Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: General Tool Life Question

Hugh Currin wrote:

> Marcus:
>
> Thanks. I feel much better knowing I haven't lived a deprived life by not
> taking full advantage of spiral taps. It did sound to good to be true. :-)

But, it almost IS too good to be true. For machine tapping of LOTS of
blind holes, you can't beat them! For hand tapping, they can still save
time, because when things are going well, you can just drive the tap
straight in to full depth in one move. I did this for a while with a tap
driver thing that was a rod held in the spindle (to align the tap) and
a knurled handle with a tap collet on the end. I would hold it between
the palms of both handls and roll it between my hands. I then went to
bed and put on the Ben-Gay after 5 hours of doing that! (However,
hand tapping that many holes with ordinary taps and a tap wrench
would have put me about 3 more months behind schedule!)

But, for serious tapping, a tap driver powered by the machine is a
far better way to go, any you won't be sore for weeks afterward.

Jon