Tag Archive for: thread milling

Heavy Duty Racing – Featured Customer

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Featured Image Courtesy of Pete Payne, Heavy Duty Racing

Heavy Duty Racing is a manufacturing company based in Stafford, VA, that specializes in motocross, off-road motorcycle suspension, and 2-stroke engine modification. Its owner, Pete Payne, grew up racing motorcycles. Later in life, he even taught classes on how to race. Simply, Motocross and motorcycles became Pete’s passion.

Pete always looked for ways to enhance his motorcycle’s engine, but quickly realized that no shops in his area could design what he was looking for. To get access to the parts he would need, he would have to rely upon companies from far away, and would oftentimes be forced to wait more than three weeks for them to arrive. Because of this, Pete decided he would need to take part manufacturing into his own hands. He purchased a manual lathe, allowing him to make modifications to his two-stroke engines exactly how he wanted them. Quickly thereafter, Heavy Duty Racing was born.

Pete discussed with us his love of racing, how he first got into machining, the parts his shop has designed, and tips and tricks for new machinists.

Pete Payne Heavy Duty Racing
Photo Courtesy of: Pete Payne, Heavy Duty Racing

How did you get started in machining?

Since I was a kid I have been riding motorcycles and racing motocross. I went to a tech school in the ’80s and learned diesel technologies. When I realized nobody in this area could help design the engines I wanted to make, I decided I needed to learn how to do it myself. I have a friend, George, who is a retired mold and die maker that also worked on motorcycle engines, I asked him for some advice on how to get started. George ended up teaching me all about machining and working on engines. I really learned from failures, by trying new things, and doing it every day. I started Heavy Duty Racing in 1997 and we have been modifying and designing the highest performing engines since then.

turning motorcycle part on lathe
Photo Courtesy of: Pete Payne, Heavy Duty Racing

What machines and softwares are you using in your shop?

We currently have a Thormach PCNC 1100 and a Daluth Puma CNC Lathe (we call it The Beast, it’s angry and grumpy but it gets the job done). We also have a Bridgeport Mill, Manual Lathe, and a Tiggwell. When we were choosing software to use, they had to be easy and quick to learn. We weighed our options and decided to use Autodesk Fusion 360 about 5 years ago. We mostly machine cast iron and steel since most engines are made from those materials.

What sets Heavy Duty Racing apart from competitions?

We have a small hands-on approach and treat every part with care. We don’t have a cookie-cutter process so we are very flexible when it comes to customer needs. Since each part is different, we don’t have set prices and have custom quoting on each part. We value our customers and tailor every build to the rider, based on the weight, fuel, and skill level of the rider. We make unique components for each rider so they can have the best experience when they hop on their bike. We are just focused on letting people do what they love.

metal racing parts made by Heavy Duty Racing
Photo Courtesy of: Pete Payne, Heavy Duty Racing

What is the coolest project you have worked on?

In 2016, MX Tech Suspension in Illinois gave us the opportunity to build an engine for them to display at their event. We got to go to California to watch them demo the engine in front of thousands of people. It was very nerve-racking to watch it live but the experience was amazing. The engine was later featured on the cover of Motocross Action magazine. It was very cool to see something we dedicated so much hard time toward get that much recognition.

Why is high quality tooling important to you?

We are making really difficult machine parts so we need tools that can last. Micro 100 tooling lasts and does the job. The thread mills we use are 3-4 mm and 14 mm and they last longer than any competition out there. The thread mills do not chip like the competition and the carbide is super strong. Breaking a tool is not cheap, so to keep one tool in the machine for how long we have has really saved me in the long run. We found Micro 100 one day looking through our distributor’s catalog and decided to try some of their boring bars. After about 5 holes, we realized that these tools are the best we have ever used! Micro has had everything I’ve been looking for in stock and ready to ship, so we have yet to need to try out their custom tools.

Most engine tolerances are no more than .0005” taper. You need the tooling to hold tight tolerances, especially in engines. Just like with tooling, minimizing vibration is key to getting the engine to last longer. We need tight tolerances to maintain high quality and keep engines alive.

machined metal racing part
Photo Courtesy of: Pete Payne, Heavy Duty Racing

If you could give one piece of advice to a new machinist ready to take the #PlungeIntoMachining, what would it be?

The same advice I’ve given to my son: Don’t be ashamed to start from the bottom and learn from the ground, up. Everybody wants to make cool projects, but you need to learn what is going on around you to master the craft. Learn the processes and follow the steps. It’s very easy to break a tool, ruin a part, or even hurt yourself. Don’t be scared of quality tools! Buying the cheap stuff will help you with one job, but the quality tools last and will save you in multiple situations.

Follow Heavy Duty Racing on Instagram, and go check out their website to see more about them!

Confidently Select Your Next Thread Mill

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Do you know the key differences between a Single Form Thread Mill and a Multi-Form version? Do you know which tooling option is best for your job? This blog post examines how several factors, including the tool’s form and max depth of thread, are important to ultimately making the appropriate Harvey Tool decision.

Thread Mill Product Offering

Single Form

The single form thread mill is the most versatile threading solution Harvey Tool offers. These tools are ground to a sharp point and are capable of milling 60° thread styles, such as UN, metric, and NPT threads. With over 14 UN and 10 Metric sized tools, Harvey Tool’s single form selections allow machinists the opportunity to machine many different types of threads.

single form harvey tool thread mill

Harvey Performance Company, LLC.

Single Form Thread Mills for Hardened Steels

Similar to the standard single form, Harvey Tool’s thread mills for hardened steels offer machinists a quality option when dealing with hardened steels from 46-68 Rc. The following unique geometries helps this tool machine tough alloys:

  1. Ground Flat – Instead of a sharp point these tools have a ground flat to help ensure long tool life.
  2. Eccentric Relief – Gives the cutting edges extra strength for the high feeds at relatively low RPMs required for harder materials.
  3. AlTiN Nano Coating – Allows for superior heat resistance.

single form thread mill for hardened steels

Harvey Performance Company, LLC.

A key difference between the standard Single Form and the Single Form for Hardened Steels is that the tools for hardened steels are actually only capable of milling 83% of the actual thread depth. At first, this may seem detrimental to your operation. However, according to the Machinery’s Handbook 29th Edition, “Tests have shown that any increase in the percentage of full thread over 60% does not significantly increase the strength of the thread. Often, a 55% to 60% thread is satisfactory, although 75% threads are commonly used to provide an extra margin of safety.” With the ability to preserve tool life and effectively perform thread components, Harvey Tool’s single form thread mills for hardened steels are a natural choice when tackling a hardened material.

Tri-Form

Tri-Forms are designed for difficult-to-machine materials. The tri-form design reduces tool pressure and deflection, which results in more accurate threading. Its left-hand cut, left-hand spiral design allows it to climb mill from the top of the thread to the bottom.

tri form thread mill from harvey tool

Harvey Performance Company, LLC.

Multi-Form

Our multi-form thread mills are offered in styles such as UN, NPT, and Metric. Multi-Form tools are optimized to produce a full thread in single helical interpolation. Additionally, they allow a machinist to quickly turn around production-style jobs.

multi-form thread mill

Harvey Performance Company, LLC.

Coolant-Through Multi Form Thread Mills

Coolant-Through Multi Form Thread Mills are the perfect tool for when a job calls for thread milling in a blind hole. The coolant through ability of the tool produces superior chip evacuation. These tools also improve coolant flow to the workpiece – delivering it directly from the tip of the tool – for decreased friction and high cutting speeds.

coolant through multi form thread mill

Harvey Performance Company, LLC.

Long Flute

These tools are great when a job calls for a deep thread, due to their long flute. Long Flutes also have a large cutter diameter and core, which provides the tool with improved tool strength and stability.

long flute harvey tool thread mill

Harvey Performance Company, LLC.

N.P.T. Multi-Form

While it may seem obvious, N.P.T. Multi-Form Thread Mills are perfect for milling NPT threads. NPT threads are great for when a part requires a full seal, different from traditional threads that hold pieces together without the water-tight seal.

npt thread mill from harvey tool

Harvey Performance Company, LLC.

6 Uses of Double Angle Shank Cutters

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Multi-Start Thread Reference Guide

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A multi-start thread consists of two or more intertwined threads running parallel to one another. Intertwining threads allow the lead distance of a thread to be increased without changing its pitch. A double start thread will have a lead distance double that of a single start thread of the same pitch, a triple start thread will have a lead distance three times longer than a single start thread of the same pitch, and so on.

Shop Harvey Tool’s Comprehensive Offering of Fully Stocked Threadmills

By maintaining a constant pitch, the depth of the thread, measured from crest to root, will also remain constant. This allows multi-start threads to maintain a shallow thread depth relative to their longer lead distance. Another design advantage of a multi-start thread is that more contact surface is engaged in a single thread rotation. A common example is a cap on a plastic water bottle. The cap will screw on in one quick turn but because a multi start thread was used there are multiple threads fully engaged to securely hold the cap in place.

triple start thread chart of lead, pitch, and major diameter

Figure 1 displays a triple start thread with each thread represented in a different shade. The left side of the image represents a triple start thread with just one of the three threads completed. This unfinished view shows how each individual thread is milled at a specific lead distance before the part is indexed and the remaining threads are milled. The right side of the image displays the completed triple start thread with the front view showing how the start of each thread is evenly spaced. The starting points of a double start thread begin 180° apart and the starting points of a triple start thread begin 120° apart.

infographic of multi start thread triangle

Figure 2 displays the triangle that can be formed using the relationship between the lead distance and the circumference of a thread. It is this relationship that determines the lead angle of a thread. The lead angle is the helix angle of the thread based on the lead distance. A single start thread has a lead distance equal to its pitch and in turn has a relatively small lead angle. Multi-start threads have a longer lead distance and therefore a larger lead angle. The graphic depicted on the right is a view of the lead triangle if it were to be unwound to better visualize this lead angle. The dashed lines represent the lead angle of a single start thread and double start thread of the same pitch and circumference for comparison. The colors represent each of the three intertwined threads of the triple start thread depicted in Figure 1.

Lead Angle Formula

multi-start thread lead angle formula

The charts below display the information for all common UN/Metric threads as well as the lead and lead angle for double and triple start versions of each thread. The lead angle represented in the chart is a function of a thread’s lead and major diameter as seen in the equation above. It is important to be aware of this lead angle equation when manufacturing a multi-start thread. The cutting tool used to mill the thread must have a relief angle greater than the lead angle of the thread for clearance purposes. All Harvey Tool Single Form Thread Milling Cutters can mill a single, double, and triple start thread without interference.

Machining a Multi-Start Thread

  1. Use the table or equation to determine the pitch, lead, and lead angle of the multi-start thread.
  2. Use a single form thread mill to helically interpolate the first thread at the correct lead. *The thread mill used must have a relief angle greater than that of the multi-start thread’s lead angle in order to machine the thread.
  3. Index to the next starting location and mill the remaining parallel thread/threads.

Click here for the full chart – starting on Page 2.

multi-start thread chart