The Steel Guitar Forum Store 

Post new topic Threading 3/32" Diameter rods
Goto page Previous  1, 2
Reply to topic
Author Topic:  Threading 3/32" Diameter rods
Erv Niehaus


From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
Post  Posted 4 Jun 2020 7:48 am    
Reply with quote

A word to the wise: when cutting threads on stainless steel, go slow and use thread cutting oil. Very Happy
Erv
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Bobby D. Jones

 

From:
West Virginia, USA
Post  Posted 5 Jun 2020 8:06 pm    
Reply with quote

Yes go slow and use cutting oil on the tap or die.
When cutting threads with a tap or die only turn the tap or die about 1/2 a turn, Then back the tap or die back till you feel a little tight place and then smooth out. What you are doing is breaking the shavings up. If you do not break the shavings of metal up, They will fill up the openings in the tap or die and it can either, Tear up the threads on lock the tap or die and something may break.

This is one of the first things taught in machinist school about cutting threads with a tap or die.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

b0b


From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
Post  Posted 12 Nov 2021 9:57 am    
Reply with quote

Chris Reesor wrote:
Grind a bevel on the end of the rod you are about to thread.
Then fix it firmly in a vise with out too much protrusion or you may bend the end of the rod. I use my nylon jaw Panavise; to get a good non slip grip I fold a strip of fine emery cloth over the rod. This won't mar the rod much if at all.
Start with the correct side of the die; you'll see a conical "entry" ground away from the threads inside the die.
Use RapidTap or equivalent cutting fluid. Keep it wet.
Don't worry if the die is slightly cocked as it starts, it will straighten itself out when it is fully engaged in the cut.
Cut a full turn, then back off a half turn, and repeat until the thread is as long as you need.
It is pretty easy with the right stuff and a little practice.

Thank you! Mr. Green
_________________
-𝕓𝕆𝕓- (admin) - Robert P. Lee - Recordings - Breathe - D6th - Video
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website

Ian Rae


From:
Redditch, England
Post  Posted 12 Nov 2021 1:11 pm    
Reply with quote

In brief, a 4-40 is fine if you're going to use the result to "tap" a new nylon tuner. But for a proper thread you need to go smaller.
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website

b0b


From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
Post  Posted 12 Nov 2021 1:22 pm    
Reply with quote

4-40 is what my Desert Rose uses for .109 rods.
_________________
-𝕓𝕆𝕓- (admin) - Robert P. Lee - Recordings - Breathe - D6th - Video
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website

Ian Rae


From:
Redditch, England
Post  Posted 12 Nov 2021 2:47 pm    
Reply with quote

That's what we country folks call 7/64"- 4-40 is the correct thread to take a proper nut. Whoever specified 3-48 for 3/32" was technically correct too.
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website

Bruce Derr

 

From:
Lee, New Hampshire, USA
Post  Posted 13 Nov 2021 3:20 pm    
Reply with quote

+1 on the DuBro rods. I bought some online at Advantage Hobby some years ago. Easy and cheap. They are 0.915" diameter and have 3/4" of rolled 4-40 thread on one end. I cut off about half of the thread so the threads don't bind on the changer hole. It's easy to cut them using one of those cheap wire stripper/bolt cutter tools. The rods are made from "redrawn galvanized 1050 steel" according to someone at DuBro. The alloy seems to be less brittle than stainless, which is good when making rods for a Carter. The rods tolerate the tight Carter hook bend well. On my two Carters, several of the factory-original stainless rods have broken at the hook end.

Based on advice I read somewhere on the SGF, I don't tap my nylon tuning nuts. I just thread them onto the rod. I do put a bit of grease on the thread for smoother tuning.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

b0b


From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
Post  Posted 13 Nov 2021 5:34 pm    
Reply with quote

Bruce Derr wrote:
They are 0.915" diameter

Whoa! Surely a misprint. Laughing
_________________
-𝕓𝕆𝕓- (admin) - Robert P. Lee - Recordings - Breathe - D6th - Video
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website

John Hyland

 

From:
South Australia
Post  Posted 13 Nov 2021 10:19 pm    
Reply with quote

So is 3/32 a common rod diameter?
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Bobby D. Jones

 

From:
West Virginia, USA
Post  Posted 13 Nov 2021 10:30 pm    
Reply with quote

The dies that have an adjusting screw, Only holds the die open, And MUST be used in a regular die stock that has a set screw to tighten on the die, So the die will not open up when pressure of cutting threads on the rod, That will allow the die open up and not make a good full thread.

Between owning 2 MSA Classics with 1/8" rods, 2 GFI Ultras with 3/32" rods and a friend who owns and works on Emmons steels I have obtained 6-40 die for MSA 1/8" rods, 5-40 for Emmons 7/64" and 4-40 for my 2 GFI Ultra's 3/32" rods.

It is very important to have the proper size nylon nut also, There is actually 3 measurements needed for a proper fit. If the order is not sent to the Manufacture of the steel.
Length, Depth of hole and diameter of rod used.

I have bought 3/16 nylon hex from US plastic and made tuning nuts on my lathe. You must have a lathe to make tuning nuts from stock.

If you have small hole tuning nuts, They can be opened up with a drill and proper size drill bit. You can not make tuning nuts with just a drill from rod stock.

A forum member tried to make tuning nuts from stock with just a drill. He ended up mailing them to me and I drilled them on a lathe and send them back.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Bruce Derr

 

From:
Lee, New Hampshire, USA
Post  Posted 13 Nov 2021 11:22 pm    
Reply with quote

John Hyland wrote:
So is 3/32 a common rod diameter?


A lot more common than 0.915"!
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

John Hyland

 

From:
South Australia
Post  Posted 14 Nov 2021 12:44 am    
Reply with quote

Bruce Derr wrote:
John Hyland wrote:
So is 3/32 a common rod diameter?


A lot more common than 0.915"!

But more likely to bend
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

b0b


From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
Post  Posted 14 Nov 2021 8:06 am    
Reply with quote

John Hyland wrote:
Bruce Derr wrote:
John Hyland wrote:
So is 3/32 a common rod diameter?


A lot more common than 0.915"!

But more likely to bend

ROTFL! Laughing

Seriously...
3/32" is 0.09375".
7/64" is 0.109375", usually called 0.109".

The difference is substantial. I believe that both are used by various steel guitar builders.

0.915" is almost an inch. Pretty hard to bend. Mr. Green
_________________
-𝕓𝕆𝕓- (admin) - Robert P. Lee - Recordings - Breathe - D6th - Video
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website

John Hyland

 

From:
South Australia
Post  Posted 14 Nov 2021 12:47 pm    
Reply with quote

“ The difference is substantial. I believe that both are used by various steel guitar builders”

The reason I asked is I’m trying to source rods and 1/8 is all I can find locally. Hobby Shops that I have found only sell short lengths.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

John Hyland

 

From:
South Australia
Post  Posted 14 Nov 2021 12:48 pm    
Reply with quote

“ The difference is substantial. I believe that both are used by various steel guitar builders”

The reason I asked is I’m trying to source rods and 1/8 is all I can find locally. Hobby Shops that I have found only sell short lengths.
I’m guessing the 1/8 mentioned fir Williams is aluminium?
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

b0b


From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
Post  Posted 14 Nov 2021 7:53 pm    
Reply with quote

John Hyland wrote:
The reason I asked is I’m trying to source rods and 1/8 is all I can find locally. Hobby Shops that I have found only sell short lengths.

https://www.dubro.com/products/4-40-threaded-rods-30-762-mm-6-pkg
_________________
-𝕓𝕆𝕓- (admin) - Robert P. Lee - Recordings - Breathe - D6th - Video
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website

John Hyland

 

From:
South Australia
Post  Posted 14 Nov 2021 11:56 pm    
Reply with quote

b0b wrote:
John Hyland wrote:
The reason I asked is I’m trying to source rods and 1/8 is all I can find locally. Hobby Shops that I have found only sell short lengths.

https://www.dubro.com/products/4-40-threaded-rods-30-762-mm-6-pkg

Interesting the thread is larger than the shaft
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Ian Rae


From:
Redditch, England
Post  Posted 15 Nov 2021 6:58 am    
Reply with quote

I don't like the metric system. Neither did Napoleon, who apparently signed off on it without reading it properly.

But it has its virtues - the rods on my Excel are 2.5mm* and the correct die is M2.5

Tough to get that wrong Smile

* approx. 25/256"
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website

LaVern Skarzenski

 

From:
North East,Pennsylvania, USA
Post  Posted 15 Nov 2021 7:39 am     Thread dia.
Reply with quote

John Hyland wrote:
b0b wrote:
John Hyland wrote:
The reason I asked is I’m trying to source rods and 1/8 is all I can find locally. Hobby Shops that I have found only sell short lengths.

https://www.dubro.com/products/4-40-threaded-rods-30-762-mm-6-pkg

Interesting the thread is larger than the shaft


Yes, that is because it is a rolled thread I believe. They get the advantage of a thread size while saving weight on the rod diameter. Unfortunately, I don't believe it is cost effective for the home workshop to have the proper tooling.
LaVern
_________________
GFI S10, BSG S10, Nashville 112, Digitech 155, DOD DFX9 Digital Delay, Goodrich L 120.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Michael Yahl


From:
Troy, Texas!
Post  Posted 15 Nov 2021 9:12 am    
Reply with quote

After 10 years in business and offering all of the pull rods to cover all of the builders, I don't understand why this topic still comes up.
It will cost y'all 3 times as much to make your own rods than purchasing them from my website.
My rods are accurate to industry standards and checked with GO-NOGO thread ring gauges. I guarantee that my rods are good without the guess work or hassle.

I don't mean to offend anyone but I've even posted the exact sizes and tolerances straight from the Machinist's Handbook which is the bible for all things machined for over 106 years and now in its 31st Edition.
Granted I occasionally run out of stock but I try to get them refilled as quickly as possible.

You can find whatever you need here https://www.psgparts.com/Pull-Rods_c18.htm

Thanks

Michael
_________________
"Don't fergit to kiss yer horse!"
'72 Sho-Bud Professional D10, (in pieces .....), '78 MSA Classic XL D10, '69 Emmons PP, Fender 2000
Peavey Session 500 BW, Crate Digital Modeling Amp

PSG PARTS
http://www.psgparts.com/
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website

Ian Rae


From:
Redditch, England
Post  Posted 15 Nov 2021 9:40 am    
Reply with quote

Good for you, Michael. If there's anything more annoying than reinventing the wheel, it's reinventing the rod.
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website


All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Jump to:  

Our Online Catalog
Strings, CDs, instruction,
steel guitars & accessories

www.SteelGuitarShopper.com

Please review our Forum Rules and Policies

Steel Guitar Forum LLC
PO Box 237
Mount Horeb, WI 53572 USA


Click Here to Send a Donation

Email admin@steelguitarforum.com for technical support.


BIAB Styles
Ray Price Shuffles for
Band-in-a-Box

by Jim Baron
HTTP