Mod Marv's Lantern vise

[Frank S]

Those are the ones not sure about the brand will have to check tomorrow I bought them at an auction for cheap because everyone thought since they were in halves they would not be any good.
I made $50.00 in 5 minutes using a 1/2 13 on a truck started bolt that the guy had arced a wrench on saved him the cost of pulling the starter and having it repaired He was happy and so was I because that more than paid for the set since then I've used it many times most folks are amassed at how well they work plus how much money I saved them

[Toolmaker51]

What about something like this critter: https://smile.amazon.com/M10-1-25-Sp...split+hex+dies
I've never seen these before, but "hex split die" search brought it up. However, they might be rather costly if you needed a whole set of them.

Not sure how this gets named chaser. Chasing threads [a different activity than we pursue @ HMT.net] is a repair technique to clean root, re-form crest, and shave flanks so it will enter again, not necessarily perfect per original class of fit.
Cutting dies produce threads, usually in a single pass, manner identical to lathes. That accounts for the leading side being chamfered. The adjustment [range is limited] can be used to adjust clearance [pitch diameter mainly] of desired class of fit. It also allows a roughing pass on tough material. You'd want a thread mike, wires, or go/no-go handy to monitor changes.

[Metalmuncher]

"Yup. Now the Chinese made a business model out of doing exactly that"
I used to go to a lot of trades shows mostly overseas. Might be in Italy, Spain, Germany or even in Guangzhou China there would always be a few booths set up with a range of products which spanned far too wide of a range for most manufactures. Walk up to them , does your company make all of these products. Yes Sir and many more we didn't have room to set up here. Oh I see well then how about such and such? Oh yes Sir one of our specialties if you would like to send us a sample to make sure we send you the correct sizes we will be most happy to accommodate you at a better price than you can find anywhere.
Yes I just bet you can thanks anyway though I'm really not in the market for that just now. I am interested in this though could I visit your factory say Tomorrow afternoon around 2 PM, I would like to meet with your production and engineering staff for a possible half of a container shipment.
If they were real we went to tour their factory, usually not though as there would always be some reason a tour was not possible.

Interesting. I sure wish there were some way to rekindle bringing industry back to the US. It's hard to compete with the rock bottom prices on their merchandise, even if some of the quality is questionable. But on the other hand, were it not for cheap Chinese tools, I would never have gotten into this hobby. I got my 7x10 lathe back when they sold in tent shows for $199. I got the mini mill, which has grown and been modded far and away from its original self, for $299. The prices on both are like 3X that now. And of course the cheap Chinese tooling. When I started out I had no idea that the initial machine expense was just a drop in the bucket compared to all the tooling I would need. No way I could afford all that with names like Starrett all over it, for sure. So they took our jobs, but they did enable us to afford things we couldn't have afforded before. Its a double edge sword.

[Metalmuncher]

Those are the ones not sure about the brand will have to check tomorrow I bought them at an auction for cheap because everyone thought since they were in halves they would not be any good.
I made $50.00 in 5 minutes using a 1/2 13 on a truck started bolt that the guy had arced a wrench on saved him the cost of pulling the starter and having it repaired He was happy and so was I because that more than paid for the set since then I've used it many times most folks are amassed at how well they work plus how much money I saved them

[Frank S]

I use the term chaser loosely to me a round split die is for threading and hex dies are for cleaning or chasing as I call it, split dies are for threading and can be adjusted for proper cut depth depending on the class of thread desired I will often single point a thread to a particular depth then run a split die over it this cleans up any chatter or regularities me the lathe or the cutter may have left also it reduces wear on my dies by not using them to cut the whole depth of the thread particularly when that thread is quite long

[Metalmuncher]

Not sure how this gets named chaser. Chasing threads [a different activity than we pursue @ HMT.net] is a repair technique to clean root, re-form crest, and shave flanks so it will enter again, not necessarily perfect per original class of fit.
Cutting dies produce threads, usually in a single pass, manner identical to lathes. That accounts for the leading side being chamfered. The adjustment [range is limited] can be used to adjust clearance [pitch diameter mainly] of desired class of fit. It also allows a roughing pass on tough material. You'd want a thread mike, wires, or go/no-go handy to monitor changes.

I know threading has a lot of technology behind it, but for me, on the farm, chasing threads just meant "able to put the thing back together again", or "able to use this rusty old bolt that happens to be the right size that I found lying in the bottom of an old box of misc. nuts and bolts".

[Frank S]

Well I am glad this subject has come up I decided I couldn't leave us hanging until tomorrow and might get busy and forget to check as promised
I haven't used these in quite a while and the last time was on the side of the road in the rain I though tI had them dried off but there must have still been some moisture in the box so now I have to clean them before I put them away again
The brand is 4 star made in the USA

[Metalmuncher]

Nice! So what do you prefer to remove surface rust like this? I try to keep things either dry or oiled as best I can. But we also park the car in one side of the garage. It is climate controlled, when I want to run the heat or air, but I don't always do that unless I have an ongoing project. I do run a circulation blower pretty much around the clock to help dry things out. The humidity from rain or snow coming in with the car sometimes gives me some grief on some ferrous materials, or on my table saw's cast iron table. I usually use a 3M hand pad to remove this kind of surface rust.

[Frank S]

As little of it as there is I will probably use a mixture of Diesel ATF and elbow grease with a 3m pad
when I have stuff that is really rusty I use KBS Rust Blast RustBlast
A real good friend of mine sells it he is now the 2nd largest distributor for KBS products I keep 5 gallons of the rust blast and another of the aquaklean on hand the soap for cleaning the the rust blast for removing the rust A lot of times when I have a project going that has a lot of rusty nuts and bolts that I don't want to replace I toss them in a coffee can filled with the rust blast leave them for a day or 2 then rinse them off the rust is gone almost like it had never been there same goes for rusty parts I just spray it on and re apply every so often keeping the part wet with it not dripping wet just like a morning dew I might reapply 23 or 4 maybe on really badly rusted stuff 6 times over 2 or 3 hours then forget about it till the next day then rinse off the loose residual maybe wire brush the white powder away or just rub with a scrub pad then prime and paint leaving what ever didn't come off undisturbed Of course I always use KBS paints as well
Yes I shrilling for the product

[Toolmaker51]

Threads and fasteners always fascinated me. The dimensional considerations that various trade associations had to consider are intimidating; are simplified by a few dimensional relationships, tie it all together in manufacturing.
Multiply by how many things depend on threads for assembly.
Multiply by how many thread forms are used...not even considering standard or metric practices, and proprietary versions companies engineer for themselves!
It's valuable to know when you specify in an order, taps/ dies are sold to cut accordingly,
Variety is linked to degree of intended service; those start with forms, with tolerances adjusted [thread class of fit] for the application. There is a #1, rare now, originally intended for agricultural use, especially in attachments by nut and bolt. A lot of clearance, literally allowed to rust into place. Good design, those fasteners subjected to shear, instead of tensile loads. Highest common version is #3, usually needs wrenching to assemble, but still considered a clearance fit. Typical in aerospace, nuclear and other critical application. Oversize taps are made, increments that allow for plating etc. As mentioned elsewhere, adjustable dies have a comparable function.

Fasteners depend on material for strength. It isn't apparent, but they control size at #2 for most commercial use. Originally they were 'cut' as a tap does in a nut, or single pointing in a lathe. Mass production and quality improved many times when 'rolling' was introduced for external threads, and forming for internals. Cutting naturally interrupts the metallic structure, where forming not only preserves and increases surface strength, the smooth surface reacts to torquing in assembly consistently.

Forming essentially are knurling operations; forcing metal to flow into a prescribed contour. The outside diameter or hole are truly sized incorrectly (compared to cutting) that flow corrects into 'perfect' threads. Another detail, none cut or formed, are intended to be 'sharp' in the root or crest. That would induce interference with slightest burrs or dirt, and reduce lube space for assembly.

Materials, alloying and heat-treating regulate the grading systems. In the U.S. Gr2 is common low grade hardware, Gr5 starts the high strength series, applied heavily in automotive, and structural work, around 100k minimum tensile strength psi, Gr8 is typified by hex socket capscrews at 150k. Metric fasteners are similar, but in a different system ranging from 4.6 to 12.9; and allows several intermediate specifications, about double that of U.S.
Jpeg magnifies on click, the detail of what happens in threaded parts is remarkable: Not my favorite drawing but good for introduction.