I once watched a machinist tapping hundreds of holes in what I think
was a prototype Mark 46 torpedo. He did it with a pneumatic hand
drill. Zoop zoop, slick as snot. I suspected that he'd done this
before.

A pneumatic drill isn't nearly as likely to snap a tap as an electric
drill. If the tap gets in trouble the pneumatic drill will stall,
saving both the tap and the job. It still takes a steady hand, though.
I've done it with #10 and 1/4" but I wouldn't try it with 6-32 or
smaller.

A speed wrench makes a GREAT quick tapping tool. I pressed a tap holder with
the handle removed into a 3/8 drive socket, 12mm IIRC. Put this on the speed
wench with your tap installed and go to town!

If I'm drilling on the manual mill, I use the same tool you suggested.
Course, i prefer the cnc mill. Iggy's job would only take a couple minutes
if he had his CNC mill running.

Karl