Thread Files - Do you use them or have them?

I have a multi sided one that I have used a few times, it works but not great. I prefer knife tapered file as I am usually only removing a ding or two. Otherwise it's a die job.


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I have a thread file but haven't used it since I got a Thread Mate, you can start it at nearly any point on a thread.
 
I have an imperial and metric thread files and like has been said, don't use them all the time but they have saved my bacon many a time. I don't know where a machinist would use them yet but as a mechanic I've done a couple of repairs that would have been close to impossible without them. They are much quicker and accurate than just needle files. But when I think about probably 95% of my tools are only used for special things, but when I do am I glad I have them!

One such miracle repair was on a F250 diesel 3rd member housing. The owner was on his way to Utah going across the Nevada desert pulling a 30' trailer and he heard a bang and the engine would just rev but no power to the ground. He deduced he'd broken an axel right at the end. He ended up putting it in 4wd and hobbling into the nearest junkyard. Turned out a '68 Bronco axel was a little shorter, but got him home. When I got the wheel off, the end of the housing was so bell mouthed from the old broken axel whipping around in there I couldn't get the wheel bearing nuts off!

The rearend was full of metal shavings so it had to come apart. So I stuck my 4x6 HF bandsaw in the wheel well and sliced off the end of the housing a thread or two past the adjuster nuts and cleaned the end of the housing threads with the thread file. I had to actually take the threads down until I could get the nuts off with the thread file. Yeah lotta work but was able then to get it all apart and replace the bearings and save the rearend. At the time Ford wanted $2500 for just the housing and it didn't even come with the shock brackets! You had to cut off the old ones and weld it on the new one plus all the labor to set up the rearend etc. it was still so new and rare there were none in wrecking yards, he'd checked.
 
Yes, I have thread files, six of them, imperial and metric, and use them as needed; there is another device made by "Buckingham, of Binghamton, N.Y." that has a rectangular housing with a hole through its thinner dimension containing two knives set at and angle that can float to match nearly any thread pitch, and cut at an angle of 60 degrees to match the thread angle. The knives are adjusted by a threaded handle at one end. Coming from the opposite end is an angled roller to engage the opposite side of the thread and force it into the floating knives; you screw the adjustment so as to be able to locate the device past the buggered up threads, then tighten down the adjustment and thread the tool off and over the damaged threads; they work well in most situations, and do not cut so much as they straighten up the threads: this tool has a range of up to about 1 inch. I also have a collection of hand thread chasers; I have heard some call them thread combs; they come in all different pitches, and are used in the lathe with a more or less wood lathe style of rest, and are simply pushed against the rotating threads and the knock off the high spots; it is possible to cut threads from scratch with them, especially in soft metals, but can work in steel also. The art with them is to get them started at the proper pitch, once you get a thread started at the very end of the part, it is fairly easy to continue it to whatever length is needed, with repeated light cutting passes. In the old days these were particularly used in brass work, where most or all the cutting was done with hand tools, by eye.
 
I should have said in my above post regarding the Buckingham tool, that there are two sets of knives in the tool, a plain 60 deg. set and a serrated set of two, the plain set can guide the pitch And straighten up bent threads, and the serrated ones can cut off burrs that the plain knives cannot deal with.
I was surprised that they are still being made! https://www.amazon.com/Buckingham-6103-Thread-Restorer/dp/B074PS3HM9 I just Googled Buckingham 6103 Thread Restorer, and there are multiple hits, most were available cheaper than Amazon; they also make a #6203 which has the same range, 1/4 - 1" but swings in tighter places; they used to make a larger model, but I do not know the range of it or if it is still available.
 
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benmychree said:
I looked online again, and they still make larger sizes and seem to sell direct; https://buckinghammfg.com/products/utility/thread-restorer-6103/
the small one, 1/4" to 1", #6103 is selling at $116.35, the 62040 (1" to 2-9/16" @ $287.05, and the #61060 cap. 1-3/4" to 4" @ 358.30
Click to expand...

Very cool! Never heard of these. But then again I never worked as a lineman. I can guess why they would be used by them as I'd not want to be having to carry a tap and die set up a pole. But at those prices I don't see how I can justify a set. But it's funny how things show up once I'm aware of them. At least I might have a chance to know what they are if I happen to stumble across one :) weirder things have shown up in estate sales.
 
I have a few and use them often. I work on mostly OPJ,(Other Peoples Junk), castoffs to some and find them invaluable. Quite often use the internal cutter on the end in larger internal threads to clean scale/crud out and remove burrs. Like C-Bag said sometimes they are the only tool for the job and they don't hurt anyone sitting around.
 
I find them most helpful, when the lead on the screw is buggered. I can straighten the lead, so I don't mis thread the screw with a die.
Also rather than cutting it straighens the usually bent over thread. Once fixed, I always follow up with a die.
 
I use them as Jeff just said. When the end is buggered you can work you're way out from the good threads and get the end to where a die will start in the right spot.

Greg
 
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