The hardest part about making threaded lidded boxes is holding the bottom of the box on the lathe to finish the bottom, without damaging the threads. You can make a threaded piece for each box, but what a hassle that would be. I looked around online for a solution, didn't find much so I decided to tackle it myself. The following is what I came up with and it works perfectly. I created a set of threaded jaws that fit on my G3 Cole jaws set. I decided to use the cole jaws as a base because they have a flat surface and I didn't need to worry about an alignment grove. I used a piece of IPE, hard stuff, turned to the shape I needed, threaded it. Before taking it off the face plate, I made sure I drilled a 3/16 hole on center. Closed the cole jaws on a 3/16 brass rod and slid the threaded on top. From there I clamped it down, screwed a sharpened bolt, from the backside to mark my drill locations, After drilling them all and countersinks added I made sure to mark the cole jaws and the homemade piece with jaw numbers. They have to be in order when using. I marked the piece where I need to separate them. The last step was to remove the piece from the cole jaws and cut it into quarters and then just bolt them back on. Pictures show three different size threaded boxes all fitting perfectly, no need to make a special part for every box. These should work for openings approximately 2.5 to 3.75.
DIY Jaws
- Thread starter KenB259
- Start date
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Curly
Member
Clever solution, the thread pitch being the same on each box is accommodating of some diameter differences.
Do you think attaching 4 blocks to the Cole jaws first, turning them and finally threading them would result in any better concentricity or ease of making? Or more of a different journey to get to the same place sort of thing?
Do you think attaching 4 blocks to the Cole jaws first, turning them and finally threading them would result in any better concentricity or ease of making? Or more of a different journey to get to the same place sort of thing?
I'm not sure, the way I did it, they are pretty darn precise and concentric. Before I had the cole jaws idea, I ordered a 100 mm set of jaws that have accessory threaded holes in them. I'll probably try a set with those jaws too to try and eliminate the cold jaws.
Dieseldoc
Member
Ken; Need to invest in a vac chuck system. Check the One way system out. I make different cup 's for holding projects.,works like a dream.
monophoto
Member
Neat solution, but I think that rather than using Ipe or some other hard wood, I would sacrifice a cheap HDPE cutting board. HDPE cuts beautifully and threads very nicely, but I would think that the threads would not be so hard that they might bung up the threads on the inside of the box.
Curious as to why you think HDPE would be better.
monophoto
Member
Ease of turning, and a bit softer than hardwoods like IPE that could mangle the box threads if they are aligned just right when you expand the jaws. And HDPE cutting boards are fairly inexpensive at dollar stores, while my hardwood dealer charges a fortune for IPE.
dogcatcher
Member
I used a blank of HDPE. Been awhile so some info is a guess. The blank was about 1.25" thick, I drilled and tapped for a 1/2 bolt in the back. Using the bolt as a mount for collet chuck I turned to correct size and threaded the HDPE.
Plan on messing up a few blanks. DO NOT REMOVE THE BOLT. 99% of the time if you do it will screw back in correct. Its the 1% that hurts.
Plan on messing up a few blanks. DO NOT REMOVE THE BOLT. 99% of the time if you do it will screw back in correct. Its the 1% that hurts.
I don't expand the jaws onto the box. I just expand the jaws where the box threads onto it and tightens up against the back. Time will tell but it's working perfectly.
KMCloonan
Member
Thanks for sharing your process Ken. I am not at the point where I will be doing any threading in the near future, but I really like how you laid out and explained your process, with photos. I never know if I will start looking at something like this next year (I will be retired), and I can always come back to your post to review it.
I'm looking to be retired in a year also
