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Mech Engineers/Tool Makers Help with tapping

  • 21-09-2006 1:00am
    #1
    theshadow2001
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18 ✭


    Hi,

    Where I work I have to mount numerous electrical components on a metal plate which can involve drilling and tapping 10, 20 or even more holes to affix the different components. The usual method for this is to stick a hand tap. (usually just the finishing tap) in a battery drill set the torque low enough and belt away. This to me is a less than ideal way to tap holes and can lead to the occasional broken tap which can be a nightmare to get out plus taps aren't too cheap either. Hand tapping is far to slow a process even with just a single tap. Using all three start middle and finishing taps would take far to long by hand.

    I was thinking of getting some machine taps for the purpose of speeding up the process while reducing the risk of breaking the tap. Would I be correct in thinking the machine taps could handle being in a battery drill a bit better than the hand taps. Or are the pretty much just for CNC, table mounted drills and milling machines. Even if they aren't suited would they be better than the hand taps? Thanks for any help.

    One more thing the material that I tap I think is Iron phosphated steel. Im not sure really. It could be zinc plated steel either


Comments

  • #2
    Nukem
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,082 ✭✭✭Nukem


    Aldi are selling sets of taps for €6.99 at the moment. Not the best quaility but for that cash wouldnt be too worried about breaking them.
    http://aldi.ie/special_buys/product_386.html

    Pillar drills and CNC would take too much time adjusting and setting up IMO. Would get a battery drill like a DeWalt with a decent gearbox and just remember to go down and up slowly. Gearbox will help with this and clean tha crap from the tap edges.


  • #3
    pauln
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 366 ✭✭pauln


    A thread cutting compound or fluid would help reduce broken taps too.


  • #4
    sideshowdave
    Closed Accounts Posts: 166 ✭✭sideshowdave


    firstly good idea on the hand drill saves a lot of moving about as you have with a pedestal drill. i imagine that you have a speed adjustable drill that is set on a low speed, if you recall when tapping by hand you would give an anticlockwise turn for every few clockwise turns to stop the cuts from building up this could be the problem and without cutting grease or compound and a whole that is quite deep more than likely you will get a lot of breakages i personally would also go with the intermedite tap as the screw that is going in will do the rest of the work, shoudnt think the zinc plateing would effect it at all..

    good luck.


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