Tapmatic Collet Needed

Hi, I just bought a used Tapmatic 30-X tapping head and it only came with the smaller of the two collets that were original equipment. Does anybody here have an extra of the larger collets they can part with? Email me if you do. Or if you have info on a suitable substitute collet to fit 1/4-20 and 5/16-18 taps?

Thanks,

--Maxx

Reply to
Max Krippler
Loading thread data ...

I'm not the expert on this so I may be wrong but... Presuming you have the standard spindle that takes a rubber flex collet and not something else, here is what I "think" I know:

1/4-20 I think takes the larger rubber flex collet - Part # US-21700 - US Shop Tools - 800-243-7701

TapMatic's part number is TA-21700

Or I sell them at $45.00 each plus shipping and have them in stock (I think).

5/16-18 may not be possible on the 30X head. My chart shows that 5/16" is the 70X or 90X head's job if you choose the xxX series.

Regards, Joe Agro, Jr. (800) 871-5022

01.908.542.0244 Automatic / Pneumatic Drills:
formatting link
Spindle Drills:
formatting link
V8013-R
Reply to
Joe AutoDrill

According to Max Krippler :

I've had to buy three collets for two tapping heads. One came with a good single collet, the other came with a collet whose rubber was attacked by tapping fluid or something else, and had turned to goo.

I found the individual collets by looking through my MSC catalog. They are expensive -- but nothing like the cost of buying the tapping head *new* with both collets and all wrenches. :-)

Note, BTW, the Allen head screw in the side of the collet chuck. This adjusts a pair of steel plates to clamp on the drive square of the taps, and should be adjusted before you tighten the collet itself.

IIRC, the 30-X is one of those with a clutch adjustment at the top. In case you have not downloaded the manuals from TapMatic, the numbers bear no relationship to the tap's size. You put in a *new* gun tap, and start out with the clutch at the loosest setting, and start trying to tap holes in samples of the material which you plan to tap. Keep adjusting it until you can complete the tap cycle in a fresh hole, and then adjust it just a little tighter.

When it starts slipping again, it is time to switch to a new tap, or you are likely to break a tap in a workpiece, as it has gotten too dull to trust.

Enjoy, DoN.

Reply to
DoN. Nichols

According to Joe AutoDrill :

[ ... ]
[ ... ]

I had not noticed that you had mentioned 5/16-18 taps. My 30-X actually is limited (officially) to #10 taps, though it will *hold* 1/4" ones. And if tapping something milder -- aluminum with a good aluminum tapping fluid or Delrin or something similar, you can get away with

1/4-20. But IIRC, 1/4-20 in steel will cause the clutch to slip even with a brand new tap in place. That is why I picked up a larger tapping head (which does not have the adjustable clutch, but does have instead an adjustment for how much overtravel before the dog clutch releases -- a good thing to have when you are tapping shallow blind holes.

Good Luck, DoN.

Reply to
DoN. Nichols

PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.