- Joined
- Jan 20, 2018
- Messages
- 5,647
While working on the vertical conversion of a 4x6 saw, I was drilling a hole to be tapped on the upper guide mount bar. I realized I had not been taking pictures of the build, so I stopped and grabbed my phone.
I then resumed, changing out the drill for a 5/16-18 gun tap. When I tried to tap the hole, the tap kept spinning in the chuck no matter how much I tightened it. Assuming I had a dull tap, I grabbed another and started again, making sure the chuck was "guten" tight. This one shattered as soon as it began to cut!?? Puzzled, I took a step back, grabbed one of my cheap 1/4 in. carbide endmills and set about removing the broken tap. It was slow going, but it was working. I kept watching for debris to fall out the bottom of the hole, but none did. Then came the crunching noises as pieces of the tap broke away and came up. I knew I was destroying the endmill, but it only cost me a couple of bucks and I have more. Finally I was making no more headway, so I withdrew the EM. It looked like it had been in a pencil sharpener. It was then that I looked down the hole and realized why no chips had been falling through. When I stopped to take the picture, the hole was not through the part. I forgot to finish it after snapping the pic.
Keep your mind on the work.
I then resumed, changing out the drill for a 5/16-18 gun tap. When I tried to tap the hole, the tap kept spinning in the chuck no matter how much I tightened it. Assuming I had a dull tap, I grabbed another and started again, making sure the chuck was "guten" tight. This one shattered as soon as it began to cut!?? Puzzled, I took a step back, grabbed one of my cheap 1/4 in. carbide endmills and set about removing the broken tap. It was slow going, but it was working. I kept watching for debris to fall out the bottom of the hole, but none did. Then came the crunching noises as pieces of the tap broke away and came up. I knew I was destroying the endmill, but it only cost me a couple of bucks and I have more. Finally I was making no more headway, so I withdrew the EM. It looked like it had been in a pencil sharpener. It was then that I looked down the hole and realized why no chips had been falling through. When I stopped to take the picture, the hole was not through the part. I forgot to finish it after snapping the pic.
Keep your mind on the work.