A DIY Secret to Easily Turn Screws On Your Lathe!

[@ab-shop]

Hi guys, I think anyone who has ever had to modify existing screws without building them from solid, for example due to the excessive length, but also due to the size of the head: it happens that this must be less thick for example or with a smaller diameter. In this video I show you my version of a simple support with 2 screws, one inside the other, the smaller one acts as a block for the larger one, which being cut in half expands by opening (when the smaller one pushes) a few tenth by locking into place and pushing the screw to be modified. The screw to be modified is mounted frontally, on the thread side or on the head side depending on the modification to be performed! However, the force of the tool tends to tighten the screw, in favor of safety. Hope you like it! Alberto

[@Tensquaremetreworkshop]

Neat. When I want to modify a bolt head, I just put on a nut up against the head, and another further down then clamp it in the 3 jaw. the one against the head holds it in position, and the second gives axial alignment. Not perfect, but good enough for most work- and it can be used on any size of fully threaded bolt.

[@TheRecreationalMachinist]

I usually make this type of fixture on the fly from a piece of scrap, lose it and have to make another the next time. I really like the idea of having a re-useable and adjustable tool that covers different sizes. I've added it to my (ever growing!) to-do list. Thanks for sharing! 👍 🇬🇧

[@ab-shop]

Hi Matt very happy that you liked the device: i force my self to make something that works without a spanner but only by hand !! Until the M12 screw you can use my device !! The thickness of bushing decides the minimum length of the screw because the head of the screw is on the side of the bush. Thanks for your comment !! A big ciao from Italy and happy Easter !! Alberto

[@andrewdolinskiatcarpathian]

Ciao Alberto. What a brilliant idea. I can see how very useful it will be to you. I am forever buying new screws as I a,ways run out of those I need and finding a secure and repeatable means to hold screws to modify them is always a challenge. Another project added to my ever increasing list. Happy Easter to you and your family. 👍😀

[@ab-shop]

Ciao Andrew, thanks for your comment: as usual, the idea come from something to make, a friend of mine that asked me to modify a screw for a carburator! Simple i said...not really like that because the screws head are not in the same axis of the thread! So i think at a divice to bring the thread!! Happy Easter you too, and to your family!! Alberto 🇮🇹🤗

[@donmittlestaedt1117]

Alberto, another fine video. I appreciate your craftsmanship with your machines, your ideas for the project, shop organization, video skills, and your choice of background music.Thank you.

[@ab-shop]

Hi Don !! Thanks for your very kind comment, this time i decided to use music because i thought that the turning and milling operations was easy to understand !! It seems that this was appreciated a lot ! Very very happy !! See you soon Don !! A big ciao from Italy, Alberto.

[@donmittlestaedt1117]

@@ab-shop Thank you Alberto.

[@TheKnacklersWorkshop]

Hello Alberto, That is a great tool... I am going to add making one to my to do list, thanks for sharing. Take care. Paul,,

[@GardenTractorBoy]

This is a great project and a cool build. It looks like it works very well. I am always impressed by your builds and skills

[@ab-shop]

Thanks Joseph, every time i try to do something better, in particular i am trying to improve the passage between the working moment, it should be no boring, this is a big challange !! See you soon Joseph !! And thanks for your comment !! Alberto.

[@MyLilMule]

Very nice! I never would have thought to make something like this. Your projects are very useful, I can see that.

[@ab-shop]

Ciao Greg happy that you liked that !! In the beginning i thought about a nut and a screw but after I forced myself to remove the spanner to close the main screw and the idea that arrived was this !! Franking speaking it was the first time that i cut a screw and i did not know what happen but it works because the screw is opened few cents and it is enough to stop in position !!

[@Rustinox]

Making one of these is on my "to do" list for a long time now. I really should... well...

[@ab-shop]

Hi Michel, yes i think that it can be useful to modify the screw at home, without making a new one from solid !!

[@JeremiahL]

I've been trying to come up with a good way to do this. there are several other examples out there, but I think this is very elegant... Im going to make a similar jig with a full set up thread adapters so I can use it with any imperial or metric size screw.... Very innovative. You earned a channel subscription. Cheers.

[@ab-shop]

Hi Jeremiah! Thanks so much for your comment and subscription to My channel!! Very happy for this!! I decided to make It because a friend asked me to modify a screw of a carburator, easy i said but after in the chuck i change opinion!😂this was the reason, welcome to my channel Jeremiah! See you soon, Alberto

[@brianleblanc5052]

great idea, I can see this as a coming project. Thanks for great video content

[@ab-shop]

Thanks Brian, happy that you liked my small idea 😀

[@thehobbymachinistnz]

Nice work as always Alberto.

[@ab-shop]

Thanks NZ ! Really happy you liked my idea! 😀

[@stxrynn]

I like the concept. Very nicely done. It made me think about a riff on that with a coupling nut. I think I'll spend some shop time tomorrow and try my idea out. Yours is quite good, that'll be my backup plan! Thanks for posting this. New subscriber.

[@ab-shop]

Hi Stxrynn thanks for your comment and welcome to my channel! A friend asked me to modify a screw for a carburator and i say oh no problem...but how to bring the head? That Is always not in center with the screw thread? So i thought at this simple device and definitely you to chuck the screw on thread! Happy for your comment!! See you soon, a big ciao from Italy!! Alberto 🇮🇹

[@MASI_forging]

Nice work as always 👍👍

[@ab-shop]

Thanks so much Masi !! Proud that you liked it !!

[@aguycalledlucas]

A necessary tool. Nice build!

[@ab-shop]

Hi Lucas and thanks for the comment: yes i think that can help a lot to customize the screws thatr you have at home, also can be the simple operation to shorten the lenght !!

[@MissouriOldTimer]

that is very impressive, did you learn all this on your own or did you go to machinist school?

[@ab-shop]

Hi Vernon, it is a small dream to go the machinist school but now, and here in Italy there're few possibility to have private lessons: what you saw come from my fantasy, i think that iy was the first time that somebody cut a screw like me !! 😅 Thanks Vernon for your comment !! Alberto

[@HM-Projects]

A lantern chuck is what it's called, good build.

[@howardosborne8647]

There are a few features seen here on Alberto's version that are more sophisticated than a standard lantern chuck though.

[@HM-Projects]

@@howardosborne8647 which ones ? Sorry not obvious to me.

[@ab-shop]

@@HM-Projects Hi HM, maybe Howard speaks about the fixture, i used a screw that was cut in the middle and maybe the first time that it was done !! i hope !! 😊 Thanks for the comment !!

[@ZenMinus]

I don't see the need for the TWO clamping screws. Can you explain why you used two screws? I made something like this many years ago. My device did not have the interchangeable thread feature. I used a single capscrew to tighten against the screw being machined and it worked very well.

[@ab-shop]

Hi Zenminus, i understand what you mean: the first idea was to use a screw and a bolt that closes the screw in the position to push the screw on work, after i decide to not have a spanner to close that nut and so arrived the idea to have 2 screws !! Thanks for your comment !! Cheers from Italy, Alberto.

[@rharris22222]

I was watching and watching with exactly the wrong idea. I kept thinking "How is this going to help with threading?" But finally at the last I see "Oh yes! I have needed that before!"

[@ab-shop]

Hi Richard and thanks for stopping by, I've attempted to build a holder to modify existing screws, not only the screw head but also the threaded part and I've come up with what you see in the video! Hope to see you again in my channel, have a nice day! Alberto 🇮🇹

[@mattknowsnothing]

Really enjoying your videos. Thanks:)

[@ab-shop]

Ciao Matt happy that you liked my simple device and my video !!

[@TheAyrCaveShop]

Nice idea Alberto...handy tool ! Ciao...ATB....Dean

[@ab-shop]

Ciao Dean!! Happy you liked that! 😊 Thanks for your comment!! Alberto

[@fainderskurs-koi8767]

Здравствуй. Альберто, всё как всегда, здорово и интересно! Лайк!👍👍👍

[@ab-shop]

Привет Станислав, рад слышать, что ты в порядке!! Спасибо за ваш комментарий, и я рад, что вам понравилась моя простая поддержка! Здравствуйте Станислав, Альберто.

[@fainderskurs-koi8767]

@@ab-shop Спасибо Альберт, что не забываешь. Надо будет показать, если не забуду, как я болтики обрезаю.

[@davidschwartz5127]

I use two nuts and lock them against each other

[@ab-shop]

Hi David, before this me too the same but the screw turn out of axis, this was the reason why i make that device!! Thank you for your comment!! ATB, Alberto

[@valentinozangobbo]

A me parea mi de riconossar na cadensa nostrana... te sarè mia dal Doeo!? Bel laoreto, brao 💪

[@ab-shop]

Ciao Valentino, grassie per il commento !! Purtroppo la cadenza è difficile da togliere ma è anche il nostro orgoglio giusto ?? Ciao e buona giornata !! Contento che ti sia piaciuto il mio supporto per modificare le viti !! Ciao!! Alberto

[@valentinozangobbo]

@@ab-shop Giustissimo ciò! Continua così, congratulazioni ancora 😁👍🏾

[@ACE-gk5gi]

. WOW' what is it' what does it do' LOL Naaaaaaaa it's great 👍 Lol ya goofy m8te from Australia 😆

[@ab-shop]

Thanks ACE for your comment, happy that you liked it !! Alberto

[@stockstergates4061]

we use er32 screw collets, M3-M12

[@stockstergates4061]

it Locks screws tightly and only lock 2-3 teeth.

[@michaellinahan7740]

@@stockstergates4061 changing the head profile can be done using collets, however, when you have a 15mm M4 cap head that needs 4mm taking off the end then the cap head in the collet doesn't , in my experience, have the best grip and the shank is often not axially aligned. With this version the pocket behind the bushing makes it easier to keep everything secure.

[@stockstergates4061]

@@michaellinahan7740 it can, but it can not finish less than 8mm length, because of the space, and it is more stable for its collet thread bite the screw, even there is three threads in the collet

[@stockstergates4061]

and I tried lots of methods, and your way is a good one

[@ab-shop]

Hi stockster Gates, happy that you speak about my device !! The real problem was to stop a screw from screw side and after from head side, this is the reason why i use bushinkg !! Happy to see you here in my channel, Ciao from Italy And thanks for your comment !! Alberto

[@ErikBongers]

I don't understand how the 2 screws work. Does the inner screw push the 'legs' of the outer screw outward? But then the hole in the outer screw must be tapered.

[@nerddub]

no its not tapered, the "legs" just PUSH upward into the threads, they don't actually move into any different position. It's a friction based locking

[@ab-shop]

@@nerddub Yes correct, the first screw stop in position thanks to the small screw inside that try to open the bigger one; the bigger one can be "opened" because it is cut before!! Only few tens are necessary !! Thanks for your comment !! Alberto

[@ab-shop]

Hi Erik, the first screw stop in position thanks to the small screw inside that try to open the bigger one; the bigger one can be "opened" because it is cut before!! Only few tens are necessary !! The bigger screw push push the screw that you have to modify, and when you cut with the tool, the force tends to screw the working screw to the bigger screw, in favor of security !! Hope that it is more clear !! Thanks for your comment !! Alberto

[@ErikBongers]

I'm sorry, I still don't understand. Why would the inner screw spread the legs of the outer screw? Typically a tap and die will create a quite loose fit. So there wouldn't be an outward pressure. Is the hole in the outer screw perhaps incompletely tapped? There has to be a reason why the inner screw hasn't got enough room and thus has no choice but to push the legs apart.

[@andjelkocirkovic4388]

Thanks Alberto, I am going to make one this very afternoon. I wander if it will be efficient enough to put just one left turn screw as a support..

[@jimviau327]

Genial !

[@ab-shop]

Hi Jim thanks so much but you are too kind!😅 A big ciao from Italy, Alberto.

[@dannirr]

The runout on your tool makes it barely usable. Watching the bronze inserts - there should be virtually no runout.

[@ab-shop]

Hi Dennirr, In fact, if you have seen the video, you will have noticed that I marked the jaw number 1 with the number 1 on a exagon face, to limit the runout as much as possible, in fact the hexagon was worked leaving the piece under the jaw 1 until the end , the runout is in fact very limited, as my tool takes the screw not on the head but on the thread. The head of the screws is never coaxial with the thread, they are made by random rolling and therefore are not precise, with my device you can also make them cylindrical with the thread.

[@Madmoody21]

Um that is not run out it is plain old non centered non concentric garbage.

[@bobluthier3031]

hey man, dont worry too much about the nay sayers...solid idea you have there. i might have put a few set screw in the side to adjust the runout of the brass parts. good work though