Making aPolishing Mop “Tail”

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

I need to make a polishing mop tail. It is a straightforward turning and boring job. With the exception of putting a "thread" on the tapered nose. I think I am using the words tail and thread correctly, please tell me if I am wrong.

The thread on the existing taper Has one side at right angles to the axis and the other side at maybe 60 degrees.

The only way I can think of putting a thread on the conical taper is by using a hand graver. I don't think my graving skills are up to it!

So how do you thread the conical taper?

Andrew.

Edited By Andrew Tinsley on 26/09/2023 11:31:50

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

[Bo’sunParticipant @bosun58570]

Hi Andrew,

Why do you want to make one? Unless you just want the experience of course. They're not very costly to buy.

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

Bo'sun beat me to it ! Just buy one their cheap enough, then drill or thread as needed to suit your purpose.. Axminster sell them- or used to ! make sure you get the right diameter. Noel.

[DC31kParticipant @dc31k]

It is possible to cut a tapered thread with a taper attachment on a lathe.

It would be possible to set a bar at the back of the lathe at the correct half angle for the taper, disconnect the cross slide and use a strong spring to pull a roller or follower attached to the cross slide against the bar. Put on the cut with the compound slide.

Even better than the spring, mount the tool at the back of the stock and the cutting force will always push the follower into contact with the fixed bar.

Offset the tailstock (perhaps by means of a boring head mounted in the taper and a centre in the place where the boring tool would go) so the face of the cone is parallel to the lathe's travel. You might need ball centres or a bell centre drill at both ends as the taper angle would be relatively big, and you would need a driving arrangement at the chuck end that ensures uniform angular velocity (I think it is called a compensating drive dog). That would give you a very skewed thread, but in this application, it would not matter.

I believe there were some lathes made where the power cross feed could be engaged at the same time as the longitudinal feed.

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

Thanks all,

It is the challenge that intrigues me, I have purchased a pair of commercial "tails" and have also made a clamp system, which works well. So no problem in using the polishing mop . Thanks for your comments DC31k, I was thinking along similar lines, but your suggestions are more concrete. I shall give it a try.

Thanks,

Andrew.

[Tony Pratt 1Participant @tonypratt1]

I used a taper turning attachment when making my ‘tail’, but I recall there is a guy on YouTube who made some freehand.

Tony

[VicParticipant @vic]

They are often called Pigtails. These folks self both left and right hand versions in a number of sizes.

**LINK**

[Anonymous]

Use a hydraulic copy unit with a simple tapered pattern:

In this instance set up for cutting 3/8" BSPT threads:

Andrew

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Turn it in steps, as a very rough example, full length nominal size, 90 % of full length undersize by x, 80 % length undersize by 2x and so on. It's rough but it works (ish)

Edited By duncan webster on 26/09/2023 16:02:59

[Bo’sunParticipant @bosun58570]

Hi Andrew,

Something else occurred to me. I'm not sure, but polishing mops may, to start with, have a parallel bore. A simple mandrel may work for you. A coarse thread may help, but check the direction of rotation.

I'd check the mops I have, but they've all been on pig tails so have tapered bores.

Good luck with the "challenge" if that's the route you take.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

The mop tail threading would be a similar exercise [but coarser] to making a fusee for a clock

… a web search for ‘fusee engine’ should provide some inspiration.

MichaelG.

[VicParticipant @vic]

Posted by Bo'sun on 26/09/2023 16:35:20:

Hi Andrew,

Something else occurred to me. I'm not sure, but polishing mops may, to start with, have a parallel bore. A simple mandrel may work for you.

The beauty of pigtails is that the mops are self tightening up to a point and don’t require any tools for quick fitting and removal. The mops can also be made with a wide tolerance on the size of the bore and still work. It’s a concept that has stood the test of time.

[Bo’sunParticipant @bosun58570]

Hello Vic,

It was just a thought that might get Andrew up and running. Though I'll be the first to admit, it's not ideal.

[Martin KyteParticipant @martinkyte99762]

Turn the taper. Disconnect the cross slide lead screw so you can push the tool into the job by hand. Set up for screw cutting and make a number of passes from the headstock towards the tailstock. This works for cutting the grooves on Fusees for clocks. You are only mating with a mop after all.

regards Martin

[mark costello 1Participant @markcostello1]

Here is a hint for Someone Who does not have a taper attachment. This pipe chaser is put on square against the tool post,

[Anonymous]

Even better use a Coventry diehead that opens up as it moves forward thus cutting a tapered thread:

Andrew

[Greg Webb 1Participant @gregwebb1]

You can make one of these for screwcutting internal and external tapered threads.

 

 

Edited By Greg Webb 1 on 30/09/2023 19:21:28

[Speedy Builder5Participant @speedybuilder5]

This is just what hand chasers can be used for to great effect. Put a piece of square bar in the toolpost at the angle you want and then cut your thread by allowing the chaser to cut the thread, sliding along the bar.

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

Thanks everyone,

I did try using a chaser as described above by Speedy Builder. I wasn't too confident that it would work, but it did the job! Then Speedy neatly confirmed it

The thread profile was nothing like the old fashioned sawtooth (Same as on ripsaws) that the original had, however it held the mop securely enough. I will probably use the commercial variant in anger. But it is ego boosting when you get a result and it satisfied my curiosity.

Thanks again,

Andrew.

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

Thanks everyone,

I did try using a chaser as described above by Speedy Builder. I wasn't too confident that it would work, but it did the job! Then Speedy neatly confirmed it

The thread profile was nothing like the old fashioned sawtooth (Same as on ripsaws) that the original had, however it held the mop securely enough. I will probably use the commercial variant in anger. But it is ego boosting when you get a result and it satisfied my curiosity.

Thanks again,

Andrew.

[John MCParticipant @johnmc39344]

I made my own because I thought the commercial ones had too fine a thread, the mop would screen on. And on. Until far too and unnecessarily tight.

I cut the tapered thread by running the lathe very slowly, under 20rpm and withdrawing the cross-slide as the taper increased in diameter. From memory, 2.5mm pitch (10tpi?).

Needs some concentration but quite doable. The result wasn't pretty but has worked for well for many years.

[Author]

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