Cutting thread on brass rod

[spudulike]

I got an old Hilka tap and die set probably made around 1970s-80s when the tap and dies were made properly, all split dies and metal box etc.

As others have said, in tools like this, you get exactly what you pay for.

One option is to look for the specific die you need and purchase one decent quality one....Dormer are very good and also use Vokel for their helicoil sets and they are also very good. The other option, if you want better tools is to purchase a vintage second hand kit like I did 

Brass can chip a bit but if you stick a good taper on it, the die should grip and start to cut. 

[ucoulddoit]

Well, that was a much harder job than expected!

 

Not much spare rod, so I tried a fine taper about 12mm long and that was enough for the die to get a bite onto the brass and pull itself in. Used parafin as suggested as lubricant, but still found it quickly jammed if I wasn't careful. Could only manage about 1/8 of a turn, then backed off 2 or 3 complete turns to clear the cutter. Seemed as though the brass cuttings jammed inside the cutter instead of peeling off. For the second thread, I lightly filed the rod all round to reduce the diameter by about 0.1mm and that seemed to help.

 

I'd thought about buying a good quality 10mm die instead of a 'cheap set', but had thought that would be fine for brass. Now regretting that. But that's life!

 

Thanks again for the advice.

 

Andrew

 

[Macpherson]

3 minutes ago, ucoulddoit said:

Well, that was a much harder job than expected!

 

Not much spare rod, so I tried a fine taper about 12mm long and that was enough for the die to get a bite onto the brass and pull itself in. Used parafin as suggested as lubricant, but still found it quickly jammed if I wasn't careful. Could only manage about 1/8 of a turn, then backed off 2 or 3 complete turns to clear the cutter. Seemed as though the brass cuttings jammed inside the cutter instead of peeling off. For the second thread, I lightly filed the rod all round to reduce the diameter by about 0.1mm and that seemed to help.

 

I'd thought about buying a good quality 10mm die instead of a 'cheap set', but had thought that would be fine for brass. Now regretting that. But that's life!

 

Thanks again for the advice.

 

Andrew

 

 

Looks like a very nice clean thread👍

 

As I remember from my youth, Tallow was the preferred cutting lube for brass { rendered sheep fat ], cheers.

[Retired Climber]

1 hour ago, ucoulddoit said:

Well, that was a much harder job than expected!

 

Not much spare rod, so I tried a fine taper about 12mm long and that was enough for the die to get a bite onto the brass and pull itself in. Used parafin as suggested as lubricant, but still found it quickly jammed if I wasn't careful. Could only manage about 1/8 of a turn, then backed off 2 or 3 complete turns to clear the cutter. Seemed as though the brass cuttings jammed inside the cutter instead of peeling off. For the second thread, I lightly filed the rod all round to reduce the diameter by about 0.1mm and that seemed to help.

 

I'd thought about buying a good quality 10mm die instead of a 'cheap set', but had thought that would be fine for brass. Now regretting that. But that's life!

 

Thanks again for the advice.

 

Andrew

 

Looks good. Nice job. 

[spudulike]

1 hour ago, Macpherson said:

 

Looks like a very nice clean thread👍

 

As I remember from my youth, Tallow was the preferred cutting lube for brass { rendered sheep fat ], cheers.

Well, you must have had a tool makers background. Ours weren't supposed to use it....but they did anyway!

[Macpherson]

3 hours ago, spudulike said:

3 hours ago, spudulike said:

Well, you must have had a tool makers background. Ours weren't supposed to use it....but they did anyway!

Haha, nope just a fitter, but a very large proportion of the work was for the Admiralty which meant clinging on to traditional practices, high quality materials and very tight tolerances, but the best part was being handed down skills from the guys who were nearing retirement who often would also pass on some of their hand made tools to you, some of which I've used all my life.

 

Anyway I still keep a jar of fat from my roast Lamb dinners for the purpose. it works great but does go rancid and a bit stinky👍 

[gobbypunk]

Wow cool I didnt know Tallow was a cutting compound for Brass my girfriend uses it for her Stained glass work

[Macpherson]

2 hours ago, gobbypunk said:

Wow cool I didnt know Tallow was a cutting compound for Brass my girfriend uses it for her Stained glass work

 

Aye, like many other natural things from the past it had and still has multiple uses, it's just that industry tries to create and market new and unnecessary products that don't really work any better, but as the generations slip by the old ways get lost or perhaps deliberately buried.

 

I take it your girlfriend uses it as a flux, Borax also has this use and you should google it's lengthy list of lost traditional uses ranging from preventing wood rot to stuff that most folk won't believe cheers.

[gobbypunk]

Hi yeah I use Borax like you said loads of uses

[john87]

I was always taught [in tech] that;

 

Steel = many types of lube all depending..

Cast iron = Dry, [as the graphite in it acts as lube]

Aluminium = Paraffin

Brass =  Dry [as the zinc in it forms zinc oxide that acts as lube]

 

john..