On 2011-07-18, Ed Huntress wrote:

"Ignoramus25765" wrote in message
...
On 2011-07-18, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Sun, 17 Jul 2011 23:05:15 -0500, Ignoramus26063
wrote:

On 2011-07-18, Tom Gardner mars@tacks wrote:
On 7/17/2011 8:35 PM, Karl Townsend wrote:
On Sun, 17 Jul 2011 18:37:35 -0500, Ignoramus26063
wrote:

I have a few pipe taps for pipes ranging from 2 inch NPT to 5 inch
NPT. They are big, very heavy, and grimy, slightly rusted and very
dirty.

Boy, Tom Gardner couldn't stand to see you abuse a wire brush this
way!

With a little care and common sence, I don't see why not. That is run
the brush away from the cutting edge.

My question is, can I clean them with a motor mounted wire brush, or
will it be somehow deleterious to the cutting edges.

i

Exactly! Besides, I would think the corrosion has already damaged the
cutting edges to some extent.

Hm...

I am thinking, I should take all these taps to a tool grinding outfit
in Addison and have them resharpened, prior to placing on ebay.

Do they chemically sharpen taps as they do files?


I sure hope not

I've never heard of it, but who knows?

Iggy, I've cleaned and sharpened taps by hand for around 40 years. Unless
you're using them in volume commercial work, it's probably quicker than
using power. That is, unless the taps are really shot.

I use a hand-held bristle brush to clean them, and (usually) paint thinner
as a solvent. I sharpen them by clamping them in a vise and running a round
slip down the gullets, leaning on the cutting side. My slips are in two
grades of aluminum oxide and hard Arkansas stone. I have around twenty of
them in different sizes and shapes.

It's quick, if you don't let them get too bad. You'll kill a lot of time if
you can see rounding on the cutting edges with your naked eye. That's when
I'd send them out, if I did that much work with taps. But if they're too
rounded, they're shot. You'll never get a true size out of them again.


Ed, keep in mind that they are tapered pipe taps. They are not
straight. "True size" does not make as much sense for a tapered tap,
if you think about it.

I will go today to a tool grinding place and I will price sharpening
them. I am sure that it will be cheaper than me doing it by hand.

I will then sell them as "resharpened taps, ready to be used".

I will post an update for this.

i