If you are familiar with thread milling then you know that it is a fast and efficient way to add threaded surfaces to your components using a milling machine. Thread mills are extremely versatile tools that can cut threaded surfaces in seconds. They are less prone to jamming and other common tap and die issues and a full form thread mill has rows of cutting teeth that can cut an entire threaded surface in a single 360 degree pass. In addition to these full form cutting tools, there are also single pitch thread mills that only have a single cutting point. While these tools might seem less efficient compared to their full form counterparts, there are a lot of jobs that they are better suited for.
What Can’t Full Form Tools Do?
As we mentioned before, full form mills are extremely useful because they can cut an entire threaded surface in one quick pass. They are great for cutting internal and external threads quickly and efficiently, for both right hand and left hand threads. Part of what makes these tools so fast and efficient is the fact that the cutting teeth are all separated by the length of the thread pitch you need. All you have to do is drop the tool by the pitch as it cuts to produce perfect threads. This also means that a full form tool can only cut threads with a certain pitch.
Single Pitch Tool Advantages
Unlike full form cutters, single pitch thread mills only have a single cutting point. This means that one tool can cut a wide range different thread pitches, making them a great choice for mixed production. One of the largest drawbacks to using these tools is time. Single pitch thread milling requires tracing along the entire length of the threaded surface, a process that takes many more passes than using a full form thread mill.
Despite this extended cutting time, machining with single pitch thread mills has another advantage. One small cutting point has a significantly lighter cutting pressure than the rows of teeth on full form thread mills. This means that you can use single pitch cutters to thread more delicate components such as parts with thin walls or pieces that overhang. Basically if you want to have versatility when you are threading, then you need to to have some single pitch tools on hand.
If you want to find some of these versatile single pitch thread mills for your machining shop, then you need to visit www.onlinecarbide.com. Online Carbide is a manufacturer that specializes in thread mills and other milling tools including various end mills and drill bits. All of their tools are precision machined from solid carbide here in the US. They also offer all of their products at manufacturer direct prices so you can save big on the tools that your shop needs when you visit their online store.
