Hand Tapping Machine

I use my drill press with a handle that engages the spline.

The best one around for all-around use is the tap guide that Brownells sells:

aspx?p=6748&title=TAPRITE+TAP+GUIDE

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This s a very handy setup, and allows you to tap straight in tight spots where a larger hand tapper won't work. I also have one of the bigger fancy hand tappers (the Bauer Precison model MSC sells as "Made in USA"), which I use very rarely.

Doug White

I have been using an imported one for years. It looks just like this one that Enco sells:

I am very happy with it. I have tapped as small as 2-56 with no problems. I have also never broken a tap using it.

I rember now that I bought it from Grizzly. Here's the URL:

I suggest getting a Phase II brand, dedicating a spot to it on your bench, and bolting it down. I had to DT 16 holes the other day (3/8-16) in 1/2" steel and with the hand tapper it went so fast and easy it was just great. Buy the tall cans of Rapid-Tap, the ones with the long spout - the oil comes out a lot easier than in the small cans.

I got the Enco brand one and wish I'd held out for the Phase II but I have learned to deal with the Enco one and oh man is it an improvement over nothing.

GWE

Is it suitable for tapping with really small taps like 0 or 1?

The hand tappers come with (I think) 9 tap holders. Sadly, the first two taps I needed to do were No. 12 and then 9/16", neither of which holders were provided (or, worse, available). I very much doubt they hold a 0 or 1 tap.

GWE

I have one of these at work, it does fine when i'm not tapping on the mill or lathe.

Don't know how 'good' it is, but a small Jacobs chuck mated to a cordless screwdriver (not the pistol-grip type, feel is wrong) works for me. Get some 1/4 hex stock, grind one end round and fit/braze a cylinder to the end; turn it to 3/8" with collar, then cut 3/8-24 tpi threads on it. A 3/8 chuck from a dead cordless drill is only $3 at your local thrift store.

I originally thought I was doing it for quick-n-dirty drilling, but the tap driving qualities are stellar. It has better feel than a hand tap wrench, and I believe it has kept me from breaking the little taps a few times. I like the Skil rockerswitch better than the Black and Decker for the tapping operation.

I had one of those but got rid of it after I got the Brownells tap guide. I tend to do small stuff, and this one is deceptively large. If you mostly work on bigger stuff, these work fine.

Doug White

I have a Cedarberg Minitapper which works nicely, but generally I use a very small Albrecht chuck on a straight arbor, which I run inside a tube held in a drill press chuck. All of the tap driving torque comes from my finger tips, which lets me do very delicate work. Using this arrangement, I routinely tap 0-80, 00-90, and 1 mm holes in steel (although I'm a nervous wreck each time a tap a hole!)

George

George,

what's wrong with Cedarberg Minitapper? Why do you even bother with drill press chuck? Just curious.

Alex

George Woodzell wrote:

Hi, Alex!

There's nothing wrong with the Cedarberg Minitaqpper; however, the

00-90 and 1 mm taps I use don't fit the collets for the tapper. The drill press approach offers two advantages: first, there's much more clearance under the chuck and a much larger working table; second, the diameter of the miniature Albrecht chuck is much smaller than the diameter of the knob on top of the tapper spindle, which, I think, gives me better feel of the tapping process and reduces the torque I apply to the tap.

George

article , Alex wrote:

Does anyone have HAND Tapper from Harbor Freight?

$49 it seems like a good deal if it's decent quality with not too much slope.