Using a thread cutting tap in a milling machine

Nick spanners

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Hi guys.

I recently bought a milling machine but do not understand the thread cutting switch option (bottom left of photo)
The machine runs at the same speed in mill/drill as it does in thread cutting
The machine does not have a clutch, so no torque control
Any ideas?

Also
Using small mill bits 4-12mm
Should I just put the small mills in the drill chuck as they seem to work fine
Or should I change out the drill chuck and use a collet chuck?

Thanks in advance for you feed back
Nick
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Perhaps the spindle will reverse when the quill is pulled up or is there a pushbutton on the end of one of the quill feed handles that reverses the spindle, when in tap mode?

Drill chucks are not designed for much lateral pressure and do not hold tools as concentric as collets, so not the best choice for milling. However, if you are taking a small cuts in softish materials and not expecting aerospace accuracy it might be okay. Also, many drill chucks are only taper mounted and might suddenly come off their arbor when being used to mill, possibly causing a safety hazard, especially at high RPMs.
 
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Without having the manual I'd guess that Up/Down is quill feed and you need an auto-reverse tapping head to use the facility
 
I would agree that without the manual it's just a guess. I have an older Jet drill press with the tapping feature. On my particular machine there is similar switch that controls the motor speed. Mine has a 2 speed motor with a variable sheave to control spindle speeds. With the motor in the slower speed the spindle speed has a range of 40 rpm to about 280 rpm, which is more in line with tapping or drilling large holes. With the motor in the higher speed the spindle range is about 300 rpm to 1,800 rpm, which is more in line with drilling smaller holes. Don't quote the exact speed numbers. I am out of town and these numbers are from memory.
 
Try this. Switch to the tap mode. Put a drill in the chuck and attempt to drill a hole in that mode. Then when the drill is retracted, see if it does anything. Not exactly tapping but if it was to reverse, it should do so when you start to retract the drill bit. Just a thought.
 
Does your machine have manual depth stops? The Jet machine I'm referring to allows you to set the drill/tap depth. When the bit/tap reaches the preset depth the motor reverses
 
Hi,
Without having the manual I'd guess that Up/Down is quill feed and you need an auto-reverse tapping head to use the facility

The up and down is for the drilling head,
The manual does not mention the tap setting
I checked the wiring diagram but it's so poor as to be almost useless
 
Perhaps the spindle will reverse when the quill is pulled up or is there a pushbutton on the end of one of the quill feed handles that reverses the spindle, when in tap mode?

Drill chucks are not designed for much lateral pressure and do not hold tools as concentric as collets, so not the best choice for milling. However, if you are taking a small cuts in softish materials and not expecting airspace accuracy it might be okay. Also, many drill chucks are only taper mounted and might suddenly come off their arbor when being used to mill, possibly causing a safety hazard, especially at high RPMs.


Tx for the reply
I have almost no tool ATM, just a few small milling bits and a face cutter
Plus a block of brass,
Hopefully by the end of January I should be tooled up from eBay
I only got a limited number of collet chucks, not a full set
Unfortunately there was no spanner in the box for the collets,
I found the spanner today hidden in another box
So will take your advice on using the collet chuck for holding the mill cutters

Still don't understand the tap switch
It does not seen to do anything
I tap a hole with an M12 today successfully
Wiring diagram is poor, so no clues
Manual is even worse

Cheers Nick
 
Does your machine have manual depth stops? The Jet machine I'm referring to allows you to set the drill/tap depth. When the bit/tap reaches the preset depth the motor reverses

Not sure, about the depth stop, will try tomorrow
I has to mow the lawn so did not play around to much,
Also still trying to get it off the pallet and onto the ground
It's 680kg, so a few creative ideas And blocks of wood
Tx Nick
 
Does the spindle run at the same speed when switched to Tap?
Does the Up - Down actuate the quill or the whole head?
 
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