Threading tools

[milotrain]

I have a few jobs I've been putting off because I don't have threading tools that aren't simply ground from HSS stock. I've got a barrel to thread, and I've got a basically blank 700 receiver to thread. So internal and external threads with a high degree of accuracy. Internal threads in 4140 prehard, say about 32RC. My lathe is an older Atlas 10F so it is not monstrously stiff. In aluminum I have good success with carbide (as long as it has a significant chip breaker) and honed HSS. Cemented carbide tooling doesn't fare well unless I grind a chip breaker into it.

Anyone have any recommendations they would like to share? Thanks much.

[ar15barrels]

I do all my threading with full profile indexable carbide inserts.

[kcstott]

If you need to grind a chip breaker you're taking to deep a cut.

Indexable inserts are the way to go but expensive if you only have a few barrels to do.

I grind all my own tool from HSS both internal and external tools

[milotrain]

So if I'm cutting the ID of a barrel tenon for the 700 receiver, I'm looking at a 1"-16 thread. I have a few MoMax 1/2" blanks that I could grind the crap out of and make into an internal threading tool, I could also use a 3/4" bit of cold rolled rod and make a boring bar to hold a 1/4" HSS bit. The threads don't go deep so it's not that big of a deal.

The other option is one of these from MesaTools which is fairly cheep considering.

[kcstott]

i would not make a tool holder out of CRS unless it was the only way to get the job done. To much flex in that stuff.

your tool pictured is not a bad deal. as long as the grade of carbide is good go for it.

[milotrain]

C5 TiN coated

I have never found such inserts in the general catalogs and I hear it's proprietary. They are not egregiously expensive at $68/10pk but I don't love the idea of a proprietary insert. How common is that in the industry? I know the face mills that you can buy from McMaster use a proprietary insert but I've never heard of it else.

[ar15barrels]

I have never found such inserts in the general catalogs and I hear it's proprietary.

Look on ebay for the threading inserts you want.
THEN, buy the holder for the inserts.
You spend more on the holder doing it that way, but you save so much more by using the most common type of inserts that you save money overall.

Most of my threading holders are Grizzly and they use standard laydown triangular inserts that are the most common.
I do enough threading that I have dedicated external holders setup for 28tpi, 24tpi, 16tpi and 1mm.
I switch the insert out on the 1mm holder if I need to do a different thread pitch.
I have inserts for 10, 12, 14, 16,18, 20, 24, 28, 32 & 36TPI as well as the metric ones for 0.75, 1, 1.25 & 1.5mm.

[milotrain]

Ok so I grabbed a Grizzly holder H8305. Looks like MSC has a 16IR16UN insert by Hertel for not much money. Hertel End Mills have been good to me so I'll take the shot.

I did grab the Mesa tool because I need a good groover as well and right now I have none. Maybe it becomes a one trick pony, maybe it shows up on ebay.

I have three 30 cal barrels and several of these 700 blanks so while there are other projects in my life that may not be 16TPI, I don't have a problem with dedicated tooling for this particular project.

Thanks for the help.