Yup.
The fingers wedge at the bottom, trapping the tap at both ends.
They are called Walton Tap Extractors. My set of 16 goes from 25mm to 3mm (and fractions between), and they hurt like H when you pay for them. But, not as much as not having them, when you break off a blind hole tap (as always, recessed and presenting a 45deg face) in a blind hole in a part you have 2 days w/OT into...
Happy to help, guys. I've been dead weight to date (but I'm working on that!).
E
The fingers wedge at the bottom, trapping the tap at both ends.
They are called Walton Tap Extractors. My set of 16 goes from 25mm to 3mm (and fractions between), and they hurt like H when you pay for them. But, not as much as not having them, when you break off a blind hole tap (as always, recessed and presenting a 45deg face) in a blind hole in a part you have 2 days w/OT into...
Happy to help, guys. I've been dead weight to date (but I'm working on that!).
E
More tapping tips.
A couple more things...
A drill press makes a great tap starter if you:
Unplug it.
Find the largest dia rod (I like drill blanks) that will go all the way into the chuck key holes, and put a small radius on the ends (for quick, repeated insertion). A drill bit, with the shank inserted, works well for this, but you must wear heavy gloves at least until you get a feel for the particular task. Breaking a drill bit while your hand is around it will quickly produce predictable (and quite possibly, crippling) results.
Good blind holes can, and should, be made in two steps. The shape of the first few threads is critical. Always start the process with a regular (tapered) tap, and gently run it to the bottom before switching to the BH tap. The BH is meant only to cut the last few threads.
Finish all tapping by hand, switch over as soon as you have a solid, straight start... Unless you have extractors.
It also helps to simply buy quality cutting lubes designed for the metal involved (I use Tapmatic). The most cost effective machine shops (on this planet) buy the stuff, at real cost to themselves, by the gallon. The reasons will be crystal clear to you upon setting the first screw.
Have fun, take your time, and the results will speak for themselves.
E
A couple more things...
A drill press makes a great tap starter if you:
Unplug it.
Find the largest dia rod (I like drill blanks) that will go all the way into the chuck key holes, and put a small radius on the ends (for quick, repeated insertion). A drill bit, with the shank inserted, works well for this, but you must wear heavy gloves at least until you get a feel for the particular task. Breaking a drill bit while your hand is around it will quickly produce predictable (and quite possibly, crippling) results.
Good blind holes can, and should, be made in two steps. The shape of the first few threads is critical. Always start the process with a regular (tapered) tap, and gently run it to the bottom before switching to the BH tap. The BH is meant only to cut the last few threads.
Finish all tapping by hand, switch over as soon as you have a solid, straight start... Unless you have extractors.
It also helps to simply buy quality cutting lubes designed for the metal involved (I use Tapmatic). The most cost effective machine shops (on this planet) buy the stuff, at real cost to themselves, by the gallon. The reasons will be crystal clear to you upon setting the first screw.
Have fun, take your time, and the results will speak for themselves.
E
Better yet...
Build one of these. I'll be happy to show you how (w/o a machine shop) if desired.
This is a spindle wrench for a mill I'm (still) building, and it makes for quick and effective use of any press (w/a free quill) for any manual operation. Use a rod for the first couple of threads.. Then Rock and Roll!
The tool should be no longer than necessary to apply proper torque to the biggest tap you will be using, for better "feel" and more speed.
A nice setting rod can be made by taking an old drill bit, and making a sleeve handle that exposes only enough of the bit shank to fill the chuck's keyhole. Attach with epoxy, as brazing will apply enough heat to lose the temper.
Hoping this is helping...
E
Build one of these. I'll be happy to show you how (w/o a machine shop) if desired.
This is a spindle wrench for a mill I'm (still) building, and it makes for quick and effective use of any press (w/a free quill) for any manual operation. Use a rod for the first couple of threads.. Then Rock and Roll!
The tool should be no longer than necessary to apply proper torque to the biggest tap you will be using, for better "feel" and more speed.
A nice setting rod can be made by taking an old drill bit, and making a sleeve handle that exposes only enough of the bit shank to fill the chuck's keyhole. Attach with epoxy, as brazing will apply enough heat to lose the temper.
Hoping this is helping...
E
Attachments
You can get them from here: http://www.yardstore.com/tools/drilling.htm
Check item # PN:13070 Plastic Drill Cup Only
Additional bushing required.
BTW, this is a very good ( and pretty cheap) supplier of aircraft tools. I spent $200 there, once
Check item # PN:13070 Plastic Drill Cup Only
Additional bushing required.
BTW, this is a very good ( and pretty cheap) supplier of aircraft tools. I spent $200 there, once
neutron7 said:I have a small hint for anyone who is cutting or drilling plexiglass or other hard plastic materials.
Dish washing liquid makes excellent cutting oil
I used it to cut a 4" diameter hole in a peice of 1/4 inch plexi with a fly-cutter in my drill press and it worked great!
I picked it up from the Taig minilathe mailing list.
Magura said:
Agreed.
Point is: cool the plexiglas chips enough so they cannot melt and spoil the freshly cut surfaces. I observed our lab mechanic milling plexiglas and perspex parts completely under water (he improvised a water trough on the mill's machine table). Result: the freshly milled surfaces were as smooth and clear as if they had been polished.
Microwave trays
I never let a microwave oven's tray go to the trash.
The heavy glass makes a great catch-all when you are soldering, or dipping... and if it is very flat, I stick the adhesive type of auto body sandpaper on it, and use that to "scrub" the final finish into the edges of parts. It squares them up quick...
E
EDIT: Spelling, as usual...
I never let a microwave oven's tray go to the trash.
The heavy glass makes a great catch-all when you are soldering, or dipping... and if it is very flat, I stick the adhesive type of auto body sandpaper on it, and use that to "scrub" the final finish into the edges of parts. It squares them up quick...
E
EDIT: Spelling, as usual...
My solder station, with a RRP of ~$500, came with such a cleaner.
It's not steel wool, it's brass mesh.
You wife, or girl friend, probably knows what I'm mean!
They're use for scrubbing things clean. I've just posted about this idea in a different thread.
When you're at the superstore, look for BRASS pan scrubbers in the detergents isle.
Buy a few of them and pack them into a glass tumbler. Don't bother putting water on them, you don't need to.
When you want to clean you iron, just stab it into the mesh a few times.
It works GREAT!
Here's the demo video of my solder station.
Hakko FM202
You can see how simple the cleaner is, it's just a ball of brass mesh. When it starts clogging up, you can just shake it over a bin or turn it over for a clean surface. When it becomes unusable, 25p or so will get you a brand new one!
It doesn't need to be shaped exactly like the one in the video. If you use a glass tumbler, you'll just need to poke the iron in from the top instead of from a side on angle.
The holder keeps the mesh from going everywhere and collects some of the solder when it runs through the mesh as cold pieces during use later on.
Hakko sell the cleaners seperately I think. They're very nicely made for what they are. They're spun or pressed brass and the bottom pulls off for cleaning.
The holder keeps the mesh from going everywhere and collects some of the solder when it runs through the mesh as cold pieces during use later on.
Hakko sell the cleaners seperately I think. They're very nicely made for what they are. They're spun or pressed brass and the bottom pulls off for cleaning.
Re: Broken tap remover
Can I get those in Homedepot, or any other local US store? I break my tap by hand tapping which only 2/3 way taped into a hole some where below half a inch deep.
Will drill bit be able to drill thou the tap's material?
One last question, if I drill recess which is almost 3/4 of the thickness of my aluminum plate, will it be ok? I mean will it be ok to keep the structure in place, or beable prevent any breaking possibility?
P.S: I went to return my broken tap in HomeDepot, and that casher in the return counter amazingly said, "DID YOU BREAK THAT?".... then he gave me a new one right away.
ekd said:
Can I get those in Homedepot, or any other local US store? I break my tap by hand tapping which only 2/3 way taped into a hole some where below half a inch deep.
Will drill bit be able to drill thou the tap's material?
One last question, if I drill recess which is almost 3/4 of the thickness of my aluminum plate, will it be ok? I mean will it be ok to keep the structure in place, or beable prevent any breaking possibility?
P.S: I went to return my broken tap in HomeDepot, and that casher in the return counter amazingly said, "DID YOU BREAK THAT?".... then he gave me a new one right away.
The best reason to use the extractors is that they do not damage the hole or the threads that are already cut.
They should be easy to find at any store that handles professional machine or fabrication tools. I doubt HD will have them, but any good Ag hardware outfit should have them.
Also, they do not have to be purchased as a set. They will cost a bit, but will pay for themselves in very few uses.
HTH
E
They should be easy to find at any store that handles professional machine or fabrication tools. I doubt HD will have them, but any good Ag hardware outfit should have them.
Also, they do not have to be purchased as a set. They will cost a bit, but will pay for themselves in very few uses.
HTH
E
Since this is a "tools and techniques" chapter - I've decided to ask here - well I'm quite sure it's been allready explained - but I haven't find it whith a quick search ...
I've got sam Cooper plates I want to use in my chassis design - so the Cu will be seen from the outside - and now I wonder - I attent to brush it until it will became shiny again - but what then? How to protect it?
Thanks!
I've got sam Cooper plates I want to use in my chassis design - so the Cu will be seen from the outside - and now I wonder - I attent to brush it until it will became shiny again - but what then? How to protect it?
Thanks!
I have found this tool to be extremely useful on cold, windy, blustery Friday nights:
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
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