Recently discovered the existence of this gadget, and it is wonderful:
(not the drill press, the tapping head installed on it)
Grizzly T10057, was an "open box" deal on amazon, $140. Also picked up some YG1 HSS spiral flute taps via ebay and tried it out.
Works pretty darn good, turns tapping from something I despise into a quick down and back motion of the drill press.
For those not familiar with it, basically it runs the tap forward into the hole as long as you have downward pressure on it... stop, and it stops... start to raise the quill of the drill press, and it kicks the tapping head into reverse to back the tap out (while the drill press runs in forward the entire time).