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Author Topic: taps.  (Read 3734 times)

Offline jerrywh

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taps.
« on: June 02, 2015, 03:38:57 AM »
 Has anyone else noticed that good old carbon steel taps cut way better than the high speed steel ones do and with a lot less effort?
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Offline Scott Bumpus

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Re: taps.
« Reply #1 on: June 02, 2015, 03:41:06 AM »
and a lot easier to get out if one breaks in a blind hole
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Offline P.W.Berkuta

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Re: taps.
« Reply #2 on: June 02, 2015, 05:52:56 AM »
Quote from: jerrywh on June 02, 2015, 03:38:57 AM
Has anyone else noticed that good old carbon steel taps cut way better than the high speed steel ones do and with a lot less effort?

No -- the H.S.S are ten times better and last that much longer. You have to use the right tapping fluid - not 3 in 1 oil or the like ;) I got H.S.S. taps that are 20 + years old and I can tap a #2-56 in steel "quick as a bunny" and have not broken a tap in 15 years (cross fingers) ;D.
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Offline Old Ford2

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Re: taps.
« Reply #3 on: June 02, 2015, 06:21:57 AM »
Many people use any oil they can find from baby oil to hydraulic oil, to cooking oil, thinking that oil is oil.
No so!
Easy Tap works well, but the best that I have found is "Buttercut " it is good for steel and aluminium.
There are no shortcuts. You will pay the price of a broken tap, or a buggered up thread sooner or later.
When you do a lot tapping and die cutting ( threading ) you will find good taps & dies are relatively inexpensive, and poor taps & dies end up costing a lot more  ::)
Fred
« Last Edit: June 02, 2015, 02:29:40 PM by Old Ford2 »
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Offline jerrywh

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Re: taps.
« Reply #4 on: June 02, 2015, 09:55:58 AM »
 I been using tap oil for 50 years and I have taps from #1 on up.  I still have better luck with the old carbon taps.
 the small sizes actually cut easier than the big ones do in the HSS type. could be the brand but I don't buy cheap tools.
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ShutEyeHunter

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Re: taps.
« Reply #5 on: June 03, 2015, 07:32:50 AM »
I ran across a can of Mystk Metal Mover at IIRC NAPA auto parts.  I had to do some recutting of breech plug threads, and I was impressed by smoothness of tapping with that vs. the other LPS spray cutting oil I was using.

I do a lot of motorcycle work & Im paranoid about breaking a tap in an expen$ive aluminum head.  Carbon taps and good oil reduce my anxiety.

That said, I don't use taps enough to worry about wear--for the work I do, I just replace them after one use or two.  If I was,in the business of making guns, the economics would be different.
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Offline FL-Flintlock

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Re: taps.
« Reply #6 on: June 03, 2015, 04:04:49 PM »
Nothing beats Rigid dark high-sulfur oil for cutting common steel with HSS tooling.
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Offline jerrywh

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Re: taps.
« Reply #7 on: June 03, 2015, 06:14:19 PM »
Fl-Flintlock
 Your dead right about that.  I have never found anything better.
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Offline flehto

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Re: taps.
« Reply #8 on: June 03, 2015, 06:38:38 PM »
I use all HHS taps some of which I acquired during my tool and diemaker apprenticeship between '56-'61 and they're still sharp.

For D2, D5, A2 and the oil hardening tool steels, a good tapping fluid  is a necessity, but for the soft, low carbon steels used in gun making, I just use machine oil because it's handy. Don't get "torn" threads or broken taps from using machine oil....works fine.....Fred
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