Two additions to my shop tooling.

[stevec]

My reason for disliking it is due to the fact that one of it's features is it is a water displacer, but in so doing it absorbs water and if left on the metal while you're thinking it's protecting metal, the solvents and esters, and what else WD 1 to 39 had, evaporate leaving the water to cause rust on the "protected" metal.
Ed, I believe your "allergy" is proof of your advanced auto-immune system. More power to ya!.

[ml_woy]

(08-20-2013, 10:37 AM)TomG Wrote: I would try a different tap, just because it's a good USA tap doesn't mean that it's right. Like Steve says, on a through hole like that you should be able to power tap it with no trouble, regardless of the steel.

Tom

Tom,

I have never tried power taping, could you tell a little more about it. I have a tap wrench which has an adapter to put in the tail stock of the lathe, or collet of my mill that I am using to support the tap. Do I just support the tap wrench, keep it from turning with one hand, while feeding the tailstock as the tap advances, and then just turn on the lathe and let it feed?

Will the tap clear itself of chips, I am tapping a 1.00" deep hole.

[TomG]

To power tap you just hold the tap in a drill chuck and leave the tailstock un-locked. The tap will pull itself in. The trick comes in getting the chuck tight enough to drive it, but loose enough that it doesn't break. But if you are have trouble breaking that tap by hand, power tapping is not an option until you get a better tap.

Tom

[Mayhem]

(08-20-2013, 12:07 PM)EdK Wrote: Tom,

I wouldn't make into the shop. I'd smell it long before then.

Ed

Stay in his house Ed - Tom's wife is much prettier than he is. That is also where he keeps his beer

[stevec]

Through hole and power tapping mean spiral point or gun tap to me. The cuttings are forced ahead of the tap and don't break up and get caught in the flutes. I power tap as Tom described.

[Highpower]

(08-20-2013, 10:19 AM)ml_woy Wrote: ....Drilled a #7 pilot hole right through the piece and I am using a good quality cutting oil and a good USA tap. The tap just feels really tight and I can only get one half a turn before I break the chip. When the tap broke I probably had tried to get three quarters of a turn on the tap and built up to large of a chip.

How many flutes are in this tap? More than 2?

I don't especially like the smell of WD-40 myself, but like Tom I use it by the gallon when it comes to machining aluminum / aluminium because it is cheap. I can pour it on without worrying about breaking the bank. I have heard that straight kerosene works just as well though. Anyone tried that?

[TomG]

Good point Willie. Any more than 2 flutes requires the chip to be broken every half turn or so.

You don't like the smell of WD-40, but would consider kerosene? That stuff makes me sick to my stomach. Too much time around airplanes I guess.

Tom

[ml_woy]

(08-21-2013, 09:14 AM)Highpower Wrote:

(08-20-2013, 10:19 AM)ml_woy Wrote: ....Drilled a #7 pilot hole right through the piece and I am using a good quality cutting oil and a good USA tap. The tap just feels really tight and I can only get one half a turn before I break the chip. When the tap broke I probably had tried to get three quarters of a turn on the tap and built up to large of a chip.

How many flutes are in this tap? More than 2?

I don't especially like the smell of WD-40 myself, but like Tom I use it by the gallon when it comes to machining aluminum / aluminium because it is cheap. I can pour it on without worrying about breaking the bank. I have heard that straight kerosene works just as well though. Anyone tried that?

The tap had four flutes, like all of my taps. I believe the one that broke was a plug tap. I have a bunch of 1/4 x 20 taps, this one that broke was a new tap besides that I had purchased from Enco in a set of three.

[Highpower]

(08-21-2013, 09:26 AM)TomG Wrote: You don't like the smell of WD-40, but would consider kerosene? That stuff makes me sick to my stomach. Too much time around airplanes I guess.

Tom

I spent a number of years working with JP-4 so I guess I just got used to it.

[TomG]

(08-21-2013, 09:50 AM)ml_woy Wrote: The tap had four flutes, like all of my taps. I believe the one that broke was a plug tap. I have a bunch of 1/4 x 20 taps, this one that broke was a new tap besides that I had purchased from Enco in a set of three.

That is your problem. It's time to invest in some two flute spiral point taps. Four flute taps are hand taps and require the chip to be broken often, or the chips will build up and the tap will break instead.

Tom