Spiral Flute Taps

[magicniner]

I thought a plug tap was a sort of in between taper version of a hand tap. Sort of a universal application. Not a taper or starter tap and not a bottoming tap but part way in between.

Bob,
It probably varies by region but in the UK if you ask for a Plug Tap you are asking for a finishing tap, the last of the three in a standard set, sometimes referred to as a bottoming tap.

- Nick

 

[magicniner]

I broke a spiral tap and haven't used one since. It seemed like it broke way too easily compared to a conventional tap. Maybe I should give them a second try. I have a bunch that I got at an estate sale.

If you start a spiral flute tap at a slight angle it can easily break, if you don't have a good eye you need an aid in alignment ;-)

 

[Cobra]

Bob,
It probably varies by region but in the UK if you ask for a Plug Tap you are asking for a finishing tap, the last of the three in a standard set, sometimes referred to as a bottoming tap.

- Nick

Hi Nick
In Canada there are three - a taper tap has the most lead in, a plug tap is intermediate, and a bottoming tap finishes threads close to the bottom of a blind hole.

 

[Ken from ontario]

If you start a spiral flute tap at a slight angle it can easily break, if you don't have a good eye you need an aid in alignment ;-)

When tapping a blind hole, I use a spiral point tap to start a few threads then use a spiral flute tap the rest of the way, it works quite well but a little time consuming.