Model Engine Maker

Supporting => My Workshop => Topic started by: smfr on June 24, 2013, 06:17:00 AM

Title: Tap & Die Storage
Post by: smfr on June 24, 2013, 06:17:00 AM
I seem to have acquired a few taps  :o

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7310/9123602740_7c8c84d0b5_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/smfr/9123602740/)

Actually these are just the BSB/ME variety (26, 32, 40TPI). While fiddling with piping and valves, I kept finding myself without the specific combination of diameter and TPI that I needed. And with shipping from the UK is so expensive, it's somewhat more economical to buy a whole bunch of once, so that's what I did. But these where just rattling around in a drawer, and it was very frustrating to dig through and find the right one.

So a nice strip of beech, left over from a kitchen remodel, was pressed into service! For each size, I drilled three blind holes for taps, and cut a recess for the matching die:

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7330/9123603446_59f607fc13_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/smfr/9123603446/)

Some of the dies fit into the hole left by this cutter, but in a few cases I had to touch it with a boring bar to make a bit more room. I did one "plank" per TPI, and this is what I ended up with:

(http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2851/9123604202_fdc9b1fddf_z.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/smfr/9123604202/)

Much better! I do wish I'd made them all the same length, and left a bit more room for expansion though.

Simon
Title: Re: Tap & Die Storage
Post by: tel on June 24, 2013, 07:14:29 AM
Nice job - I should really do something like that for mine. :ThumbsUp:
Title: Re: Tap & Die Storage
Post by: b.lindsey on June 24, 2013, 11:43:11 AM
Nice Simon, should be a breeze to find the size and tpi you need now :)

Bill
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