most dismal event ever

I feel your pain on this. In a former life, I loaned out tools. On 2 occasions my torque wrench came back broken. The 2nd time, I got in a hurry & promptly broke 2 rocker studs while getting a friend's truck tuned. Having to scramble for a permanent fix pronto that day broke me of tool loaning. Now: You can borrow any tool I have BUT I'm operating it!
 
If the part is aluminum, you can use a hot solution of saturated alum to eat the tap out of the hole and leave the aluminum unmolested.
If it is steel, you are out of chemical luck.
 
Yep, I hate 6-32 also, for the same reasons. The thread is just too coarse for the diameter. I studiously avoid putting them in my designs. They are also real easy to cross-thread when the hole gets worn. 8-32, 10-32, no problem. I do like 4-40 though for some things
The stupid US electrical system uses 6-32 everywhere! Ugg
 
As a slightly related aside, the distributors in the old Honda D15 and D16 motors use a screw to secure the rotor to the shaft. It is officially designated as an M3.5 x .8, which is a very non-standard screw. I was looking for some socket head cap screws to fit, doing some very strenuous mental math while standing in the fastener aisle at Orchard Supply Hardware. I already knew that .8 mm pitch was nearly identical to 32 tpi. Calculating 3.5 x .04 (actually .03937), I came up with .140 in., and the light came on. They had used a 6-32 screw and just converted the dimensions to the closest metric equivalent. I've never found out why they would do such a ridiculous thing.
 
In my past, I have buggered up a hole with a tap. Before I learned the alum trick, I would use a diamond bit under water and slowly grind the tap away. I generally had to drill the hole larger and swage in a plug that could be drilled and tapped.
 
Carbide ball end mill , plunge thru it and plug . No sweat . I thought this thread might be about my work night tonight , I had t:)o look .

Ok I should try that!
I think I might have enough room to move up to a #8 if a have to
 
Yep, I hate 6-32 also, for the same reasons. The thread is just too coarse for the diameter. I studiously avoid putting them in my designs. They are also real easy to cross-thread when the hole gets worn. 8-32, 10-32, no problem. I do like 4-40 though for some things
The stupid US electrical system uses 6-32 everywhere! Ugg

I'll keep this 6-32 issue in mind.
The sad part is I have 3-4 million of the little buggers around in every size imaginable so it makes it hard to not use them.
 
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