What's new
What's new

Plug or Taper Tap ?

emt2688

Cast Iron
Joined
Mar 6, 2006
Location
NE Nebaska
Have to tap 1"-8 holes in 4140.
Hole depth is too deep to thread mill, so I have to resort to hand tapping :(

Which will be easier on my body, a plug tap or a taper tap?

Luckily, there's only 8 holes.
 
Alternate between taper, plug and bottoming (after you get tired ;) ) There is a lot of engagement with the taper tap and it takes lots of oomph to keep turning it in. You might tap 3/4" depth at a time, and then start over with the taper tap again.

If you can find some kind of rig for your 1/2" portable electric drill to adapt to the tap, you can save some effort by using the drill to back the taps out of the hole.
 
Hu,

That's what I'm doing now.
When I posted this originally, I was trying a taper tap.
Well, after the first inch, it was REAL tough going.

So now I'm alternating between the taper and a bottoming tap. A little easier on the body, but still a bit*h.

Glad this job is time + materials. No quote :D
 
first threadmill all you can and finish them by hand.
It's getting more obvious by the minute. But I don't have a threadmill that will do the job here in the shop.

I thought I would just suck it up and tap em, rather than wait for a threadmill.

Next time will be different. ;)
 
Reading all of this has made me realize that I've been taking my HBM & tap driver sleeves for granted.I'm going to appreciate them a little more. :D
 
Don't think of it as "hard on your body". Think of it as a workout that they pay you to do [Big Grin]
Guarantee you one thing. If this were not a one man shop, I wouldn't be doing this. I'd have my 300 lb. Mongolian apprentice doing it. :D

EDIT: No offense to any Mongolians visiting the site.
 
I used to use a electrical impact wrench Works great
Don`t know about the air impact wrenches But should function to I imagin
These are about 750 lbs each of 4140. Don't think I'll be using an impact to try this, cause I don't have an EDM around here big enough to get the rest of the tap out. :D

Went on to a different job....waiting till 9:00 tomorrow morning when the UPS driver brings me my threadmill.
 
If you have machine capability to drive the tap IE, radial drill press or other machine extended reach taps are available. I use them all the time using 7/8" X 9 & 1 1/4" X 7.

I have to reach thru a 2" deep counterbore & then tap the threads.

Extended reach taps are available from MSC, J&L Industrial etc......
 
I call "Bullshit", you are trying to tell us that you don't know the correct taps for a simple job and someone is willing to pay for your idiocy? Either you are stupid, or they are more so to have hired a fool like you!
FACTS ARE FACTS "FOOL"
 
I call "Bullshit", you are trying to tell us that you don't know the correct taps for a simple job and someone is willing to pay for your idiocy? Either you are stupid, or they are more so to have hired a fool like you!
FACTS ARE FACTS "FOOL"


12 years later this guy shows up
 








 
Back
Top