Jeff Pike asked about some old taps and dies for cutting threads in wood.
I have been sorting out my late father’s belongings and came across some old rusty tools which I have cleaned up. There are three dies of different sizes (one size 40mm and two 60mm) and one tap for cutting threads in wood, made from cast iron & marked "PEUGEOT FRERES."
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The other die is made from wood - beech I think - and marked with the Shamrock symbol plus HIBERNIA WORKS - Wm MARPLES & SONS - SHEFFIELD. This is also for cutting threads in wood.
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Do you have any information about the age of the tools or anything else that is of interest about them?
Jeff Pike
Editor: I found the Marples die listed in their 1952 catalogue but not their 1909 or 1899 ones. I am also unable to find any taps or dies for cutting threads in wood in any of my 1930’s or earlier catalogues, by any manufacturer. Clearly I am looking in the wrong places - can any member suggest the correct ones?
Also can any one supply any dates or information on the “Peugeot Freres” taps & dies?
Colin Sullivan replied:
The two screw boxes are shown in the Tyzack 1908 catalogue page 77, both the French and the English together. Screw boxes of the wooden type are also shown in the Preston 1901 catalogue and the Marples 1909. We know they were in use early on because some early nineteenth century furniture used threaded joints.
The French pattern claimed to be better than the wooden type, but generally the screw pitch is too fine and the threads break on the short grain.
The coarse thread is important and also I have found cutting threads on wood is not aways easy. The wood has to be of fine grain and turned to just the right diameter. When they work well they are perfect for demonstration at Amberley and shows.
Ted Wells supplied this picture from a Tyzack catalogue:
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