"Bob Gentry" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 16 Dec 2008 17:14:37 -0800 (PST), wrote:

I routinely have to tap 6-32 holes in the sides of 6061 aluminum 1/4
round by the hundreds. I thought I had it wired for a while, because I
was able to go through about 500 pieces before breaking a tap. Not the
end of the world. But today I broke 4 to go through the same amount.
I'm doing it the same way I did in the past, but something is going
wrong.

snip-----------------------


Good Evening
Any chance you could use a Greenlee "drill and tap"?

Example:

http://www.drillspot.com/products/34...ountersink_Bit

No connection, just one of the results of a Google on 'Greenlee drill
and tap'

Good luck

Bob
rgentry at oz dot net

As bob pointed out, get a "tap and drill" combination - several companies
make them - one shot gives you a tapped hole - and for aluminum you can use
a tap that forms the threads rather than cuts them - that way you get
stronger threads and a stronger tap and less swarf and much less change of a
swarf ball jamming up the tap