# Super Size Tap Guide



## RJSakowski (Jan 3, 2016)

I use a spring loaded tap guide whenever I tap holes on the mill.  It has some problems though.  Frequently, I don't have enough head room to fit a tap, a tap wrench, and the tap guide.  I am also limited to 1/4" taps and smaller. Finally, the usable travel is about .4" which is frequently not sufficient to fully tap a hole.

I had started to design my own tap wrench which could accommodate taps up to 5/8" and would have a short profile.  Making a self centering tap wrench could be accomplished but with some difficulty. 

Last week, I was in our local DIY and stopped by the taps to see if I could get some ideas.  There I found a tap wrench made by Irwin ( P/N 1766069) which seemed to fit the bill.  At 2-1/2", it was considerably shorter than a traditional collet type tap wrench.  It was speced at accommodating taps from 1/4" to 1/2".  There was a socket for a 3/8" drive which could be used for a tap guide, and it had a 1" hex for driving with a wrench if you really needed some torque.  At a little over $14 with store rebates, I picked one up. 

Once home, I checked it out.  It actually will accommodate taps from #12 through 9/16".  The 3/8" socket will seat a .380" pin.  I set about designing the tap guide, basically an upsized version of the commercial guide.  The housing is 3/4" in diameter to fit my 3./4" R8 collet.  I designed the travel to be 1.3".  I also added a replaceable tip so I could easily go from a point to a countersunk end.  The countersunk end also serves as the centering pin for the Irwin tap wrench.  The Irwin wrench is unmodified.

The project was almost entirely lathe work.  The only exception was milling a screwdriver slot in the threaded retaining plug.  For the housing, the plunger, and the two tips, I used some bar stock salvaged from old printers.  It is a free machining steel with characteristics similar to 41L40.  The 9/16" - 18 threaded plug was cut from a length of threaded rod.  On modification made on the fly was to add a boss to center the spring.  A 1/8" screwdriver slot was milled.

The assembled tap guide and tap wrench extends about 2.6" below the R8 collet.  The actual travel is 1.5" which will handle most tapping needs.  The violet part is the replaceable tip  it has a 1/4-28 male thread to  mate with the threaded socket in the blue plunger.  The spring extends downward into a socket in the plunger.  The photo shows the commercial tap guide in the lower left, the new guide, the tip for engaging the Irwin tap wrench, and the Irwin tap wrench in the upper right.


----------



## echesak (Jan 4, 2016)

That's Awesome!


----------



## HitFactor (Jan 7, 2016)

I'm in learning mode. How do you use this tool?

I've read this post a couple times and have one of those Irwin tap holders. 

It seems to be an alignment tool, once aligned chuck up the tap.


----------



## great white (Jan 7, 2016)

HitFactor said:


> I'm in learning mode. How do you use this tool?
> 
> I've read this post a couple times...



ditto.


----------



## RJSakowski (Jan 7, 2016)

HitFactor said:


> I'm in learning mode. How do you use this tool?
> 
> I've read this post a couple times and have one of those Irwin tap holders.
> 
> It seems to be an alignment tool, once aligned chuck up the tap.



In the drawing, the housing (transparent) is mounted in a collet.  The plunger & tip (blue and violet) are forced downward by the spring.  The mill spindle is centered over the hole to be tapped.   The top of the tap wrench has a countersink which is fitted to the point.  The plunger is pushed up, compressing the spring, lowering the quill, if necessary.and a tap wrench with tap installed is placed in the hole.  

The tap is lubricated and the tapping process begun.  As the tap feeds into the work, the spring loaded plunger follows the tap, keeping the tap aligned with the hole.  An added advantage is that the guide makes it difficult to inadvertently pull the tap to one side, breaking the tap.

If using the Irwin tap wrench, the pointed tip is replaced with the cylindrical tip which seats in the 3/8" drive socket at the top of the wrench.  Otherwise, it acts the same as the pointed tip.

The commercial guide (lower left functions the same way, just on a smaller scale)  With a 1/2" housing, it can be used in a drill press.


----------



## HitFactor (Jan 7, 2016)

Thanks, your explanation helps a lot. I think I'll try making one.


----------



## sd624 (Jan 7, 2016)




----------



## great white (Jan 8, 2016)

sd624 said:


> View attachment 118866


Ah, there it is.

I just couldn't picture it from the description.

Picture is worth a thousand words....


----------



## Pops (Oct 13, 2016)

I use basically the same arrangement with the spring except I have several pieces of 1/8" thick metal that I have drilled and filed a hole the same size as the square on various sizes of taps. Don't have to worry about a long tap handle getting in the way.


----------



## KMoffett (Oct 13, 2016)

I did this  a couple of months before ENCO started selling them.   The throw is only about 3/4". But, I can keep adjusting the quill to go deeper.  The piston is two ended . There is a point on one end (shown), for the counter sink in the top wrench.  And a countersink on the other end for the pointed top ends of taps when using a tapping bar. Just remove the set screw, flip it end for end, and insert the set screw in the other hole.

Ken


----------



## Charles Spencer (Oct 13, 2016)

Pops said:


> View attachment 137549
> View attachment 137550
> 
> 
> ...



Good idea.


----------



## Silverbullet (Oct 15, 2016)

Nice builds. I agree the little spring ones are just that too little. The Irwin handle is really a nice one to have on my Xmas list .


----------



## TORQUIN (Nov 3, 2016)

I'm not getting it. How is the tap guide gonna engage the Irwin tap wrench? I have a set of them, purchased from Amazon a few years ago. Mine don't have the hex and can only be driven by the square hole for the ratchet. I have often wished for a ratchet with a countersunk hole in the back, to put a guide into, as driving with a ratchet is very nice, if you can keep it centered.

Chris


----------



## kd4gij (Nov 3, 2016)

TORQUIN said:


> I'm not getting it. How is the tap guide gonna engage the Irwin tap wrench? I have a set of them, purchased from Amazon a few years ago. Mine don't have the hex and can only be driven by the square hole for the ratchet. I have often wished for a ratchet with a countersunk hole in the back, to put a guide into, as driving with a ratchet is very nice, if you can keep it centered.
> 
> Chris



square drive T handles usually have a center hole in the back. You could start with that and switch to a ratchet. or put one of these on a T handle


----------



## TORQUIN (Nov 4, 2016)

OK, thanks. While I have seen that type of drive handle before, I have never seen the use of that kind of handle and never thought I'd need one in my arsenal, figuring a breaker bar or ratchet would be enough. I'm going to look into getting one now, as I long for a shorter tap guide and handle setup like others.

Chris


----------



## kingmt01 (Nov 7, 2016)

Very nice work. I like it.

I have some Snappy tap sockets I bought years ago. I've found taps really want to go straight as long as your not pulling them to the side. So I Mount the tap socket in the drill chuck & start the tap a few turns. Once it's started it's hard to pull sideways so I'll finish the job with a ratchet usually. I don't like power tapping.


----------



## RJSakowski (Nov 7, 2016)

TORQUIN said:


> I'm not getting it. How is the tap guide gonna engage the Irwin tap wrench? I have a set of them, purchased from Amazon a few years ago. Mine don't have the hex and can only be driven by the square hole for the ratchet. I have often wished for a ratchet with a countersunk hole in the back, to put a guide into, as driving with a ratchet is very nice, if you can keep it centered.
> 
> Chris


When using the Irwin tap wrench, I use the 3/8" cylindrical end which nicely fits the 3/8" socket.  The cylindrical profile provides a more positive drive and less chance of pulling the tap wrench from the guide when tapping large holes.  The conical tip can be used with a traditional T handle tap wrench.

I prefer to not use a ratchet for tapping because of the sideways torque introduced.


----------



## kingmt01 (Nov 7, 2016)

The reason I use the drill chuck is so it will slip if it binds. Otherwise I'd out it in the collet which I have done when I used to power tap. I agree the ratchet does introduced side torque. That's why I start them under power of the mill machine then switch to the ratchet with a careful hand.


----------



## Splat (Mar 28, 2019)

Old thread, I know. Did you harden the point against wear?


----------



## kd4gij (Apr 30, 2019)

There is reley no need to harden the tip.


----------



## RJSakowski (Apr 30, 2019)

Splat said:


> Old thread, I know. Did you harden the point against wear?


No, I didn't.  Considering how few revolutions are made in tapping, I would have to tap a lot of holes to see any wear.


----------



## kd4gij (Apr 30, 2019)

One of these could be used for a tap guide.








						Automatic Center Punch with Brass Handle
					

Amazing deals on this Automatic Center Punch With Brass Handle at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.




					www.harborfreight.com


----------



## kd4gij (Apr 30, 2019)

on the mill I chuck a 3/8" tap that has a point on the end and use a bungy cord to hold the quill down.


----------



## ezduzit (Apr 30, 2019)

Most tap wrenches have a hole in the top. I simply chuck the correct numbered drill, shank down, in the drill press and lock the quill. The hole is deep enough that, by the time the tap handle disengages that hole, the tap direction is already well established and so the guide is no longer necessary.

Now I have an E-Z Tapper.


			https://sep.yimg.com/ay/yhst-46537691064911/cedarberg-e-z-hand-tapper-3.gif


----------

