Uni-Loc Thread Pattern?

patrickjuhlin

patrickjuhlin

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What is the Uni-Loc thread pattern? I took my maintenance arbors and gentle tried a few different thread patterns. The one that fit alright was a 3/8 10 thread pattern, it didn't fit the best but the threads ran through without any resistance or binding. Is that the thread? If not what is the right thread pattern? I need to find out so I can make my own inserts.
Thanks,
Pat J
 
could be wrong but i think its 5x16-14 with a bore. u believe u can make youe own inserts by taking 14 insert and boring out the front. thats what i was once told anyways could be wrong
 
Pat, the Uni-Loc Radial pin does have a 3/8" major diameter (or a couple of thousandths less than that). The number of threads per inch is very close to 8, but I think it's some fractional number rather than an exact 8. It looks to me like the distance from the crest of one thread to the next is just slightly more than 1/8". So the tpi is probably just slightly under 8.

Edit -- As Dick points out in the next post, the OP mentions inserts, so he must be talking about the Uni-Loc quick-release pin rather than the Uni-Loc Radial pin. My mistake. And I don't know the tpi on the quick-release pin.
 
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AtLarge said:
Pat, the Uni-Loc Radial pin does have a 3/8" major diameter (or a couple of thousandths less than that). The number of threads per inch is very close to 8, but I think it's some fractional number rather than an exact 8. It looks to me like the distance from the crest of one thread to the next is just slightly more than 1/8". So the tpi is probably just slightly under 8.
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I could be wrong but I believe he is referring to the Uni-loc quick release, not the Radial as the radial does not use an insert but the quick release is very close, if not, a 3/8X10.

Dick
 
Sorry posted in the wrong thread originally, I'm not sure what the exact thread count is but My uni-loc pins will start, but not freely screw into a standard 3/8-10. I'm not sure if It's the thread pattern, the major or the minor that is stopping It, but it will not screw into any of My 3/8-10 shafts or mandrels.
 
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patrickjuhlin said:
What is the Uni-Loc thread pattern? I took my maintenance arbors and gentle tried a few different thread patterns. The one that fit alright was a 3/8 10 thread pattern, it didn't fit the best but the threads ran through without any resistance or binding. Is that the thread? If not what is the right thread pattern? I need to find out so I can make my own inserts.
Thanks,
Pat J
Click to expand...

About the only thing that I can add to this thread is to suggest that you look at the threads on the pin itself. As stated, it may well be a 10 pitch but it appears to be a modified ACME thread.

Why would you want to make the insert?
 
patrickjuhlin said:
What is the Uni-Loc thread pattern? I took my maintenance arbors and gentle tried a few different thread patterns. The one that fit alright was a 3/8 10 thread pattern, it didn't fit the best but the threads ran through without any resistance or binding. Is that the thread? If not what is the right thread pattern? I need to find out so I can make my own inserts.
Thanks,
Pat J
Click to expand...

3/8 7.5 radial ( I believed Dick had it looked at and it was like 7.45 tpi )?
NOT the quick-release?
 
> I once saw a Richard Chudy cue that had a LARGE brass/gold Uni-Loc in it. This was about the time they started running ads for the Uni-Loc,several years before the Radial was available. The threads looked a typical 3/8-10 or so,but only about 2-3 full threads were present,the rest of the pin was maybe 5/16 dia x 1 1/4 long,and rounded like the QR. Only one I've ever seen. I didn't get to look at the shaft to see if it was wood/wood or had an insert.

I measured a Radial once and had it VERY close at 7.637. If that was totally correct,the pitch would be .1309414. This is important because the radius on the cutter would have to be PRECISELY the same number. Bill Stroud posted it as 7.634,so the pitch/cutter radius would be .1309929. That is splitting hairs,a resolution I don't think anything but a multi-million dollar CNC grinder would recognize. However,.1309 is very attainable if you grind the tool blank to width with a manual surface grinder,but then you still have to grind a PERFECT 1/2 ball radius on the end. Then you have to have a machine capable of setting the TPI to 7.634,once again a CNC lathe.

I would have to think that with careful control of the depth,you could get away with cutting this with a 1/8 radius on the cutter.

I have 2 questions for RHN. First,did the machining center they made yours on use a single-point cutter,or a rotary tool with a ball-nosed end mill?

Second,when you got the pins made,how much cosmetic work was required to polish them out,or were they smooth/clean enough to polish with Brasso or some other metal polish? Buffing wheel and compounds? Thanks,Tommy D.
 
Tommy-D said:
> I once saw a Richard Chudy cue that had a LARGE brass/gold Uni-Loc in it. This was about the time they started running ads for the Uni-Loc,several years before the Radial was available. The threads looked a typical 3/8-10 or so,but only about 2-3 full threads were present,the rest of the pin was maybe 5/16 dia x 1 1/4 long,and rounded like the QR. Only one I've ever seen. I didn't get to look at the shaft to see if it was wood/wood or had an insert.

I measured a Radial once and had it VERY close at 7.637. If that was totally correct,the pitch would be .1309414. This is important because the radius on the cutter would have to be PRECISELY the same number. Bill Stroud posted it as 7.634,so the pitch/cutter radius would be .1309929. That is splitting hairs,a resolution I don't think anything but a multi-million dollar CNC grinder would recognize. However,.1309 is very attainable if you grind the tool blank to width with a manual surface grinder,but then you still have to grind a PERFECT 1/2 ball radius on the end. Then you have to have a machine capable of setting the TPI to 7.634,once again a CNC lathe.

I would have to think that with careful control of the depth,you could get away with cutting this with a 1/8 radius on the cutter.

I have 2 questions for RHN. First,did the machining center they made yours on use a single-point cutter,or a rotary tool with a ball-nosed end mill?

Second,when you got the pins made,how much cosmetic work was required to polish them out,or were they smooth/clean enough to polish with Brasso or some other metal polish? Buffing wheel and compounds? Thanks,Tommy D.
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The ones we had made were 7.6???. I don'r remember for sure. They used a large digital comparator, put in the Uni-loc radial pin which blew it up very large on the screen, marks were made at the tips of the threads for an accurate thread per inch and then a line on the screen was manipulated so as to fit the radius between the points and this radius was posted by the machine. That is how they got the correct thread count and radius. We had a little over 1000 made in brass but at a later date they used the program that they wrote to make a number in stainless for another cue maker and then they made a number made of g-10 for another. I don't know how they made the g-10, by single point or grinding but both the brass and stainless were single pointed. I was there for awhile while they were making them. They had had a number of indexable inserts made to the correct profile. They used a CNC machining center with an automatic feeder on the end to feed the rods which were 10 or 12 feet long into the machining center. The rod was threaded on both ends to two different depths and lengths, the front was bull nosed and a center installed. It took 42 seconds to finish making each pin. You can mike any of my pins and they will be within .0005 of each other as the operator would check about ever 10 or maybe 15 pins and when the wear on the tooling became to great he would change the insert.

Mine are perfectly smooth but they are made of brass. I just put one in a drill and run it against a hard wool polishing wheel with some polishing compound on it for 3 or 4 seconds so that it looks like gold just before installation. I never got to see the stainless and g-10 ones that were made. That was one of the reasons we used to make our decision to use brass instead of stainless. We didn't know how smooth the finish would be on the stainless pins right out of the lathe. Polishing stainless by hand is time consuming and can change the contour some. I had called around to get some ideas on the cost to have the stainless pins electro polished but we decided on the brass in the end. The electro polishing would have cost about .75 each back then. We paid less than a 1.20 each when we had these pins made where as Atlas was charging 14.00. Of coarse now the cost of metal and labor would probably be much higher. I was told last week that the shop who made our got sold so I have no clue what the new owners would charge or if they even still have our program.

Dick
 
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> Thanks Dickie,that was once again the exact answer I was looking for. I measured the one I had,and knew I was close on the radius of the groove because it was a very close fit using a 1/8 radius gage,using a 3x magnifier. The comparator the school has is only 10x,but I was satisfied with being that close. I can certainly see where abrasive polishing on screw threads could cause problems with thread shape and precise OD control. I've done enough filing/polishing on different screws I had to make for class to clean up threads cut with HSS and cemented carbide cutters on a manual lathe to know first-hand,esp with stainless. Once I got to the CNC,the finishes on my screws were much better,but still not dead-smooth,I always had to go back over them with a file,and you could see cutter "tracks" in the grooves. I'd be interested in exactly what kind of inserts that shop used. If your pins came out that smooth,they must have been the NUTS.

By the way,cutting a screw like this,esp when you said the back side was undersized for glue,and radiused/centerdrilled,in 42 seconds is flat HUMPING. I've got other questions,but only the guy at the machine could answer those,since they relate to spindle speed,depth of cut,and whether he just checked the OD or depth and shape too. Thanks yet again,Tommy D.
 
Since the uniloc's threads are 5/16x14 where it screws into the forearm, could a uniloc quick release pin be replaced with a 5/16x14 without plugging/retapping?
 
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spliced said:
Since the uniloc's threads are 5/16x14 where it screws into the forearm, could a uniloc quick release pin be replaced with a 5/16x14 without plugging/retapping?
Click to expand...

unilock.jpg

That one?
Only the bottom has threads.
 
ooo i see thanks for the pic. if replacing a uniloc pin with something else, what pin would not require a plug/retap?
 
Thanks for the response. :)
I had a client ask me if I could make him a shaft that would fit a uni-loc quick release with a phenolic insert. He likes the feel of a phenolic insert compared to a brass insert. I say what the helll lets give it a try.
 
patrickjuhlin said:
thanks for the response. :)
i had a client ask me if i could make him a shaft that would fit a uni-loc quick release with a phenolic insert. He likes the feel of a phenolic insert compared to a brass insert. I say what the helll lets give it a try.
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with that few threads i dont think it will last the test of time... Jmo
 
I agree, it will be an interesting test. I will definitely explain to the client that this is a test run and if it fails I will install a standard brass insert. When I get it finished I will take pictures and share.
Thanks for all the input.
 
patrickjuhlin said:
Thanks for the response. :)
I had a client ask me if I could make him a shaft that would fit a uni-loc quick release with a phenolic insert. He likes the feel of a phenolic insert compared to a brass insert. I say what the helll lets give it a try.
Click to expand...

Not strong enough imo.
 
spliced said:
ooo i see thanks for the pic. if replacing a uniloc pin with something else, what pin would not require a plug/retap?
Click to expand...

If you go with a 3/8 pin, you won't have to replug it.
You will need to thread it though unless you like no thread 3/8 pins.
They exist.
 
patrickjuhlin said:
i agree, it will be an interesting test. I will definitely explain to the client that this is a test run and if it fails i will install a standard brass insert. When i get it finished i will take pictures and share.
Thanks for all the input.
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if u think it will fail, and we all do, then dont even do it. Youll find sometimes customer want things thats they dont understand. You have to tell theM no in this case. If it fails even tho u told him it looks real bad on you.Then you get bad mouthed and everyONE things you dont know what your doing then u get less work... Not worth it
 
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