Screwing is fun! :D

Chiro75

Chiro75

Joined
Feb 4, 1999
Messages
5,786
Thought that would get your attention! I finally bit the bullet and ordered my drill, tap and reaming (haha) supplies from MSC. It's a little disconcerting when $50 worth of tools fits in a package about 3"x2", you know? Anyway, I tested my new stuff out on some aluminum.

In retrospect I used Al figuring it was nice and soft and would be easy on my tools, but now I have a feeling I'll get 100 posts that say I just screwed the pooch, right? Anyway, I drilled a teensy weensy #53 hole, then used my new H2 Spiral Point right hand thread 1-72 tap and it worked pretty cool. A screw actually fit! I also drilled a #33 hole, then reamed with 1/8" ream, and a 1/8" Micarta rod could barely fit in that sucker! Woohoo!

Some followup questions:

1) How do I use tapping fluid? I put some on the bit/tool, and a little on the piece of metal, then proceeded. Is there another better way?

2) Do I need to clean the tapping fluid off the tools afterward or can a little stay on? I.e. how anal do I have to be about cleaning this stuff up, other than the obvious not having metal chips clogging everything up...

3) I am using the reamer (straight flutes) in my drill press. Should I use it by hand with the T-wrench?

4) When tapping, can I thread a screw in either side of the tapped hole? I figure I can, but maybe not. Should I run the tap in and out a few times, or just in all the way once and out and stop at that? I shouldn't flip the piece and tap from the other side, too, should I?

Anyway, now I see some of the attraction in screwing and reaming! :D It's great fun!
 
Eventually we'll get this trainee screwer straightened out !! It's better if you do everything in the drill press, drill,ream, tap.The tap is tapered so you can get a tighter or looser fit depending on tap/screw dimensions by adjusting how far you go, and just go from one side. The tapping should be turn a bit[maybe 1/4 turn] /reverse, turn a bit reverse until completed.This will break of the chips into small pieces.Take your oil can and put the oil on the tap, it will flow down. I like to use a fair amount which helps flush the chips away.For thick material I also back out the tap a few times and remove chips. Some exotic material may do better with special tapping fluid.Use an old toothbrush to brush off all chips when you're done , any remaining oil will prevent rusting.
 
Match your cutting fluid to the material being tapped! Not all fluids are universal. Tap Magic is a good example; they have more than one choice. Trying steel cutting fluid on aluminum is not a good choice! (Don't ask!! LOL)
 
I bought some CRC stuff that MSC advertised as being "for stainless steel and other tough to machine metals." I won't be doing anything else in Al with these tools, it was a one time test, so I think I'm okay. Do you think this stuff will be okay for SS as well as 1084?

Now, how the heck do you tap threads with a drill press? Won't it just strip the hole??? I didn't seem to have a problem doing it by hand, so I think I'll run with that, but I keep seeing people talking about using taps on a drill press and I can't figure that out, unless you're slowing the RPM's WAAAAYYYYYY down? Or am I just an idiot?
 
One more thing... a local auto parts store I ran into the other day had decent prices on taps. 8-32 (that doesn't sound right, whatever common type of screw everyone uses about the size of a pivot screw) was $2.50. Do you think 1-72's are too small for holding scales onto a small (3" blade/4" handle) fixed blade? Too wimpy, maybe?
 
Chiro, when people talk about using the drill press, it is using the press to mount the tap in and turn the chuck by hand, so you have good vertical alignment. A home fix instead of using a tapping jig like Higgy has developed.

For me, the same cutting fluid has worked for both SS and carbon. When I tried steel TapMagic on aluminum, It started smoking BIGTIME, charring, and making a mess of the metal and the drill bit. Was a bad choice. Some of the fluids will work for most anything.
 
Aha! I knew there was more to the story I wasn't thinking about. My drill press isn't 100% perpindicular to my chuck, but "it's close" (machinist's around the world are throwing stuff at their screens). I don't have a small enough square thing to check. The fact that I have a drill press at all is impressive enough. I wish I would've known this drill press/hand method earlier. Could've saved myself $5 on an Indian t-wrench and spent it on another tap in case I bust this one (one 1-72 tap... talk about risky!).
 
Chiro, I don't know if you will be tapping titanium but I drill a 1/16 hole for a 1-72 tap and I use a small cordless drill for tapping with no cutting fluid . I can build 15 to 20 folders with one tap this way. I used to brake taps in titanium with a #53 drill for 1-72 tap. Also I don't think the cordless drill will work on thicker material say over 1/8'' or so. I learned the hard way on most of this drilling and tapping stuff , you'll have a lot of fun with it :D

Don Hanson lll
 
The only thing I need to tap right now is liner-thickness stainless steel. I have lots of drilling and reaming to do, and some reaming on 1/8" 1084, but the tap is just to attach some G-10 or carbon fiber or whatever to the liner material. I may find that the SS I want to use is just too darn thin for this balisong project. Guess we'll find out, but the main thing I DON't want to screw up is the blade. OTOH, the first thing I do will be drill and tap the pivot holes, so at least if I do screw up the blade somehow it's PRE filing rather than after all those hours of work.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top