Ever since Archimedes first developed the screw principle in mid second century BC and used it to construct devices to raise water, the construction of screw threads became an essential skill for mechanics and craftsmen.
Whilst the design of industrial machinery has come a long way since then, threading remains a big part of any machinery manufacturing, repair and maintenance. Like all mechanical processes, selecting the right tools for threading ensures maximum precision and helps avoid unexpected failures in machine components.
“Every piece of machinery, every pump, every irrigation pipe, every tank and every tractor requires threading tools,” says Jerry Miskiewicz, Inventory Manager at Bordo International. “Understanding the properties of the material being threaded, the hold strength required and the fastener keeping it all together are important factors in selecting the right tool for the job.”
As a supplier of cutting tools for over 25 years, Bordo offers an extensive range of threading taps and dies, including a cost-effective range of chrome taps and dies, hand tapping and thread cleaning accessories, as well as high speed steel (HSS) taps for hand and machine tapping for the professional engineering market, automotive and general maintenance.
In 2017, Bordo acquired the leading UK brand, Goliath Threading Tools, increasing the company’s already wide range of threading products on offer. Bordo also supplies the NES thread repair system, an innovative tool with the potential to fix hundreds of styles and sizes of threads. Complementing the pack is the Bordo range of thread fasteners, including the Powercoil, Loksert, Ezsert and Tapsert product ranges.
CBC, Australia’s largest distributor of bearings and industrial products, has long been a supplier of Bordo’s industrial tools and products across its nationwide network of branches.
David Malthouse, Product Specialist at CBC, says selecting the right threading tools is critical to the maintenance of any machinery.
“An ill-fitted fastener might seem like a negligible issue, but the problem can quickly aggravate if the machinery fails at a critical time, without the right tools to fix the problem. That is why having precision taps and dies handy is important to get the machines up and running when the unexpected happens.
“As a leading supplier of industrial tools, we are happy to advise customers on selecting the right products for their applications, ensuring that their machine assemblies are fitted correctly and precisely.”
Tapping, which is the process of cutting a thread inside a hole, requires a high degree of precision.
“An inferior tapped hole often means the fastener won’t fit by either being the wrong size or cross threading the threaded hole. We have tap extractors in our range to help remove broken taps. We then usually supply a Goliath tap to finish the job properly,” says Jerry.
“If a hole has been tapped badly or a wrong size or style of tap has been used, we recommend using threaded inserts from either the Powercoil, Loksert, Tapsert or Ezsert range to create strong and well-fitted tapped threads.”
Where quick thread repairs become necessary, Jerry recommends having the NES thread repair tools handy.
“In one example, a farmer had a custom harvesting attachment with an exposed main threaded rod that was experiencing frequent thread damages from small stones hitting the harvester. He had a die but he had to pull the attachment apart to gain access to the damaged area and threading down the whole length of the rod with a die was quite time consuming. Using our NES 3 external tool, he could directly repair the damaged area without disassembly, which saved him an incredible amount of time,” says Jerry.
David says CBC’s strength as a distributor lies in always having large stock availabilities, as well as a team of helpful staff to help customers with any questions they have on selecting the right threading tools.
“Our stores hold a large selection of the Bordo threading tools in both right and left hand threads. Where an obscure threading tool is required, we can work with our partners at Bordo who can produce the tool in their custom department, ensuring quick turnaround for our customers.”
