Rick,
It does look a little scary, as I have a very good foot brake on my machine. But the tool is no different to using a normal threading tool on a standard lathe. The only difference, is that you don't have to retract it when you wind back to the beginning, in fact, you put your next cut on as you are waiting for it to wind back to the start position. As soon as it drops off the end, you put your machine into forwards motion straight away.
The vids were taken just as the tool was finished, and the swing up was still a little tight on the bottom location block. It only took a minute pressure to settle it down into the normal operating position, so didn't affect the thread start.
Now that it has been used a few times, it can be rattled like a pair of castanets.
I would just like to say, my version is way over the top, and more time was spent making the holder than the actual tool, but that is just me on the development trail.
Later versions made by other people were much simpler, and well within the realms of a beginner with a bit of hard metal experience.
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