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choppinczech

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 16, 2012
Messages
423
Location
Santa Clara, CA
I needed to clean some 3/8 threads in a spot with little room and extra depth.

My water key fit the tap and it's really easy to turn.

These water keys have four different sized square holes.
 

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What is a water key used for ? Not familiar with them. I guess for a water valve, but don't they usually have a knob on them ? Just curious, but good tip.


Don
 
What is a water key used for ? Not familiar with them. I guess for a water valve, but don't they usually have a knob on them ? Just curious, but good tip.


Don

Ya, they're used for water bibs where you don't have a handle like public spaces. The hose bibs and under cabinet shut off valves at my work all need a water key.
 
Good tip on the tap handle... However for cleaning threads and not taking material away, I'd suggest using a re-threading kit that rolls the thread back to shape... I love them... especially on rusted/corroded, or just munged up threads...

mGXHNvG4pxuRAKJHmOnoYUg.jpg
 
Good tip on the tap handle... However for cleaning threads and not taking material away, I'd suggest using a re-threading kit that rolls the thread back to shape... I love them... especially on rusted/corroded, or just munged up threads...

mGXHNvG4pxuRAKJHmOnoYUg.jpg

I have those and love them. I also have adapters that hold taps and use 1/4 and 3/8 drive. And I have several taps I have cut off the tip to make a bottoming tap to get the threads closer to the bottom of a blind hole.
I used to carry all those water keys when we did concrete work. Most plumbing supply stores have them. I had to guard them tho, because they were one time use tools to the mexicans on the crew.
 
Good tip on the tap handle... However for cleaning threads and not taking material away, I'd suggest using a re-threading kit that rolls the thread back to shape... I love them... especially on rusted/corroded, or just munged up threads...

mGXHNvG4pxuRAKJHmOnoYUg.jpg

Also there is the poor boy version that you can make yourself to clean threads. Just file 2 or 3 grooves across the threads. It's best if you use a hard bolt and a knife file. I've made a bunch of them over the years for sizes or thread pitches my sets didn't cover.
 
Also there is the poor boy version that you can make yourself to clean threads. Just file 2 or 3 grooves across the threads. It's best if you use a hard bolt and a knife file. I've made a bunch of them over the years for sizes or thread pitches my sets didn't cover.

i have seen that done
and i always forget that is an option.[S
 
Also there is the poor boy version that you can make yourself to clean threads. Just file 2 or 3 grooves across the threads. It's best if you use a hard bolt and a knife file. I've made a bunch of them over the years for sizes or thread pitches my sets didn't cover.

I actually just did this the other day for a really odd threaded large nut I needed fast. Over the weekend, headlight housing, back side of a projector lense, just bought a nut with a more standard thread in it and re threaded the back if the projector.
Housing was aluminum so a normal nut did the trick.
photo-171.jpg


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You can do this with a normal nut, but it'll only work once or twice before the threads get goobered up. Better with a hardened nut.
 
I've made these thread chasers too. I get a grade 8 nut and cut across the threads with a carbide coping saw blade. One groove at each point.
 

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Yesterday i needed to thread a hole in my frame for a flange. No room between the floof board and the frame for the standard tap handles. Dug up an 8-point socket that fit the tap, then uses a ratchet and extension to get where I needed to go. The ratchet makes it pretty easy to do the backup turns, too.

Now I need to find 8-point sockets to fit the different size taps.
 
I have a similar tap handle in the tap kit I bought, made specifically for the purpose and the handle slides back and forth in case you're tapping right next to a tall piece or something.
 
I found a water key in a junk box the other day. Always wondered what it was for. It's in my tap & die drawer now.
 

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