Tap handle

[garage nut]

Yesterday for the "N"th time i had to tap a M12 tread using a small shifting spanner.

My tap handle can only handle to a M8 and that it even battles to do as it is partially seized and I have to use force to get it to open past M6.

I had some 12mm x 12mm bar so thought thus couls not take long. I have seen them made 1000 times, but it turned out to be a 3 hour job. I try and keep track of the time spent on jobs just to have some idea if do I buy or do I make.

I used my adapted 1/2 drive socket to round off the touching part. Perhaps this is not necessary if you are in a hurry because with the socket set up I had to do this in 3 stages. Only letting about 30mm stick out at a time. But I had the time...we are in LockDown.

Then in to the mill for a small cut to flatten where the "V" would go. This type of material is not very flat.

I like to have at least 1/2D left on a side if I drill into square bar, so the initial thought was 2 x M6 to clamp the 2 pieces of square bar together, but a clearance hole in the one side of 6.5mm would have left less than 3mm a side so I opted for 2 x M5. Drill and tap one side and clearance holes on the other.

Bolt it together and mark where the :V would go and back to the mill to machine it out. Several small cut not to destroy my only 10mm end mill.

And after a few coats of paint, I am very happy with the end result. The handles needed to be a little shorter than what ergonomically looked correct, but that is to clear the saddle when I tap using the lathe and tail stock to do tapping.

Another reason why "MAKING" was the correct decision.




Stay healthy.