Oops! I looked inside the Fadal and the spindle drive says on it that
it is for rigid tapping. So I asked the guy I'm buying it from all
about rigid tapping and how it works and why he uses
compression/extension tap holders when he could have used ER collets
and he says the machine doesn't have rigid tapping. I had just assumed
it did because of the spindle drive. It turns out that it also needs
some chips installed to get the rigid tapping option. He never said it
had it, I just assumed and when we talked about it today he was
surprised that I didn't know the machine didn't have that option. So
now I will need to shop around for the chipset that will enable the
machine to rigid tap. Unless Iggy or someone just happens to have them
laying around. Thanks everyone for the rigid tapping info anyway. It's
one of the things that seems like a very worthwhile addition to the
machine.
Eric