Bluebird Potter's Tap and Die Instruction Manual

by Carl Judson

This old (1970s) instruction manual was for Bluebird Potter's Taps and Dies that we manufactured to enable potters to make threaded caps and stoppers for bottles and jars. The manual may be helpful if you have ever thought about making screw-tops for pottery. Much smaller taps (for cutting a female thread) and dies (for cutting a male thread) are most commonly used for cutting the fine threads used on nuts and bolts. Larger taps and dies were used in the past for cutting big threads in materials like wood and clay. We still have several sets of these potter's taps and dies at the pottery and use them occasionally in our production. Take a gander at how they are used on wet clay, a much different material than metal! 

Bluebird Potter's Tap & Die Instruction Manual

Screw On Top Instructions

Throwing the Components

Throw the stopper

Ream the Neck

Tapping the Neck

Lubricate Tap

Screw the tap into the neck with a back and forth motion

Lubricate the Die

Cut the stopper thread with the die, using a back and forth motion

Remove the die, re-lubricate, and repeat

Finish the stopper with fingers and a sponge

Notes and Suggestions

Notes and suggestions

notes and suggestions

 Screw On Cap Instructions

Measure the Tap

Throw the Neck of the Pot

Ream the cap with the end of the tap

Tapping the Cap

Lubricate the tap

Use a back and forth motion to thread the cap

Lubricate the Die

Tap the Neck

Remove the die and lubricate if needed

Clean internal threads with a finger or sponge

Clean external threads

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