Shop tip TAPPING MACHINE

Darrel Ralph

Darrel Ralph

Joined
Dec 14, 1998
Messages
4,870
Take an old drill press with no motor and take the handle and gearing out (make the spindle free up and down). Put your taps in the chuck and let the weight of the spindle start the tap for you . You can tap square and fast with this set up. The more slop in the spindle the better . This will allow the tap to follow the hole.. The pullies make for a nice place to rotate the tap (spindle) as it goes into the part.



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very good...I have done this exact same thing to get a delicate tap started exactly straight....undo the up spring in the drill press so the weight pulls the chuck down..i usually would just get them going this way and then take it out of the chuck and finish by hand.

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I agree, it works great but the good old Skil Power Twist rechargeable screwdriver and chuck are cheap and get the job done sitting down.
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I hear ya .. I use them to.. But on the little ones I like to start um straight in damascus. Ti dont bother me as much . I can get the broken taps out of it. Just done take chances with damscus and having to break them out with a carbide scirber or whatever. Damed 0-80's . Moving as you suggested to 1-72 was a great improvment.. love um I roll tap um with the screwdriver drill. I saw a little jig a fellow at the blade smith school had where he just put the tap in a litte donut shaped ring that was big enough to help with the straight start.. GOT ONE NOW hah Another fellow said he used his burnt out drill press as a ball seater. It has a dome tool in it and two litte nubs that stake it all in one stroke. Like a little press... Good use for junk machines..

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New Web at www.darrelralph.com

 
so kit...ive read that before that you do that...but how thick is the ti you are using? i use .050 or thicker for my liners and am making some frame locks with .143... theres no way im going to use an electric anything on the thick stuff...can i get thru the .050 or 060 with that set up??? very curious.....tom (ken onion and stanley fujisaka both have tapmatics and swear by them)

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Tom,
I've tapped (usually 1x72) up to .250 with the Skil. The torque is just right. Never break a tap. Got alot of worn out ones but no broken ones. I also use the older Winbro Tapmatic fluid.
I did over 375 holes last week with 2 taps.
These are the cheap ones from MSC. Let me know and I'll send the stock #.

 
i am sure you have had lots of practice..but how straight do you have to hold the thing. i m asking all these questions cause the other day i was at the welding supply place getting some stuff and lo and behold theres a black and decker (i think-gotta check) rechargeable one for..........$10!!!! brand new....i had read about you doing that and cant afford to pop for a tapmatic so i bought it....(regular price was blacked out), but i am low on taps at the moment so will have to restock before i try it out.

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http://www.mayoknives.com


 
Same hear Tom.. The bat drills work great . Get an extra Bat pack ...
I have a tapmatic also for bigger taps . But for small hole I like the bat drill much better. The tapmatic will break most drill (IN MY SHOP) 1-72 and under.
On the tapmatic I get about 1000 roll tapped holes per 2-56 tap.
Another trick is if you use the tap on ti keep it for ti.
If you switch out to another material they go to hell fast. Same with saw blades.
Tap heavy for me on the 2-56 works best . On the hand stuff I use tapmatic double action. Has the triclor 111 in it..
Stuffs bad for ya so dress in a radiation suit. :]




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Web Site At www.infinet.com/~browzer/bldesmth.html
New Web at www.darrelralph.com

 
Tom,
You can pick up a small keyless chuck with a 1/4" drive that fits in the screwdriver.
I've never had a problem with holes going thru crooked, or breaking. I use it from 0x80 up thru 4-40 screws. Larger ones, I use a 9v B & D drill.
I use the old Winbro Tapmatic and put some in a small plastic container to dip the tap in. Put the tap up to the hole, push the forward button, and the tap kinda pulls the Ti toward the tap. I don't use any pressure. On .070 and thinner, i usually just go all the way thru. On heavier I go about halfway, reverse, dip the tap, and then go all the way thru.
You'll know when a tap gets dull. I use the cheapest taps I can find and they still last a long time, doing it this way.
Lateral movement is what breaks taps and you just don't get any doing it this way.
I've found that the torque on the Skil Twist is better than the others. Just enough.
 
I like the skill for the speed and torque also. The chucks can be found at home depot in the bat drill section. Mine has a hex with a retainer ball that fits into the drill
I think it was 8.00.

IMHO after having both I like the drills better . There portable..
As Kit said I dont have to get up hehhehe
The tapmatic is the plus #1 .

Kit can you find the fluid you use anymore?

Some manufacturers have discontinued the tri clor stuff..
This is all I could find with tri clor but I didnt look far.
It great for milling also..
:]


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Web Site At www.infinet.com/~browzer/bldesmth.html
New Web at www.darrelralph.com

 
ok, i checked and it is a skill. what the heck is a bat drill??? never heard of that. home depot is on my shopping list for this week to get a chuck......cant wait to try it out.....tom
 
bat man my a$$...you cant think in an alternate reality and think we are going to be able to understand
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Did you see the post on what you named your grinder? I named one BITCH .. and the other bastard. The drills are bat drills. My little mill is a POS. My horizonal disk grinder is the FBI finger print remover.
My surface grinder is the war machine. (built in 44). My forge is the nesting ground for mice in the winter. I call it the safe haven.
It has a bronze staute of Vlad the impaler on top hehehe. In front it has several mice on stakes. Those Mouse trap folks should start selling forges for every home in the country. Best mouse trap Ive ever seen. Nothing smells better than starting the forge and having roasted mouse for lunch that day.. Little bbq sauce and BAM you got de lunch all done.
tongue.gif



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Web Site At www.infinet.com/~browzer/bldesmth.html
New Web at www.darrelralph.com



[This message has been edited by Darrel Ralph (edited 04-27-2000).]
 
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