Hand Tapper Restoration

Thank you.
I feel like building a hand tapper would be a great beginner project. It teaches you about bushings with interference fit and other skills. Not too expensive to make. It is a very useful tool to have. I have thought about making a casting for the arm in aluminum. It does not really need to be cast iron. The only issue is I think you really must have a mill to do it right.
Robert
 
Hi Robert,

I'm sure that you have seen the pictures of mine. Whilst having a mill is useful, you could do everything on the lathe. The hardest part for me was turning the bar bell weight, even then I could have just drilled a hole to suit the length of 20 mm drill rod and super glued or used Locktite to fix it in place. A simple clamp screw could have been used instead of the split clamp that I used to adjust and secure the arm. But again that was done on the lathe.

I used a Starret long series tap wrench simply because I had one. The same with the length of square aluminum tube. It could have been any piece of material that was to hand. That tapping block at the front was a scrap off cut of aluminum bar. Actually a piece from the same bit of bar that I've just made my wax chuck from.

Look at the materials that you have got to hand ! There is all sorts of useful hiding inside.

EDIT: I've just realised I didn't answer your question about slot drills and end mills. A slot drill has two or three flutes and is intended to cut a slot or groove, whilst an end mill may have six flutes and is center cutting, intended to be plunged into the work like a drill. Though today those differences are blurred, both often being used interchangeably.
 
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Hi Robert- what's that black metallic primer in post #3 ?
Is that Rustoleum? Looks nice
Mark
 
Hi Robert- what's that black metallic primer in post #3 ?
Is that Rustoleum? Looks nice
Mark
I used Rustoleum Black Stainless Steel. It's darker than I hoped but I'm glad you like it.
Robert
 
About Lassy Tappers. 10 & 12 refers to throat depth (ala drill presses; but depth, not radius), smaller fixture proportional with parts where smaller taps might prevail.
The slot found in some versions is a 'feature' peculiar to imports, I find objectionable. Along with the narrow work surface, defeats whole functionality of sliding parts to position.
The superior guide arrangement is visible at Lassy .com They supply two bars with one fixed end, the other is a clamp, to edges of work surface. That also accommodates small vises.
Making adapters isn't difficult - and includes a bit of toolmaking.
Some see the square an impasse, drill through closest size possible to that across flats, accurately centered.
Do a little math and broach each of the corners with suitable square HSS lathe bit. Index using Vee block, square collet block, rotary table, indexer, even leaving the other end square and later facing off. Naturally, a rotary broach is best solution, and would expand capabilities measurably.
Trick, hint or material saver; call this what you like. Use of Vee block, square end, or any independent holder; locate table stop to contact cylindrical portion of the part.
 
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I have been using this for years now. It works well. I typically use my drill press vise to hold the work and let it float to the center of the subject hole.
 
Made this one 20-30 years ago. Very primitive to the nice ones pictured but does small stuff ok.
 

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