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Tapping arm discussion

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Dan Dubeau

Ultra Member
...ADMIN EDIT - Just copied some posts from another thread to a new thread on tapping arms. Tapping arms are interesting. I’d like to know more and see peoples ideas on building them.

I don't have a tapping arm though... Never used one. I get by with cordless drills or power tapping in the mills. Or if I have to a tap wrench.....Maybe I should start a you tube channel and try and get a free one :D Maybe my first video could be building a tapping arm lol.
 
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I use one of the newer hammer drills (I'll post the model number later), advantage besides electronic motor control and less broken taps, is that it has a prefect mount point (where the Aux handle goes) to mount in the arm.

Side note, just did 800 #8 tapped holes with this drill today, same tap for all the holes.
 
Degen said:
I use one of the newer hammer drills (I'll post the model number later), advantage besides electronic motor control and less broken taps, is that it has a prefect mount point (where the Aux handle goes) to mount in the arm.

Side note, just did 800 #8 tapped holes with this drill today, same tap for all the holes.
Click to expand...
Dewalt DCD996 is the model I use currently, all holes on one charge.

Tap is lubricated about every 3-5 hole with Tap Magic Aluminum, 2-3 drops to flush scarf and wet.
 
Degen said:
Dewalt DCD996 is the model I use currently, all holes on one charge.

Tap is lubricated about every 3-5 hole with Tap Magic Aluminum, 2-3 drops to flush scarf and wet.
Click to expand...
Product listed as discontinued.

Aside from that, there is no way to actuate the tool in an ergonomic manner when it is held vertical, unless the operator is tall and the worksurface low.

I'm looking for a solution that keeps my elbows at 90 degrees and has paddle actuator. I think I have found affordable one and I will make my own articulating arm for it.
 
The ones on Aliexpress caught my interest a time back..... for most of the tapping I do, a tapping head is on my list before an arm. I agree @Janger that this should be buildable all day long.
 
What are people doing with handheld drills for tapping? I’ve found the tap slips in the chuck? Also in my drill at least there isn’t enough torque at low speeds making me turn up the speed and then breaking a tap is more likely. ?
 
Degen said:
Dewalt DCD996 is the model I use currently, all holes on one charge.

Tap is lubricated about every 3-5 hole with Tap Magic Aluminum, 2-3 drops to flush scarf and wet.
Click to expand...
Why the hammer drill? As opposed to just whatever drill?
 
Janger said:
Just copied some of these posts to a new thread on tapping arms. Tapping arms are interesting. I’d like to know more and see peoples ideas on building them.
Click to expand...
Not sure why you chose my post from the other thread to start this one, instead of just starting a fresh thread. It contained zero info or context regarding tapping arms or questions about them, and if I had the option I'd edit it, or delete it altogether. Speaking of which, does this forum not allow one to edit posts?
 
TorontoBuilder said:
Power akin to the gods.

Thanks that was a very good idea.

I'm going to draw something up or rather a few ideas. The traditional articulated arms you'd see on lamps with their multiple springs (you'd need array of holes to adjust tension though. Or the semi-articulated arm that raises and lowers on a vertical axis pole.

I'm going with option two. Easier to build and adjust with a tool balancer providing tension/lift to the horizontal arm
Click to expand...
Option two is called an orthogonal reaction torque arm.

I was going to go with this style torque arm copy, due to the simplicity... a vertical shaft, simple linear bearings, a simple light duty adjustable tool balancer spring and a extendable tool holding arm, that may or may not be articulated.

KATO-Linear-Torque-Arm.jpg


brF.png



The above should work for most people, but I have a space I'd use that would allow me to mount an arm from a central point overhead, which would be great for a telescoping reaction arm... like this:


BRT.png


To this you'd add a tool holder, and a tool balancer, as well as an overhead mount. They function beautifully like this:


 
I worked in a Tool and Die shop for a short while where they tapped many small holes. The tapping arm was awesome. However in my home shop a dedicated tool like that requires a dedicated space. Space is always in short supply. I'd be more inclined to a tapping head I could use on my Mill and Drill Press and stow when not in use. Great project though.
 
Couple of things mounted tapping arm unit, but seriously considered one until I tried using cordless drills which I do free hand.

@Janger I think you answered your own question to a couple of things, but I'll answer them anyway......

The hammer drill, well besides tapping I do use it for other things. The second is that it has a better chuck which holds taps without slipping. Beyond a 1/4 I start using https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0002SRFOE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 as the interface, no slipage. Third this drill was a bonusthe drill has electronic clutching and torque control (along with 3 speeds) so depending on size,figure it out. For my hand it allows easy switching between forward and reverse and I run full speed and let the electronics protect my tap.

The finally item is using the correct taps not to snap them, spiral pointed heavy duty taps. (typical 2 flutes and forward ejection). I have tap regularly upto 3/8-16 and 3/8-24 in Al. Blind taps well in by hand out by drill (if needed, see interface above).

Always use lube, if in doubt wax works (any wax) just cleaning scarf becomes an issue.

Again 800 holes in about 2-1/2 hours 8-32 in AL no tap breakage, one battery no chuck slipage, yesterday. My judgement when the tap needs to be replaced is when I need to lube every hole and its starts activating the clutch.

I am considering for some of my application this instead of a tapping arm and a lot cheaper and simpler. Also not limited to a stationary mount. https://www.kbctools.ca/products/search/1-393-000

If I haven't stated it before I am not a trained machinist, but a do enough (productionwise) to come up with solutions that work economically (sound better than saying I'm cheap).
 
Degen said:
Couple of things mounted tapping arm unit, but seriously considered one until I tried using cordless drills which I do free hand.

@Janger I think you answered your own question to a couple of things, but I'll answer them anyway......

The hammer drill, well besides tapping I do use it for other things. The second is that it has a better chuck which holds taps without slipping. Beyond a 1/4 I start using https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0002SRFOE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 as the interface, no slipage. Third this drill was a bonusthe drill has electronic clutching and torque control (along with 3 speeds) so depending on size,figure it out. For my hand it allows easy switching between forward and reverse and I run full speed and let the electronics protect my tap.

The finally item is using the correct taps not to snap them, spiral pointed heavy duty taps. (typical 2 flutes and forward ejection). I have tap regularly upto 3/8-16 and 3/8-24 in Al. Blind taps well in by hand out by drill (if needed, see interface above).

Always use lube, if in doubt wax works (any wax) just cleaning scarf becomes an issue.

Again 800 holes in about 2-1/2 hours 8-32 in AL no tap breakage, one battery no chuck slipage, yesterday. My judgement when the tap needs to be replaced is when I need to lube every hole and its starts activating the clutch.

I am considering for some of my application this instead of a tapping arm and a lot cheaper and simpler. Also not limited to a stationary mount. https://www.kbctools.ca/products/search/1-393-000

If I haven't stated it before I am not a trained machinist, but a do enough (productionwise) to come up with solutions that work economically (sound better than saying I'm cheap).
Click to expand...
There is nothing wrong with being cheap or any of the word's synonyms
 
It would be a nice tool for certain jobs, but not sure I'd use it enough to warrant a dedicated space. If you're doing 800 holes, yeah, what a great tool. But for me I tap a lot in the mill, then for the manual ones just use a slug of AL drilled out as a tapping guide. Quantities are usually small enough its not too bad. I do have some tapping heads I should use, but the DP's slowest speed (like 560) is still a bit hairy.....maybe time for a 3P motor and VFD.

An arm that fixed into the mill spindle and used the mill table as a work surface might be interesting. The whole thing would get stowed away and not take up space when not in use. You'd have to make a pact with yourself to turn the mill's breaker off before installing it :oops:

Also curious about the hammer drill. I have no experience with tapping arms - is the hammer action usual, or just a way to get a hand tool with enough power at low rpm's to do the job. If you did 800 holes it obviously works, I'd have thought the hammer would have increased the risk of tap breakage. hmmm.

It needs a run of the dreaded 10-24 in something tough to really prove itself :D
 
Janger said:
What are people doing with handheld drills for tapping? I’ve found the tap slips in the chuck? Also in my drill at least there isn’t enough torque at low speeds making me turn up the speed and then breaking a tap is more likely. ?
Click to expand...

The solution is a tapping chuck. I have some for the lathe / mill but none small for the hand held drill. I have one I made the shank for but its 16mm. I guess I should have made it 12mm. Shank has 3 cut flats for better grip.

Tapping chuck grabs the square end of the tap and then has a collet to stabilize the shaft of the tap.

Of course problem with breaking a tap is real as you don't have that much control - even with clutch in the drill.

Reversing tapping heads are very bulky.

Tapping and general thread making is not so easy process as it may seem - especially if you want to do it fast or well.
 
re taping with a hand held drill. As probably most know drill chucks don't do well because they rely on getting a bit of a bite into softer material and tap shanks are hard. It wouldn't take much to create a tap holder.....bore to fit the tap and then a set screw on the tap's square end. tap diameters afaik are in a few standard sizes so it wouldn't take a lot of them. I've only done so in electrical cabinets with a cordless drill - for that, its not going to work except for the smaller size (too much torque required for larger)

I also think unless it is fairly thin material you're going into, which is somewhat forgiving on alignment, its likely to break taps especially in the smaller sizes the drill is likely to have enough umph to drive. Maybe you can make it work, but seems to me its near impossible to for squareness in two planes will power taping
 
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