Left Hand Taps

J&H · Mar 12, 2020

Why are there no good left hand taps, or am I just not looking in the right spots? Doesn't anyone make any decent left hand spiral flute taps, I'm looking for 5/8-11 and it seems like the only option is a spiral point plug chamfer tap. I can't even find anything other than cheap ones like Hertel. Even tooling reps say nothing exists.

What gives? I'm sure left hand 5/8-11 is done somewhere in production all day every day...

Mark

Mike1974 · Mar 12, 2020

Not sure where you looked, but here are a couple OSG and Emuge.

https://www.mscdirect.com/browse/tn...87924494+4288236205+4288233863&searchterm=tap

Oops, those ^ are left hand spiral, right hand thread.

There are some on McMaster, but you would have to call or email to see if any of them are quality name brands.

13engines · Mar 12, 2020

You don't say if you're on manual or CNC, but It would be easy enough to thread mill it.

James H Clark · Mar 12, 2020

Go to MSC. they have pages of good quality left hand taps, or check with them online.

JH

J&H · Mar 12, 2020

13engines said:
You don't say if you're on manual or CNC, but It would be easy enough to thread mill it.

CNC lathe, no live tooling. Thread milling would be an option, but it would have to be a separate operation on the mill. Hence, the search for a quality spiral flute 5/8-11 tap as that would be the most desirable solution.

J&H · Mar 12, 2020

James H Clark said:
Go to MSC. they have pages of good quality left hand taps, or check with them online.

JH

No they don’t. No spiral flute bigger than 1/2-13. I did think to check MSC before posting here :rolleyes5:

guest · Mar 12, 2020

Left hand machine taps aren't easy to find. S/P plugs are out there, but spiral flute leftys are scarce. 4fl Hand taps are relatively easy to find.

I bought a 5/16-24LH and a 1/2-20LH from OSG a while back. They had them, but they weren't listed anywhere. Those were spiral point plugs though, I didn't inquire about S/F.

Have to call the big names- OSG, Emuge, Balax. They'll make one if they don't have it, but it gets pricey.

DDoug · Mar 12, 2020

guest said:
Left hand machine taps aren't easy to find. S/P plugs are out there, but spiral flute leftys are scarce. 4fl Hand taps are relatively easy to find.

I bought a 5/16-24LH and a 1/2-20LH from OSG a while back. They had them, but they weren't listed anywhere. Those were spiral point plugs though, I didn't inquire about S/F.

Have to call the big names- OSG, Emuge, Balax. They'll make one if they don't have it, but it gets pricey.

Yes, I'm sure the "big users" get large qty's custom made from the top line makers, so their cost's are much less than needing (3) for example.

Try finding LH in the oddball gun barrel sizes...jeesh

Mike1974 · Mar 12, 2020

J&H said:
CNC lathe, no live tooling. Thread milling would be an option, but it would have to be a separate operation on the mill. Hence, the search for a quality spiral flute 5/8-11 tap as that would be the most desirable solution.

Why not turn them if you have a cnc lathe?

https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/53341426

Or are we missing some information?

Dan from Oakland · Mar 12, 2020

I've never gotten a crappy tap from McMaster- always a name brand tool. just FYI. If you call them, they will tell you the manufacturer.

Goff · Mar 12, 2020

We have had left hand form taps made by North American Tool. Website is natool.com. They can make just about any tap

guest · Mar 12, 2020

North American, +1.

I needed an M6 x 0.35, I think it took about a week to get.

EPAIII · Mar 12, 2020

If you do not see what you want in the McMaster catalog or web site, it is always an option to call them. They do have sources, probably a lot more than you and I together will ever know about.

Mike1974 said:
Not sure where you looked, but here are a couple OSG and Emuge.

https://www.mscdirect.com/browse/tn...87924494+4288236205+4288233863&searchterm=tap

Oops, those ^ are left hand spiral, right hand thread.

There are some on McMaster, but you would have to call or email to see if any of them are quality name brands.

Limy Sami · Mar 12, 2020

Anything here ? Left Hand Taps - Inch Sizes - High Speed Steel.

J&H · Mar 12, 2020

Mike1974 said:
Why not turn them if you have a cnc lathe?

https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/53341426

Or are we missing some information?

Well, first off... That's a right hand bar. But they do make similar bars in left hand. Second, that 3/8 bar uses a 2IR insert which they don't make big enough to cut an 11 pitch thread. You'd have to go to a 3IL to get one big enough to cut an 11 pitch thread. Smallest bar I see that fits a 3IL insert is 1/2" shank, and you're not going to fit that in the drilled hole. Third, you're not going to single point holes like that in 500 parts and make any money.. dealing with the chips and what not.

J&H · Mar 12, 2020

Limy Sami said:
Anything here ? Left Hand Taps - Inch Sizes - High Speed Steel.

Looks like just plain 4 flute plug taps. I'm already buying crappy taps like that from MSC.... Looking for a spiral flute tap.

J&H · Mar 12, 2020

guest said:
North American, +1.

I needed an M6 x 0.35, I think it took about a week to get.

They were able to make you a Left hand spiral flute tap? How bad was the cost on something like a custom tap?

guest · Mar 12, 2020

J&H said:
They were able to make you a Left hand spiral flute tap? How bad was the cost on something like a custom tap?

No, it wasn't a LH S/F. Normal plug, just a special pitch.

But I'm sure they can make what you want, no idea what they'll charge. I can probably lookup what I paid, but it was about 10 years ago and I doubt it would be very useful to you...

J&H · Mar 13, 2020

guest said:
No, it wasn't a LH S/F. Normal plug, just a special pitch.

But I'm sure they can make what you want, no idea what they'll charge. I can probably lookup what I paid, but it was about 10 years ago and I doubt it would be very useful to you...

I found their website and they have an awesome quote tool where you can design whatever tap you want and submit for a quote. I did that and had them quote 5 taps. We'll see what the cost is, but this might have been the solution I was searching for. Thanks!

Mike1974 · Mar 13, 2020

J&H said:
Well, first off... That's a right hand bar. But they do make similar bars in left hand. Second, that 3/8 bar uses a 2IR insert which they don't make big enough to cut an 11 pitch thread. You'd have to go to a 3IL to get one big enough to cut an 11 pitch thread. Smallest bar I see that fits a 3IL insert is 1/2" shank, and you're not going to fit that in the drilled hole. Third, you're not going to single point holes like that in 500 parts and make any money.. dealing with the chips and what not.

Yes, I realize it will be slower... but how much slower than trying to source the tap you want?

Right hand or not, you just start at the "end" of the thread and feed out to produce a LH thread. Also, depending on how your machine is, you could run the bar upside down or right side up and change the spindle (CW or CCW) to match what you are doing.

Buuutt, if it don't fit, it don't fit.

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