Extending a Tap, Any Ideas?

[bigcaddy]

like the the title says, i need to extend a tap in order to finish a hole in a 6.5" diameter pulley. All of my tap handles, T and bar style, will hit the outer edge before i can even start cutting.

I know i could track down a long tap, i seem to have every size but 1/4"-20, but wanted to see what else could be done to make it work.

Ive checked every socket i have and nothing will secure the square shank tight enough to start cutting. I realize a "quick fix" is not the best way but i've already sunk enough money/time into this project and buying specialized tools isn't on the top of my list right now. I just need to tap the hole before the project gets any bigger

 

[Xenocide]

Put a nut over the end and weld that on. I've got a few like that.

 

[Finky198]

8pt / double square socket with a long extension and a ratchet if you have a sears they usually stock them a there 2-3 dollars

 

[Davefr]

8pt / double square socket with a long extension and a ratchet if you have a sears they usually stock them a there 2-3 dollars

...or a spline socket

However I'd just take a junker socket and grind the I.D. to fit the tap. 5 minutes with a Dremel and carbide burr/cutter.

 

[LXCam]

Lisle makes a tap holder kit that the one that fits a 1/4" tap is a 1/4" drive and is not very big in diameter. What's the largest diameter it can be?.

 

[APEowner]

The Lisle tap hold kit is perfect for this sort of application.

 

[Fretters]

See if you can fit the end in the female end of a 1/4" or 3/8" square drive extension. Even if you need to put a bit of shim in there for packing, it should work fine.

 

[Squankum]

Simplest solution, try every socket in that zone, metric, standard, 6 pt, 12 pt. I had good luck with that once. Then I attached my T-slider handle, but I'm the kind of nerd who has those.

Pic at:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4055898&postcount=238

 

[jeepinerdeep]

The Lisle tap hold kit is perfect for this sort of application.

Truth. Handy as hell for the $.

 

[Dust Devil]

Tap holder sockets are the ****!

 

[bigcaddy]

Tap holder sockets are the ****!

They appear to be just that. I just ordered a set for myself and my dad.



Thanks everybody. They should arrive by the weekend so i can finish tapping it then.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Put a nut over the end and weld that on. I've got a few like that.

or if you find a nut which is "just close enough" to pass on...you can hammer it on and have a "Hex Drive" tap.. The Maintenance dept where my dad worked did that all the time. I've got a couple taps here setup like that he gave me.

But I agree...Tap Sockets are the ticket here. I use mine all the time. A set of 4/8pt sockets is also handy to have...

 

[RedneckWelder]

Love my tap sockets. I have both sets.

 

[arsco]

Most times I can get away with a 1/4" drive extension flipped around

 

[jsaw]

The tap sockets work well.
Also, they make long length taps called pulley taps. I just found out about them a couple weeks ago.

 

[Shadowdog500]

like the the title says, i need to extend a tap in order to finish a hole in a 6.5" diameter pulley. All of my tap handles, T and bar style, will hit the outer edge before i can even start cutting.

I know i could track down a long tap, i seem to have every size but 1/4"-20, but wanted to see what else could be done to make it work.

Ive checked every socket i have and nothing will secure the square shank tight enough to start cutting. I realize a "quick fix" is not the best way but i've already sunk enough money/time into this project and buying specialized tools isn't on the top of my list right now. I just need to tap the hole before the project gets any bigger

Tap socket will work. But believe it or not they make a "Pulley tap" which is extra long just to overcome the exact problem you are having.

Chris

 

[lonestarky]

Pulley tap. Search for that, you should find it.

 

[Farmall450]

Lisle makes a tap holder kit that the one that fits a 1/4" tap is a 1/4" drive and is not very big in diameter. What's the largest diameter it can be?.

The Lisle tap hold kit is perfect for this sort of application.

I agree Lisle tap sockets are great for this and a ton of other things.

 

[Steevo]

1/4-20is such a readily available tap size that you probably have two or three.
Take one and weld a 6" long 1/4-20 bolt to the back of it, so you can turn it with a ratchet and socket, and tap away at your "deep hole"

 

[lilredex]

Don't overlook these..

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000DD3BY/?tag=atomicindus08-20

It might not sneak down the side of your pulley, but they are useful. Just used mine today in a tight fit, and the end of it fits a 3/8" extension.

 

[doan]

When I was a kid, all of my grandfather's taps had nuts on them. I can't remember if they were welded or just pressed on.

 

[bigcaddy]

Pulley tap. Search for that, you should find it.

As I was searching for a solution, I remembered the large shoebox full of taps I purchased from an aviation machinist/engineer. Sure enough, there were pulley taps...in every damn size but 1/4-20. If I ever need to tap a pulley for a Stuart Little's car, I can easily cut threads with my 00-90 pulley tap

I might buy a few but I don't see myself doing this again anytime soon.

As for having a few "extra" taps around, Steevo? So far the count is: 1 blue point SAE set, 2 ACE sets, metric and SAE, 2 large Plano tackle organizers full, 1 huge shoebox full in their shipping/display boxes and NPT taps up to 6"

One stupid 1/4-20 tap brought all of that crashing down...


If anybody needs a very small tap, send me a PM. I might have it in multiples. I can't think of a better way to use 20 1-72 taps then give them away to somebody who needs them.

 

[mtnwalton]

OP doesn't want to buy any "specialized tools", but I would suggest tap extensions - Walton brand