Module 6

Materials and Hardware

Fasteners

Part 2 – Thread Cutting

 Fasteners

Cutting Screw Threads at the Bench

Screw threads of up to about 1 ¼ " can be successfully produced by

hand methods using taps for internal threads and dies for external
threads.

Before tapping, a hole must be drilled which should be equivalent to

or slightly larger than the minor diameter of the thread.

Reference tables giving recommended drill tapping sizes are a part

of every engineer’s tool kit.
 Fasteners
Taps

These are used for cutting internal screw-threads.

Made of hardened and tempered high carbon steel or high speed

steel, they are fluted shafts with multiple cutting edges and driving
flats on one end.

The flutes are provided to clear the swarf during the cutting process.

Usually manufactured in sets of three, comprising:

Taper, intermediate and bottoming taps.

Fasteners
Fasteners
Fasteners
 Fasteners
Care must be taken not to damage the cutting edges and a chipped
tap must never be used.

When not in use, taps should be kept clean, and stored in a rack.
 Fasteners

Taps are normally used in a tap wrench.

At the start of the tapping process great care must be taken to

ensure that the tap is perpendicular to the hole in both planes.

It must be kept square to the hole throughout the cutting process.

The tap must turned 90° forward to cut and then 90° backward to
release the swarf.

Use of a cutting compound will lubricate the tap, help clear swarf
and produce a better finish.
Fasteners
 Fasteners
Dies

Dies are used for cutting external screw threads.

Circular Split Dies

Made of hardened and tempered high carbon steel or high speed

steel, these are split rings with multiple cutting edges and cut-outs
to clear the swarf.

These usually cut a full thread in one operation, but a split in the
die allows adjustment of the depth of cut.

The threads in the die are tapered on one side to aid starting so it is
important to use the die the right way up.
Dies are used in a Die Stock, which has three grub screws for
retention and adjustment.

The centre screw must be aligned with the split in the die and is used
to 'spread' it and reduce the cutting depth.
 Fasteners

The outer two screws align with dimples in the die and are used to
retain it in the stock and prevent rotation.

When the centre screw is released, the outer two can be used to
'close' the split and deepen the cut.

Care must be taken not to over-adjust the die as they are brittle
and fracture easily.
 Fasteners
Use of Dies

The rod to be threaded should

have a 45° chamfer to aid
starting the cut and provide a
lead-in on the finished thread.

The die must be presented

the correct way up and
perpendicular in both planes.

Again the cut is made 90°

forward and 90° back to clear
the swarf and cutting
compound will improve the
quality of the thread
 Fasteners
Half Dies

Take smaller cuts to reach the desired size as the amount of

material removed can be controlled.
 Fasteners
Die Nuts

These are used to run down an existing thread which has become
damaged.

They are not adjustable and should only be used where permitted.
 Fasteners
Thread Manufacture
Production threads are usually machine made.

Threads may also be formed by cutting on a lathe or grinding on a

specialised machine.

For mass produced items, such as bolts, thread rolling is often used.

In this method the rod is held between a set of hardened steel rollers
with the reverse of the desired thread form ground on them.

As the rod is rotated, pressure is applied to the rollers and the metal
is deformed, to produce the crests and roots.

As there is no cutting, the metal grains are displaced but not

damaged and the thread is cold worked, improving its strength.
Fasteners
 Fasteners

Thread Gauges - Screw Thread Gauges

The simplest method of checking threads in the production shop is

by means of screw-thread limit-gauges.

These gauges possess the same thread form as the mating thread,
and are assembled with the thread being checked.

Thread gauges ensure that screw threads are of the correct size as
specified in the applicable standard.

There are three commonly used types.

Plug Screw Gauges
When gauging nuts or internal threads of full-form a “GO”, "NOT
GO” plug gauge is used.

The gauge is accurately made to the minimum dimensions of

the required thread, therefore if it will assemble with the
component it will ensure that the major, minor, and effective
diameters are not below the minimum dimensions; it will also
ensure that any errors in pitch, angle and thread form are
insufficient to reduce the effective diameter below its minimum
 Fasteners
Ring Screw Gauges

For the gauging of bolts or external threads the equivalent mating

gauges are known as ring screw gauges.

As in the case of plug screw gauges a limit system can be provided

by a full-form “Go” and “Not-Go” effective ring gauge.

As the factors involved are exact counterparts of the gauging

of internal threads.

The “Go” ring gauge has a full-form thread, and the “Not Go” gauge
is truncated on the minor diameter, and cleared on the major
diameter at the root of thread.
 Fasteners
GO and NOT GO screw ring gauges are used to check that an
external thread is correct.

Plain ring or caliper gauges are used to check the diameter of an

external thread.
 Fasteners
Direct Measurement

For workplace thread identification purposes a micrometer to

determine the major diameter and a set of thread gauges to
determine the thread form and TPI is usually sufficient.