group's best tip

Well said, sir.

Megadittoes!

-- Know how to listen, and you will profit even from those who talk badly. -- Plutarch

I'm with you. There are many good tips, on this group.

I learned the value of cordless drills in 1985. Worked for a fellow who used them for drilling holes, turning screws, and also threaded taps. Bit of WD-40 on the tap and reverse direction frequently.

For next week's lesson, we'll discuss creative ways to find 110 VAC when using corded drills.

Assistance that I got from you and others during my CNC retrofit, was invaluable.

The tech stuff is good, Don Foremans tales make great reading - I look forward to them.

Karl Townsend wrote: (...)

Especially true for modern 'screwdriver / drills' that stop the chuck quickly when you release the trigger. Works a treat.

In the future, I'd like to see 'tapping mode' available as an option on battery drills:

Light chuck pressure: Motor CCW at trigger speed Heavier chuck pressure: Motor CW at trigger speed A knob on the side would adjust the pressure threshold.

It'd make tapping even easier and make hole drilling faster, too.

That one got past me. What crimper is that, Karl?

Indeed.

--Winston

NO, KARL, IF YOU HAVE THE PATIENCE TO FILTER OUT THE FLOTSAM, THIS IS A FANTASTIC GROUP!

Steve

Heart surgery pending? Read up and prepare. Learn how to care for a friend.

Portable drill? My dad used to use a 3/8" drive air impact wrench.

!!!!!!

It makes me cringe, now, to think of it, but we didn't often break taps, even though we were tapping into weldments.

Did he grunt and yell 'More power'? ;-)

Flying, broken taps are definitely cringeworthy.

The dynamics of impact drivers are interesting, comparing a regular drill with driver bit to an impact driver with driver bit, the impact driver will drive longer screws into harder materials and with far less broken screws than the drill. I expect similar applies to taps.

I use a cordless drill to tap holes up to 10-32 or so, it works fantastically well. Never broke a tap this way.

Oh boy, I don't have a link. its a rachet type crimper that I bought from Mcmaster carr. Many suggested the harbor freight unit.

I had used a pliers type for years, not knowing of this better unit.

It's a good group for anyone who

(1) has the patience to filter out the flotsam and (2) lacks other superhuman traits such as omniscience

I like tapping with a cylinder-shape electric screwdriver, actually; even if it twists in my hand, it does so on-axis and the precious tap doesn't go snap.

True, but when an impact driver breaks a piece of metal there is a lot more energy released. I've seen broke wheel studs fly half way across a parking lot when they broke. Luckily, it wasn't from my truck and that no one was parked in the marked area. The place did big trucks & tour buses.

OK thanks anyway.

I've also experienced the opposite, where the old pliers - type actually made a better crimp than an (admittedly cheap) pair of ratcheting crimpers.

--Winston

Ive used a "butterfly" with some sucess with taps.

Gunner

I am the Sword of my Family and the Shield of my Nation. If sent, I will crush everything you have built, burn everything you love, and kill every one of you. (Hebrew quote)

Up, cordless drills with the clutch that lets you set max force is awesome. I've tapped panels that way for almost two decades.

Wes

I agree, the rachet is really great for the exact wire size with the exact connector. Do something a bit non standard, pull out the plier unit.

Karl, look into a "Handworker" to operate the plier type crimper. They are air driven tool holder/operators. We used to do many cutting/ crimping jobs and had two handworkers. Sold one to a customer for his crimping work.

The ratchet crimpers are ok for us guys with big hands and strong grip, but my lady assemblers quickly got hand cramps from the ratchet crimpers.

Paul

Great!

At 500 terminals, you probably would benefit from a compressed air powered one. (Less chance of RMI.) I picked up a nice one at a hamfest this summer, with crimp head for 22-16 Ga wire (red terminals), and I have a second head for 16-14 Ga wire (blue terminals). For 12-10 Ga (yellow terminals) I am still stuck with muscle power. :-) All AMP brand -- my favorite.

Enjoy, DoN.