Do I have the right taps, or do I need something different?

[STR]

I hate using cutting taps in Titanium.

I get better results using forming taps.

Have to agree! Buy the thread forming taps from MSC Industrial made by Balox (I may have spelled that wrong) or the thread forming taps from Enco. Both are great and hands down the best number two size taps I've ever used. Use a number 47 drill bit or a 5/64 which is close to the same size as I recall. Molly Dee is the only oil you want period. Get away from cutting taps in ti. The deeper the tapper goes in titanium the more the ti will just hug the tap more and more as it goes in and so the thicker pieces which were usually all I was threading since I used .160 thickness in most all my frame locks, are very tricky to get threaded all the way through all the time for each one if you just drill with a number 47 alone. You can certainly get by easily if all you are using is .040 or .050 liners with just a number 47 alone but any thicker you should really do the 'two step'. What I do now when I thread is come in from the back side with a number 46 drill so all you are really biting into is the first oh .050 or so of the thickness or about a regular liner thickness for like a liner lock. The 46 will still thread and they even bite but it does work to ease up on the hugging of the tap to reduce if not eliminate breaks for you. Ruining a 18 buck tap is bad enough but on a piece you've been sweating into it really sucks! Some guys just come in from the back side of where they want the best grabbing threads using a number 44 so you can't thread it at all. I rather like at least having some threads in there so the 46 works well for me. Just keep the good biting threads on the side you have your screw first coming into and you'll have no worries with threads holding up.

STR

 

[Fellhoelter]

What about Ti makes tapping difficult? I have a project I am going to be starting on soon as well that I will need to tap Ti and am wondering why the different specs.


-Xander

It's low modulus of elasticity I believe.

It likes to bind up on taps, squeezing them, so to speak.

And it seems as though it work hardens, so hand tapping is really dicey.

I'll snap taps all day long hand tapping them, but have no problem running them at 500 RPM in the Tapmatic.
I tapped several thousand holes with my last tap before I broke it doing something stupid.

 

[Erin Burke]

For cutting taps in Titanium, I use a #49.
For forming taps, a 5/64"

I'm with Brian on this one… which makes sense, because I learned it from him in the first place. . For 2-56 through holes in Ti I chase a 5/64" bit with a thread-forming tap lubed with moly-dee. Of course, I'm also using a tapmatic… and have never broken a tap. Thanks Brian.