Re: [CR]Why is the Italian threading standard weird.?

(Example: Framebuilding:Tubing)

Date: Sat, 26 Aug 2006 10:56:07 -0400
From: "Harvey M Sachs" <sachshm@cox.net>
To: Jerome & Elizabeth Moos <jerrymoos@sbcglobal.net>
Subject: Re: [CR]Why is the Italian threading standard weird.?
References: <20060826145121.5430.qmail@web82204.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
In-Reply-To: <20060826145121.5430.qmail@web82204.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
cc: Classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
cc: Classic Rendezvous

Fred Rednor has pointed out, off-list, that the mixed units apply to axle and headset threads, too....Sutherland carries the theme (dare I say thread?) through for FW, too. harvey sachs mcLean VA

Jerome & Elizabeth Moos wrote:
> The story I heard was that this developed after WWII, when Italy was
> rebuilt under Allied, mostly US, occupation. I have no idea if that
> is true, but if it is, that would mean that pre-WWII, Italian bikes
> used threading different from what we now call "Italian". That should
> be easy to check out as a number of list members have pre-WWII
> Itallian bikes. How about it guys? Were Italian bikes from the 30's
> threaded "Italian"?
>
> Regards,
>
> Jerry Moos
> Big Spring, TX
>
>
> Harvey M Sachs <sachshm@cox.net> wrote:
>
> Classic English, French, and Swiss threading are internally
> consistent.
> English (such as 1.370x24) is in inches and threads/inch.
> French/Swiss
> (such as 35 x1) is in mm, diameter and pitch.
>
> But Italian is different, like 36x24, meaning 36 mm diameter and 24
> tpi. Now I can understand the archetypal "Giacomo" doing this with a
> war-surplus South Bend lathe with a US lead screw and gears (which is
> what I learned on), but why would such a thing have become a national
> standard? Anyone know the history? I'm not suggesting it's better or
> worse, just weird. And I'm not talking about off-topic ISO stuff,
> either!
>
> This came up when I was sorting the old Campy BB cups in the box ,
> so I
> could send a couple to another CR lister...
>
> Obviously there are at least three possible kinds of responses:
> rational, plausible, and funky-but-not-politically-incorrect. It
> might
> surprise those who know me, but I'm really most interested in the
> first
> category.
>
> harvey sachs
> mcLean va
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