Can I start a thread with a plug tap?

[Parlo]

We use the keyless often in the mill.

We use the spindle brake to hold spindle and tighten the chuck.

Hand tap the small stuff, works well.

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I always use keyless chucks for everything, including tapping, but never for left hand taps as they won't grip.

 

[higgite]

"Can I start a thread with a plug tap?"

You did already. This is post #22 in it.

(Sorry, couldn't resist.)

Tom

 

[epanzella]

When I'm not power tapping on my mill I hook up a foot pedal to my drill press. I start the motor with my foot but release the pedal just as the tap plunges into the material. The momentum gets the tap started. I then loosen the drill chuck and let the quill retract leaving the tap still in the hole. I finish the threads by hand with a regular tap wrench.

 

[GT-6 Racer]

Most good taps have a center in the drive end as do the Starrett type tap wrenches. I make small 60 degree points from broken hss endmills to put in a drill chuck to manually tap in the mill. Use your chin to put pressure On The quill handle to keep up with the tap movement as you manually turn the tap wrench. Perfectly straight and good feel for small taps. There’s also the spring loaded tap follower, which is a good project. Check out Blondihacks on you tube. She makes a nice one. Prevent callouses under your chin if tapping a lot of holes .

I power tap a lot on my mills. A tapping head is a fantastic add to your mill tooling. I like the tapmatic ones. Kinda pricy though. If you have CNC without rigid tapping a floating tap holder like those from Maritool are the ticket. They also work great for engraving. sharp taps are critical for power tapping or you will break them. I also avoid carbon steel taps, ok for aluminum or brass but that’s about it. Only hss for hand tapping. No carbide or you’ll be sorry. Leave that for the CNC guys.

Use proper lubrication. Tapmagic aluminum for aluminum. Relton Rapid tap or tap magic ep-extra for steel and other metals. I don’t like tap magic pro-tap. It stains everything steel or cast iron !

to the original question, plug taps are fine to start, bottoming taps too if in a machine and sharp and the holes not too deep. Taper are much easier by hand to get straight.

 

[Illinoyance]

I almos always tap with a plug tap, both by hand an under power. The excepton is wen using a bottoming tap.

 

[Firebrick43]

Most good taps have a center in the drive end as do the Starrett type tap wrenches. I make small 60 degree points from broken hss endmills to put in a drill chuck to manually tap in the mill. Use your chin to put pressure On The quill handle to keep up with the tap movement as you manually turn the tap wrench. Perfectly straight and good feel for small taps. There’s also the spring loaded tap follower, which is a good project. Check out Blondihacks on you tube. She makes a nice one. Prevent callouses under your chin if tapping a lot of holes .

I power tap a lot on my mills. A tapping head is a fantastic add to your mill tooling. I like the tapmatic ones. Kinda pricy though. If you have CNC without rigid tapping a floating tap holder like those from Maritool are the ticket. They also work great for engraving. sharp taps are critical for power tapping or you will break them. I also avoid carbon steel taps, ok for aluminum or brass but that’s about it. Only hss for hand tapping. No carbide or you’ll be sorry. Leave that for the CNC guys.

Use proper lubrication. Tapmagic aluminum for aluminum. Relton Rapid tap or tap magic ep-extra for steel and other metals. I don’t like tap magic pro-tap. It stains everything steel or cast iron !

to the original question, plug taps are fine to start, bottoming taps too if in a machine and sharp and the holes not too deep. Taper are much easier by hand to get straight.

You can power tap on any drill press or mill by putting a 3 phase motor and a vfd on it. You get variable speed to boot. Just put it on its slowest speed( I run at 50 ish rpm) and plug the motor when ready to reverse.