Thread Forming Taps

I've only tried form tapping by hand a couple of times as an experiment. Both times were failures. Tap broke. The great success they are capable seems to me to be with a rigid power tap cycle in a CNC machine, and all done in one shot (Fanuc G84). I've seen them break many times with a regular tapping head. I ran some on a SpeedyCut tapping machine that is gear driven with the proper lead to match the tap and even then, if you are hand holding the part, the slightest move of the part can result in a broken tap. I'm sure that was exacerbated by the size of the tap I was using, but it sure changed my personal opinion on where they belong.

If anyone has used them by hand, without breaking (and they are a pain to get out) then more power to them. They do make a stronger thread, and are great when the application allows.
 
Glad I asked first before buying them. I will pass on roll form for now. I don't need precision for this part.
I'm going with standard tap sets. I also found short set screws that I'll take a closer look at. They're from McMasters and
come in 1/8" lengths. Hollow lock set screws. They may work well enough. They have have brass tip set screws, but I'd
rather go with Mikeys' suggestion and use Delrin rod as a buffer to prevent marring.
 
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