Tapping help

[steam guy willy]

Hears my tuppence worth....I find that when tapping cast iron i do not need to use a taper or 2nd cut tap i just go in with a bottoming/plug tap ,also i use my old fashioned drill to tap holes by tightening in the chuck and turning the spindle from the top....photo to follow...Also using a magnet is a clever idea  As per Ramon !!

[Stuart]

Yes I like my Starrett tap handles and the Starrett chuck type I have a few a long reach one is useful

but I like my Elliot flat one ,its getting on in years now must be 30 to 40 years its a black one but its shiny at the end pity they don't make them any more

If I had to choose it would be a Starrett they feel so good in the hand   

Stuart

[Jo]

No one has mentioned the UPT    for tapping

Jo

[jadge]

I do have a Tapmatic under the bench Andrew but wanted to be absolutely in control of these small taps................

I should have known better. Note to self; keep mouth shut. 

Andrew

[Jo]

I do have a Tapmatic under the bench Andrew but wanted to be absolutely in control of these small taps................

I should have known better. Note to self; keep mouth shut. 

Andrew

Hey Andrew never feel you need to do that. You mentioning it made me go and have a look to see how they worked: clever little gadget aren't they  .

Jo

[b.lindsey]

They are Jo. I have one and used it a lot for secondary tapping operations mainly on plastics...a real time saver. Can't say I have ever tried it with smaller taps in metals, say 4-40 or smaller. They do have the benefit of an adjustable clutch though to minimize tap breakage, but even so, I can't see using on 0-80 or even 2-56 imperial sizes, more need there to feel the tap and how it is cutting.

Bill

[Ramon Wilson]

Hi Willy- yes you can go straight in in cast iron but if it does grab it's a real bummer. I lost a 5BA in the base plate which fortunately I was able to drill out with a carbide drill and carry on but it was a real gut wrencher so early on in proceedings.

Andrew - that wasn't to be dismissive, merely that I do have one but decided in this instance to do it by hand for more control. The last time I used it was for 10BA taps in parts of the Bentley where it performed faultlessly but then it was in MS parts that could be remade.

One can have access to lots of good kit, but as said this was really to show the less fortunate that there are means and ways to get round problems with a lot less - just a little more patience required as you say.

I must admit though I'm glad this part of the build is behind me 

Ramon

[Stuart]

Jo if you want to live on the wild side just get out you battery drill sett the torque down low and use that to tap with ok down to 3mm 


UPT I have a modded proxon drill that blew up so the table and column  have been repurposed to make a tapping stand

Each to their own method use what works for you , as a side note I only use HSS t and d all the metric taps are spiral flute but I have backup ones that are spiral point ( gun taps)

The difference for the readers is the first bring the swarf up out of the hole ( for blind holes ) the latter pushes the swarf out the bottom ( for thro holes)

Just my thoughts to muddy the waters 

[Tonyr]

Hello,

I realise this isn't really tapping info, but on small metric taps I have a few sets of series taps.
I don't think they are readily available in BA sizes etc but for metric taps they are available .
They really take the stress out of tapping small holes.

Tony