Threading Tool Reccommendations

[Bobby Bailey]

We have been using the Warner HSS inserts in our shop for a few years now. I highly recommend them, the thread finish is great and they are fast to touch up on an oil stone.

 

[Bully]

We have been using the Warner HSS inserts in our shop for a few years now. I highly recommend them, the thread finish is great and they are fast to touch up on an oil stone.

I'm considering them but they are darn expensive. I can get carbide for 4.50-10.00 a piece where the Warner stuff is 12-13 a piece. It's just thrown me a bit. I am seriously considering them tho.

 

[Ray C]

I find these very useful and have them in left and right hand for both internal and external threading: $34 for an individual holder. If you look around at that site, you'll find decent kits with an assortment of holders that include this one. Most all of my insert holders are Shars brand and they're going on 10 years old now. If I'm not mistaken, my threading insert holders are 3/8 shank but for external threading just get whatever fits your tool holders.

http://www.shars.com/1-2-x-1-2-rh-indexable-cutting-tool-universal-external-threading-toolholder-1

Ray

 

[mikey]

I also will not be grinding my own tooling. Not gonna happen. I don't have the skillset at this point to undertake that kind of challenge. All threading will be done with insert tooling.

I have Carmex tools and inserts for external threading and Circle Machine carbide bars and inserts for internal threading. Used them a lot and they cut good threads but the vast majority of my external threads are cut with a good shop-ground HSS cobalt tool and many of my internal threads are cut with a Micro 100 solid carbide internal threading bar.

I prefer the HSS tool and Micro 100 bars because they cut accurate threads with almost no burrs or defects in the thread form. These tools cut with very low cutting forces, are very sharp and will last for years if kept honed. Cost is the lowest of all the methods for thread cutting. When I need a class 3A or B thread, these are the tools I use. When I just need a plain, old class 2 fit I use my inserted tools.

One thing to keep in mind is that internal threading bars are like boring bars. They have extension limits if you want to keep deflection to a minimum. If you're threading deep inside a small hole then your bar has to cut accurately without deflecting. For a steel bar, this theoretical limit is 4 times the diameter of the bar. For a carbide bar, the limit is 8-10 times the diameter of the bar. If the hole is big then you can use a bigger steel bar to go deeper but this is not always going to be possible. This is why I use carbide bars with inserts or a solid carbide Micro 100 bar - to keep deflection minimized.

I'm with @Doubleeboy - I suggest you learn to grind a good external threading tool and look at some solid carbide internal threading tools. This is not only cheaper; you may find they are just as, if not more accurate than, inserted tooling. Of course, just an opinion.

 

[Nogoingback]

I'm considering them but they are darn expensive. I can get carbide for 4.50-10.00 a piece where the Warner stuff is 12-13 a piece. It's just thrown me a bit. I am seriously considering them tho.

I've been using Warner inserts for about 4-5 years and have been happy with them. With the Warner inserts, they can be re-sharpened
numerous times so they compare very well to throw away inserts. They're also dead simple to sharpen: I use a little oil on a diamond
plate and just flip them upside down and run them in a circle for 15-20 seconds by hand.

 

[Bobby Bailey]

I'm considering them but they are darn expensive. I can get carbide for 4.50-10.00 a piece where the Warner stuff is 12-13 a piece. It's just thrown me a bit. I am seriously considering them tho.

I understand the cost but, at the same time we find them very cost effective in our business. Like Nogoingback said they are so simple to sharpen and thats makes them cost effective. Add to that the excellent finish and they are profitable for us.
We sharpen a lot like Nogoingback, Remove insert from holder, turn it upside down on a hard Arkansas stone with a drop of oil and rub it in a figure 8 pattern for a few seconds. That puts it back to like new. You can do that several times before needing a new insert.

 

[bfd]

aloris sells a threading tool holder and a threading tool that bolts to it. its made of high speed steel and when it dulls you just need to grind the top to produce a new edge then raise the tool holder up to compensate for the removed material. the 60 degree angle is already there for you. but you need that type of tool holder bill

 

[petertha]

I find these very useful and have them in left and right hand for both internal and external threading: $34 for an individual holder....
http://www.shars.com/1-2-x-1-2-rh-indexable-cutting-tool-universal-external-threading-toolholder-1
Ray

Hi Ray I stumbled on this thread key-wording Carmex & Shars threading. Shars looks 'conspicuously similar' in terms of shank size, insert size & nomenclature. I'm going to guess a copy just like many tools we use. And not surprisingly they come under different labels through offshore suppliers. My question is have you used both to determine any significant difference? I'm interested in partial thread inserts, but both external & internal holders. My original plan was to buy the 'real' one, but tool holders are like 2-3X the cost. that starts to add up especially if I may want a Lefty or Righty for different threading direction. Any comments to nudge me one way or another? Looks like the Shars comes with a 'standard' anvil, but others are available. Carmex has more to choose from but are application specific. Who knows, maybe they fit?

 

[wrmiller]

I recently acquired this threading set: http://www.precisionmatthews.com/shop/12-internalexternal-threading-tool-set/

I've not used them yet, but if you want both ID and OD threading they may be worth a look. They come with partial thread inserts, but full will work as well.

 

[dpb]

The Carmex inserts work beautifully in the Shars holder.