across the back in the sketches I made at the end of the original article on madmodder.

Good luck with setting up and using the tool.


John


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## tel (Jan 22, 2012)

Yep, I noticed that on your sketch and may well go that way. What I'll have to do first is compare the heights from tool holder to centre height on both lathes, make it to suit the lesser one and make a dedicated packing piece for the greater.


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## tel (Jan 22, 2012)

Well, I've given up, for now, on the idea of setting it up for both lathes and have just focused on getting it mounted to the 9 x 20 (which has a Norton type box).

The moment of truth! And what a moment! Grabbed the first stub of stuff to hand (10mm brass) and set the machine to the only thread it would cut (0.7mm) with the gears presently on it and .....


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## Blogwitch (Jan 23, 2012)

Tel, looks like you have got yourself a keeper then. :bow: :bow:

Maybe, because they are fairly easy to make, you could knock up a second one, specifically designed and sized to fit the Myford.

The thing is, even though it is early days yet, and you most probably need to get used to the technique, did you find it fairly easy to cut that thread?


John


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## tel (Jan 23, 2012)

Very easy John - that was the roughest set-up you have ever seen, just aligned by eye and grabbed the nearest off cut and when for it. The beast performed as advertised and more! Now I don't often wax lyrical about this sort of thing, but that is a winner! 

Yes, a second unit for the ML7 is on the cards, tho the 9x20 will probably get used for the bulk of my threading from now on.


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## tel (Jan 23, 2012)

Another trial cut, this time 1/2" x 12 tpi. Sorry about the crappy pic - I ran out of light.


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## bezalel2000 (Jan 23, 2012)

tel  said:
			
		

> Another trial cut, this time 1/2" x 12 tpi. <snip>



Hi tel

That'll never sell in the States - 

for some strange reason they like 13 tpi on there arf inch bolts.  ;D

" The Beaut thing about standards is ;


We got so many to choose from"  :big:


Bez

P.S. Nice tool holder too!


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## tel (Jan 23, 2012)

;D US Ebay, here we come!!!! 'Rare, collectable stud with nut ....'


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## Omnimill (Jan 24, 2012)

Only just seen this, Thanks for posting the pictures of your holder Tel. I think I'll have to add it to the "to do" list!

Vic.


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## tel (Jan 24, 2012)

I can thoroughly recommend it Vic - the Boggy one came up with a winner here!


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## Omnimill (Jan 24, 2012)

He normally does Tel. The bloke is either costing me time to make stuff or money to buy useful stuff he keeps finding that I didn't know I needed. ;D
I ignored one of his last finds out of principle ... :big:

Vic.


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## bronson (Jan 25, 2012)

That's a nice tool that you made TEL. I haven't even had a chance to start one and tomorrow i have to get my knee scoped will be a couple of weeks now. Great job are yours.


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## tel (Jan 26, 2012)

Thanks Bronson, I'm very happy with the result, and I'm sure you will be as well, once you get it done.

Good luck with the knee and bounce back quickly!


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## tel (Jan 29, 2012)

Too much fun! I'll have to pull this thing off the lathe before I run out of stock!


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## dsquire (Jan 29, 2012)

Tel

It does look like you are having fun. :bow:

Will it work for a left hand thread or does it require one to be built in reverse?

Cheers 

Don


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## tel (Jan 29, 2012)

Yep, no problem doing a lefty - here's an 8 point l/h Acme


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## dsquire (Jan 29, 2012)

Tel

That looks real good. Glad to see that it has worked out so good for you. Looks like you have all bases covered. :bow:

Cheers 

Don


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## Blogwitch (Jan 29, 2012)

Don,

If you can stand my monotone voice and watching paint dry, here is a vid of my prototype in action, the second cutting sequence shows how easy left hand threading really is. LH threading starts at about 3 mins 10 secs. Where this method scores is that you put the next cut on as it is running back to the start.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JFdNaBD5GM[/ame]


John


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## dsquire (Jan 29, 2012)

John

Thanks for that video. I followed the original when you first made your retractable threading tool but I didn't remember if it could do left hand threads. Now I know that it can do both. :bow:

Cheers 

Don


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## metalmad (Jan 29, 2012)

I really need to make one of these :bow:
Pete


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## tel (Jan 29, 2012)

You'll be _really_ glad you did Pete!


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## tarawa (Apr 15, 2013)

Does anyone have a drawing for this holder?



Blogwitch said:


> Don,
> 
> If you can stand my monotone voice and watching paint dry, here is a vid of my prototype in action, the second cutting sequence shows how easy left hand threading really is. LH threading starts at about 3 mins 10 secs. Where this method scores is that you put the next cut on as it is running back to the start.
> 
> ...


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