Convert a Tap In Pinch

Dec 08, 2020 2 Replies

I have a bunch of holes to tap in a fixture plate. Due to a programming mistake I broke my last gun tap of the correct size the other day. I don't want to tap 80 holes by hand. Yes, I have more taps arriving tomorrow (I hope), but I'd like to get this plate done and off the machine today. I need the machine for roughing a bunch of blanks.



Anyway, my wild idea was to chuck up a hand plug tap in the T&C grinder and make a slash cut in each flute to mimick the nose shape of a regular gun tap (spiral point tap).



I also need the fixture plate finished to go on one of the other machines so I can get three parts out of the shop.



It won't kill me to have to wait, but I can get fair quality hand taps locally. (Just a couple miles from my shop)



I expect it would work, but I was wondering any of you guys had done it and how it worked for you.


I have a bunch of holes to tap in a fixture plate. Due to a programming mistake I broke my last gun tap of the correct size the other day. I don't want to tap 80 holes by hand. Yes, I have more taps arriving tomorrow (I hope), but I'd like to get this plate done and off the machine today. I need the machine for roughing a bunch of blanks.

Anyway, my wild idea was to chuck up a hand plug tap in the T&C grinder and make a slash cut in each flute to mimick the nose shape of a regular gun tap (spiral point tap).

I also need the fixture plate finished to go on one of the other machines so I can get three parts out of the shop.

It won't kill me to have to wait, but I can get fair quality hand taps locally. (Just a couple miles from my shop)

I expect it would work, but I was wondering any of you guys had done it and how it worked for you.

I said screw it and thread milled them with a single form. It was slower than TC tapping, but its done, and I was able to spend my time working on other CAD/CAM work.

Next time I'll have taps on hand again.

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