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274562 Dan Beck <drumsandbacon@g...> 2021‑09‑17 Wood tap and die
Does anyone have any experience with a wood tap and die set like this one:

https://taytools.com/products/wood-tap-die-sets?variant=18507395498035

I want to build a moxon vise and I really like wooden screws, so I’d like to buy
a wood tap and die. This type is less expensive than others I’ve seen, so I’m
wondering if it is any good.

Thanks,
Dan

-- 
I'm a simple man. I like pretty dark-haired women and breakfast food.
274563 Larry Holland 2021‑09‑17 Re: Wood tap and die
(Snip)

I have several sizes of this type, Dan, both tap & die.  They work best on
hardwood; I always coated with beeswax first, and get rid of shavings
frequently.

Dutch, back into stealth mode.
274564 Don Schwartz <dks@t...> 2021‑09‑17 Re: Wood tap and die
Not sure why, but I understand the proper term for the tool that cuts 
the male screw thread is called a screw-box. Possibly because many have 
no handles at all, resembling a simple rectangular block of wood with a 
hole tapped in it.

Perhaps someone overseas can lend some insight.

FWIW
Don

On 2021-09-16 6:33 p.m., Larry Holland via groups.io wrote:
> (Snip)
>
> I have several sizes of this type, Dan, both tap & die.  They work best on
hardwood; I always coated with beeswax first, and get rid of shavings
frequently.
>
> Dutch, back into stealth mode.
>> On Sep 16, 2021, at 5:11 PM, Dan Beck  wrote:
>>
>> Does anyone have any experience with a wood tap and die set like this one:
>>
>> https://taytools.com/products/wood-tap-die-sets?variant=18507395498035
>>
>
> 
>
>

-- 
“The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral
philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for
selfishness.” –– John Kenneth Galbraith

"extremist individualism … an ideology that claims to be about freedom when
really it means selfishness”.
274565 Chuck Taylor 2021‑09‑17 Re: Wood tap and die
Dan,

You asked

==begin snip==
Does anyone have any experience with a wood tap and die set like this one:

https://taytools.com/products/wood-tap-die-sets?variant=18507395498035
==end snip==

I have used similar tools with some success. The one word in the description I
would quibble with is "effortlessly". In my experience, they are a bit finickity
to adjust and use. The cutter needs to be sharp and adjusted just so. I suggest
setting the cutter for a light cut at first, increasing the depth of cut
incrementally on subsequent passes. On subsequent passes be careful to center
the cutter in the groove. Also, be careful when sharpening not to mess up the
cutter's geometry.

If you are using store-bought dowels, be sure to check that the dowel is in fact
round and that it is the size the seller says it is.

Don't ask me how I learned these things. :-)

Good luck!

Chuck Taylor
north of Seattle USA
274566 Darrell <larchmont479@g...> 2021‑09‑17 Re: Wood tap and die
On 16/09/2021, Dan Beck  wrote:
> Does anyone have any experience with a wood tap and die set like this one:
>
> https://taytools.com/products/wood-tap-die-sets?variant=18507395498035
>
> I want to build a moxon vise and I really like wooden screws, so I’d like to
> buy a wood tap and die. This type is less expensive than others I’ve seen,
> so I’m wondering if it is any good.

Hi Dan,

I have a couple of these modern thread boxes, and a larger vintage one.
They do work, but one thing I found was that they definitely need
lubrication.  I soak the dowels in raw linseed oil before cutting threads.
And for tapping, I soak the inside of the hole with oil as well.  This makes
a huge difference in how well the modern thread boxes work.


-- 
Oakville ON
Wood Hoarder, Blade Sharpener, and Occasional Tool User
274567 gary allan may 2021‑09‑17 Re: Wood tap and die
Chuck: 
 You are, and you remain, the man. 

  Thanks for spelling it out. I'd like to add: $43.99 is not a lot to risk. If
it takes a week, and you get one good screw for a lifetime vise, that's probably
not the worst tool deal you'll ever make.
                      back to work---gam in OlyWA/USA


How horrible it is to have so many people killed!---And what a blessing one
cares for none of them!
Jane Austen 

    On Thursday, September 16, 2021, 06:14:49 PM PDT, Chuck Taylor via groups.io
 wrote:
 
 Dan,

You asked

==begin snip==
Does anyone have any experience with a wood tap and die set like this one:

https://taytools.com/products/wood-tap-die-sets?variant=18507395498035
==end snip==

I have used similar tools with some success. The one word in the description I
would quibble with is "effortlessly". In my experience, they are a bit finickity
to adjust and use. The cutter needs to be sharp and adjusted just so. I suggest
setting the cutter for a light cut at first, increasing the depth of cut
incrementally on subsequent passes. On subsequent passes be careful to center
the cutter in the groove. Also, be careful when sharpening not to mess up the
cutter's geometry.

If you are using store-bought dowels, be sure to check that the dowel is in fact
round and that it is the size the seller says it is.

Don't ask me how I learned these things. :-)

Good luck!

Chuck Taylor
north of Seattle USA
274568 Don Schwartz <dks@t...> 2021‑09‑17 Re: Wood tap and die
Hi Darrell

Have you found soaking with RLO to help with the vintage tap & screw-box 
as well?

So far, I haven't done that, but I've had mixed results, which I 
attributed to
- lack of skill
- poor choice of stock
- poor sharpening or set of the cutter
- some combination of the above...

Don

On 2021-09-16 8:57 p.m., Darrell wrote:
> On 16/09/2021, Dan Beck  wrote:
>> Does anyone have any experience with a wood tap and die set like this one:
>>
>> https://taytools.com/products/wood-tap-die-sets?variant=18507395498035
>>
>> I want to build a moxon vise and I really like wooden screws, so I’d like to
>> buy a wood tap and die. This type is less expensive than others I’ve seen,
>> so I’m wondering if it is any good.
> Hi Dan,
>
> I have a couple of these modern thread boxes, and a larger vintage one.
> They do work, but one thing I found was that they definitely need
> lubrication.  I soak the dowels in raw linseed oil before cutting threads.
> And for tapping, I soak the inside of the hole with oil as well.  This makes
> a huge difference in how well the modern thread boxes work.
>
>

-- 
“The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral
philosophy; that is, the search for a superior
moral justification for selfishness.” –– John Kenneth Galbraith

"extremist individualism … an ideology that claims to be about freedom when
really it means selfishness”.
274569 Claudio DeLorenzi <claudio@d...> 2021‑09‑17 Re: Wood tap and die
I’d add a couple more comments:  Choice of wood stock is critical. Straight
grain, knot free, stable hard wood without much difference in hardness
between summer and winter wood (uniform grain) is what you are looking for
(beech, hard maple, elm,  persimmon, fruit woods like apple, pear).  Making
internal threads is usually more successful (easier) than cutting the
external threads (which sometimes peel off /split off in some sections
because of weak side grain).
  The difficulty in cutting threads increases exponentially with increasing
OR decreasing size with ⅝” to  ¾” threads being relatively easiest with
this method).  Most of the old die stocks that I have found in the wild
were about this size, used for making the luthier clamps (two wooden
threaded disks threaded onto a dowel used for gluing up violins and
guitars), or wooden threaded clamps similar to the Jorgensen style wooden
hand screws) or various side-arm  planes.
  If you are looking to make 2” diameter screw threads for a leg clamp or a
cider press, this method doesn’t really work very well for that.  St Roy
has a couple of articles on how to make a screw box in one of his books as
well as in an episode of his PBS show (that you might be able to find and
watch free online).  He also shows methods for cutting the big 1 or 2 tpi
screws used for huge screws used in eg. communal cider/wine  presses in one
of his books.
Cheers from Waterloo

Claudio


Snip
274570 Phil Schempf <philschempf@g...> 2021‑09‑17 Re: Wood tap and die
Schwarz and Co. at Lost Art Press have some strong opinions on modern thread
boxes. You can find them by doing a search for “Lost Art Press blog thread”.

Beall Tool Co. sell dowels specifically for threading in limited sizes and wood
species. Not the cheapest, but may save some frustration if they have something
that meets your needs. https://www.bealltool.com/products/threading/dowels.php

Phil
274571 Kirk Eppler 2021‑09‑17 Re: Wood tap and die
Dan

Having never done this, although I have acquired a few taps and one screw
box, none matching, I will offer my 2 cents anyways.


Search the archives for Tom Conroy and wood threads.  He has posted a lot
on the subject (213 hits), and probably has made more threaded rods than I
have made misteaks (well, maybe not that many, maybe mysteaks this month,
or year).  He will talk about how this thread set is probably too fine
pitch, what wood you want, how to prep etc.  And they are all a good read.

Very similar to what the other guys have already posted, but combined into
one post, with lots of extra personal experience.


site:swingleydev.com/ot Tom Conroy wood threads


Kirk in Half Moon Bay, CA, stumbling around, pretending I'm getting work
done, while eating, playing with the dogs, and reading email
274573 James Warburton 2021‑09‑17 Re: Wood tap and die
Hi all,
I have had great success using the commercially available screw boxes. I have
used the 1 1/4” for Moxon vices , double screw vices and even wagon vices.
There are two things that make life a lot better: soaking the dowels in mineral
oil for a week or so and fine tuning the cutters so that it doesn’t pinch. Farm
supply S outlets have the best price on mineral oil up here.
Good luck,
James
274572 Darrell <larchmont479@g...> 2021‑09‑17 Re: Wood tap and die
On 17/09/2021, Don Schwartz  wrote:
> Hi Darrell
>
> Have you found soaking with RLO to help with the vintage tap & screw-box
> as well?
>

Absolutely! In my opinion, always lubricate your stock.
I was having an awful time tapping for an inch-and-a-half thread
in maple, until I remembered to put some oil (that time I used
mineral oil cause it was handy) and then it started cutting perfectly!


-- 
Oakville ON
Wood Hoarder, Blade Sharpener, and Occasional Tool User
274574 Thomas Conroy 2021‑09‑17 Re: Wood tap and die
O Galoots: 

I'm under the weather today and not up to proper snipping, and over the years
I've posted so many thousands of words on this topic that I am tired, tired. But
a few points arise.

For the male screws, the threadbox is very pick about wood, and it goes way
beyond just using even-grained species. Well-aged beech is one of the best
woods, but fresh beech will shrink so much that after a couple of years the
screws may pull right out of the holes. Happened to a friend of mine. Cherry is
too brittle; the thread will break off as you cut it. I destroyed about four
yards of 1" cherry dowel learning that. The very best screws I've made were from
split black locust, if you can get it. Black walnut is in my experience the best
commercial wood, provided you pick it carefully enough that the grain is as
straight along your screw as a split blank would give. Maple will do, but it
tends to give a slightly rough screw. Don't worry about the crap Beall tries to
feed you about the importance of a precision-cut wood blank; oh, it's important
for their router jig, all right, which registers on the outer surface of the
dowel, but a screw box registers on the screw itself, on the surface you have
just cut, so all that really matters is that it isn't too big. Don't forget that
wood is constantly shrinking and expanding; the precisely circular-section blank
that they ship you from Ohio will be an oval the day after you take it out of
the box in California. On the other hand, having straight grain dead along the
blank is really important; if you can turn your blanks, its better to use split
wood; if you must use dowels, or commercial saw-cut turning squares, I'd reject
nineteen out of twenty based on grain running out. Old ikea chair legs are a
good source for well-aged beech, if you can turn them down. Just about any
reasonable hard wood will do for the female threads, even modern mahogany so
soft you can dent it with a fingernail. Modern mahogany is unthreadable, it just
gets chewed up by the screwbox because it is so soft, but even mahogany will
take female thread and make good press (vise) cheeks.

The Chinese and Taiwanese screwboxes with aluminum lead sections are "Conover-
style," pirated from a very well-designed and well-made line that Ernie Conover
sold decades ago. It was conover who revived the screw box-tap after it had gone
out of production in England and Ameriica. Conover had a proper balance of pitch
(threads per inch) and diameter, with 7 t.p.i. on the 3/4" size (if I recall
correctly) and 6 t.p.i. on the 1". Traditionally, a 1-1/8" size would have had 5
t.p.i., 1-1/4" would be 4 t.p.i., and above that you would have to go to two-
cutter screwboxes. A screw for a bench vise might be 2-1/2" diameter and two or
three t.p.i. Conover only made threading kits up to 1" but after the Chinese
ripped him off they soon found that there was a demand for bigger screws; so
they introduced a 1-1/4" size and a 1-1//2" size, and maybe some larger ones.
The trouble was, since they were copying without knowledge or understanding,
they gave all the sizes above 1" the same pitch and cutter size: 6 t.p.i. This
is pitch is workable but a bit small and slow for a two-screw wooden
bookbinder's finishing press, functionally identical to the so-called "moxon
vise"----I know what I'm speaking about here, I've made dozens of them with my
Taiwanese screwboxes. I-1/4" and 6 t.p.i. is very slow unless you "twirl" the
press like a hand clamp to open and close it, but still functional. 1-1/2" at 6
t.p.i. is bad in every way. Check the archive for explorations of the problems.


If you want to make the kind of half-assed flat-cheeked dovetailing jig that
Chris Schwarz invented and dubbed "Moxon vise," then a 1" or 1-1/4" Taiwanese
screwbox will do just fine, at least up to 15" between screws--- my experience
doesn't go much larger than that, but I would want a larger, faster screw for a
length greater that that. If you want an installed bench vise that is more than
a toy, you will have to go to a German two-cutter screwbox in a size of or over
1-3/4" and 3 t.p.i., and a cost of upwards of $500.00 or $1,000.00. For smaller
screws, up to 1-1/4 with 6 t.p.i., the Taiwanese/Chinese sets still seem to be
good tools at a great price. This was certainly true when I bought mine, but
that was thirty years ago. Router jigs are an option, if you make your own, and
the very best of all is a screwcutting lathe if you have the capacity for a
large pitch (2 t.p.i. to 5 t.p.i.) and if you can make or find the special shape
cutters that are needed for large wood threads. Or if you have the money, the
German screwboxes and taps (used to be available from Dieter Schmid, I think)
are the gold standard, with no downside except their price.

I've run out of steam, and I'm starting to repeat myself, which is bad even if
you catch it and erase it. But this is not a new topic; browse the archives.
Tom ConroyBerkeley
274575 Adam R. Maxwell 2021‑09‑17 Re: Wood tap and die
> On Sep 17, 2021, at 10:03 , Thomas Conroy via groups.io
 wrote:
> 
> I-1/4" and 6 t.p.i. is very slow unless you "twirl" the press like a hand
clamp to open and close it, but still functional. 1-1/2" at 6 t.p.i. is bad in
every way. Check the archive for explorations of the problems.
> 

Not that Tom needs endorsement from a hack like me, but I'll echo this: my
Taiwan-made 1-1/2" screwbox and tap is garbage. I managed to make a few screws
with it, and they're painfully slow and prone to binding. After a few
sharpenings, the cutter holds an edge about as well as aluminum foil. Even if
you get a threader without the quality problems, the 6 pt 1-1/2" screw still
sucks, and I'm reminded of it every time I use my benchtop vise and miter jack.

I snagged a 5/8" German threader and tap from fleabay, and the difference is
shocking. Partly due to diameter, but the tool quality is also much better. It
just works without futzing around.

> 
> If you want to make the kind of half-assed flat-cheeked dovetailing jig that
Chris Schwarz invented and dubbed "Moxon vise," then a 1" or 1-1/4" Taiwanese
screwbox will do just fine, at least up to 15" between screws--- my experience
doesn't go much larger than that, but I would want a larger, faster screw for a
length greater that that.

I assume Dan wants this for his new Nicholson bench. As a fellow Nicholson bench
user, I suggest laminating up some thicker jaws (2-3") for a benchtop vise, so
you can use it for things other than dovetailing shelf boards. The bench apron
and holdfasts are usually fine for that, and quicker than dragging the vise out
of the corner.

Adam
Benton City, WA
274576 Matthew Groves <grovesthegrey@g...> 2021‑09‑17 Re: Wood tap and die
I’d love to know on the 5/8-3/4 type sizes whether for cutting make threads
people are on team:

A. Set the cutter to final depth and cut the threads in one pass

Or

B. Set the cutter for less than final depth and cut the threads in multiple
passes.

Matthew Groves
Springfield, MO
274577 James Warburton 2021‑09‑17 Re: Wood tap and die
Hi,
In my experience trying a second pass is a recipe for disaster. If the wood is
soaked in oil it cuts like butter the first time.
James
274578 James DuPrie <jbn.duprie@g...> 2021‑09‑18 Re: Wood tap and die
I've always cut in one pass (I have a set of cheapo tap and dies I got
about 30 years ago to experiment with. My biggest is 1").
Use a good straight, tight grained wood. I always cut them dry, and used
the "1 turn in, 1/2 turn out" rule. Never had any real problems if I made
my own dowels. Store bought dowels never worked for crap though.
-James

On Fri, Sep 17, 2021 at 4:50 PM James Warburton via groups.io
 wrote:
274579 Thomas Conroy 2021‑09‑19 Re: Wood tap and die
James Warburton wrote: "In my experience trying a second pass is a recipe for
disaster. If the wood is soaked in oil it cuts like butter the first time;"
and James DuPrie wrote: "I've always cut in one pass (I have a set of cheapo tap
and dies I got about 30 years ago to experiment with. My biggest is 1"). Use a
good straight, tight grained wood. I always cut them dry, and use the "1 turn
in, 1/2 turn out" rule. Never had any real problems if I made my own dowels.
Store bought dowels never worked for crap though."


Pretty much my own experience.

I learned to thread steel in junior high by the one advance - one-half back
method, so I used that at first; but eventually I decided that the half back was
breaking off good thread as well as clearing the chip, and I stopped doing it.
As much as possible I turn the entire thread in one steady pass, because for me
if I pause to shift my hands I tend to get a little jog in the cut surface.
Trying to make a second pass along the whole screw is always disastrous for me.
I always lubricated/soaked with BLO because I was going to use that for the
finish, and I didn't mind having surfaces contaminated with it. I went through
various soaking times, from just a wipe on to six or eight hours, but ended up
soaking a few minutes just before I cut the thread; you can see after cutting
how little the oil actually penetrates the wood, and it doesn't seem to go
deeper in hours of immersion than in minutes. After the screw was entirely done
I would immerse the screw completely in BLO for hours, long past the point when
bubbles kept coming out, then drain it and warp it in paper towels to blot it,
with a wrap of twine along the thread to push the paper towels down into
contact, leave it like that for an hour or two to blot off anything from the
surface. When the thread came out of the oil it was very delicate, and before I
learned to be careful I once or twice broke off bits of thread with a brush of
the hand, but after a day or two it firmed up and I think that the BLO made the
thread stronger once it had cured.

I cut my blanks on a slow foot-treadle lathe, running maybe 400-600 r.p.m.m and
I found that it was best always to cut the handle base/bearing surface from the
same piece of wood as the screw. If I made a thread on one dowel and then glued
it into the handle, the force of tightening the final press would often pull the
thread right out of the handle. After completing the thread and before soaking
it in oil I would put the screw back on the lathe and smooth down the working
surfaces of the thread using a triangularl file or what I think of as a "thread
float," a tool I made, sort of a mixture of a gunstock-checkering tool and a
cabinetmaker's float, which I could make coarser than a file but finer than an
actual float would be. Repeated passes both smoothed the thread and opened it
out a bit so that there was more play in the completed press/vise; play is
needed to avoid jamming or freezing over time.

All this is for the male thread; the female thread is completely different, and
much less apt to go wrong. I wipe BLO down into the hole to lubricate. After the
first pass with the tap I make repeated passes to open it out morel "wallering
it out" by angling the pressure toward the compass points as I make the repeated
passes. The completed female thread always is pretty rough looking, but
roughness doesn't seem to harm its durabilty or make it run less smoothly.
Have to go get my walk, almost too late for it.
Cheers!
Tom
274580 Dan Beck <drumsandbacon@g...> 2021‑09‑19 Re: Wood tap and die
Thank you, one and all, for all of this marvelous info. Yet again you all blow
me away with your breadth of knowledge and you generosity of sharing it.

My inclination is to respond to each of you, but I will resist. Please just know
that I will be referencing this thread (and the other info Mr. Conroy has shared
in previous posts) a lot, I am sure.

One more question - what is the general consensus (if there is one) for the
ideal diameter of wood screws for a Moxon vise? I was leaning towards 1-1/4” but
would a smaller diameter work? 3/4”?

-Dan

-- 
I'm a simple man. I like pretty dark-haired women and breakfast food.
274581 Claudio DeLorenzi <claudio@d...> 2021‑09‑19 Re: Wood tap and die
The issue with the offerings I have seen is that the pitch is way too fine
for the large diameters.  If i recall correctly, the manufacturers in China
used the same pitch for the large ones (6 tpi or something, same as the
small ones), resulting in very weak, thin threads that sheared off.  Maybe
they have improved now, not sure (I haven’t looked at these for maybe 20
years, holy crap time flies).  As for diameter for a Moxon, I think it
depends on the size you intend to make but I’ve no experience to share.
Claudio in Waterloo
274582 Bill Ghio 2021‑09‑20 Re: Wood tap and die
> On Sep 19, 2021, at 5:24 PM, Claudio DeLorenzi  wrote:
> 
>  As for diameter for a Moxon, I think it
> depends on the size you intend to make but I’ve no experience to share.
> Claudio in Waterloo

I’m not home for a few days but my “Moxin“ started life as some  kind of a book
binding press. The screw is 1 1/4” diameter and, I believe, 5 TPI. Works just
fine for the purpose.

Bill
274583 Chuck Taylor 2021‑09‑20 Re: Wood tap and die
Gentle Galoots,
I agree with others that 6 tpi is too fine for 1-1/2" threads. But they do have
their uses.
I have a local friend who is an amateur bookbinder. Several years ago he showed
me a finishing press he had purchased, made of fine hardwood. It looked great,
but the threads were seized. He was about to throw it in the fireplace, even
though he had paid something like $300 for it. The threads were 1-1/2 by 6 tpi,
so I figured it was made from one of the Taiwanese threading kits of that size.

We made a deal:  If I could repair it, he would pay for the threading kit (about
$50 IIRC) and bind a book for me. I managed to unstick the threads slowly and
re-cut the threads. The results weren't as pretty as I would have liked, but he
was happy with the result because he now has a usable finishing press. I was
happy because I now have a 1-1/2" threading kit and a very nicely rebound copy
of my 1896 edition of "Norie's Navigation:  A Complete Epitome of Practical
Navigation and Nautical Astronomy".
Chuck Taylornorth of Seattle USA
274584 gary allan may 2021‑09‑20 Re: Wood tap and die
Great story---Keep on posting Chuck Taylornorth!


How horrible it is to have so many people killed!---And what a blessing one
cares for none of them!
Jane Austen 

    On Sunday, September 19, 2021, 06:19:50 PM PDT, Chuck Taylor via groups.io
 wrote:
 
  Gentle Galoots,
I agree with others that 6 tpi is too fine for 1-1/2" threads. But they do have
their uses.
I have a local friend who is an amateur bookbinder. Several years ago he showed
me a finishing press he had purchased, made of fine hardwood. It looked great,
but the threads were seized. He was about to throw it in the fireplace, even
though he had paid something like $300 for it. The threads were 1-1/2 by 6 tpi,
so I figured it was made from one of the Taiwanese threading kits of that size.

We made a deal:  If I could repair it, he would pay for the threading kit (about
$50 IIRC) and bind a book for me. I managed to unstick the threads slowly and
re-cut the threads. The results weren't as pretty as I would have liked, but he
was happy with the result because he now has a usable finishing press. I was
happy because I now have a 1-1/2" threading kit and a very nicely rebound copy
of my 1896 edition of "Norie's Navigation:  A Complete Epitome of Practical
Navigation and Nautical Astronomy".
Chuck Taylornorth of Seattle USA
274589 Thomas Conroy 2021‑09‑20 Re: Wood tap and die
Chuck Taylor wrote:
"...I have a local friend who is an amateur bookbinder. Several years ago he
showed me a finishing press he had purchased, made of fine hardwood. It looked
great, but the threads were seized. He was about to throw it in the fireplace,
even though he had paid something like $300 for it. The threads were 1-1/2 by 6
tpi, so I figured it was made from one of the Taiwanese threading kits of that
size.

"We made a deal:  If I could repair it, he would pay for the threading kit
(about $50 IIRC) and bind a book for me. I managed to unstick the threads slowly
and re-cut the threads. The results weren't as pretty as I would have liked, but
he was happy with the result because he now has a usable finishing press. I was
happy because I now have a 1-1/2" threading kit and a very nicely rebound copy
of my 1896 edition of "Norie's Navigation:  A Complete Epitome of Practical
Navigation and Nautical Astronomy".

Good story, Chuck.


I've had in four or five presses, maybe more than that, to repair because of
sticking screws. The modern screwboxes are made for metal-type tolerances, and
don't allow for wood movement; so when they are shipped across country, or just
with age if the wood was too wet, they sieze up. Attempts are frequently made to
lubricate them by rubbing beeswax on the screws; but beeswax is a sticky wax,
not a slippery wax, and the beeswaax sticks things together and pills up in the
threads, jamming the press worse than ever. I carved out the screws with a sharp
chisel, one chip at a time, one after the next. I carved only the side of the
thread that pushes the press open, not the side that puts on the pressure when
closing. I faired down with a file or my "screw float" after cutting it looser.
The point is to get a bit of playl to allow for wood movement. A well-made wood-
screw press should have a bit of rattle right down to the last moment, when the
pressure comes on; the pressure should pull everything into line as well as
tight.

I'd say given the Taiwanese sizes, a "moxon vise" should be 1-1/4" without
doubt. I made several dozen presses with a 1" screwbox before I got my first
1-1/4". The 1" size tends to be fragile, not in the screws but at the groove cut
in the unthreaded area as part of the garter mechanism (or the peg equivalent in
finishing presses); with a 1" screw the groove leaves an wasp-waist area in the
screw that is only 1/2" in diameter. I made measured drawings of many old
finishing presses when I was making presses, and found that the screw diameter
was normally 1-1/4" and 4 t.p.i. The range was maybe 1-1/9" to 1-3/8" and 3.5 to
5 t.p.i. but the smallest diameter didn't necessarily have the finest pitch.  Of
course this is for holding books, not holding wood, but I don't see any reason
books and wood would need different size screws. Generally finishing presses are
about 12" between screws up to 16" or 18" between screws, but there were some
monster finishing presses up to about three feet long overall, still meant to
sit loose on the bench top, still with handles for tightening, and with roughly
11-1/4" screws.
Binders' lying presses are another matter. They are designed to put on a lot of
pressure, to really squish things flat, so they are big (usually 3'-4' overall)
and live permanently on a special-purpose frame called a "tub" though it isn't
very tublike. Their screws are typically 2-1/4" or 2-1/2"diameter, two of them,
and 2 t.p.i. or 3 t.p.i. They don't have handles, they have (essentially) tommy
bars (a "press pin" of steel that is moved from screw to screw).  But none of
that is really pertinent to "moxon vises," which are closely analogous to
finishing presses.

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