Help with pedal rods and legs

TRAP TRULY · From: Mobile , AL

I am hoping someone could thread about 2" (10/32 thread) on 8 chromed pedal rods. My local machine shops were not able/willing to do this.
As for the legs,one shop cut cut the legs down and damaged the 1/2 threads on the plugs and that would need to be re-threaded also.
The rods as of now are about 2" too long.

Any help would be greatly appreciated,
Trap

Ronnie Boettcher · From: Brunswick Ohio, USA

Hi Trap, If you have access to a vise, Go out and buy a tap and die set, with a 10/32 die. Then all you need is a oil can with some cutting oil in it, and a few rags, and big pan or old newspapers to catch the oil, and the chips that is cut. Clamp the rod wrapped in a rag, (so you won't spin the rod in the vise, and mar the chrome). Trust me you have to keep the rod perfectly immoble. Then put a few drops of oil on the rod, and start twisting the die on the rod. Only go about a 1/2 turn at a time and back off a wee bit to break the cut pieces loose from the rod. Then turn the die on another wee bit and back it off a wee bit. Keep doing this till the thread is cut to your desired length. I have threaded pipe, and rods for 50 years, on the jobs, and at home. When you first start to thread the rod, you have to keep a pressure on the die, till you get a few threads started, then the die will automatically feed itself. If you intend to cut the rods shorter, practice on the rod a little before you cut it to length, so you know how to do it.Good luck.
_________________
Sho-Bud LDG, Martin D28, Ome trilogy 5 string banjo, Ibanez 4-string bass, dobro, fiddle, and a tubal cain. Life Member of AFM local 142

Ronnie Boettcher · From: Brunswick Ohio, USA

on the 1/2X13 threads on the legs, buy a 1/2X13 die to run over the existing threads. That is very easy too. Just use a little cutting oil to lube the die, like you do on the rods. OH, ON THE RODS WHEN YOU CUT THE THREADS, ABOUT EVERY TURN YOU DO, DROP SOME OIL ON CUTTERS TO KEEP THEM LUBED. IF YOU DON'T KEEP THEM LUBED, YOU WILL RUIN THE DIE< AND YOUR RODS. If you are friends with a electrician, or plumber/pipefitter, we all are experts at doing that.
_________________
Sho-Bud LDG, Martin D28, Ome trilogy 5 string banjo, Ibanez 4-string bass, dobro, fiddle, and a tubal cain. Life Member of AFM local 142

Jerry Roller · From: Van Buren, Arkansas USA

Trap, a footnote to what Ronnie said, if the rods are too long and you need to cut them off, you should do the threading before you cut them off, leave the die on, cut the rod, clean up the cut end with on a grinder or with a file, then remove the die which will chase the thread leaving it clean to thread the rod end on. I find that it is hard to lock a rod into a vise without damaging the rod so I make the vise fairly tight, then clamp some vice grips very tightly on the rod and let the vice grips rest against the vise so it can't turn, then proceed as Ronnie said.
Jerry

TRAP TRULY · From: Mobile , AL

Thanks Ronnie and Jerry for the tips.It seems near impossible to cut through the chrome. It threads the chrome but the threads are not deep enough. I received an email saying the chrome would needed to be sanded down before the rod could be threaded.This essentially is what the machinists told me. I have a Fessenden w/o chrome on the rods and threading them were a breeze.Not so in this case. Thanks again for the tips guys!
Trap

Ronnie Boettcher · From: Brunswick Ohio, USA

Ok Trap, do you have a sharpening stone, or a dremel grinding tool? I would then measure exactly how far you plan on cutting the new threads, then wrap a piece of tape there and with the sharpening stone in your hand, use it as a file and take off the chrome. Or if you have a dremel, or a 1/8th grinder like it, turn the speed down and use it to slowly grind the chrome off. That is all I can think of now. Doing this by hand, you can control how much stock you remove. And Jerry is right on with continuing the threads, then cutting the rod, and when you back the die off it will chase the threads so you can thread the piece onto it. Also you can try and clamp the rod in a vise using 2 pieces of wood to squeeze the rod tight. Good luck.
_________________
Sho-Bud LDG, Martin D28, Ome trilogy 5 string banjo, Ibanez 4-string bass, dobro, fiddle, and a tubal cain. Life Member of AFM local 142

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

Rubber in the vise. Piece of inner tube or something similar. Start with very little of the rod sticking out of the vise. Re-clamp as required. If they're stainless, rots o ruck! Find someone with a metal lathe.
edited to add: Cork also works well. Wood is too hard. Ya needs somethin' kinda sticky.

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