My 3/8 round bar showed up last week, so this weekend's project was a tap follower. Starting stock was 3/4 and 3/8 1144 Stressproof bar.
![Tap follower section.png Tap follower section.png](https://www.hobby-machinist.com/data/attachments/336/336485-2f80668b7a4bad2b05cbbf1b1d1d18d3.jpg)
First, I turned the #2 Morse taper. It took a couple tries, but I eventually got a fit that I was happy with. Fortunately, tweaking the taper doesn't mean scrapping the part, it just pushes a little further up the bar. After that, it was drilled to .406 and tapped 7/16-20.
![IMG_2752.JPG IMG_2752.JPG](https://www.hobby-machinist.com/data/attachments/336/336477-c701ef2a92bea2cf8b4e034c688f74e0.jpg)
![IMG_2753.JPG IMG_2753.JPG](https://www.hobby-machinist.com/data/attachments/336/336479-7e571eb7916095b70d706ca5f9bdbf1e.jpg)
At this point, the full 3' bar is through the headstock. Move it out, part it off, and then into the headstock goes the part. It was pretty trippy to fixture a part by just sticking it in the headstock. In this setup, I faced the part, chamfered it, and drilled the .250 thru hole. Unfortunately, I don't have a .250 reamer, but it came out well anyway.
![IMG_2754.JPG IMG_2754.JPG](https://www.hobby-machinist.com/data/attachments/336/336478-99b3f80740cd4ddbb1b8bc384c7ee8b0.jpg)
Up next was the pin. First operation was to point the stock to 60 degrees. Next it needed to be turned to .250 OD, but I don't have an inverted center. Conveniently, I have a bunch of endmills that do though! Ta-da, improvised dead center! I was pretty proud of myself for thinking of that, and I hope it helps someone in the future.
![IMG_2755.JPG IMG_2755.JPG](https://www.hobby-machinist.com/data/attachments/336/336480-18212feba50f58af7c9c23ba45d5e22f.jpg)
I didn't take any photos of the retaining screw, but it's nothing special. Here are some photos of the finished product:
![IMG_2756.JPG IMG_2756.JPG](https://www.hobby-machinist.com/data/attachments/336/336481-30fb100b224c8c328ee06bbe29e58f8a.jpg)
![IMG_2759-2.jpg IMG_2759-2.jpg](https://www.hobby-machinist.com/data/attachments/336/336482-08c5479d482510a17c836c59090afb58.jpg)
![IMG_2761-2.jpg IMG_2761-2.jpg](https://www.hobby-machinist.com/data/attachments/336/336483-fdd26dbd350df56fc7513223e31b11d4.jpg)
All in all, it was a fun, successful project and I learned a lot along the way. If there's interest, I can post the files or prints of the design.
Thanks for reading!
-Kyle
![Tap follower section.png Tap follower section.png](https://www.hobby-machinist.com/data/attachments/336/336485-2f80668b7a4bad2b05cbbf1b1d1d18d3.jpg)
First, I turned the #2 Morse taper. It took a couple tries, but I eventually got a fit that I was happy with. Fortunately, tweaking the taper doesn't mean scrapping the part, it just pushes a little further up the bar. After that, it was drilled to .406 and tapped 7/16-20.
![IMG_2752.JPG IMG_2752.JPG](https://www.hobby-machinist.com/data/attachments/336/336477-c701ef2a92bea2cf8b4e034c688f74e0.jpg)
![IMG_2753.JPG IMG_2753.JPG](https://www.hobby-machinist.com/data/attachments/336/336479-7e571eb7916095b70d706ca5f9bdbf1e.jpg)
At this point, the full 3' bar is through the headstock. Move it out, part it off, and then into the headstock goes the part. It was pretty trippy to fixture a part by just sticking it in the headstock. In this setup, I faced the part, chamfered it, and drilled the .250 thru hole. Unfortunately, I don't have a .250 reamer, but it came out well anyway.
![IMG_2754.JPG IMG_2754.JPG](https://www.hobby-machinist.com/data/attachments/336/336478-99b3f80740cd4ddbb1b8bc384c7ee8b0.jpg)
Up next was the pin. First operation was to point the stock to 60 degrees. Next it needed to be turned to .250 OD, but I don't have an inverted center. Conveniently, I have a bunch of endmills that do though! Ta-da, improvised dead center! I was pretty proud of myself for thinking of that, and I hope it helps someone in the future.
![IMG_2755.JPG IMG_2755.JPG](https://www.hobby-machinist.com/data/attachments/336/336480-18212feba50f58af7c9c23ba45d5e22f.jpg)
I didn't take any photos of the retaining screw, but it's nothing special. Here are some photos of the finished product:
![IMG_2756.JPG IMG_2756.JPG](https://www.hobby-machinist.com/data/attachments/336/336481-30fb100b224c8c328ee06bbe29e58f8a.jpg)
![IMG_2759-2.jpg IMG_2759-2.jpg](https://www.hobby-machinist.com/data/attachments/336/336482-08c5479d482510a17c836c59090afb58.jpg)
![IMG_2761-2.jpg IMG_2761-2.jpg](https://www.hobby-machinist.com/data/attachments/336/336483-fdd26dbd350df56fc7513223e31b11d4.jpg)
All in all, it was a fun, successful project and I learned a lot along the way. If there's interest, I can post the files or prints of the design.
Thanks for reading!
-Kyle