Looking for rare, maybe non-existant tool...
 

I'd like to have a tap and die set in 5/8" NPT.

Why am I posting here? Because I bet nearly all of
you have lots of stuff in this size and didn't even
know it. I believe it happens to be garden hose size.

I have an exterior faucet with the threads grown up
with mineral deposits so that I can no longer get a
hose screwed on, and would like to chase the threads.

For some obscure reason, all standard tap and die sets
for plumbing skip from 1/2" to 3/4", yet 5/8" became
the standard for garden (and some washer) hoses.

Obviously, the folks who make faucets and garden hose
stuff have tools to make these threads. Anyone familiar
enough to point me to a source?

On Tue, 23 Aug 2005 20:05:56 -0400, Ol' Duffer
wrote:

I'd like to have a tap and die set in 5/8" NPT.

Why am I posting here? Because I bet nearly all of
you have lots of stuff in this size and didn't even
know it. I believe it happens to be garden hose size.

I have an exterior faucet with the threads grown up
with mineral deposits so that I can no longer get a
hose screwed on, and would like to chase the threads.

For some obscure reason, all standard tap and die sets
for plumbing skip from 1/2" to 3/4", yet 5/8" became
the standard for garden (and some washer) hoses.

Obviously, the folks who make faucets and garden hose
stuff have tools to make these threads. Anyone familiar
enough to point me to a source?


I found something for British standard but not NTP at
http://www.jtsmach.com/jtswebshop/asp/dies_index.asp

Try asking in rec.crafts.metalworking.

People there know a lot about a lot of things.

On 2005-08-24, Charles wrote:
On Tue, 23 Aug 2005 20:05:56 -0400, Ol' Duffer
wrote:

I have an exterior faucet with the threads grown up
with mineral deposits so that I can no longer get a
hose screwed on, and would like to chase the threads.

If the r.c.m guys can't help you, why not fill a plastic bag with
vinegar and tie it to the faucet? Keep the thread part in the
vinegar. Replace as needed. Cheaper than a new faucet or a rare
tap and die.

Ol' Duffer wrote:
I'd like to have a tap and die set in 5/8" NPT.

Why am I posting here? Because I bet nearly all of
you have lots of stuff in this size and didn't even
know it. I believe it happens to be garden hose size.

I have an exterior faucet with the threads grown up
with mineral deposits so that I can no longer get a
hose screwed on, and would like to chase the threads.

For some obscure reason, all standard tap and die sets
for plumbing skip from 1/2" to 3/4", yet 5/8" became
the standard for garden (and some washer) hoses.

Obviously, the folks who make faucets and garden hose
stuff have tools to make these threads. Anyone familiar
enough to point me to a source?


Actually, I think it's a 3/4" hose thread rather than a pipe thread.
It's certainly not an NPT thread, although it could be an NPS (straight,
not tapered).

Try chasing the threads with a smallish triangle file. I've done that
before with bolts and studs; the brass threads on a hosebib should be
eay, and they're only a half inch long or less. Just follow the
existing threads, it's not like you are cutting new threads with just a
file. HTH :-)

Bob

"Ed Clarke" wrote in message
...
: On 2005-08-24, Charles wrote:
: On Tue, 23 Aug 2005 20:05:56 -0400, Ol' Duffer
: wrote:
:
: I have an exterior faucet with the threads grown up
: with mineral deposits so that I can no longer get a
: hose screwed on, and would like to chase the threads.
:
: If the r.c.m guys can't help you, why not fill a plastic bag with
: vinegar and tie it to the faucet? Keep the thread part in the
: vinegar. Replace as needed. Cheaper than a new faucet or a rare
: tap and die.

I was going to suggest that too Ed, I would add that after you let it soak
over night, use a wire brush to scrub it.
You may get much of the buildup off this way.

On Tue, 23 Aug 2005 20:05:56 -0400, Ol' Duffer wrote:
I have an exterior faucet with the threads grown up
with mineral deposits so that I can no longer get a
hose screwed on, and would like to chase the threads.

Have you tried a good scrubbing with something like CLR and a stiff brush?
Is there some reason that you can't replace this hose bibb? (It's usually
a fairly minor chore -- see Sept 2003 This Old House magazine.)

In article , says...
Have you tried a good scrubbing with something like CLR and a stiff brush?
Is there some reason that you can't replace this hose bibb? (It's usually
a fairly minor chore -- see Sept 2003 This Old House magazine.)

Sure I could replace it, but cutting around siding, draining plumbing,
soldering, and caulking is a lot of wasted time and material for an
otherwise working part that just needs cleaned up. Brush or chemicals
risk damaging the base metal, whereas a threading die (unless cross-
threaded) would remove only the crud between the threads. Yes there
are other approaches, but a die seemed like the best first choice.

In article , says...
If the r.c.m guys can't help you, why not fill a plastic bag with
vinegar and tie it to the faucet? Keep the thread part in the
vinegar. Replace as needed. Cheaper than a new faucet or a rare
tap and die.

Thanks for the suggestion. I may give that a try if I can't find
a threading die. My thought is that acid may dissolve some of the
base metal as well as the mineral deposits, so I will have to be
careful with it.

In article , says...
Actually, I think it's a 3/4" hose thread rather than a pipe thread.
It's certainly not an NPT thread, although it could be an NPS (straight,
not tapered).

It's definitely tapered. I know some of the new stuff is
straight, probably cheaper to make, but this faucet is
over 40 years old and was done to the standards in force
at the time.

Are you sure it's 5/8 NPT? What makes you think that?

Home Depot sells adapters from pipe threads to hose threads and the male
3/4 pipe threads x male hose threads are hard to tell apart. The
difference appears to be that (1) the pipe thread is tapered and (2) the
hose end has a flat surface for the washer to bear on. The hose fitting
has only a few threads, so I can't see if they're tapered, but I suspect
it's not a NPT size at all. There's no reason for it to be a pipe thread
since the hose is sealed to the faucet by a washer rather than jamming
two tapered threads together.

For a single faucet repair, it seems like overkill to buy a die
(probably $20-50 for a special size) to clean the threads. Two
possibilities come to mind: (1) you can take a triangular file or a
dentist pick and clean out the threads with some careful hand work.
(Your dentist probably throws out worn dental picks, so you might check
with him/her.) This might take an hour, but you have probably already
spent that much time trying to find a die. (2) you could replace the
faucet with a new one (cost around $5-15 including a few fittings). This
might require some interior plumbing, but it's within the capabilities
of the average homeowner. Most exterior faucets (at least in New
England) come with an indoor shutoff with a drain so you can keep the
faucet from splitting in the winter. That makes it fairly easy to
install a new faucet after that point. And also to shut off the water
when you really screw it up.

If you're doing some other plumbing, it might be easier to get the
fittings from a plumbing supply house or Home Depot. They have both male
and female hose ends, also swivel hose ends (the standard female hose
fitting found on the hose). They come with 3/4 or 1/2 pipe threads on
the other end, male or female.




Ol' Duffer wrote:
I'd like to have a tap and die set in 5/8" NPT.

Why am I posting here? Because I bet nearly all of
you have lots of stuff in this size and didn't even
know it. I believe it happens to be garden hose size.

I have an exterior faucet with the threads grown up
with mineral deposits so that I can no longer get a
hose screwed on, and would like to chase the threads.

For some obscure reason, all standard tap and die sets
for plumbing skip from 1/2" to 3/4", yet 5/8" became
the standard for garden (and some washer) hoses.

Obviously, the folks who make faucets and garden hose
stuff have tools to make these threads. Anyone familiar
enough to point me to a source?

In article ,
Ol' Duffer wrote:

In article , says...
If the r.c.m guys can't help you, why not fill a plastic bag with
vinegar and tie it to the faucet? Keep the thread part in the
vinegar. Replace as needed. Cheaper than a new faucet or a rare
tap and die.

Thanks for the suggestion. I may give that a try if I can't find
a threading die. My thought is that acid may dissolve some of the
base metal as well as the mineral deposits, so I will have to be
careful with it.

Household vinegar (5% acetic acid) shouldn't hurt the base metal much.
I soaked a bucket of badly rusted hand tools in vinegar for a few weeks
once. They came out nice and clean. The few things that were pitted
were damaged by the rust, not by the acid.

Jan

--
The way to a man's heart is between the fourth and the fifth rib.

Ol' Duffer wrote:
I'd like to have a tap and die set in 5/8" NPT.

Why am I posting here? Because I bet nearly all of
you have lots of stuff in this size and didn't even
know it. I believe it happens to be garden hose size.

I have an exterior faucet with the threads grown up
with mineral deposits so that I can no longer get a
hose screwed on, and would like to chase the threads.

For some obscure reason, all standard tap and die sets
for plumbing skip from 1/2" to 3/4", yet 5/8" became
the standard for garden (and some washer) hoses.

Obviously, the folks who make faucets and garden hose
stuff have tools to make these threads. Anyone familiar
enough to point me to a source?

Use a wire brush.

--

Travis in Shoreline (just North of Seattle) Washington
USDA Zone 8
Sunset Zone 5

Your main problem is going to be that hoses are not standard NPT. They
have much bigger threads so you dont spend your whole life screwing it
on and off. You would be better off finding a cheap grinding tool with
a firm wire brush wheel.

Toad

In article ,
says...
Are you sure it's 5/8 NPT? What makes you think that?

It's bigger than 1/2", smaller than 3/4", and tapered.
I think I heard from an old-timer that it was 5/8".

No no no... vinegar is not like real acid.
It shouldn't hurt the bronze or zinc, it just works on the calcium.

Soaking things lke shower heads and faucet diffusers is a very common
housewifey thing to do .. really, it's ok.
If I'll do it to pieces of my $250 faucet, I have no problem doing it to a
$9 faucet head.

Use white vinegar, about $1.89 or you can buy quarts.

Let us know what you do and how it all works out, ok!

:)

Kate


"Ol' Duffer" wrote in message
...
: In article , says...
: If the r.c.m guys can't help you, why not fill a plastic bag with
: vinegar and tie it to the faucet? Keep the thread part in the
: vinegar. Replace as needed. Cheaper than a new faucet or a rare
: tap and die.
:
: Thanks for the suggestion. I may give that a try if I can't find
: a threading die. My thought is that acid may dissolve some of the
: base metal as well as the mineral deposits, so I will have to be
: careful with it.