G8748 Hand Tapping Machine
-3-
Operation
The biggest risk when tapping holes is breaking
the tap. Since taps are hardened, they are also
very brittle and can snap off in the workpiece
if they are over-torqued. Chips may fly into the
operator's eyes if a tap breaks, causing immediate
eye injury. Also, broken taps can be very difficult
to remove, often requiring a special tap extractor.
Figure 9. Tap installed into adapter.
3. Insert the adapter into the spindle (Figure
10), then rotate the adapter until it snaps in
place.
4. Set the depth stop of the tap as follows:
Position the spindle so the tap is at the
desired stopping point, push the spindle col-
lar down so the lever is against the L-frame,
then tighten the spindle collar set screw, as
shown in
Figure 11.
Figure 11. Tightening spindle collar set screw.
5. Position the workpiece in the vise so the
drilled hole is aligned with the tap, then
secure the workpiece with the vise.
To remove an adapter:
1. Rotate the clip near the bottom end of the
spindle until the detent ball is exposed.
2. Pull the adapter out.
3. Rotate the clip back over the detent ball to
prepare the spindle for accepting another
adapter.
Always wear safety
glasses when tapping!
To prevent breaking taps, follow these tips:
•
Drill a hole to the proper size for your tap
(refer to the documentation included with
your tap set or find a chart on the internet).
•
Use tapping lubrication designed for the type
of metal you are tapping.
•
Don't force the tap deeper when rotation
becomes stiff. Instead, back the tap out,
clean off the cutting threads, re-lubricate,
then start again.
•
Be aware of the tapping hole depth. When
the tap bottoms out in the hole, stop rotating
it. Use the collar provided with the hand tap-
ping machine as a depth stop.
To install a tap and prepare the hand tapping
machine for operation:
1. Slide the tap into a matching sized adapter.
2. Tighten the set screw in the adapter against a
flat surface on the tap shaft (see
Figure 9).
Figure 10. Inserting the adapter into the spindle.
