Morning, to make the shaft of my makeshift spindle sander long enough I was planning to tap a thread into a steel tube with a 10mm internal diameter and screw this onto the shaft so that the spindle is a long enough to use. Has anyone a good idea for clamping said tube hard enough to tap the thread inside of it without distorting the tube?
…on an elaborate journey to turn trees into music.
Has anyone a good idea for clamping said tube hard enough to tap the thread inside of it without distorting the tube?
@tej Not sure but have you got a wooden dowel you can put inside so it will enable you to clamp it a bit better?
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@boo yeah that might help, don’t have any the right size but can turn some the right size. Other thoughts were sacrificing the end where it’s clamped, using oil for cutting or getting thicker walled tubing.
…on an elaborate journey to turn trees into music.
You could drill a hole into a rectangular piece of wood, then cut it through the length to give two pieces each with a semi circle. Use this as a clamping guide to hold the tube in a vice. With a bit of adjustment everything should line up so the there is enough holding pressure without distorting the tube.
Some people call me a tool, others are less complimentary. Tools being useful things.
@rocknroller912 sounds like a good plan too, I’ve got to get some more tube anyway now as the piece I was using went astray!
…on an elaborate journey to turn trees into music.
Cutting a perfect thread by hand that will be perpendicular enough to run as a spindle moulder will be hard. It’s possible to set up on a lathe and wind in by hand if you have the correct lathe attachments. I will try and set some thing up and post a photo if you’re not sure.
Some people call me a tool, others are less complimentary. Tools being useful things.
@rocknroller912 I only have tiny hobby wood lathe, no way it would have the torque needed to cut thread in steel. I’d not really considered this. So, plan B, i could use a softer metal, brass or aluminium and the very act of screwing it even if not 100 accurate onto the steel thread of the shaft it might be forced straight. It’s not a nice option mind.
Another option could be to drill into a hardwood cylinder, screw that on and then using some sandpaper held statically to get that perfectly round.
Hmmm
…on an elaborate journey to turn trees into music.
Setting it up on a lathe is only to get things straight an level, the motor isn’t used. If you can put the tube in one end and the thread tap in a drill chuck at the other then turn the Chuck by hand and the tap winds itself in. Advance the tail stock manually as you go along. Do you know the thread that needs to be cut eg 10 mm x 1.5 mm.
An easier way might be to drill a hole in a piece of hard wood, turn it round on the lathe and set in two ordinary threaded nuts one at each end with araldite glue. I’ve made spreader devices like this and a threaded rod goes all the way through, so it would go on a spindle.
Some people call me a tool, others are less complimentary. Tools being useful things.
@rocknroller912 Firstly, you need to understand that what you mean by lathe is likely more capable than what I own, it’s one of these:
so there is no means to clamp anything into it.
Thank you for all your suggestions, given me a lot of things to experiment with!
…on an elaborate journey to turn trees into music.
Has anyone a good idea for clamping said tube hard enough to tap the thread inside of it without distorting the tube?
Drill a hole across the diameter of the tube. Drill a tube size hole in a block of wood and pin the tube to stop it from turning.
I’m getting the picture now. When people talk about hobby lathe it’s usually something quite big but just not very good quality. If there are any engineering firms near you that might be the best choice to cut a thread.
Some people call me a tool, others are less complimentary. Tools being useful things.
When people talk about hobby lathe it’s usually something quite big but just not very good quality.
@rocknroller912 Where as this is quite small and also not very good quality 🤔 To be fair used for its intended purpose it it great though. Would love a proper engineering lathe but it’s just not something I “need” or would use often enough.
@robin Thanks for the suggestion 🙂
…on an elaborate journey to turn trees into music.
If you’re still thinking about making this I had another idea. A threaded mechanism could unwind depending on the direction of rotation, so following on from Robin’s idea of drilling a hole and using a pin to hold the tube what about the following.
Drill a hole in the spindle tube and file a flat on the motor spindle and use a grub screw to locate it.
Some people call me a tool, others are less complimentary. Tools being useful things.
If you’re still thinking about making this I had another idea.
@rocknroller912 still thinking about it but thinking of using a pulley instead so that I can just use a shaft I know is true. Given the blanks are to arrive any day now I’m likely to not care about this for some time though, unless I’m waiting for something to dry 🙂 Thanks for the suggestion.
…on an elaborate journey to turn trees into music.