Learn Me: Thread Chasing

Knurled. said:

 and then I cut the head off and grind three flats on that end so I can chuck it into a light duty drill. 

FYI, you can get hex-shaft-to-socket-head adapters that let you stick a socket on the drill. :) 

codrus said:

Knurled. said:

 and then I cut the head off and grind three flats on that end so I can chuck it into a light duty drill. 

FYI, you can get hex-shaft-to-socket-head adapters that let you stick a socket on the drill. :) 

Bolts fall out of sockets.  Hard-chucking the threaded end of a bolt will not fall out of a drill.

Clearance is also often an issue, the shorter you can make the total stack height, the better.

Sometimes I really appreciate the fact that i started out with nothing. For probably the first 10 years of my working on cars I was reluctant to spend a lot of money on tools. To this day I own mostly a scavenged collection although at this point i own so much stuff that there's a decent smattering of really nice stuff in it. 

Anyway, adversity being the mother of invention and all that, I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say I can walk the walk with the wrong tools better than a lot of people can talk the talk about the right tools.  

I'm also glad my first car was a POS! I always say if my first car had been a Toyota it would have set me back YEARS in my development! 

I owned a set of thread chasers similar to the ones pictured. Owned mine so long the case turned pink too as someone mentioned. At some point I lost it somehow or other. I guess I never felt the need to replace it... except i bought more thread files! Those things are a lifesaver. 

Cousin_Eddie said:

A full set of quality thread chasers need not be too expensive.

Virtually every single thread chase tool set sold today is made by Lang Tools. SnapOn, Mac, Matco, Cornwell, Craftsman, Kstar, etc....All are made in USA by Lang Tools and then rebranded and upcharged by others.

The deluxe set, Lang part number 971 can be bought for around 70 dollars delivered.

Here is where I got mine. Free shipping too.

I have used mine for years. It's invaluable.

After seeing your post I ordered a set, I've always wanted one but never got around to buying them before.  It arrived today (pretty quick shipping from Amazon) so it was like getting a new Christmas toy.  :)

In reply to stuart in mn :

Same. Ordered from tooltopia and mine arrives today. 

Tooltopia rocks. Mad quick shipping. I've ordered from them tons of times.