How to tap threads using a drill

[PUSSY100ish]

This seems to be much easier than doing it with a tap wrench

[ultimatehandyman]

@PUSSY100ish

It is much easier and faster, especially when you are tapping a lot of holes.

[PUSSY100ish]

Always wanted to know how to do this because a lot of items that need mounting to floors need this type of fixing. EXCELLENT WORK

[gekkomaster1]

cordless drill, or drill press works perfectly to thread, if you're a little carefull :P

i tried out our new portable magnet base drill at work the other day.

ended up drilling and threading 24 M36 holes with it. at about 8minutes per hole.

works quite well, but it's a lot of work drilling with manual feed.

[ultimatehandyman]

@gekkomaster1

I have never tried the mag drill for this, but I'll give it a go when I get chance.

Thanks for the comment

[gekkomaster1]

@ultimatehandyman with a normal sized mag drill you might be able to do M16 maybe M20.

i have a video of the machine we have at work threading M36.

that machine is the biggest portable mag drill available worldwide.

it is capable of drilling 200MM diameter and tapping M52. and we have machine number 1 and 2 :)

[ultimatehandyman]

@gekkomaster1

Thanks, just watched the video and gave it a thumbs up ;-)

[HentaizerZ]

Detail must be strong fix.

[izaatmusic]

how do you make sure your cordless drill is always aligned to the hole? if torque is too powerful carbide will break, if torque too light the carbide wont bite, how bout if its not parallel to the hole? you cant leave the drill hanging if its stuck due to alignment error and you cant change the torque number while drilling (might break the carbide's thread due to movements).. any ideas to counter my question? hmm..

[ultimatehandyman]

@izaatmusic

Most taps here are either made from High speed steel or Carbon steel. I suggest practising this method on some scrap pieces. Once you have done it a few times it is easy and quick. As long as you use a taper tap there should not be any problems, Just use a low torque setting and if it jams reverse the tap and increase the torque setting.

[izaatmusic]

@ultimatehandyman i have been using this technique for more than 5 years already and i have been handling machines single handedly for the same amount of time. I have been breaking them quite alot of times myself even till today. YES it is quick. But it may destroy the tap. I can only think of having spare taps to use this technique. or do you have any other suggestion?

[ultimatehandyman]

@izaatmusic

The only thing I can think of is the tap material. A lot of people on here use carbide taps, but I only ever use High speed steel or Carbon steel which may be less brittle than carbide? Also you must use planty of cutting fluid!

I can honestly say that I have never broken a tap using this technique as the torque control on the drill should not allow it.

[izaatmusic]

@ultimatehandyman hmm.. material? more cutting fluid? cool! honestly.. why i didnt think of that? thanks! i appreciate it! :)

[deckelpc]

@garthqueen quote "i'm a fool?" Do you know me? No! Lordy, That would be like me suggesting you were a "queen".

This will do the job but but i do suggest you visit a real machine shop to see how real engineers actually 'tap' holes. Typically some people get all defensive woooooooooo!

[deckelpc]

@ultimatehandyman the fact he is using a power drill to "tap" is ridiculous. If the tap bites the drill will still turn forcing your wrist to turn. If you have ever sprained a wrist you'll know what i mean!

[deckelpc]

I just showed my manager this video and he has never laughed so much in his life, mind you he has only had 40 years of experience being an engineer!

[ultimatehandyman]

@deckelpc

Why did he laugh?

What is funny about it?

[deckelpc]

@ultimatehandyman because trying to "tap" holes like that is ridiculous. If the tap bites the drill will rotate quickly twisting your wrist around. If you've ever sprained a wrist you'll know exactly what i mean!

[garthqueen]

@deckelpc you fool,hes using low torque,it'll stop well before any arm wrenching! You have obviously never used a cordless drill properly in your life!

This guy knows what he is about,and has what i would consider to be the best instructional DIY videos on YouTube bar none.

[ultimatehandyman]

@deckelpc

If you watch the video and paid attention at 0:48 I explained about the torque control on the drill which will prevent the drill from injuring the user. A few weeks ago I tapped sixty M6 holes in a machine at work in a matter of hours ;-)

[TheCaptainD82]

I would be scared to death of breaking the tap. I always feel like I have more control with a tapping wrench. I have considered getting a tapping chuck for my drill press, but I am not sure if it has enough torque and speed control to drive a tap all the way through in one shot without breaking it.

[ultimatehandyman]

@TheCaptainD82

The tapping chucks look good for a drill press, but often you can't get the work piece into the workshop. As long as the torque control on the drill is set correctly this method works well. I tapped 60 M6 holes a few weeks back in a machine at work, it only took me a couple of hours! but to do that many holes with a tap wrench would have taken much longer. I also used a fair bit of cutting/tapping fluid which always helps!

Thanks for the comment

[Romanflight]

SPEAK ENGLISH, GOD DAMN IT.

[ultimatehandyman]

@Romanflight

Perhaps I should start putting subtitles on the videos for people that are a little slow ;-)

[Romanflight]

@ultimatehandyman LOL, GOOD ONE MATE. JUST PULLING YOUR LEG.

[ultimatehandyman]

@Romanflight

Ha Ha, LOL ;-)

[mustang2440]

Don't know why I just didn't fit the two together, I use them all the time!!

Well done, I'll have to try this method.

[ultimatehandyman]

@mustang2440

It's a real time saver and makes your life much easier, especially if you have a lot of holes to tap.

Thanks for the comment

[Nitricthunder]

@ultimatehandyman Taps are made of carbide, not hardened steel.

[ultimatehandyman]

@Nitricthunder

Thanks but I'll think you find that in the UK at least you can get taps made from either carbon steel with cut threads or High speed steel with ground threads both of which are classed as hardened steel!

[mustang2440]

I'm a bit puzzled- the tap has a square end; all the drills I've seen have a three jaw chuck- yet I see the tap turning without a wobble.

Can you explain how this works?

Cheers

[ultimatehandyman]

@mustang2440

The square is smaller than the shank of the tap, so you grab the round part of the tap in the chuck (shank).

It works well, I have tapped hundreds of holes using this method

[jmar1371]

Looks like a great way to break a tap.

[ultimatehandyman]

@jmar1371

That is why you have to use a drill with torque control.

I tapped sixty M6 holes in a machine at work last week using this method without breaking one tap.

[Harleyman440]

Great tip works awsome

[ultimatehandyman]

@Harleyman440

Thanks for the comment

[1991JeepMan]

Thank you!! I tried drilling/tapping a whole yesterday, and the spot is so tight I cant fit a tap wrench inside well, which essentially screwed up my work. I've gotten a size larger tap and drill bit, and now I am more confident because I know the drill will fit perfectly. Thanks again!!

[ultimatehandyman]

@1991JeepMan

You are welcome.

Thanks for the comment

[juliosectionone]

Thank you i will get one of those drills will be handy at the end of the day

[ultimatehandyman]

@juliosectionone

You are welcome.

Thanks for the comment

[juliosectionone]

Thank you, what would i need to do with a drill (cheapo Drill) that does not have that Torque selection and is just one fix speed?

[ultimatehandyman]

@juliosectionone

I would not risk tapping an hole without torque control as you risk breaking the tap, which will be very difficult to remove!

[dragsteralf]

would not recommend this for anything smaller then 6mm.

[gettingahandle]

Great teacher!

[ultimatehandyman]

@gettingahandle

Thanks for the comment ;-)

[Chronics42]

If you use a machine tap it's alot easier you dont have to reverse to break the chip you can tell it's a machine tap because they only have 3 to 2 cutting sides

[sloeleek]

iv e saved alot of time and wrist pain doing this.... if the specifications allow ...drill a few thousands over. and let er rip. once your past the starter threads i apply upward pressure .....any crookedness will straighjten right up i would not use this technique if i had hours and hours in a detail  the dont call me two flute for nothing

[AeroDurbanite]

Good Work,Nice Instructional but it's easy to break the tap in there with a drill.Use the little T-bar and save yourself the headache matey.

[ultimatehandyman]

@AeroDurbanite

I have done it hundreds of times at work with the drill, as long as the hole is not a blind hole it normally works ok. If time was not an issue I'd use the tap wrench, but if there is a breakdown and it's costing £200 per minute I'd use the drill to save some time

[MalibuKen65]

Nice job! I would not, however, use a drill to "chase" tapped holes to clean them out. Too easy to wipe out what's already there.

[ultimatehandyman]

@MalibuKen65

Good point. Thanks for the comment

[ultimatehandyman]

@gaggotgaggot

Get to school and leave the adults to do the work ;-)

[superdau]

Oh, forget the comment I just made on your video about tapping acrylic, where I talked about using a cordless drill instead of a tap wrench. You're already doing it (as should be expected of an ultimate handy man ;) ).

Another good addition: put the cordless drill into a drill stand. No crooked threads that way and applying even (or no) pressure is very easy with it.

[ultimatehandyman]

@superdau

No worries, I use all three methods for tapping.

I always welcome useful comments like yours as I know far from everything!

Thanks for the comments

[maxny1]

What a great idea. Thank you

[ultimatehandyman]

@maxny1

You are welcome.

Thanks for the comment!

[arbit3r]

Very good video, thanks

[ultimatehandyman]

@arbit3r

You are welcome, thanks for the comment!

[mrphotoid]

Very instructive, thanks.

[ultimatehandyman]

@mrphotoid

You are welcome.

Thanks for the comment!

[ModalGroove]

does this method wark on fiberglass??

[ultimatehandyman]

@ModalGroove

I doubt it would work on fibreglass.

[destro319]

great video, thank you

[RidingSausage]

you sound like Arnold Schwarzenegger!!!! :D

[ultimatehandyman]

@RidingSausage

LOL, A few people on youtube say I sound like captain price ;-)

[porrsmurfen]

@ultimatehandyman Because all the 12 y old CoD players are so thrilled by hearing a scottish voice outside of CoD ;)

[gekkomaster1]

nice instructional video you got there :)

at work were normally not so carefull when tapping, having the drill in "drill" mode or no torque limit and just go for it .P for holes 16mm and bigger we use taps welded on 1/2" sockets and an impact wrench.

[ultimatehandyman]

@gekkomaster1

Thanks, I try and make people be careful when tapping with a drill, just in case the tap snaps!

Thanks for the comment!

[utsports]

good job  thanks for your video

[ultimatehandyman]

@utsports

You are welcome.

Thanks for the comment!

[igbhd]

brill video