While I was kneeling of the floor in front of the bench tapping some 10BA holes the other day (had to be at that level to see if I had the tap square) I thought perhaps I should consider a tapping fixture to ensure square threads. These range from the G.H.Thomas Universal Pillar Tool at one end of the scale, to a small block with a hole in it just the right size for the tap to go through at the other end. What does anyone else use -and how good is it?
Regards
Kevin
I use a small chuck attached to a plain rod, and a sleeve that the rod fits that I hold in the chuck of the pillar drill. The tap and chuck are free to drop and are screwed in by fingers on the chuck..
I use the chuck on the mini-mill and stick the lever in an unintended neutral between the high and low gears so that the chuck spins freely.
It's probably not the ideal way of doing it, but at least the work is tapped square.
Not heard that one before, brilliant in its simplicity!
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