Hand Tap or Drill Motor?

[GrahamHO]

Originally Posted by jacaranda

Having spent considerable time and effort involved with drilling and tapping in all sizes in varied materials by varied methods,
unless you have access to precision machinery guaranteeing alignment ,drill by hand drill and always always tap by hand using proper lubricant, specially on alum to prevent binding . If you are in a hurry use a machine tap (by hand) rather than the typical 3 handset

Brendan

Right! And if you have a drill press available and you want the most precision, you can put the tap in the chuck and turn the chuck by hand using the key for leverage and some pressure from the drill press feed. Then after starting several revolutions, you can if you want to, continue with a tap wrench by hand and it will follow the hole. ( as normal, backing the tap to clear it every few turns as necessary)

Make sure the drill press is unplugged. (Usually having previously drilled the hole in the press under power.)

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by GrahamHO

Right! And if you have a drill press available and you want the most precision, you can put the tap in the chuck and turn the chuck by hand using the key for leverage and some pressure from the drill press feed. Then after starting several revolutions, you can if you want to, continue with a tap wrench by hand and it will follow the hole. ( as normal, backing the tap to clear it every few turns as necessary)

Make sure the drill press is unplugged. (Usually having previously drilled the hole in the press under power.)

Sounds good to me. Having the work fat on the table or in a V clamp. Doing it by a hand held drill? Hard enough by hand to get the tap square.

[Boatyarddog]

First time you break one off in the work you'll know why you'll want to take your time.


Sent from my iPad SV Cloud Duster

[model 10]

Originally Posted by Boatyarddog

First time you break one off in the work you'll know why you'll want to take your time.
Sent from my iPad SV Cloud Duster

You could always buy a Plasma cutter. I thought they would be the cats meow but alas, they have a learning curve too.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Boatyarddog

First time you break one off in the work you'll know why you'll want to take your time.


Sent from my iPad SV Cloud Duster

It's hard to get one out. Drilling one is about impossible. I haven't a clue on the Rockwell on a tap?

[svGenesis]

Jesus this thread is a clusterf@#k of mis-information! I have 30 years experience in machining, I have tapped every conceivable material including 303/ 304/ 17-4/ X35 and X51 stainless heat treated and not, brass, copper,bronze, and every grade of aluminum, forged, and cast. Hell i've even tapped a my share of females but that's another story! (Buy some tapping fluid!!!! It truly does work best!!!) if tapping with a press use a spring-loaded tap guide and a tap handle, You can chuck the tap and power tap in the softer materials(non-stainless) If tapping by hand drill use some form of a guide to keep your plundge as parallel as possible in and out. use a #7 (.201) on 1/4 20 don't go bigger or smaller. Your mast is most likely extruded aluminum and will be gummy and slightly brittle. A good tapping fluid and methodically tapping by hand should easily do the job without much incident.

[Celestialsailor]

You can lead a horse to water but...

[Schooner Chandlery]

Originally Posted by svGenesis

if tapping with a press use a spring-loaded tap guide and a tap handle, You can chuck the tap and power tap in the softer materials(non-stainless)

So that's what that "thing" that I have is called--a spring-loaded tap guide. OK. I like it, whatever it is called because it lets me use the press nicely.

[Blue Crab]

I figured this thread would consist of 5 or 6 posts. Silly me.

If this were something I could take to a machine shop, I'd have done so. However, it's the mast, in the boat.

The all in one drill/tap gizmo noted above is probably the way to go given the mast is thin material. Heck, the TEK screw would perfect except for the guff I'd have to take from onlookers.

I have a tap set with the right numbered drill bits but truth be told, I am close to riveting the thing and being done with it. I've learned the hard way about broken taps. At my local Ace, the "EZ"-Outs are located right next to the tap selection.

[TKDSailor]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

I figured this thread would consist of 5 or 6 posts. Silly me.

If this were something I could take to a machine shop, I'd have done so. However, it's the mast, in the boat.

The all in one drill/tap gizmo noted above is probably the way to go given the mast is thin material. Heck, the TEK screw would perfect except for the guff I'd have to take from onlookers.

I have a tap set with the right numbered drill bits but truth be told, I am close to riveting the thing and being done with it. I've learned the hard way about broken taps. At my local Ace, the "EZ"-Outs are located right next to the tap selection.

BTW, if you are attaching something to the mast, it might be LOTS easier to drill it and use pop rivets... just sayin'.

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

I figured this thread would consist of 5 or 6 posts. Silly me.

If this were something I could take to a machine shop, I'd have done so. However, it's the mast, in the boat.

The all in one drill/tap gizmo noted above is probably the way to go given the mast is thin material. Heck, the TEK screw would perfect except for the guff I'd have to take from onlookers.

I have a tap set with the right numbered drill bits but truth be told, I am close to riveting the thing and being done with it. I've learned the hard way about broken taps. At my local Ace, the "EZ"-Outs are located right next to the tap selection.

Are you serious??? We're passionate about our tapping Crabby...

AND if you cant appreciate such amorous feelings about a well lubed hole and a twisting tool.... Well... Maybe you SHOULD just go ahead and rivet...

----

On another note... What the hell are we sticking on the mast... ?

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by HappyMdRSailor

Are you serious??? We're passionate about our tapping Crabby...

AND if you cant appreciate such amorous feelings about a well lubed hole and a twisting tool.... Well... Maybe you SHOULD just go ahead and rivet...

----

On another note... What the hell are we sticking on the mast... ?

Well, I didn't want to go off half-cocked here, altho in my case that is still pretty impressive if ya get my drift.

As to what it is, I've been hoping no one would ask. But I haven't had my ass kicked in awhile so I will now admit to a worldwide readership that I am moving the boom up a bit so that I may enter the hopefully not-too-ugly hard dodger club.

I've been fooling around with making a proper sliding gooseneck but I'm not sure that my sail track can handle an accidental jibe so am back to pinning the gooseneck to the mast.

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

Well, I didn't want to go off half-cocked here, altho in my case that is still pretty impressive if ya get my drift.

Yea... Yea... Anybody who is familiar with a crab gauge would already know that ... "You're a keeper"....

As to what it is, I've been hoping no one would ask. But I haven't had my ass kicked in awhile so I will now admit to a worldwide readership that I am moving the boom up a bit so that I may enter the hopefully not-too-ugly hard dodger club.

I isn't gunna kick yer ass.... But... Suggest that rivets are not the best solution... But does your stick look like the attached? ( I couldn't find a gooseneck pic) If so, does your goose wrap around the mast? If so, I think it will be OK...

I've been fooling around with making a proper sliding gooseneck but I'm not sure that my sail track can handle an accidental jibe so am back to pinning the gooseneck to the mast.

That would be a slick setup....

Stupid 5 characters required to post...

[Blue Crab]

Nuh uh. I have a 5/8" external sail track with two of these:



In looking for a better pic I found any number of pinned goosenecks, all riveted. Heh.

[TKDSailor]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

Nuh uh. I have a 5/8" external sail track with two of these:



In looking for a better pic I found any number of pinned goosenecks, all riveted. Heh.

Yep. For a Cal 29, clamp that sucker to the mast, drill two holes, and pop rivet it so that the part doesn't move, then drill all the other holes and pop rivet them. Just make sure you use the right length of Pop rivet! I'm all for lubing up the hole with the correct fluid, and tapping it good, but in this case, where the mast is not more than 1/4" thick, the pop rivets will do a better job, IMHO.