Hand drill tapping options? (feat: Fein)

[ching0n]

I'm wondering what options are there out there to tap steel w/hand held machines? I know impact wrenches can get the job done fairly effectively but there's not a whole lot of drills w/built-in impact. I know you can pretty much do it w/any old drill but there's dedicated machines now w/floating chucks and torque control features to prevent snapping your &(*t up. I came across these Fein and some Metabo that's been out for a few yrs but they're fairly spendy. Also a Chinese 120v version of a corded Fein.

using a Fein tap adapter w/an impact:

 

[no704]

What do you want to tap? How many holes?

 

[ching0n]

What do you want to tap? How many holes?

mild up to 1/2 taps. Dozens? I'm more about the access/portability and preference to electric leaning to brushless/battery due to variable speed torque

 

[no704]

I’d hand tap them. Unless you have a mill. Too easy to get going crooked and break a tap. But if you’re going to do it with a drill something like this?

 

[PCustoms]

I'm wondering what options are there out there to tap steel w/hand held machines? I know impact wrenches can get the job done fairly effectively but there's not a whole lot of drills w/built-in impact. I know you can pretty much do it w/any old drill but there's dedicated machines now w/floating chucks and torque control features to prevent snapping your &(*t up. I came across these Fein and some Metabo that's been out for a few yrs but they're fairly spendy. Also a Chinese 120v version of a corded Fein.

First off, there's a TON of drills out there with built in impact.

Second, who the hell uses impact ANYTHING to run a tap?

 

[ching0n]

First off, there's a TON of drills out there with built in impact.

Second, who the hell uses impact ANYTHING to run a tap?

Can you name a few? I'm not talking percussion hammer drill here.

Second, who the hell uses impact ANYTHING to run a tap?

Been a growing trend the last 5 yrs from what I can tell. Popular in the big I-beam industry by the looks of it.

 

[ching0n]

I’d hand tap them. Unless you have a mill. Too easy to get going crooked and break a tap. But if you’re going to do it with a drill something like this?

I just remember I picked up a set last yr that's sitting somewhere. Went on Amazon and found these too:

 

[Milton Shaw]

Lisle made the first 1/4 and 3/8 drive sockets for taps that I bought. They now have a larger set that goes up to 1" taps that are 1/2 inch drive from what I have seen. The taps feel like they have two different size sockets for taps in each one. I've had my set for 35 or so years and although I don't use them every day any more that have been very handy. Amazon does carry the Lisle for around $25 or so for the smaller set and $60 for the larger set. They get in so much tighter spaces than regular tap wrench and tap handles.

 

[ching0n]

Lisle made the first 1/4 and 3/8 drive sockets for taps that I bought. They now have a larger set that goes up to 1" taps that are 1/2 inch drive from what I have seen. The taps feel like they have two different size sockets for taps in each one. I've had my set for 35 or so years and although I don't use them every day any more that have been very handy. Amazon does carry the Lisle for around $25 or so for the smaller set and $60 for the larger set. They get in so much tighter spaces than regular tap wrench and tap handles.

I noticed Fein makes some adapter like versadrive but looks like just a way to sell you their proprietary taps....(some oddball hex).

 

[LopezBart]

I used an M18 drill + Irwin tap adaptor + 1/4 hex to 3/8" square to tap a bunch of 1/2" NC through holes in 1.25" aluminum 6061 plate. Worked ok.

 

[LS1-IROC]

Second, who the hell uses impact ANYTHING to run a tap?

We do a ton of hole tapping on our production floor, 90% of it is done with impact drivers. It's a game changer, just requires a little experience to know what can and cannot be tapped with an impact.

 

[ching0n]

We do a ton of hole tapping on our production floor, 90% of it is done with impact drivers. It's a game changer, just requires a little experience to know what can and cannot be tapped with an impact.

tell us your secrets.

 

[Beerhippie]

tell us your secrets.

Yeah--I'm quite adept at breaking taps by hand. Can't imagine needing impact to do it.

 

[GeoBruin]

I have one of these and it's pretty sweet. I love that the chuck adjusts to fit every size tap I have. Meanwhile I have a tapmatic to use in my drill press but I feel like whatever collet I need is always the one I don't have.

Champion Cutting Tool Brute Platinum https://a.co/d/1iOyYRd

 

[PCustoms]

Yeah--I'm quite adept at breaking taps by hand. Can't imagine needing impact to do it.

When you really want to make sure there's no chance to back it out

 

[ching0n]

I have one of these and it's pretty sweet. I love that the chuck adjusts to fit every size tap I have. Meanwhile I have a tapmatic to use in my drill press but I feel like whatever collet I need is always the one I don't have.

Champion Cutting Tool Brute Platinum https://a.co/d/1iOyYRd

thanks, that looks like one of the Fein clones I was looking at.
Does the chuck float or just pivot?
How does it limit torque (if it even does)?
One of the amazon reviewer says it's like a "hammer drill", is there hammering action or dude's wrong? Clutch?
I'm guessing you can't drill with it right?
Can you run all types of taps w/it or just certain shapes?

 

[GeoBruin]

thanks, that looks like one of the Fein clones I was looking at.
Does the chuck float or just pivot?
How does it limit torque (if it even does)?
One of the amazon reviewer says it's like a "hammer drill", is there hammering action or dude's wrong? Clutch?
I'm guessing you can't drill with it right?
Can you run all types of taps w/it or just certain shapes?

It just pivots, if I understand your meaning. It has a clutch that limits torque, but I've never actually had it activate. The coolest part is the auto reverse. There is no forward/reverse switch. You push/feed the tap into the hole until you have tapped to your desired depth, then just pull the gun back and it automatically reverses the direction of the spindle and reverses the tap back out of the hole.

The chuck looks exactly like a tap holder. It works with square shank taps. You're probably supposed to run spiral flute taps in it but for through holes, I have definitely run normal hand taps.

 

[strength_and_power]

My tap wrench is set up for 3/8” drive if you removed the handle. I used a 1/4” impact to 3/8” adapter amd put that in my 18v Dewalt impact. Had a small cup of tap oil to dip tap into and went to town on 60-80 3/8-16 threads in 1/4” wall DOM. I used decent quality taps from McMaster. Did this 2-3 times a year for probably five years.

 

[ching0n]

It just pivots, if I understand your meaning. It has a clutch that limits torque, but I've never actually had it activate. The coolest part is the auto reverse. There is no forward/reverse switch. You push/feed the tap into the hole until you have tapped to your desired depth, then just pull the gun back and it automatically reverses the direction of the spindle and reverses the tap back out of the hole.

The chuck looks exactly like a tap holder. It works with square shank taps. You're probably supposed to run spiral flute taps in it but for through holes, I have definitely run normal hand taps.

Nice. What's the largest tap you can run on it?

Here's the Fein in action, I think that chuck retraction while pulling makes it floating (could be wrong):

 

[GeoBruin]

Nice. What's the largest tap you can run on it?

Here's the Fein in action, I think that chuck retraction while pulling makes it floating (could be wrong):

It's advertised capacity is as follows:

Tap Steel/Ferrous Metals From #10 to 9/16" (14mm) And Aluminum/Non-Ferrous Materials From #10 Up To 5/8" (16mm).

That said, I don't think I've ever used it beyond 3/8" in steel.

 

[ching0n]

For posterity since I wasn't quite sure how floating holders help:

 

[ching0n]

It's advertised capacity is as follows:

Tap Steel/Ferrous Metals From #10 to 9/16" (14mm) And Aluminum/Non-Ferrous Materials From #10 Up To 5/8" (16mm).

That said, I don't think I've ever used it beyond 3/8" in steel.

Thanks; I came across this tech video that explains the clutch mechanism which might explain why you haven't had yours kick in (looks like a rebadged machine to yours):

 

[ching0n]

My tap wrench is set up for 3/8” drive if you removed the handle. I used a 1/4” impact to 3/8” adapter amd put that in my 18v Dewalt impact. Had a small cup of tap oil to dip tap into and went to town on 60-80 3/8-16 threads in 1/4” wall DOM. I used decent quality taps from McMaster. Did this 2-3 times a year for probably five years.

Did you keep count of broken taps to hole ratio?

 

[LopezBart]

Did you keep count of broken taps to hole ratio?

What's critical to know here is the %thread (e.g. the size of the hole being tapped):

% Of Thread Calculation for Cutting Taps

​

Above from https://www.tapmatic.com/tapping-torque-vs-thread-strength.php

 

[ching0n]

What's critical to know here is the %thread (e.g. the size of the hole being tapped):

% Of Thread Calculation for Cutting Taps

​

Above from https://www.tapmatic.com/tapping-torque-vs-thread-strength.php

yeah, unfortunately, not a whole lot of cheap drills w/built in torque meters (maybe I'll throw this one in when I try it) (the floating tap ad above says most broken taps happen when backing out too). I think one can keep track of the clutch settings in a conventional drill w/a torque wrench though. Curiously, I did find this one & wondered if it would even work on the smallest taps:

 

[strength_and_power]

Did you keep count of broken taps to hole ratio?

One tap every 2-300 holes maybe. Very low for sure or else I’d have found a different solution

 

[dr_clyde]

First off, there's a TON of drills out there with built in impact.

Second, who the hell uses impact ANYTHING to run a tap?

I used to make a custom tap socket for a water heater manufacturer that uses impact wrenches to re-tap their NPT connections after welding.

Basically, I would weld a pipe tap into an impact socket and then they'd use them one their production line. The sockets would last for a few months before getting dull then they'd scrap them and start over. Hundreds and hundreds of tapped holes on a single tap.

Impacts work great for tapping, you just need to know what you're doing.

 

[LS1-IROC]

I used to make a custom tap socket for a water heater manufacturer that uses impact wrenches to re-tap their NPT connections after welding.

Basically, I would weld a pipe tap into an impact socket and then they'd use them one their production line. The sockets would last for a few months before getting dull then they'd scrap them and start over. Hundreds and hundreds of tapped holes on a single tap.

Impacts work great for tapping, you just need to know what you're doing.

Bradford White by chance?

 

[dr_clyde]

Bradford White by chance?

Not a lot of other water heater manufacturers in West Michigan, eh?

 

[LS1-IROC]

Not a lot of other water heater manufacturers in West Michigan, eh?

Lol, I guess not. The company I work for is quoting a rather large job for them right now so it rang a bell in my head when you said water heater manufacturer, then I noticed you are from Holland.