Making Turnbuckles / Bottlescrews

Rcsailing.net General Discussion
1

Evening all,

I know that turnbuckles/bottlescrews are available from most rc hobby suppliers, but if I wanted to make some where can I get both left and right handed thread tap & die sets?

All the online engineering suppliers that I’ve come across only seem to supply standard right hand thread cutting stuff. They must be available somewhere, it’s just a matter of finding them!

Look forward to any responses,

Regards,

Row

2

You probably will have to email any/all for specific sizes, and for pricing, although the last link does provide for purchase of individual taps. Will have to search for dies separately if they are needed. Good luck.

Dick

http://www.hermanscentral.com/department/qual-tech-bleft-handb-taps-in-machine-fractional-taps-high-speed-11704.cfm

http://www.tapdie.com/html/lefthand_taps_dies_metric_taps.html

http://westportcorp.com/taps/index.htm?gclid=CISx1radtKkCFcK8Kgodviv2Mg

http://www.victornet.com/tools/Inch-Size-Left-Hand-Taps-and-Dies/100.html

http://tool.wttool.com/search?w=left+hand+thread&x=29&y=16

http://tapsdies.co.cc/left-hand-tap-and-die.html

and finally - a great standby for ALL model making needs is McMaster-Carr catalog (and they do sell Mylar, tapes, epoxies, and tools:
http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/117/2526/=cqj1p2

3

Dick,

Many thanks for the list of links, I don’t know how I managed to miss the second one down when it’s a UK company. I’ll forgive myself the others as I was only searching for uk based suppliers.

Anyway, thanks again.

Regards,

Row

4

There are other options. I have taken brass tubing and soldered nuts into it, and the bottom one has a small brass strip to attach to the deck, and a jam nut to keep it from rotating, locktiting in place. The whole thing will then spin, allowing you to use the upper half to attach the stays. I did this years ago, and it worked just fine, If I can get a picture onto the web, I’ll post it.

5

Unless there is a demand for “looking” instead of “working” - here is an easy to make item that (in this photo) is used to tighten side shrouds and is mounted to the front of a mast. Basically a brass tube, flattened end with drilled hole, internal threads to match a machine screw, machine screw through a screw eye. Tighten or loosen by using screw drive to turn top of screw. Shroud tension keeps screw from backing out by itself.

6

I made some bottlescrews from 2mm screws, 2.5mm o/d brass tube and small fishing swivels for my Victoria.
I’ve made smaller ones using 1.6mm screws for Micro Magic backstays.
The Victoria Vang turnbuckle is threaded one end and free turning captive rod the other.