# Starrett Style Tap Handles



## Ecosta777 (Jun 13, 2022)

I made the 91C style Tap wrench 3 years ago, and started the 91B size shortly after. I FINALLY got around to finishing the smaller size.

Both are made from hardened A2 tool steel and are pretty much exact copies of the Starrett models. The only thing I did differently was added a hole on the opposite side of the slot in the end. This way if anything happens and disassembly is required, the retaining pin can be pressed out through the hole. 


I turned them manually on the lathe, and roughed out the flat part on the mill. I brought them to work to do the flared profile on the flat part and the pocket for the tap on the CNC mill. I made a custom slug and used a keyway broach to eliminate the radius in the pocket for the tap and get a square corner. I also heat treated them in the oven at work. The large one warped a little, but it's not noticable when using it. 


I had material on hand for the smaller one, and I think I paid about $60 for material for the larger one. I had a lot of fun making them, and they were a fraction of the cost of buying real Starrett ones. 






























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## MrWhoopee (Jun 13, 2022)

That's some beautiful work right there! Thanks for sharing.


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## wachuko (Jun 13, 2022)

Dude!!!  Beautiful work right there!!!


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## woodchucker (Jun 13, 2022)

Yea, it's beautiful, impressive. And it's an Eric Costa original.. with your name imprinted. well done.. 5 stars..


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## francist (Jun 13, 2022)

Outstanding execution, @woodchucker said it all — Five Stars!

-frank


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## DavidR8 (Jun 13, 2022)

Wow, that is some beautiful work!


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## Suzuki4evr (Jun 13, 2022)

Exquisitely done. Full marks my friend.


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## pontiac428 (Jun 13, 2022)

Nice.  You're all tapped up, wrenchwise.  I need to get started on some of those.  I've been wanting better tap handles the same way Geppetto wanted a real boy.  I had better be careful.


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## Martin W (Jun 13, 2022)

Very well done!
Cheers
Martin


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## sycle1 (Jun 14, 2022)

Beautiful work, impressive!
a set of those has been on the to do list for a while.


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## WobblyHand (Jun 14, 2022)

Well done indeed!  Could you share how you did some of the operations?  When ever I see something as beautiful as this I wonder how it was done.  Did you broach the square relief?  How did you heat treat the part?  Did you heat treat the plunger tip as well?  Your tap wrenches are works of art.


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## frugalguido (Jun 15, 2022)

Very nice!


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## Ecosta777 (Jun 16, 2022)

Thanks guys!

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk


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## Ecosta777 (Jun 16, 2022)

WobblyHand said:


> Well done indeed! Could you share how you did some of the operations? When ever I see something as beautiful as this I wonder how it was done. Did you broach the square relief? How did you heat treat the part? Did you heat treat the plunger tip as well? Your tap wrenches are works of art.


I started by facing one end and drilling the hole for the plunger. Then pulled it out far enough to do the main body and one end, using a live center. I turned the OD and the shorter handle end. Then single point threaded the end. I used a form tool to get the large radius on the main part of the handle. I then flipped it, and used a tiny center drill so I could support it with a center while turning the handle. I roughed it in, and finished the taper on the handle with the compound in two sections, then added the radius on that side with the form tool.

Then I milled the main body flat +.020" or so from finish. I brought it to work to use the CNC mill for the pocket in the middle. I broached the square relief using a custom slug I made to fit the pocket, and machined the flared ends of the main body on the CNC mill as well. 

The plunger was just turned and milled manually. It took some playing around with the get the right length and to locate the pin properly. I heat treated the tip with a torch. The knurled handle I just drilled and tapped, turned and knurled, and heat treated. 

Heat treating was done in the small heat treat oven we have at work, it barely fit! I had to have it angled up and across the chamber, which is why it warped, it basically just sagged as it got hot. 1750 degrees for a few hours, then once cooled I tempered it at 400 for about 3 hours.

After that I just sanded everything down in the lathe, and polished with simichrome. 

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## wachuko (Jun 16, 2022)

Outstanding!


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## Janderso (Jun 19, 2022)

Holy cow.
You are a tool and die man.
Beautiful job. Too pretty to use.


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