Broken tap removal

[pontiac428]

If you were using a straight-flute tap, the Walton extractors are the way to go...

 

[stupoty]

Often you can get thread taps in a set of three, taper tap / second tap / bottoming tap

I have found it helpful to use the taper tap first to aid with both alignment and the extra taper helps with a low cutting force to start with.

I use an old tooth brush to remove chips from the taps between holes also

Stu

 

[Airpirate]

If you were using a straight-flute tap, the Walton extractors are the way to go...

I have a number 6 Walton extractor but the blades won't fit between the flute and the hole threads.

 

[Airpirate]

Filed the Walton fingers until they fit, then broke them off while trying to extract. Going to try freeze spray and a punch and then EDM.

 

[pontiac428]

D'oh! HeliCoils will work nice, but first you gotta get that tap out. I had a similar problem a while back (extractor broke deep down) and drilled it out with a diamond bit. In the end, it was okay...

 

[Jimsehr]

Look on you tube for Jerry’s tap extraction . It will show you the way it’s done. And he has people send him parts from all over the country to repair. He is in Santa Ana Ca. And he will be able to tell you the cost.

 

[Airpirate]

Thanks! I'll check it out

 

[BaronJ]

Hi Airpirate,

I've never broken a tap myself, but know a few people who have ! I rescued one job by using a diamond core drill and removing the broken tap and a plug of the parent metal. I turned a plug a thou over size and hydraulically pressed it into the hole. This was then re-drilled and tapped.
I did a similar repair on a broken cylinder head stud, but using a diamond core drill not quite the same size as the stud. That one left the threads in the hole which were removed with an easy out after blasting some heat at it.

So using a diamond drill might be your answer.

 

[Airpirate]

Thanks for the tip. The oversized plug action is also a good suggestion.

 

[ThinWoodsman]

Broke a 6-40 tap off when tapping DRO mounts on a Taig mill. Tried a few of the usual methods, then ended up using a carbide grinding burr to get a hole started, then using an Omega drill to get all the way through the tap do I could pull it out in pieces. This was freehand using a hand drill on the horizontal plane, so it took ages - but it did finally succeed. Those 6-40 and 4-48 holes don't leave you a lot of room to work in.

Learned my lesson from that and bought the full 3-piece tap set instead of trying to use a taper for everything.