- Joined
- Jul 11, 2003
- Messages
- 3,258
Ever rebuild an old machine or fix something on you car that has the threads clogged-up or galled? Remember trying to force it and it goes in just so far and then fetches up good and solid? This is because the corrosion/dirt/crud/steel inside the threads are all bunched up and causing the threads to work harder against themselves. The harder you work at it at this point you are simply buggering up the threads even more. Now, I'm not saying this is always the case. You could get lucky and get the bolt in all the way, but you better hope you don't have to take it off again!
But there is a simpler way to clean out your threads. Some folks will gingerly re-tap the hole and go back to work. Sometimes this works, but there is a risk of cutting out threads this way, or wiping them out altogether. Messing up just a couple threads can sometimes seriously diminish the holding power. Even if you successfully retain all the threads, the bolt can be a little wobbly in the hole, as the threads are stretched out somewhat after that.
The best way to clean threads is by using a rethreading tool. These are basically just a tap that doesn't really "cut" the threads, but more like "pushes them back into their place". The rethreading tap has not only threads like a bolt to fit the size hole you have, but also longitudinal grooves that capture dirt and crud and scrape it out of the thread groove. This is a kinder, gentler way of rethreading and restoring the integrity of your threaded hole.
Now we finally get to the tip!
If you don't have a rethreading tool, you can quickly and easily make one. Just take a bolt the size of your threaded hole, and grind some longitudinal grooves in the first half of the threads with a dremel cutoff wheel. Be sure to go deeper than the threads into the bolt. Two grooves should be enough on anything less than 1/4". Run this through a nut real quick to deburr the grooves and you are ready! Run it into the clogged hole with some WD-40 or your lube of choice and viola! This has worked time and again for me. It only takes a few minutes to do and works great.
But there is a simpler way to clean out your threads. Some folks will gingerly re-tap the hole and go back to work. Sometimes this works, but there is a risk of cutting out threads this way, or wiping them out altogether. Messing up just a couple threads can sometimes seriously diminish the holding power. Even if you successfully retain all the threads, the bolt can be a little wobbly in the hole, as the threads are stretched out somewhat after that.
The best way to clean threads is by using a rethreading tool. These are basically just a tap that doesn't really "cut" the threads, but more like "pushes them back into their place". The rethreading tap has not only threads like a bolt to fit the size hole you have, but also longitudinal grooves that capture dirt and crud and scrape it out of the thread groove. This is a kinder, gentler way of rethreading and restoring the integrity of your threaded hole.
Now we finally get to the tip!
If you don't have a rethreading tool, you can quickly and easily make one. Just take a bolt the size of your threaded hole, and grind some longitudinal grooves in the first half of the threads with a dremel cutoff wheel. Be sure to go deeper than the threads into the bolt. Two grooves should be enough on anything less than 1/4". Run this through a nut real quick to deburr the grooves and you are ready! Run it into the clogged hole with some WD-40 or your lube of choice and viola! This has worked time and again for me. It only takes a few minutes to do and works great.
