I read a few posts here in the last month or so, complaining about broken
taps or tapped holes that weren't square so I thought I'd post this link..
it's ho to build a 'do it yourself' tapping fixture that I wrote several
years ago for ou r Live Steam web site.. This is a direct link to the
article since the site uses 'frames' and there is no other easy was to get
there.
http://www.ggls.org/TappingFixture/index.html

The is another article I wrote that would be appropriate for some of you
about using DC power for variable speed on your machine tools that you can
get to if you go in the front door
http://www.ggls.org
and then go to Tips Tricks and Plans, it's pretty obvious.
This is a brute force 'Varic and Diode' approch and I honestly don't need to
be told about better ways to do this. I specificaly stayed away from fancy
SCR/Triac or PWM stuff, I wanted this to be brain dead simple and surpluss
store easy so any average Joe could do it.

FWIW there are some cool pictures of us and our engines in the pictures
area.

Dave

Thanks, Dave. I, for one, appreciate that!


Dave August wrote:

I read a few posts here in the last month or so, complaining about broken
taps or tapped holes that weren't square so I thought I'd post this link..
it's ho to build a 'do it yourself' tapping fixture that I wrote several
years ago for ou r Live Steam web site.. This is a direct link to the
article since the site uses 'frames' and there is no other easy was to get
there.
http://www.ggls.org/TappingFixture/index.html

My pleasure Woffie,

Like I said in the article, it really makes tapping a pleasure and not a
chore.
2-56 dosen't worry me now and I've done some 0-80 work with no problems.
I've gotten e-mail from people who said they had been thinking for a while
of building a clone of the ones you see advertised , you know fancy
adjustible head etcetra, and when they saw this the just hacked one out in a
few hours...
I honestly enjoy using my tools to make tools :-)

Happy tapping -)

Dave

Thanks, Dave. I, for one, appreciate that!

Dave August wrote:
I read a few posts here in the last month or so, complaining about broken
taps or tapped holes that weren't square so I thought I'd post this link..
it's ho to build a 'do it yourself' tapping fixture that I wrote several
years ago for ou r Live Steam web site.. This is a direct link to the
article since the site uses 'frames' and there is no other easy was to get
there.
http://www.ggls.org/TappingFixture/index.html

I like it, nice and simple.

"Dave August" wrote in message
m...
My pleasure Woffie,

Like I said in the article, it really makes tapping a pleasure and not a
chore.
2-56 dosen't worry me now and I've done some 0-80 work with no problems.
I've gotten e-mail from people who said they had been thinking for a while
of building a clone of the ones you see advertised , you know fancy
adjustible head etcetra, and when they saw this the just hacked one out in
a few hours...
I honestly enjoy using my tools to make tools :-)


Thanks for this. I've been thinking how much I need to make a tapping
fixture. I've also been thinking about how much I need a tapping head, too.
The tapping fixture's a bit cheaper, however.

I know what you mean about making tools. I just completed a 12" by 12"
vacuum table for my mill and it works a treat. I was SO excited the first
time I used it.

Peter

"Peter Grey" wrote in message
news
I've also been thinking about how much I need a tapping head, too. The
tapping fixture's a bit cheaper, however.

Before buying a tapping head, you should try tapping with a drill press
(directly) under power (or a mill with a quill). I've tapped dozens of holes
in tool steel without breaking a tap.

Obviously it's not so great for small taps, but for anything larger than a
#8 or so, there's really no reason (IMO) to do it by hand.

Regards,

Robin

That vacuum table sounds cool, you should post a few pictures somewhere and
give us all a few ideas :-)

--.- Dave

Thanks for this. I've been thinking how much I need to make a tapping
fixture. I've also been thinking about how much I need a tapping head,
too. The tapping fixture's a bit cheaper, however.

I know what you mean about making tools. I just completed a 12" by 12"
vacuum table for my mill and it works a treat. I was SO excited the first
time I used it.

Peter

"Dave August" wrote in message
. com...
| I read a few posts here in the last month or so, complaining about broken
| taps or tapped holes that weren't square so I thought I'd post this link..
| it's ho to build a 'do it yourself' tapping fixture that I wrote several
| years ago for ou r Live Steam web site.. This is a direct link to the
| article since the site uses 'frames' and there is no other easy was to get
| there.
| http://www.ggls.org/TappingFixture/index.html

Very cool. At work lately I've been using a pneumatic hand drill
looking tool that runs taps. Push it in the tap goes forward. Pull it
back, it goes backwards. Pretty fast if you pull the trigger all the way.
Very cool. It's big and heavy, which makes it far more stable. Doesn't
mean I haven't broken a tap, but it certainly makes quick work of dozens of
holes! Lubricant a necessity here. Otherwise I'd be using a cordless
drill.

carl mciver wrote:
"Dave August" wrote in message
. com...
| I read a few posts here in the last month or so, complaining about broken
| taps or tapped holes that weren't square so I thought I'd post this link..
| it's ho to build a 'do it yourself' tapping fixture that I wrote several
| years ago for ou r Live Steam web site.. This is a direct link to the
| article since the site uses 'frames' and there is no other easy was to get
| there.
| http://www.ggls.org/TappingFixture/index.html

Very cool. At work lately I've been using a pneumatic hand drill
looking tool that runs taps. Push it in the tap goes forward. Pull it
back, it goes backwards. Pretty fast if you pull the trigger all the way.
Very cool. It's big and heavy, which makes it far more stable. Doesn't
mean I haven't broken a tap, but it certainly makes quick work of dozens of
holes! Lubricant a necessity here. Otherwise I'd be using a cordless
drill.

What about chucking the tap in a drill press, checking for center, and
then running the tap in by hand?

--RC (who doesn't do much tapping)

"Rick Cook" wrote in message
ink.net...
carl mciver wrote:
"Dave August" wrote in message
. com...
| I read a few posts here in the last month or so, complaining about
broken
| taps or tapped holes that weren't square so I thought I'd post this
link..
| it's ho to build a 'do it yourself' tapping fixture that I wrote
several
| years ago for ou r Live Steam web site.. This is a direct link to
the
| article since the site uses 'frames' and there is no other easy was to
get
| there.
| http://www.ggls.org/TappingFixture/index.html

Very cool. At work lately I've been using a pneumatic hand drill
looking tool that runs taps. Push it in the tap goes forward. Pull it
back, it goes backwards. Pretty fast if you pull the trigger all the
way.
Very cool. It's big and heavy, which makes it far more stable. Doesn't
mean I haven't broken a tap, but it certainly makes quick work of dozens
of
holes! Lubricant a necessity here. Otherwise I'd be using a cordless
drill.

What about chucking the tap in a drill press, checking for center, and
then running the tap in by hand?

--RC (who doesn't do much tapping)

I have done that often, but it is very difficult with a small tap because
you have to deal with the drill press return spring wanting to pull the
tap out of the work. I often start a tap that way then finish it by hand.
Works better if you drop the drive belt off -- always do that by hand
or you will be experimenting with how to remove a broken tap.

mikey