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RoyB
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First cutting Square Threads
Jul 16th, 2026 at 11:23am
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Well, I put on my Big Boy pants and headed out to the shop to teach myself how to cut square threads. I'll be rebarreling a Remington Hepburn in 38-55 and never cut a square thread! First I measured everything and wrote it all down. Then I ground a cutter to .049" square, set up a piece of aluminum stock in the lathe, set the lead screw pitch to 12 and started the cut. The depth of the cut turned out to be .0395" for a nice tight fit. All measurements were taken off the old barrel and receiver. Really wasn't difficult at all. Now off to Green Mountain Barrels to order a .375 barrel to be chambered in 38-55....
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Roy B
Dartmouth, MA
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bobw
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Re: First cutting Square Threads
Reply #1 - Jul 16th, 2026 at 12:16pm
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Nice work.   
I haven’t had the opportunity to cut square threads yet and frankly would be reluctant.  Probably because I was told they were hard to cut when I started machining.  Although, I have acme threads, both internal and external without any problems.
Bob
  
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GT
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Re: First cutting Square Threads
Reply #2 - Jul 16th, 2026 at 12:18pm
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Roy,
I cut quite a few square threads, Buttress, Acme, modified Acme and V but that's beside the point.  A trick I stick to when I grind tooling for these, only grind enough to win, nothing extra.  Most tend to grind a length 5 or 8 times as long as they need, if you're threading up to a shoulder, grind the tool on the leading side with just enough clearance to stay out of the shoulder, the other side far enough to clear the thread.  Hope that make sense, rigidity is your friend with a large flat worth of tool contact.  One last thing, if your lathe permits, turn your compound to 90°, it makes the little width tweaks easier and picking up a lost thread better too.
Square threads really aren't that bad, your only contact is the front, don't run a positive or build in a chip breaker, a neutral or flat rake is better on the tool's top.  The front clearance can really be kept at a minimum, just enough not to rub - 5°
Attached a couple pics of remnant tooling from jobs with square threads... Both were from fairly large size jobs...
My 2˘
GT
  

"To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk"  T. A. Edison
"The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right" M.T.
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SteveStevens
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Re: First cutting Square Threads
Reply #3 - Jul 17th, 2026 at 7:10am
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When I had my business many years ago I accepted a rebarrel job for a long forgotten action that ended up having square threads. Reading my machinist Bible left me more confused than ever so I grabbed some HSS and simply ground a tool that fit the threads on the barrel I removed.  As the other posters said I ground a very small relief on both sides. Left the top flat and put it on center and proceeded to cut a test piece. My first try resulted in a  better fit than the barrel I removed. I threaded and chambered the barrel, installed it and sent the rifle home. 
The actual process differs little from any other thread other than the infeed must be 90° vs half the thread angle. 
« Last Edit: Jul 17th, 2026 at 8:59am by SteveStevens »  
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John Taylor
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Re: First cutting Square Threads
Reply #4 - Jul 17th, 2026 at 8:04am
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one divided by Threads per inch divided by 2 will give the thickness of the cutter, add a few thou for clearance. Just did one yesterday. 12 threads per inch shows a cutter that is .0416", add .003" for .045" works fine. Depending on how strong you lathe is a depth of cut about .010" per pass will work fine.
  

John Taylor   Machinist/gunsmith
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Deadeye Bly
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Re: First cutting Square Threads
Reply #5 - Jul 17th, 2026 at 9:16am
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The outside diameter is critical on a square thread to ensure proper alignment. Sometime ago I cut a left hand square thread for a Norwegian Krag. I had not cut a left hand thread for quite a few years so I did a practice piece to get my technique down pat. It worked out well and the practice piece was well worth the time it took.
  
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n.r.davis
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Re: First cutting Square Threads
Reply #6 - Jul 17th, 2026 at 1:53pm
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Back in the day...🤨  Correct me if I'm wrong but you don't need any Relief on the Trailing Edge.   That helps, one less fussy area.  I would do 2 things, Dress my Grinder so the Face was true and then grind within .002 of size and Finish to size on a bench stone.

Reading the replies, Hats off to all!  😎
  
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