# Tap And Die Aid – Holder



## Bruce88 (May 11, 2015)

One of the steps in manual tap and die thread creation is starting the cutting of the threads.  On this step you need to apply some force into the work and maintain the tap or die square to the item all at the same time for the first 2 to 3 turns.  After the first 2 to 3 turns the tap or die is generally set square and will self feed without additional pressure.

The tap and die aid – holder that I designed was to make this step easier and more accurate in the first 2 to 3 turns when doing manual tap and die work on my lathe.  The main concept/objective of the tool design was creating a flat square surface in line with the center line of the lathe.  This tool is not designed for power threading but as a general aid in creating manual grade 1 to 3 threads.

As I look around the web to see what others have done to create a tap and die holders I found many interesting tools but they were primarily designed for high accuracy and using the round split dies.  I have hex dies and was not planning to buy new dies and wanted generally good quality manual threading.  Also to note not all hex die handles can be used with this holder, the holder was designed for my Irwin hex die handle I had but would not work with my craftsman hex die handle.

I looked around my leftover raw stock and found a 2” DIA pipe with an inside DIA less than 1.5” X 3” long.  Machined a 1’ long plug with .005 press fit for one end and then drilled a hole in the plug with .005 press fit of the ½” chuck shaft.  This set the basic size of the tool I started machining.










For those that might be interested on how I turn my chuck for the manual tap and die work on my small lathe, I use a crank handle and apply the needed pressure with the tailstock handle.  How I made the crank handle can be seen on my post (Lathe Handle Crank) http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/lathe-handle-crank.35231/






As I leave off on this post ending with my favorite saying and philosophy of machining.

Measure it in thousands, mark it with a grease pencil, and cut it with an axe ---- Sometimes it feels this way for the home machinist.

Engineers design it in a perfect mathematical world then put in +/- tolerances so it can be made in the real world and the home machinist shoots for perfection, accepts within tolerance, and sometimes wonders if it will function/work when it doesn’t meet the design (smile).


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## RJSakowski (May 11, 2015)

A neat solution to a common problem!  A nice compliment to your hand crank.  you will need to change your moniker to "Threadmaster".


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## T Bredehoft (May 11, 2015)

Why didn't I think of that. Great concept, one base tool, two adapters, use it for anything.  I've still got to build the spindle crank.


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## Grumpy Gator (May 11, 2015)

Nice job.Well thought out and executed .Maybe because there old all my tap handles have centers on the back side. So all I have to do is put a dead center in the tail stock and keep pressure with the tail stock handle while turning the tap handle with the other hand.A little dab of Never-Size{SP} on the dead center and cutting oil on the tap makes the job go smooth.
*************Just Saying**********************************Gator*********************************


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## churchjw (May 11, 2015)

That is a great solution.  Have never seen it done this way.  Really nice.


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## kvt (May 11, 2015)

That is great.  Nice job. 
 I can think of one possible addition,  if you could find a light spring the right size to go against either holder or the die that way it would put and keep just the right pressure on it while you crank without having to adjust the tail stock pressure.


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