welp, i went out there and cut my first single point thread... and the nut actually fit it ! loose but it did go on !
so now it's just refine what I know that works i think....
although it is a useable thread ( 1/2" x 13tpi ) it is loose, but I've seen store bought threaded rod as loose as this one, ....so I am calling it useable !
..... but it's rough.... if I look real close I can see there the threads were tearing a bit so I was probably too aggressive on my depth of cut
though near the bottom of the thread I did take shallower cuts around the 2 thow to 3 thow range... but by then the damage of the 2nd and 3rd cut had already been done there I took about 10 thow cuts to get the thing underway....( impatient!)
and although it only took me about 10 minutes to a max of 15 minutes to set up the machine AND cut the threads i think I should have taken a bit less aggressive approach and that should have produced better results ! ( learning is a good thing ! )
all totaled I am guessing at about 20 total passes.... so you know it had to be really aggressive..... but the thread quality was less than desirable !
.....
so Now I am thinking that 5 thow cuts Max when cutting threads is the best way to go.... even if that triples the time it takes to get the job done
.....
the tightening of the slop out of the lead screw helped a bunch.... i didn't miss my mark even once, and the larger thread dial helps as well....
so I am calling tonight a success ! LOL....
Bob.......
.....