Thank you for getting in touch with me.And it is a great show.I find myself looking at the machinist channel more than T.V

When single point threading on a lathe I found it best to do this. Set your compound to 29 .5 degrees. When you’re sneaking up on the final passes feed in with the compound not the cross slide. I believe you’ll find it cuts a better thread because you’re taking more of a cut on the leading edge of the tool. Worked for me for more than 50 years.

The Half Rod mounted in the chuck! What a simple idea! Thanks!

Tom, I thought I had the patent on changing my mind in the middle of a project. Great idea. Keep writing to Santa, you never know. Thanks for the video.

Thank for the tip, it inspired this idea. Take some stock about 1/4 inch higher than centre height. Cut a big groove below centre height in that stock. That way you have a simple overhang without the pivoting bit. Check the new height gauge by facing off something. Fine adjustment is done by either dropping the whole gauge down by facing the bottom or raise the groove up. Now I have to go make one.

I enjoyed the piece at the end about setting it accurately for the spindle centerline... it makes me think about getting the center height more clearly.

Tom, Cool little project, nicely done! Thanks for getting us all on center, Ray

As always, another very helpful and enlightening vid! Thanks Tom!

Thanks for your time Tom, entertaining as well as informative. I laughed at the way you talk to yourself. We all do it. Kevin

Nice work Tom. Now your whole shop is magnatized!

I really enjoyed this video. The best part was the time you took to show the threading operation.

Nice tool Tom. I loved watching you work on it, you made me chuckle and smile several times! Thanks for sharing another nice shop made tools thats useful and practical. Adam

I been looking for a better way for setting tool height, and thanks to this video I have a plan. Thanks Tom

Awesome! I'm one of the guys that asked about that tool-height gauge. I remember 4130 chromoly as that bmx frame material that everyone wanted back in the 80's on the Mongoose and GT bikes. Those frames were supposed to be unbreakable. I don't think I'll make it out of 4130, but now I have another project to get the Sheldon set up like I want. Thanks!

That will be a handy tool for sure. I enjoyed the process Tom.

Neat idea, I've just been eyeballing it off the dead center but then I have to get the dead center and the tool point near each other. Will put this one on the list.

You're the bomb Tom! Thanks for another great video.

I'm sending you a box of nitrile gloves. ;) Nice work Tom. You have a nice collection of hard to find tools.

Great video as usual. I always just use the old sharp point in the tail stock trick. I had no idea how fancy you could get.

Thank's GOD for the Internet, You truly are a Master, and there is No other way for people like me to learn from Masters like you. GOD BLESS

Always learning something new every time I watch your videos. Thanks! And by the way ... I just got your latest book ... and am at chapter three. It reads well and is entertaining as well as being informative. I hope there are more book projects from your on the horizon.

Finally got around to making one. Made the Hardinge style swinging top but just made the height static, appropriate to my lathe. Also made a groove part way down so I can set it off the ways or the cross slide. I omitted the magnet. My previous eyeball method was WAY off when I rechecked all my holders. That may explain my recent parting tool incident. I don't think you can beat this style of gauge if your eyes are getting older and your hands and fingers are worn and rough. Thanks for another helpful video Tom.

Nice demo, there! That "Tap-Magic: Extra thick" looks like Maple syrup. Coincidence? Another alternative is one of the "oil-treatments" found in "auto-parts" stores; "Lucas", or "Morey", brands spring to mind. They are suspiciously like "deep-drawing" lubes; staying "slippery" even under enormous pressure. Useful stuff. Also a good choice when doing heavy "wildcat" or "reforming" of brass rifle cartridge cases, or for bullet swaging. Also works in "tired" engines and machine gear-boxes.

Hey Tom, After watching your video I am going and ( try ) to make one. I use the tail stock point but sometime that is a pain. Thanks Buddy

I made something similar to the half rod, a quarter rod. The benefit is not having to spin the chuck to get the flat level because it has a 90° corner at the center.

Excellent! I would've been disappointed if you'd have slowed that thing down for the thread cutting. I love watching yourself, Keith, Adam &c. working with such confidence. It's quite rare that I get to do any threading. Our lathe goes down to, I think 25 RPM and even then I'm crapping myself each time I throw in the half nuts :)

Hey Tom, the text saying "Danger Mr Wizard" saved my day. Awesome video as always. Have a nice Weekend. Stephan

You got me checking eBay for one of those. Nice work!

Definitely a good idea to pot the magnet and not just rely on the glue behind and around the circumference. I've glued rare earth magnet ad nauseum before, and since they're plated with nickel they're a pain in the rear end to get to stick to anything. In many applications using some really tacky double sided tape is actually better than glue if you can't completely encapsulate it. Might've been nice to put it on a Noga base though, so you could "switch off" the magnet as well. Thanks for another cool video. Gotta get me one of those Hardinge height setting doodads. /Daniel

Good show, old man. Good info and several belly laughs!

Very nice Tom. Those little magnets are really strong I have a few of them and they are very handy.

Nice vid. I like that close camera shot. You do some nice "Play-By-Play" as well.

Most interesting watching that very fine threading

Thanks Tom, fun stuff to watch

the one i made is from a right angle square, chop off the extra length allowing for width of blade, glue/screw the cut off piece at required height, super quick and simple, excellent addition to any lathe.

another great video. thanks for a great open house :)

Knowledgeable and easy to listen to - thanks

good job I made mine out of the things that u were going to use but I start from the table top, go from a center at chuck then to the tool works fine for me, again good job

Going too have to make me one of those. Thanks Tom. If you picked up Mr. Wizard from the TV show, you must be nearly as old as me. lol

Great work. Great vid.... Question. Are you feeding in straight with the cross slide or are you putting a cut on with the compound ?

I think my idea of a laser pointer in the chuck indicated to point to the center of the tailstock and a good way to get alinment on your mill over useing a centering tool and the dro or the other thing I'd like to make is a periscope with cross hairs for center I think I might have seen a video of the scope in some way. But the laser pointer is all my idea.

I know you probably know this trick but for others. If you don't know the height from wherever to your tool edge you can put the scale up against your part and bring your tool in to touch the side. On the round surface if your tool is high the scale will tilt to the right (or towards the part) if your to low it will tilt to the left (or away from the part) and you can just adjust it till the scale is sticking straight up into the air. This works for machines that might be to big for your 6inch to reach down to the cross slide. Also others have suggested using a center in the tail stock to eyeball off the point (which is good and very quick) but if you're using it as support might not be an option. You said there are multiple ways to center your tool and that is very true. Thought id share my method. Hope it helps someone.

Unsalted pork lard works wonders on threading! Especially when cutting stainless and tool steel...

Hi Tom, Good idea to add it up to the existing tool, you even get a height micrometer as a bonus, with a 40 TPI you know you're moving .025 thou. a revolution easy to calibrate and adjust. By turning the threads at 2000RPM's the finish would be FANTASTIC... Don't know about the rest.... Good video thanks for sharing, Pierre

I got an er collet with an mt3 taper for using reamers and endmills I have a tendency to hack my way around the lathe I thought that was a safer way to go about it. as for tool height, I have been using a dead centre? in the chuck with a tapered sleeve... it came with the lathe and haven't found another use for it yet, I'm thinking one of these will make a good project though

Hi, Tom! Great work! I believe the top of the Hardinge depth tool is used to set tools which are mounted upside down, such as rear-mounted parting tools etc. Thanks for an informative show! Mike South Africa

Nice to see Mr. Wizard back in this video. How did he miss out on the facing boo-boo last time around? Thanks for detailing your tuning of the fit on the fine thread.

A planer gauge also works to set the tool height.

great video tom

thanks for the video. very nice tool for the shop .

Very informative. Thank you.

Hi, Oxtoolco, this video is great, my name is Ronaldo, I'm from Brazil, I like this is.

I thank I like the half rod the best of all of them, thanks for the video.

What was the tool holder part # and the interchangeable inserts that can do cut off and 60 degree thread cutting? Where would be a good source to buy? Thanks.

Great video--thanks!

Are the Hardinge height setters still available?

Which is the most dangerous a tool above centre height or a tool below centre height??

Gunna Have to make one Now Tom LOL I love your Skill, But the Comments Crack me up Mr wizard hahaa

Joe Pie has a great video on threading away from the chuck. Check it out. Its a no brainer once you see it done.

easy to set a tool to centre height use an old six inch rule, flat side of rule against a parallel stock bar held in lathe, place tool tip lightly against rule and adjust tool height so rule is held vertical against bar if not centre height rule will not be vertical

I sure do agree with Abom79 puts a smile on my face

santa says you've been a bad boy, no scale holder for you :) anticipated a crash with every thread cut lol perhaps your Mr wizard warning had something to do with that ;) keep up the great vids always enjoy them. Later man

I am a follower of all of your videos and a have been learning a lot Thanks very much I appreciated. Instead of making all that High Calibrator, why not just uses the Bar mill to half of its diameter, face down and it is good for any Lathe Best Regards Omar Quintero from Caracas Venezuela

Nice, but I always used the center in the tailstock? Then I turn the toolpost with the tool in toolpost, whichever way to eyeball the center line? Then return tool post to square.

Good if you have time could also use a vernier height guage

Thanks Tom. I love this idea. I don't have a flat section on the apron of my lathe (SB 9"). A was thinking about setting it on the ways but then I am sitting on the tops of the V's. Any suggestions?

never thought of - know I know . Lots of others never knew either

I think I,d inset a couple magnets in that piece of square stock to keep it from rockin, around

I believe santa has gotten many requests for the same thing. ;)

I doubt that Mrs. Claus will allow Santa to bring you a DD scale holder! I like this project, and had been thinking of making something similar. Yours is way cool.

What's your hurry , I find all of the threads are better at slower speeds, single point on manual lathe? Just saying? Even tho you are the man!!!

Could you have run the thread tool upside down and run the chuck in reverse from the thread relief to cut some of the pucker factor on the smaller tool?

I hate that I can't part off like at 26:20 with my little South Bend 9. Parting is my nightmare, the big pucker factor. I'm not worthy. Great vid.

Thanks Tom! As a beginner this is a real aha video for me. Thanks, again. larry

How come on all the lathe every one is using six jaw chucks?And what is the pros and cons of three and four jaw chucks?Thank you love your shows and tips.

Hey Tom No need to wait for Santa...I placed an order for a few import scale holders, I will send you one since we will need to do some testing to see if they have the same holding ability as the USA holder in my video! Enjoyed the vid/lessons and how you dealt with a material that was chewy while machining....FYI...I was grinning with the glue segment! ATB Chuck

Hi Tom Nice video I have a box full of steel that machines like that lol I think I will use stainless for mine John

If can't get right on centre line which is best to go slightly under or over centre?

looks good nice video

nice tool tom, how about mounting to mag base, could then turn magnet on &off

3 Jaw Chucks: Feeling all high and mighty 6 Jaw Chucks: Hold my beer

молодец мастер руки есть привет от СССР

How about attaching a continuity tester and just raise the tool bit until it beeps?

Hey Tom, just a quick question: Why don't you use the tip of your live center to set the height of your tool? This is the way I was taught to do it and it worked really well for me. -MrP

You have to turn very fast to get a good finish with 4140.

I wonder if something like lard would improve the threading?

HiTom, what was your depth of thread? 5/8 OD 40tpi I must have mist you say thread depth" & how you arrived at the thread depth, kind of nice to see how you get to the final figure. (19 thou) I think. Regards Rob

The weird things you notice #842 When I was a stamping press operator I knew when the dies weren't getting properly lubed by the sound the press made, I've watched enough of your videos that when you were parting off the stock I could tell by the sound when it was going to drop free

I've started using the threading method shown by Joe Pieczynski and really feel much more comfortable doing it. It looks odd but works w/o the fear of crashing into the work. Tool mounted up side down and turning away from the work. Have you considered it?

You do want to have ideally no air gap between the magnet and it surface

Tom, I kept expecting you to forget the magnet on the chuck and set the speed high enough to have it come flying off. I flinched every time you applied power to the lathe. The next scene would be you with an eye patch on.

Yes I agree but if haven't got a fancy tool post & rely on shimming? Cheers

Reverse the direction of your leadscrew and work from the shoulder out to reduce the pucker factor.

It's a Hardinge-Lipton Center Height tool.

I don't get what this tool does.. Is it for gauging the height of the cutting tool? If so why does it need the moving part on the end?

Hello Sir Can you share the specs of the tool holder and inserts, and where i can purchase Thanks

Hi Tom Great video as usual Just a quick question on the use of Tap Magic extra thick... Is it the extra thick variety which has sulphur added to it for superior turning, or is it the version in which they add Toluene that automatically degreases the threads as they are cut so they are easier to clean. Or is it the version which has Shell Rotunda 3200 added as a lubricant to make the turning smoother? Couldn't resist...... Rod Qualicum Beach

Hi Tom, Interesting video, nice threading, and a nice tool to keep by any lathe. Thank you for sharing... :o] O,

How about adding a lever pivoting on top?, rest one end of the lever on top of the tool adjust tool height until lever is horizontal

Good stuff! I made a bunch of "magnet holders" from 1" diameter aluminum and brass about an inch long. I cheated and just rough drilled the bottom, then put a piece of painters tape (thin stuff is 5 thousands thick) on the bottom of the magnet... put in some epoxy in the drilled hole, insert magnet, and set against a steel bar. Painters tape kept the clearance I wanted, steel bar kept the magnet in the right place. Each holder (I made probably 3 dozen) got a different knurling, undercut, top hat. Handy reference when I make a knob for a project!