Too thin to tap???

[Ray-CA]

I also posted this over in the Fabrication & Technique section

I have some tubing with a wall thickness of 0.120-inch. Is this thick enough to tap? Or should I use a nut-sert/rivet-nut type of fitting?

Thanks,

Ray

 

[tdkkart]

That depends, what size thread are you planning on using?? Obviously a 1/2-13 tap will not do much in 1/8" material, but a 6-32 or 4-40 would be fine, so it all depends......

 

[X1 Mike]

If possible what I like to do on square tubing is to tap the tubing. Once thats done run the proper size nut onto a screw and screw the whole assy. into the tapped hole. Tighten the nut to the tubing and tack the nut to the tubing. When you take the screw out you have the nut and sheet metal you are screwing to.

 

[Farmallgray]

I was always told that for maximum strength a tapped hole should be as deep as the diameter. In other words a 3/8" diameter hole should have threads 3/8"
deep. It really depends on how strong it needs to be for your particular applcation.

 

[tdkkart]

I was always told that for maximum strength a tapped hole should be as deep as the diameter. In other words a 3/8" diameter hole should have threads 3/8"

If you look at the nust that go on most size bolts they all pretty closely follow this rule. A 3/8" nut is approx. 3/8" thick. I've seen specs several times that specify 3 full threads no matter the size of the fastener. If you look, most fasteners follow this fairly closely also.

 

[sasquatchpa]

I tho't this was going to be skinny girls.

 

[nissan_crawler]

First off, before we get all technical and start whipping out our engineering and machinist handbooks, what the hell are we trying to do here?

If you're trying to hold an engine to it, you're destined for failure.

If you're trying to hold a small clamp for a wire loom, who cares?

If you're trying to mount your beer holder, who cares?

Yeah, there are "rules" on this, but at a certain point you have to have enough common sense when to apply the rules, and when to say piss on it.