"AL"......You can power tap on your lathes and the definition of a Bridgeport is "power tapper".
I read this in the specs
I've heard it before
But I need to find out what it MEANS.
I don't have the tapping attachment.
If "power tapping" is just dropping the quill? Or driving down? Or, Or, Or......??...... We're talking 1/4-28 here....... and the few tappers I've watched in operation are slip-clutched/auto-reversing or, on the big ones I've seen them with a repetitive auto-reversing almost "roto-hammer" type vibrating action. I've tapped a few hundred thru-holes in 1/4 to 3/8 mild steel fabricating truck racks and such, using a cordless DeWalt Hammer Drill............but this blind sticky stuff has me snaffled as far as powering in.
Are you suggesting just run the tap loose in the collet or chuck? Or coast into a blind sticky hole and hope for the best?
Understand that I AM wikkid canny.... I haven't broken nor stuck a tap in years, but even though my fingers know how to not break even a 6-48 or a 4-40 gun tap, I'm just confused about HOW to do this in a blind hole? With no tapping head?
I ain't a piss-poor planner, I EXPECT perfect performance...
I've been drilling/tapping dozens of holes in 304 SS the last few days with no issues, keeping nice steady chips and curls (I checked though, even 304 does work-harden like a buggah!!) but it's easy stuff compared to whatever's in these recoil lugs!
I'm asking heahhh, I've just never dared power-tap a blind hole!
Wasn't you FB.
JLouis
wilbur;80901 never did figure out why we had such trouble but i'm thinking now that the drill was running bassackwards.[/quote said:
JLouis - Me too...but Jackie understands that every now and then somebody gets up on the wrong side of the keyboard.
................and kept expecting to break a tap off in it every time I tapped a hole. ..........
That's me in a nutshell. I got 'er done, and I guess I should post a picture of what I was actually doing but I think I'll wait to see how the assembly SHOOTS before getting hasty with the pix
Robin Rinsetti comes to mind. One of the most skilled and smartest minds out there. You can find him on YouTube.There is also Joe Pi in Austin Texas. These people develop systems to make things work better and more accurately.
Pete
On most 300 series stainless steels we recommend tap drilling for about 60% full thread instead of the normal 75-78% of full thread.
Some 300 series like 303FM can go75%. Wait till you try some of the exotics like Hastalloy or Inconell!!!
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Jerry, I don’t know whether you ever met Joe Archer or not. We used to travel to matches in the GC and Midcontinent region from the 80’s to the Mid 2000’s or so. He works in a machine shop and has ever since they left Shamrock that uses a lot of hastalloy, inconel, and other exotic materials making medical valves. I thought he was going to get to shoot Seymour this coming weekend but snapped a rod in his back a few weeks ago and had to have it redone.