Anyone have experience with anything like this? Is it worth consideration?
https://www.grizzly.com/products/Tapping-Attachment-MT-2/T10057
https://www.grizzly.com/products/Tapping-Attachment-MT-2/T10057
Worthwhile device?
- Thread starter Brad
- Start date
smokeywolf
Well-Known Member
It's called a tapping head. Unless you're going to be tapping a dozen or more holes at a time and doing that at least every month, I think you might see more ROI by investing those 2 "C notes" on something else.
I have at least 2 Procunier and I think 2 Tapmatic tapping heads and I don't think I've used them more than a half dozen times in the last 10 years.
Given your need to place holes radially in a sizing die, this might offer a better return than the tapping head.
http://www.grizzly.com/products/5-C-Spin-Index/G5649?utm_campaign=zPage&utm_source=grizzly.com
If you don't yet have a good live center or a 1/2" Albrecht chuck, I think you'd get more bang for your buck there.
Other tooling that's invaluable:
5C collets
Brass emergency collets
Collet blocks
I have at least 2 Procunier and I think 2 Tapmatic tapping heads and I don't think I've used them more than a half dozen times in the last 10 years.
Given your need to place holes radially in a sizing die, this might offer a better return than the tapping head.
http://www.grizzly.com/products/5-C-Spin-Index/G5649?utm_campaign=zPage&utm_source=grizzly.com
If you don't yet have a good live center or a 1/2" Albrecht chuck, I think you'd get more bang for your buck there.
Other tooling that's invaluable:
5C collets
Brass emergency collets
Collet blocks
KeithB
Resident Half Fast Machinist
I use an older ENCO branded version of this:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/G8748-Griz...931451&hash=item440e66ab01:g:408AAOSwbiFZQCme
Nothing wrong with a tapping head but it limits you to having to use another machine tool to drive it. When I hand tap I like the sensitivity and control a tool such as this offers.
Agree 100% w/Smokey about the utility value of the tooling he listed. A good small vise that can hold prismatic and cylindrical parts while hand tapping might also be worth considering.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/G8748-Griz...931451&hash=item440e66ab01:g:408AAOSwbiFZQCme
Nothing wrong with a tapping head but it limits you to having to use another machine tool to drive it. When I hand tap I like the sensitivity and control a tool such as this offers.
Agree 100% w/Smokey about the utility value of the tooling he listed. A good small vise that can hold prismatic and cylindrical parts while hand tapping might also be worth considering.
Looking at it a bit I can see where a hand tapper makes more sense. Doesn't tie up the drill press and gives a feel the machine doesn't have.
I'm just tired of off kilter threads!
I can see where a 5C spindexer make a lot of sense. Getting holes spaced evenLy around an object is a good thing.
I'm just tired of off kilter threads!
I can see where a 5C spindexer make a lot of sense. Getting holes spaced evenLy around an object is a good thing.
KeithB
Resident Half Fast Machinist
Getting a hand tapper cut my breakage down to nearly (not quite) zero. If you take your time and be careful when you line things up you will get perfect threads. Works great when tapping shallow holes with bottoming taps (ex: sight/scope base screws).
Spindexer = lube holes in sizing dies(?)
Spindexer = lube holes in sizing dies(?)
Getting lube holes in size dies evenly spaced would make me happy. I don't think having them off kilter has made any change in function but pretty is as pretty does.
And tapping shallow holes with a bottoming tap, like those for an ejector rod housing on a single action revolver? Hmmmm, I do have a Blackhawk I wouldn't mind rebarreling......
And tapping shallow holes with a bottoming tap, like those for an ejector rod housing on a single action revolver? Hmmmm, I do have a Blackhawk I wouldn't mind rebarreling......
Something like this?
http://www.penntoolco.com/interstate-5c-collet-block-chucks-set/
Mount part in collet. Use drill press to drill hole, move block to hand tapper, and let tap find center on the hole.
http://www.penntoolco.com/interstate-5c-collet-block-chucks-set/
Mount part in collet. Use drill press to drill hole, move block to hand tapper, and let tap find center on the hole.
KeithB
Resident Half Fast Machinist
That will work fine especially if you're dealing with standard size stock. Here is an example of a toolmakers vise. If I wanted to drill/tap a single hole in a SA barrel for example I would probably clamp it in this. It has a vertical and horizontal V-groove in one face and will hold round parts and small prismatic parts. There is no one best way to do anything and no single tool that can do everything. I have a slightly larger vise that I use for drilling/tapping, when I need to drill a hole in the end of a round piece I put one V-block on it's side up against the fixed jaw face.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/3-Screwles...062586?hash=item25e888b23a:g:xgUAAOSwjVVVsAWW
https://www.ebay.com/itm/3-Screwles...062586?hash=item25e888b23a:g:xgUAAOSwjVVVsAWW
KeithB
Resident Half Fast Machinist
I think a lot of tools are like fishing lures, designed more to catch fisherman than fish. Of course everyone's needs are different depending on the type of work you plan to do. I realize that my choice of tools isn't necessarily the best for everyone, but I have done a lot of different machining jobs and have had to figure out how to best hang on to things. I like things simple, rugged, and versatile. If you're not doing production speed should be the last item on the list to satisfy.
There are just some basic tools and accessories for lathes and mills that let you do 99% of anything you might need to do and if you're a careful shopper can be had at reasonable cost. On a lathe things like thread files, a good lathe flat file, live tailstock centers, steady rests, etc all make life easier. On a mills/drills items such as small right angle plates, V blocks, a decent vise, etc are really handy. I like mill vises without ears, the Kurt I use is ground flat and square on all sides and can be clamped down on its bottom, sides, or end.
There are just some basic tools and accessories for lathes and mills that let you do 99% of anything you might need to do and if you're a careful shopper can be had at reasonable cost. On a lathe things like thread files, a good lathe flat file, live tailstock centers, steady rests, etc all make life easier. On a mills/drills items such as small right angle plates, V blocks, a decent vise, etc are really handy. I like mill vises without ears, the Kurt I use is ground flat and square on all sides and can be clamped down on its bottom, sides, or end.
smokeywolf
Well-Known Member
Hand tappers are awfully convenient and although I have one, I'm lacking the bench space to make good use of it.
Ian
Notorious member
I guess a Super Spacer would be overkill.
What I do is just use a tap guide and drill press. Find center, spot hole, swap to drill, drill hole, swap to tap guide, lock spindle in place, tap hole. The only part that stinks is having to lower the table twice while maintaining alignment with the chuck. To do that, I just follow the table down with the spindle while the bit is still in the hole. To hold stuff, I use hardwood vee blocks or directly clamp the part in the mill vise.
What I do is just use a tap guide and drill press. Find center, spot hole, swap to drill, drill hole, swap to tap guide, lock spindle in place, tap hole. The only part that stinks is having to lower the table twice while maintaining alignment with the chuck. To do that, I just follow the table down with the spindle while the bit is still in the hole. To hold stuff, I use hardwood vee blocks or directly clamp the part in the mill vise.
F
freebullet
Guest
I love a good learn along. Excellent tips & explanations here.
Pistolero
Well-Known Member
A tool and die maker friend has and uses a self-made, very simple tapping tool. I have watched
him tap at 200 RPM on his lathe. Was scary to watch, but you totally control the torque with your
hand, so no chance of breaking the tap, amazingly. Hole is tapped in a second or so.
His is a .499 steel shaft about 6 or 8 " long extending from a morse taper to fit the tailstock.
He then knurled a 1.25 ish diameter steel rod for about 6", and drilled and reamed to .500
inside. The end of this piece has a 3/8" thread for a standard drill chuck.
Slide the knurled piece over the shaft (oiled lightly) and put the morse taper in the tailstock
Tap goes into the chuck. All the torque on the tap is controlled by your grip on the knurled
part. Fire up the lathe, slide the knurled part with the tap towards the spinning workpiece.
When it hits the bottom, it slips in your light grip. Reverse the lathe, pulls the tap out.
Simple project, need a morse taper with a threaded end and a drill chuck to start. I have
purchased a .500 chucking reamer for this project, not yet built the tapper.
Bill
him tap at 200 RPM on his lathe. Was scary to watch, but you totally control the torque with your
hand, so no chance of breaking the tap, amazingly. Hole is tapped in a second or so.
His is a .499 steel shaft about 6 or 8 " long extending from a morse taper to fit the tailstock.
He then knurled a 1.25 ish diameter steel rod for about 6", and drilled and reamed to .500
inside. The end of this piece has a 3/8" thread for a standard drill chuck.
Slide the knurled piece over the shaft (oiled lightly) and put the morse taper in the tailstock
Tap goes into the chuck. All the torque on the tap is controlled by your grip on the knurled
part. Fire up the lathe, slide the knurled part with the tap towards the spinning workpiece.
When it hits the bottom, it slips in your light grip. Reverse the lathe, pulls the tap out.
Simple project, need a morse taper with a threaded end and a drill chuck to start. I have
purchased a .500 chucking reamer for this project, not yet built the tapper.
Bill
smokeywolf
Well-Known Member
Bill, that's the tap holder version of a button die holder for the lathe.
