Tool How to drive taps

[Susquatch]

That's my intial feeling too but others personal experiences say that I might question why they are having success.

I don't question it all. Of course it's going to work 9 times out of 10, and maybe 98% of the time in big holes or soft metals. That might be enough to instill confidence in some. But I hate extracting broken taps - even if only rarely. My instincts and engineering background all say it's a bad idea, so until I read a manufacturer's instructions advising the use of an impact gun, I don't plan to do it. Each to their own though!

 

[140mower]

I don't question it all. Of course it's going to work 9 times out of 10, and maybe 98% of the time in big holes or soft metals. That might be enough to instill confidence in some. But I hate extracting broken taps - even if only rarely. My instincts and engineering background all say it's a bad idea, so until I read a manufacturer's instructions advising the use of an impact gun, I don't plan to do it. Each to their own though!

Hee hee..... I don't need no steeenkin' impact to break taps..... How much worse could an impact be than me?

 

[Susquatch]

How much worse could an impact be than me?

Too funny!

But seriously, a lot worse. All the reasons you break taps would just get worse!

 

[Janger]

android tap and drill chart app

What is that app called exactly John? I'd like to look for. an iOS equivalent.

Good thread gents, interesting. More pictures of things like M36 holes being worked on / threaded would be nice. What equipment has a M36 tapped hole? When do you need to tap 500 holes?

 

[Susquatch]

What is that app called exactly John? I'd like to look for. an iOS equivalent.

Tap & Drill Chart Calculator
By Greg A. Miller



Rating: 4.8 out of 5 for almost 500 reviews

Contact: [email protected]

About :

Calculate charts for various thread percentages for SAE and Metric screws

App to calculate charts for various thread percentages for standard SAE and Metric screws. Also shows hex nut size and a diagram with the screw threads to check TPI/TPMM and screw diameter.

This app requires no permissions. Please rate this app after evaluating it, it is knowing that people use and love my apps that keeps the truly free app developers producing apps.

 

[phaxtris]

When do you need to tap 500 holes?

I've had to tap 500 holes on more than one occasion, usually it's some kind of plate to beam/has to be removable/can't weld in that area kind of affair

2 guys mag drilling and followed up by 2 guys running taps in with an impact make short work of it, usually don't shoot for huge thread % either

I don't have any pictures, there's nothing to see, usually just a couple beams with holes all over the place

 

[johnnielsen]

I cringe when I think about using an impact like that. I can't understand why each impact doesn't break off a cutting edge on the tap. I always used a speed reducer to multiply my tapping force on bigger taps.

 

[mbond]

My initial reaction to this was to never even consider using an impact drive with a tap. But thinking about it more, I suspect that there is a certain knack to this. And if you need a lot of holes tapped quickly without a great need for high precision, and if the ratio between the depth of the threads to cut versus the size of the hole is low (a big hole through a plate) it could work well. The impact probably breaks chips pretty well, and if you don't mind breaking the occasional tooth / tap, you probably can go a lot faster without the need to reverse

I'm not planning to do it with my taps though

 

[phaxtris]

Taps are cheap, a lot cheaper than the labor cost to hand tap a large number of holes.

A job with several hundred holes and say 2 guys tapping, I would buy/get 4-5 taps to start, you will loose teeth for sure, and possibly break one or two, .if you end up with taps at the end, great, if you don't thats fine to, cost of the job

Getting taps out of a through hole isn't that big of a deal, smash off whatever bit is sticking through the bottom with a hammer (or turn it out with vise grips) and break the rest up with a center punch, 5 maybe 10 minutes, in the realm of hundreds of holes you are still way ahead

Machine taps work much better for this than hand taps, and of course the newer impact taps even better

Impacting isn't for every situation, but it does work well in the right application

 

[whydontu]

Tap & Drill Chart Calculator
By Greg A. Miller

View attachment 53585

Rating: 4.8 out of 5 for almost 500 reviews

Contact: [email protected]

About :

Calculate charts for various thread percentages for SAE and Metric screws

App to calculate charts for various thread percentages for standard SAE and Metric screws. Also shows hex nut size and a diagram with the screw threads to check TPI/TPMM and screw diameter.

This app requires no permissions. Please rate this app after evaluating it, it is knowing that people use and love my apps that keeps the truly free app developers producing apps.

iOS rough equivalent is an app called iEngineer, free for imperial dimensions but $3 to include metric fasteners

Perfectly Simple Apps

 

[Andrew_D]

I would avoid using an impact. Had an employee clamp a tap in the vise and then use an impact and socket to run 1/2" nuts on and off to clean up threads. So these (obviously) already had threads in them. After about 50 nuts, the tap was completely toast. Sharp cutting edges were now rounded.

Andrew

 

[Jswain]

I can't imagine it being any harder on an edge then an interrupted cut on say a lathe using hss.

I know you will say, well that is hard on an edge....but you still do it

 

[Janger]

iOS rough equivalent is an app called iEngineer, free for imperial dimensions but $3 to include metric fasteners

Perfectly Simple Apps

I forgot about that one and I even have it already on my phone. It’s good!

 

[Susquatch]

Getting taps out of a through hole isn't that big of a deal, smash off whatever bit is sticking through the bottom with a hammer (or turn it out with vise grips) and break the rest up with a center punch, 5 maybe 10 minutes, in the realm of hundreds of holes you are still way ahead

Well, I'll give you an A++ score for removing broken taps so easily.

I break taps too. Hand tapping! I live in terror of it happening. When it does, I go to the house, sit down in an easy chair, and contemplate my biggest problems in order to put the broken tap in perspective. Once I have calmed down, I go back to the shop and take on the new project - removing the broken tap - which can take anywhere between a half hour and a month - usually the latter. My best successes have been using Wilton Tap Removers.

Maybe, if I used an impact gun to drive taps, I'd be a lot more skilled at removing broken ones........

 

[Ironman]

I personally would not power tap anything smaller than 1/4" And although I have a mid quality tap and die set that cost $400 years ago, they do get dull and there is nothing that will break a tap faster than being dull. Now when I go in to Sowa or United Tool I always ask them to give me the most expensive tap they have. So far they stay sharp and unbroken.
I remember watching a guy power tap with a drill press. This was back in the day when they would let you into the shop. I was surprised when it worked so well and commented as to why it did not slip. He looked at me and said, Kid when the tap slips in the chuck it is dull and I throw it away.

 

[Stuart Samuel]

I personally would not power tap anything smaller than 1/4"

In custom lighting, the vast majority of our fasteners are 1/4-20 or smaller. Lots of #4 screws for LEDs and similar components. We've got two Tapmatic 50x tapping heads, and I picked up a 30x used a few years ago. I'll run 4-40's in the 30x comfortably. To be fair, though, it's almost always in either 6061 T6 aluminum or in 360 brass. It also helps that I do the consumables ordering for the shop, and don't tolerate dull taps. I think I've got everyone clear on what spiral point versus spiral flute taps are for, and I've tried to help the office understand the advantages of making it a through hole, versus blind, as far as ease of production.

I'll power tap in the mill down to say, #8, but typically just to get the thread aligned well, finishing it off by hand.

 

[jcdammeyer]

In custom lighting, the vast majority of our fasteners are 1/4-20 or smaller. Lots of #4 screws for LEDs and similar components. We've got two Tapmatic 50x tapping heads, and I picked up a 30x used a few years ago. I'll run 4-40's in the 30x comfortably. To be fair, though, it's almost always in either 6061 T6 aluminum or in 360 brass. It also helps that I do the consumables ordering for the shop, and don't tolerate dull taps. I think I've got everyone clear on what spiral point versus spiral flute taps are for, and I've tried to help the office understand the advantages of making it a through hole, versus blind, as far as ease of production.

I'll power tap in the mill down to say, #8, but typically just to get the thread aligned well, finishing it off by hand.

What RPM do you use for spiral taps in the 4-40 to 8-32 range?

 

[PeterT]

We've got two Tapmatic 50x tapping heads, and I picked up a 30x used a few years ago. I'll run 4-40's in the 30x comfortably. To be fair, though, it's almost always in either 6061 T6 aluminum or in 360 brass.

The magic in these units is purpose designed clutch systems in between the motor & the tap. They have calibrated slip settings corresponding to specific tap sizes & indirectly, tune-able for material types. You could have a 25HP motor connected but still tap delicate M1 blind threads all day long because the clutch will slip on that setting &the motor shaft just spins. You still have to pay attention to cutting edge condition, swarf packing, lubrication & all that good stuff but generally those are all torque inducing conditions so hopefully work to reduce tap breakage. But that's another amazing attribute of tapping heads - re-entering a partial threaded hole. No cross threading, no fuss, it just works. They can be spendy but they sure work well.

 

[phaxtris]

Well, I'll give you an A++ score for removing broken taps so easily.

I break taps too. Hand tapping! I live in terror of it happening. When it does, I go to the house, sit down in an easy chair, and contemplate my biggest problems in order to put the broken tap in perspective. Once I have calmed down, I go back to the shop and take on the new project - removing the broken tap - which can take anywhere between a half hour and a month - usually the latter. My best successes have been using Wilton Tap Removers.

Maybe, if I used an impact gun to drive taps, I'd be a lot more skilled at removing broken ones........

I think its a matter of perspective, you removing a broken tap or me removing a broken tap is the same job, we just see it differently

 

[jcdammeyer]

What RPM do you use for spiral taps in the 4-40 to 8-32 range?

I'll answer my own question here.

Tapping Feed and Speed | Viking Drill and Tool

Calculations use the desired tool diameter, number of teeth, cutting speed, and cutting feed, which should be chosen based on the specific cutting conditions

www.vikingdrill.com

As usual the commercial numbers come out with much higher speeds than I would dare try.