Cleaning taps and drill bits

[greesha]

I think this belongs in this thread

How do you guys clean your taps?

Recently redid all 30 holes holding the upper oil pan in an aluminum block
Used tapping fluid in the holes themselves, and put grease onto the tap, to collect the pics of metal.

A q-tip down the 4 grooves takes everything off, but cant get the "fins" clean, the parts that do the actual cutting, not sure what they are called sorry.

Brake clean doesnt seem to be doing a good job either.

And I dont want to waste these taps as they were each $20+

 

[ImportTuner]

I use a small wire brush, blow with compressed air and lightly oil for storage ..

 

[BillK]

I clean them in the SafetyKleen sink. I also have a file "card" that has a real short bristle brush on one side, that works good too. I think the real key is to blow the junk off after each hole you do. I cant believe that Brake Clean isnt taking it off, what type of cutting fluid di you use anyway ??? By the way, grease is not the best thing to use on a tap, you should use cutting fluid.

 

[BillK]

I use a small wire brush..

Brass I hope ? I would never use a steel wire brush on a tap personally.

 

[greesha]

Tap magic protap and the aluminum kind, purchased it from the local mcmaster, same place i got the taps
is there a brand you could recommend?

i dont use grease on the actual cutting part, only on the bi 4 flat grooves, what are those called?
Reason for this, is to try to pick up all the tiny aluminum chunks, as the bottom end is all assembled. I guess I will stop using it

When you say oil, what kind of oil?

 

[tkonetzke]

I would call those flat grooves flutes. I can't be much assistance on cleaning, maybe a small pick and alot of patience. I usually lube up the tap good before starting and often during. Its always worked for me.

 

[FastKat]

I usually use a pipe cleaner to brush the chips out of the cutting flutes.

 

[srmofo]

I blow mine off with a sure shot filled with brake clean.

Re-oil them for storage

Edit I should add that many times I am tapping holes in filthy greasy metal. Sometimes I just cannot get all the gunk from the hole/area.

 

[A_Pmech]

Blow it off with compressed air and put it away. The air will remove the chips but leave a film of whatever tapping fluid oil you used, which will prevent it from rusting.

 

[Jim Johnstone]

Blow it off with compressed air and put it away. The air will remove the chips but leave a film of whatever tapping fluid oil you used, which will prevent it from rusting.

Agreed, compressed air blast is all I have ever seen anyone use in any of the machine shops I've worked in.

 

[LumpyMusic]

I thread mine into a piece of soft lumber. The wood fibres clean the metal boogers from the threads but don't harm the threads. Don't have to be too picky about how square and true the hole is or anything like that. Drill a hole smaller than you would for metal tapping, of course.

If large drill bits don't clear, I use the back of a plastic handle toothbrush or similar hard plastic implement.


Lumpy

You sang all those car commercials?
You got it, Toyota.
www.LumpyMusic.com

 

[rlitman]

Brass I hope ? I would never use a steel wire brush on a tap personally.

Exactly. And I would never use a file card on a file. There really is no good use for those things.

In most cases, a blast of air is sufficient to clean a tap. If stuff is really stuck in there, you can poke at it with a piece of brass rod, or use a brass brush.

 

[BWS]

Air's all we've ever used.

 

[OccupantRJ]

I use air, but a toothbrush will work.

 

[Kevin54]

Air. Just blow them off. If you don't plan on using them on a regular basis, coat them with a little bit of rust preventative. Also try to keep the taps separated from banging in to each other in the drawers.

 

[Griff93]

Tap magic protap and the aluminum kind, purchased it from the local mcmaster, same place i got the taps
is there a brand you could recommend?

i dont use grease on the actual cutting part, only on the bi 4 flat grooves, what are those called?
Reason for this, is to try to pick up all the tiny aluminum chunks, as the bottom end is all assembled. I guess I will stop using it

When you say oil, what kind of oil?

The grease to catch the chips is a good and old trick. Sometimes there's no replacement for it. The downside is it's kinda a pain to clean up. When I do it I usually use a rag to wipe as much grease away as possible and soak it down with brake cleaner. If you have problems getting the grease off, you could always soak the taps in a cup of acetone or mineral spirits, etc.

 

[Primered Thunder]

a wire brush. and no, a mild steel brush will not harm your high speed steel taps.

 

[zmotorsports]

Majority of the time just a blast of compressed air. If there is an abnormal amount of grease or buildup then I may run some solvent over it and a brush in the solvent tank prior to the compressed air.

Mike.

 

[Humble Mechanic]

Just a quick question, Do you guys find that you get rusty tools? I have never ran into an issue with tools rusting, unless I leave them outside.

I like the air cleaning method, just wondering about the rust!

 

[zmotorsports]

Just a quick question, Do you guys find that you get rusty tools? I have never ran into an issue with tools rusting, unless I leave them outside.

I like the air cleaning method, just wondering about the rust!

No. However, I live in a semi-arid state/area. Not much moisture in the air. Those in other areas I am sure will more than likely have an issue.

Mike.

 

[NTAPHSE]

I have a cheap plastic handled paint brush that I cut the bristles down to about 1/2" long and I keep it near my drill press. I use it to clear chips off the drill press, and clean the flutes on drill bits and taps. Really though, I usually just wipe the tap on my pants, shirt or a rag and it clean it just fine. I don't really think that using grease is necessary, that might be your whole problem right there.

 

[zmotorsports]

I have a cheap plastic handled paint brush that I cut the bristles down to about 1/2" long and I keep it near my drill press. I use it to clear chips off the drill press, and clean the flutes on drill bits and taps. Really though, I usually just wipe the tap on my pants, shirt or a rag and it clean it just fine. I don't really think that using grease is necessary, that might be your whole problem right there.

I too keep a cheapy paint brush on the side of my drill press. I also have one on my lathe that I use to brush the small shavings/chips off of the tables. I guess I am kind of **** about that but I hate shavings all over my drill press table and vise. Occassionally I will run it down the flutes of the drill bit prior to removing it from the drill press if it is exceptionally bad, then dip it in the solvent tank but usually I just remove it and give it a shot with the compressed air before it goes back into the drill index.

Mike.

 

[MBfreak]

A lot of the the gunk attracting properties depends on the surface finish of the cutting tool. I am fortunate to live in an area that has a lot of very high quality cutting tools for sale at auto-jumbles and garage sales. Pro stuff, made in Sweden sold at rock bottom prices. Latest haul was 10-packs of drillbits in sizes between 2 and 8 mm. $4 for 10!Typical brands are MALCUS, SKF and CEJ with a few less well known brands also.

The never get even microscopic swarf stuck in the cutting surfaces, since they are polished to a very high finish. Grease, oil and "gunk" comes off after dunking them 3 minutes in citrus cleaner and then in scalding hot water.
They last forever for an amateur like me, they drills are reground once in a while. I was taught the art of hand grinding drillbits by a master mechanic when was 16 and can still do it 50 years later!

Best regards

Ola