Hi gents; Can one of you fellows who knows tell me if the mounting threads on the Tilley vaporizers is a standard size? If so, what? If not, can you tell me the thread form standard for that thread, such as the thread degree and name of the standard. I.E. Whitworth, BSB, etc? Thanks much, guys. Dean
Hello Dean, What a potentially great THREAD. Sorry but someone had to say it. Seriously though it's hard searching for thread on a forum and I'm certain many already have the answer. I would love to know if there is a list somewhere of different models, including your vaporiser question, and the thread sizes. I have this problem all the time and drive my local bolt shop crazy with requests for BSF nuts. I have just had the issue with a Coleman 4A iron USA (24 TPI and about 7/32") but I didn't have the tap so had to improvise with another size. I can measure it on the weekend if no one has answered it by then. Good luck.
Hello Dean, I the only leaf on my gauge that I can find to fit the vaporizer threads is a Whitworth 36g. I've looked for information on this size but all I find is that it should be close to 5/16, being Whitworth it would of course be 55 degree. I'm still looking so I hope you can make some use of this.
I probably will end up having to cut them, but would much rather find the size of die they used. The two Tilley vaps I have vary slightly in the diameter of the threads. From .335"-.340", with the 36 thread per inch count. A close inch size is 11/32". What I don't know is if there is a British size that is standard for this, but could have a non-intuitive name. I'm in the States, and know how it is trying to find your way around some of our thread specs for a person who was not raised up with them, or who needed to learn them for a trade. For instance, we have fractional sized threads that would make sense to British users, even though they weren't familiar with our thread specs. 1/2" is 1/2" on both sides of the sea. However, we, (and y'all) also have thread sizes that do not make sense to anyone who is not familiar with the certain system, like our numbered thread sizes. Britain also has a numbered fastener size, and they are different from ours. To people who don't use them, both numbered systems are odd, and a person has no idea of their true sizes. I wonder if someone on your side of the pond knows of one of the British systems that would equal the Tilley vap thread? Cutting the threads now that I know it is a Whitworth type spec is something I can do without that much trouble, but thread cutting on the lathe is time consuming. I may want to cut a number of them, and a die would be nice 'n handy. I would sure rather buy an existing die than make one if I could. Dean
G'day Dean, Afterburner was looking at the thread size in this post Tilley vaporizer thread . He also decided 55 deg and 36 TPI was the closest but I don't believe this is a standard whitworth tap size.
Went to a bolt place to ask what size it is . Close to 11/32 36 threads per inch but its not made . mics up at 8.5 metric 36 threads ? Specially made for Tilley odd size etc . But its got to be imperial being English . Bob
On next week (if I remember) I'll take Tilley vaporizer with me to my work place and I'll check pitch and thread angle with a measurement microscope so we get accurate result. 36 tpi was closest leaf on my pitch gauge that fitted to Tilley vaporizer's thread. If it's 35 tpi I was not able to see difference since my thread gauge doesn't have that leaf.
My calcs with a magnifying glass and a digital vernier gauge make it 0.335" diameter and just under 35tpi so it will be interesting what Afterburner works out. I will be very happy with his result from his microscope as I think it will be the most definitive answer.
Finally I remembered to take Tilley's vaporizer with me and check the thread details. I used Nikon Measurement microscope like these ones but older model without digital display units: http://www.nikon.com/products/instruments/lineup/industrial/measuring_instruments/measuring_microscope/mm-400_800/ Thread angle is 60° and pitch is a bit over 0,70 mm which makes 36 tpi. Diameter I measured with digital vernier and I got 8,6 mm. I would guess that 8,5 mm 36 tpi die/tap would work for that quite ok if that size tap/die is available from some place . With lathe that thread should not be too difficult to make.
I forgot to mention that Microscope has hairline cross on it's eyepiece. Hairline cross has lines that full circle is divided to 60° + 120° + 60° + 120° sectors. 60° triangle on that hairline cross fitted perfectly into thread on Tilley vaporizer. Sorry for no photos , I have two microscope adapters for my camera but neither one of them won't fit to microscope that I used. I am planning to make the adapter that would fit but I'll do it when I have some spare time .
Thanks a lot, Afterburner. The diameter and pitch were something I had from my own measurements, but the thread angle is the eye opener here. I'm surprised it's a 60 deg thread, but glad for it. I have 60 deg cutting tools, being my shop is a U.S. imperial style place. Still no one who has heard of a stock British thread like this, then?
Maybe at Tilley they chose 60° just to make trouble for all Whitworth lathe tools owners? Maybe on old times many metal works at UK had capability to make Whitworth threads and they would have needed to buy tools if they would have wanted to make vaporizers to Tilley lanterns. UNC, UNF and UNEF threads are having 60° angles and there was one US tap&die maker that made a quite large variety of custom size UNF and UNEF taps&dies. Maybe they might have some taps/dies that has very closely same diameter than Tilley vaporizer has. I got link to that manufacturer on CCS, but I am not able to check the name of that company now because CCS is down for a change to a new version.
Since the thread angle is 60 deg, I'll try an 11/32-36 die. That is a size available here on order. Victor machinery has them in split dies, so maybe I can squeeze one down enough to cut proper sized threads for the Tilleys. I'll order a couple and try them out when I get time for this project. Dean
Victory Machines was the company that I was not able to remember. http://www.victornet.com/ Squeezed 11/32" 36 tpi die might work fine for Tilley vaporizer. We'll wait for your results.
Related to this subject here is a video where (Finnish) guy casts Tilley vaporizer from bronze: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdjMZEqBJm4&noredirect=1 Looks that he uses Optimus/Petromax style jet. I don't know if he is a member here.
That man was dedicated to getting his Tilley running! Talk about a difficult route to take for getting a new vaporizer. Excellent work though, especially considering how he had to smelt his bronze. Yep. Dedicated!
me too The unified and metric threads yes, but the older threads I would of assumed to be 55 degree, good job AB I'd be interested in your outcome Dean, be a handy die to have if it works ok Cheers
I'll let you know if I get a useable thread once I get the dies. Hope I can squeeze one down enough to cut the thread root without cracking the die. Crossed fingers, 'n all that. Dean
Update on this project: I got my die in 11/32-36 and made up a test plug to check it out. The plug diameter was kept to .335", which is smaller than standard size for the factory die I have, but is the proper diameter for the Tilley valve threads. Above: I made the stub slightly longer than what Tilley uses for their vaps. You can see that the last bit of the stub didn't get threaded due to the tapered leade on the die. I wanted to try this slightly long piece to see if there were tolerance stacking problems. You can see here that the test plug seems to go in all the way to the end of the threads, so I continued with the next step. The test plug was shortened to the same length as standard Tilley's and the thread relief cut at the back end of the threads. The test plug now will thread into the Tilley valve all the way, however the last half turn was getting snug. I think that is a result of the tolerance stacking mentioned earlier. The spec is not exact, and this was known before hand, so it's not a surprise. I think if the thread count is kept to less than seven threads on similar pieces I intend to make, there will be no problem with tolerances. Here is a pic of the die as a permanent size reference. I did not squeeze down the die as I thought might have been needed in earlier posts. The adjustment screw was just backed out and the die was held only snug in the die stock, but not squeezed hard by the holding screws. All in all, I think this will work fine for making Tilley vaporizer parts. Not that I minded that much paying $60 to have my Tilley's running, but it is a little steep here. Thanks all who read the thread and offered advice, and thanks AB for measuring the thread angle for us. Dean
Hi Dean Love your article, I want to do the same. Do you know where I could purchase a 11/32"-36 button die similar to yours? Cheers Peter
Hi Everyone Does anyone know where I could purchase a 11/32"-36 button die? Cheers Peter AussiePete, Yesterday at 11:27
Far as I know, there are no standard Whitworth 55° taps or dies with 36tpi. There's a #8UNF with 36tpi but angled at 60°. Its not the size you want anyway. I doubt there are any standard 11/32" taps or dies be it British or American. I'd say that's a custom-made size. You can, however, easily make it on a lathe. Let's hear from Dean and others.
It's well-known that Tilley (and other major manufacturers) used their own threads. First, catch your wabbit lathe...
@MYN Thanks for your input, it appears that the thread angle is 60°, see this thread (pun not intended ) up a few posts to Afterburner's post. Afterburner emperically determined that the thread angle is 60°. Its beginning to look like only Victor Machinery may have them or can get them made. Has anyone else purchased a 11/32"-36 button die? Cheers Peter
