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Broke My Tap Handle Today:-(

YYCHM

(Craig)
Premium Member
BrokenTapHandle.JPG

Cheap BB tap handle, they don't even sell them anymore. Kind of surprised as I've broken lots of taps with that handle, never thought I'd break the handle it self. This time I was tapping 5/16-18.
 
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YotaBota

Mike
Premium Member
Looks like a good project to make a new one out of steel. Do you know anyone with a lathe and a milling machine? ;) You could probably reuse the handles (if you want to).
 

YYCHM

(Craig)
Premium Member
Looks like a good project to make a new one out of steel. Do you know anyone with a lathe and a milling machine? ;) You could probably reuse the handles (if you want to).

At tap handle has been on my todo list for quite some time now LOL...
 

PeterT

Ultra Member
Premium Member
The break is exactly where one would expect them to propagate from - those sharp internal corners on cast material. That would be a perfect place for a fillet, or better yet, John's design. Looks like the anvil corners of your green wrench are getting rounded over too torqueing against the tap shank. For bonus points you could make out of tool steel, harden & quench. If you prefer in-line handle design, you could copy the proportions of a Starrett tap wrench.
 
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Tom Kitta

Ultra Member
I have a big one that I made some time ago for taps over 1"

I also bought 120 or so year old tap / die set for 4 CAD recently. Made in the US. Good stuff. The taps are all dull and I am sure dies as well (through they have easy provision to resharpen) BUT the tap handle is excellent. It has very "innovative" design and after 120 or so years shows little wear on the hardened parts.

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/atq-green-river-screw-plate-tap-die-1862336523

Notice the little wheel to adjust - no worries you make something loose while tapping by moving the handles.

Also my dad broke his tapping handle - the die cast AL is very weak on these and does break.
 

Dusty

(Bill)
Premium Member
View attachment 17554

Cheap BB tap handle, they don't even sell them anymore. Kind of surprised as I've broken lots of taps with that handle. This time I was tapping 5/16-18.
View attachment 17554

Cheap BB tap handle, they don't even sell them anymore. Kind of surprised as I've broken lots of taps with that handle. This time I was tapping 5/16-18.

Hey Craig, you must have muscles in your poo. LOL

@John Conroy shows photos of a nice home made set however he offers no background music on material used, size of stock, and the hardened parts.

Come on John will only takes a few minutes of your time.
 

PeterT

Ultra Member
Premium Member
Interesting set Tom. A nice oldy. I retract my statement about square corners. The difference must be the material.

The die wrench is a different retention principle than current ones with the cone tip set screws that come off radially (and rarely match the die divots anyways).
 

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YYCHM

(Craig)
Premium Member
I retract my statement about square corners. The difference must be the material.

Don't retract your statement about square corners. Square corners are stress raisers as taught to every mechanical engineering student since the De Havilland Comet failures. In my case the failed member was made of pot metal.
 

PeterT

Ultra Member
Premium Member
Ya I just mean if there is enough meat then its probably is fine. I would expect the tap to break long before the body.
The bottom 2 are Starretts (internet picture not mine). Different clamping principle.
 

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Dusty

(Bill)
Premium Member
Well..... after dithering over do I make or purchase I decided to give this a try...


I'm impressed, no pot metal here. I think the body is cast iron or maybe even forged and originates from India. Got the #9 as well.

Hey Craig be a kind old gent, after you give your new tap wrenches a workout give us your honest opinion of both.
 

whydontu

I Tried, It Broke
Premium Member
I’ve been using a KBC #11 for at least the last 30 years. Could be used to kill moose. The dings are from when I removed the fixed anvil (tap was too big to fit properly) and used it to hand tap 400 1” NPT pipe fittings. That job paid for my first milling machine.
 

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YYCHM

(Craig)
Premium Member
Don't look like the website image....

KBCTapHandles.JPG

Quite the size jump between a #8 and a #9.
 
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DPittman

Ultra Member
Premium Member
Well..... after dithering over do I make or purchase I decided to give this a try...


I'm impressed, no pot metal here. I think the body is cast iron or maybe even forged and originates from India. Got the #9 as well.
Good to hear I probably should order one or two of those myself and now can with confidence.
I bought a set of BA tap and die set from India and the tap and die holders are absolutely HIDEOUSLY poor the rest of the set is only extremely poor.
 

YYCHM

(Craig)
Premium Member
Good to hear I probably should order one or two of those myself and now can with confidence.
I bought a set of BA tap and die set from India and the tap and die holders are absolutely HIDEOUSLY poor the rest of the set is only extremely poor.

That sounds like the tap and die set I got at PA 30+ years ago. You can't even chaise threads with that set, pure garbage. Don't think I would ever order tooling from India, but other things like rotary tables etc aren't too too bad.
 

DPittman

Ultra Member
Premium Member
That sounds like the tap and die set I got at PA 30+ years ago. You can't even chaise threads with that set, pure garbage. Don't think I would ever order tooling from India, but other things like rotary tables etc aren't too too bad.
Yes I knew it was a poor gamble right from the start but I couldn't find any other British Assoc. tap/die sets elsewhere. I've never tried them yet but I bought them for a Stuart model that needs to come off the shelf one of these fine days.
 
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