Best Tap Handle I have seen or used, and I modified it to make it, IMO even better!

[BladesIIB]

Bought this new Tap Handle and, IMO, made it even better with a Hack to add a bearing to the centering post it has built in. Makes tapping on the lathe great because it now spins and pulls the tailstock. In the video I make a couple of mini screw jacks to test the tap before and after the hack to see the improvement. Spoiler, it is better after the hack.

You can see the time below for each section of the video. They are also in the YouTube description and will jump you right to that section of the video.

Tap Handle Review - 1:07
Hack Explained - 4:53
Pre Hack Tapping - 14:20
Post Hack Tapping - 46:15
Knurling - 10:20
Making the Screw Jack Tops - 19:20
4 Jaw Chuck Set Up - 35:05
Sharpening the Groove Cutting Tool - 39:52
Cutting Snap Ring Groove - 41:30

I really think this is the best tap handle ever, I wish they made a larger size. If you are interested in purchasing here is the link to Northern Machining who sells them - http://northernmachininginc.com/?page_id=21

Link to the bearing used - Koyo B-55 from Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007EDWQT4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[RJSakowski]

This is an interesting solution to the problem of guiding a tap when using that style of wrench.

Two issues that I noted, as seen in your video and Tom Lipton's. When using with a keyless chuck, the tendency is to loosen the chuck which would pull the wrench from the chuck. Your hack should fix that though. The second issue was that the taps tend to lock up on the side walls for larger taps which preclude using larger taps. I noticed tha when you open the scroll in your video, that the travel was in excess of the usable range. A greater distance between the side walls would allow the use of larger taps.

 

[BladesIIB]

RJSakowski, totally agree. I am hoping this does prevent the loosening in a keyless Chuck, I have had that happen as well. I am not the manufacturer of the tap handle so I am not sure why they made the scroll and opening greater than the width. I did send them my hack and recommendation to make a larger tap handle. They should be able to use the same scroll as you pointed out, and just make a larger frame and jaws. I really do like the design though. I think not will serve me well for my lifetime of use.

 

[davidpbest]

Thanks for posting this. Two of the three components arrived today - still waiting on McMaster for the C-clip.

 

[extropic]

Someone please explain why it's desired to use the tap/tap handle to "pull the tailstock along"?

The advertised tap handle is clever enough.

Why not use a spring loaded tap follower that locates the spud (either center cone or receives the 5/16" OD spud) on the tap wrench?
No bearing. No retaining ring. No griping the bearing (in a 3 jaw chuck) hard enough to pull the tailstock.

It seems, to me, that the described hack is an undesirable solution to a nonexistent problem.

 

[davidpbest]

A tap follower has limited range. Simple as that. How often I will use this "hack" is debatable, but for $10, I like the flexibility.

 

[BladesIIB]

David - looks good, thanks for posting.

extropic - I am sure a spring loaded tap follower would work. I don’t have one and as David said this was a low cost solution to my problem. Also helps in the mill in a keyless Chuck where things like to open the Chuck when turning by hand. If no value for you then no value. I was just posting what worked for me.

 

[RJSakowski]

A tap follower has limited range. Simple as that. How often I will use this "hack" is debatable, but for $10, I like the flexibility.

One of the annoyances with available tap followers is the limited range, requiring resetting the tap follower. The tap follower that I made has a range of 1-1/2" which is more than the most commonly used taps. It fits in a 3/4" collet on the mill and I have a 3/4" chuck for the tailstock on my lathe.

Super Size Tap Guide

I use a spring loaded tap guide whenever I tap holes on the mill. It has some problems though. Frequently, I don't have enough head room to fit a tap, a tap wrench, and the tap guide. I am also limited to 1/4" taps and smaller. Finally, the usable travel is about .4" which is frequently not...

www.hobby-machinist.com

There are cases where there is limited room to use the larger tap follower and I use my commercial follower. Even further, I made a 3/8"dia. pin with a 60º point and use a long spring inside a 3/8" R8 collet for an impromptu tap guide clearance is reduced to an absolute minimum but there is no retainer to prevent the pin from falling out. It gets the job done though.

 

[Ken from ontario]

I like the way you made the video, watched it all the way even though I wasn't even interested in that tap handle, the video was concise, well edited, and best of all not background music, I only fast forwarded once or twice only because I knew what was waiting at the end of the shot, well done.

 

[BladesIIB]

Ken, thanks for the feedback and for watching. Maybe it’s the Canadian connection? I grew up in Northern British Columbia and my Mom is from Toronto. Glad it grabbed your attention and I will try to keep future videos as engaging. Video on Lathe tooling coming out tomorrow morning. Had someone request it after the Lathe video I posted.