How To Break A Tap & Other Ramblings

[@scarletmisfit]

I'm not a machinist in any capacity, but my significant other is, so he likes watching your videos, and I've ALWAYS enjoyed watching them with him. But after the "clutch" joke on this video, I had to comment and let you know...the jokes you make in your videos make me laugh, groan, and head-desk in despair, and that is amazing. You are irreplaceable. Thank you for being you and for uploading these videos so I can laugh while I learn things [so that I can have more competent conversations with my SO].

[@TheHungrySlug]

I couldn't have said that better myself! My wife enjoys watching these videos too and I'm not sure if I've ever "edit, Heard Her" laugh so much. She's even pretty good with automotive work and can fix a number of car and engine problems. I consider myself to be "Very Lucky", She's even pretty good with strip-down work, That is Pulling things apart so we can repair them, Sorry for any confusion that may have caused.

[@paultrgnp]

I couldn't agree more . . . . . even for those of us who are getting older and finding that we are slowly but surely getting less and less Quill in our Spindles!

[@mikedrop4421]

That's so awesome that you watch videos like this with your SO. I've been in the automotive repair industry for most of my life and when I dated a girl who would get involved and turn wrenches or watch car videos with me it was wonderful. Better than watching sexy movies together lol. Nothing in the world is hotter than the way she looked while wearing my work shirt with a smear of grease on her face. It was all I could do to drag her inside the house before attacking her with kisses and the like.

[@scarletmisfit]

@@mikedrop4421 I totally get that! I grew up on a farm+ranch, so I'm no stranger to getting dirty, and I can do tractor maintenance and things, but machining...making parts and pieces from scratch is something I'd never experienced before. :) It can definitely be sexy to have someone who shares your interests, no matter what they are.

[@scarletmisfit]

@@TheHungrySlug That's awesome! I'm great at taking things apart...not so great at remembering how they go back together. Just means you're collaborating!

[@arduinoversusevil2025]

Breaking taps?! You mowin' my lawn Tony?

[@bobhumplick4213]

i heard you mention this old tony so i came over to check him out. watched a video and liked it but something seemed familiar. turned out looking through his video list i had watched nearly every video he made (i assume some time ago) and just had forgotten about it. truly a master youtuber

[@shirothehero0609]

@@bobhumplick4213 ToT is a god among men. Best machinist YTer out there.

[@Catchcheese]

Shirosake, AvE is standing right there

[@shirothehero0609]

@@Catchcheese oh, I'm well aware. :)

[@Catchcheese]

Shirosake, well you can have you opinion, even if it’s a special one ;)

[@matthewb8229]

The dad jokes are strong with this one. I am going to use "When it comes to chamfers, there's no cutting corners" at every opportunity...whether it makes sense or not,

[@JukeboxJake]

Same here

[@user-yx7dp2pl8t]

You don’t wanna be cutting corners with your jokes now padawan

[@heatshield]

Don't forget his classic, from the fourth axis. Wipes finger along the edge. "No blood, good chamfer."

[@harryoliver3117]

Banggoodtools

[@StreuB1]

S/O: "Honey, what do you think about mexican for dinner tonight?" Other S/O: "Well I dunno, they have the habit of fighting back at times..." S/O: "What???" Other S/O: "What I meant to say is that when it comes to chamfers, there's no cutting corners." S/O: nothing

[@richardsolomon5375]

I prefer breaking my taps with a cordless drill. Nothing breaks taps faster or more reliably like adding a motor to hand tapping.

[@jasonmurawski5877]

Richard Solomon *wintergatan wants to know your location*

[@kinglouis6974]

Richard Solomon Omg tell me bout it when I started my working life I was a mechanic and went to college where I was tapping by hand In later life I started steel erecting And machine driving, where they use drills , this boils my shit man

[@craigmandall9420]

I've found putting them in a chuck that adapts to my battery rattle gun works quite well too

[@Nevir202]

Jason Murawski oh he knows. He’s in this comment section already lol

[@bryanfullerton1566]

I dunno. Most of my cordless drills are too weak, unless it's a tiny tap.

[@BoxxZero]

Just want to say that while your content has remained consistently interesting over the years, the production value has noticeably been steadily increasing. The extra time you're taking to frame a shot, set up lighting, get in really tight, and figure out a way to still operate your equipment without killing yourself for what might only end up as a few seconds in your final edit hasn't gone unappreciated. And I'm willing to bet that I'm not the only one.

[@michaelg_839]

Ditto that. As I see his videos improve, I get uneasy watching his videos for free.

[@Nemozoli]

​@@michaelg_839 Consider donating a few bucks every month to him on Patreon, as I do! Now I have no regrets and no uneasy pangs, just the warm, cozy and fuzzy feelings that come with the emergence of a new TOT video, and me having a nice cup of coffee with cream while watching them (I can not fathom how he manages to time the upload of these videos to coincide exactly with my coffee-drinking habits...).

[@michaelg_839]

@@Nemozoli Regarding the last part of your comment, maybe his coffee drinking coincides with yours. 😉 I might wait till one of my subscriptions expire this year before contributing. It all adds up.

[@moehoward01]

Yep.

[@trumanhw]

seriously. I notice that stuff too -- and even watch some of it a few times in slow motion to make sure I really understand how much went in to it ... and often wonder how he got so good at editing and anticipating our perception (in order to justify the time he must have spent) making it.

[@okaywhatever2657]

"I don't want you to get burnt out on..." My dude you could do a 10 part series of 20 minute videos on anything and I wouldn't get burnt out on it.

[@mikedrop4421]

@@cmmartti that's the difference between the two channels. TOT puts a lot of effort into keeping things fresh. Sometimes there's no speaking or the videos are themed. Some are movie spoofs and some are collaborative efforts. AvE is always 2 hands and a bunch of recycled jokes while taking something apart. Also TOT is super humble and like TOT, AvE is usually the smartest guy in the room but unlike TOT he makes sure everyone knows it. I definitely agree with your point but with all the Easter eggs, graphics, artwork, fresh jokes and clever editing I think this channel is like one of those TV shows that runs for 20 years because it's always remained relevant.

[@ZeeCaptainRon]

ToT could make a 10 part miniseries on watching paint dry and I would still watch every one.

[@Wintergatan]

*reads title Now this is a video for me!!

[@EyebrowsMahoney]

Glad to see my favorite YT'ers all enjoying each other :)

[@deadmanwillyimbothdeadandalive]

How many taps do you think you’ve broken?

[@TechGorilla1987]

I doubt you will read this after so long, but you're are the ONLY You Tuber that I will consistently watch your videos over and over again.

[@JeffCowan]

Isn't this a problem that can be fixed through the application of more and larger machines, even more tooling, and a larger shop?

[@billmielke7395]

Maybe just a tapping arm

[@mpetersen6]

What do all garages, pole barns, shops etc have in common? They're all TOO SMALL

[@richardhunter9995]

Yes more and larger machines let you break taps faster and more efficiently.

[@MisterLongShot_Official]

Abom79 would've just gotten a whole 'nother mill just to do power tapping by now.

[@mpetersen6]

@@richardhunter9995 I can honestly say that I have never broken a tap in my 46 year long carreer. But I have worn a lot of them out "suddenly"

[@avivzaberko5217]

Hey Tony! I love your videos, I'm almost 18 years old and I'm in an FRC (FIRST Robotics Competition) team and every time I learn something new to try in our workshop

[@HandToolRescue]

You can also cold blue steel with root killer (Copper Sulfate)!

[@RobertKreegier]

The real LPT is always in the comments.

[@disruptivetimes8738]

Elevator music and good tasting tool holders, hilarious. That last thing, slurping sound and a wet tool holder got me off guard and I almost fell from the couch, because, you know, we all did that at some point in dark places. Glad you had the courage to show the world what steel lovers do if nobody is watching.

[@murillobuono8782]

Disruptive Times lol.... Nice Elevator music! Kkkk it is Bossa-nova!

[@StefanSalowsky]

I watched that video in the open office and nearly popped a knee cap trying to stifle the laugh :D

[@jackalovski1]

The quickest way to snap a tap is to post it to Martyn at Wintergatan

[@ro_yo_mi]

What I like about this method is that he'll even do them in bulk.

[@Der_Arathok]

Uuh, shots fired!

[@bergamt]

He's so good he's able to snap them while tapping plywood

[@eflanagan1921]

@@bergamt The bar has been raised ! A challenge !

[@Wintergatan]

I came down Here to see If someone wrote that!! Haha! I’ll take it:)

[@jonfeuerborn5859]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that I do believe that this is the best channel on KZbin. Now, this is obviously an opinion, and those are only worth so much (though I'm convinced that mine should carry more weight than it does). Keep 'em coming. You've captivated a loyal band of tap snappers like myself. :-)

[@geoffbackman6347]

I genuinely appreciate your videos! I’ve learned lots over years

[@michaelwebb8788]

I'm not even a machinist but I love these videos for the information and the monologue. Nice work.

[@noeatnosleep]

Every time the notification for ToT pops up I do a little happy dance inside.

[@bluebalute]

Gosh, you're so restrained.

[@llljustcallhimdave]

I used to do that but the girlfriend complains, I think it's the steel top cap boots, I have to go outside and do it now. I get some strange looks off the neighbors, but I'm used to that...

[@EdAgers110]

Isaac Rockett INSIDE?

[@billiondollardan]

So you're saying that if a guy has a quill, he should use that to break taps rather than moving the whole table

[@kieranh2005]

Economy of movement. You use less energy for the same number of broken taps...

[@redramage]

Sir, I need no instruction in the fine art of breaking taps. I was a natural, breaking taps from my very first exposure to them. I continue to maintain my skill to this very day. Sometimes I tap a thread I really should have thread milled, just to savor the sound and feeling of the gorram tap snapping like the first rays of sunlight over a frozen field of wheat.

[@jojoposter]

Beautiful

[@ostracizedelite5096]

@Sheldon Robertson A man of prematurely cancelled culture

[@BobbyDukeArts]

Man, that was so satisfying to watch.

[@ThisOldTony]

Thanks!

[@gregiep]

Good machining is satisfying

[@hanrovisser7053]

Bobby... can I expect a machining art video in the future?? XD

[@KontSkerpCutlery]

He is going to carve a fully functional lathe from wewd

[@hanrovisser7053]

@@KontSkerpCutlery I wawnt thayat...

[@tubeonline629]

Your ability to break taps with such precision that produces 2 taps of equal size is amazing, I hope to reach your skill level someday. Mine never break like that, for instance last night I was tapping a 1/2" thread, broke the tap and ended up with one half being a 3/16" and the other half a 5/16".

[@saminvincible4184]

Never ever seen a lathe in real life, but enjoy see you working on it. And your sense of humour, lots of prayers and love from Pakistan

[@isaacray8530]

So what you’re sayin is, Taps are really steel earth worms and when you break them in half you end up with 2 functional Taps all be it with smaller tpi?...

[@uiomancannot7931]

Pretty much, except the earthworms just die.

[@ajfreeze215]

@@N1gel did you watch the video yet? :)

[@mildyproductive9726]

It only works in metric. In SAE, you'd end up with odd threading. Then you have to snap all the bolts in half, too.

[@jacobg5122]

@@mildyproductive9726 You're forgetting that there's a one in 79 chance that when the tap breaks, half of it will be left hand thread. That's a cheap way to tap left hand threads.

[@megatronVS]

Albeit

[@thecakeredux]

Tony, your Videos have the internet's greatest comment section. Everyone ia helping eachother, people ask useful, interesting questions and there is puns EVERYWHERE. This channel is just perfect, thank you so much.

[@procyonia3654]

Those are for mounting face mills or large wheel cutters directly to the spindle face (I assume theres a 3 hole pattern on spindle face). The end matches the bore of the cutter you are mounting. And then just run the bolts thru the counter bored holes in the facemill body

[@lukahierl9857]

The drive dog for shellmils directly engages on the spindle dogs.

[@johnreese3943]

Yes. It is a centering plug.

[@ianpopp87]

I scrolled around looking for this answer only to find out that I have no idea what any of this means. Still gonna keep watching every ToT video regardless.

[@Nevir202]

poppduder Same here, unfortunately... 😅

[@zombieregime]

@@Nevir202 the thingymajig engagement interfaces the whatsits face so that the doohicky almost completely eliminates deplaneration in the frump bearing leading to the characteristic sinusoidal scrum marks. Its the only way to build a quality Milford Trunion.

[@flyzeyefab]

There should be a "special" award for such content creators... You, and your videos are absolutely top of the top... Entertaining, insightful, intelligent, informative... Just, well done. Very, Very, well done! Thank you so much for sharing with us!!! You are the best!

[@DoRiteFabrication]

Hate to say it but I think I’ve found something I’m better at than you. If breaking taps was an Olympic event…I’d be going for gold!

[@DonkeyDongDoug]

What would be the medal criteria though? Just total number of broken taps, or the cost of the tap extraction / repair needed to get life back to normal? I've seen some taps get broken off in some fairly expensive pieces of kit. I would rather break 10,000 taps in holes that can be moved vs breaking 1 off in a $4 million dollar airplane engine.

[@MisterLongShot_Official]

I think as a sport, it should take some kind of skill. So it would be a measure of how "good" you are at breaking taps. Like breaking a 1/2-13nc tap in 1/4" aluminum, for example.

[@NolanTyrrell]

How about a trophy made from broken taps. This could extend throughout engineering. I don't think apprentices should be eligible

[@uiomancannot7931]

What if you had to custom build your own trophy made from taps you broke, and the most impressive trophy maker gets them all.

[@paultrgnp]

@@MisterLongShot_Official If you check the the rules section of Olympics.com you will find a table specifying the Degree of Difficulty (DoD) and the score points allocated to each technique with respect to the DoD of the class and size of breakage.

[@pekkasaarinen2902]

Nothing brightens my day nowadays better than a new ToT video. Learning while laughing is the best.

[@michaelg_839]

"Learning while laughing". I like that. 🙂

[@RustyPetterson]

Hilarious and informative as always, but can I just say the production values in this were fucking OUTSTANDING!

[@kalp8]

three things that i love about this channel are sense of humour, machining and the CGI! keep up the good work!!

[@billmielke7395]

Instead of trying to match your feed rate to the tap, use a set feed rate and vary your rpm, in cnc machining for ease of math we use 10 ipm. So a 3/8-16 is run at 160 rpm 10 ipm. It's feedrate x tpi = rpm

[@demandred1957]

Yep that's exactly what I do at work.

[@EdAgers110]

Bill Mielke No, that’s the EASY way, and this video was SUPPOSED to be about BREAKING taps! ;)

[@MisterLongShot_Official]

When I saw Abom79 blue those plates, I paused the video, and left the comment "TOT needs to see this video ASAP!". I am completely delighted that you mentioned his video here!

[@nicklloyd-jones]

"When it comes to chamfers you don't want to cut corners".

[@maxselna5193]

This needs more likes

[@andrewrobinson4019]

I need this on a poster in my shop.

[@FUCK_________googIe]

probably the best deliberately oxymoronic humor statement ever tbh

[@yveslegrand9826]

I discovered this "old Tony" channel recently and I am just amazed. As a "machinist" I find This Old Tony is quite knowledgeable and I find very few opportunity to disagree with his choices. More, I often discover tricks and clever way to do stuff I am happy he shared with us. As a video maker this guy is pretty good too. Technicaly it is usually a good entertainment. The little special effects are just enough to spice a bit the filming. As a man his sense of humour is making the whole video serie a great moment. Really he should have try teaching to kids as he is making every valuable lesson a happy story. Last and not least he is speaking english with an accent I can understand quite easely even if my skills are limited (my mother language is French). So I learn a good deal of English together with a good deal of "machining". The only problem is : I start beeing addicted to this old Tony stuff ... I have still a lot of video I want to see and it looks like I must sleep a little more...and some tricks I want to try myself !!! Thank you Old Tony for sharing your Toys !

[@klschofield71]

One thing to be cautious of with those SINO SDS6-2V DRO's, I know from experience, the "A/I" is the only appropriately labeled button. I had the misfortune of pressing it once, which activated the artificial intelligence and now my shop is filled with MINILA THE's.

[@Bill.Pearson]

This is the only TOT video that I have any relatable experience with--tapping holes. But by hand and in aluminum, so low-tech. It was long ago, but I can still feel in my sense memory the jagged little cutting points on those threads. I'll never be a machinist, but I watch these videos multiple times. They are interesting, I learn stuff I'll never use, and I just find myself smiling as they go along. It's just a joy to watch and to laugh at the puns. Thank you.

[@charlesneer3287]

I’m still dying from that fart sound when you blew the chips away

[@chrispalombo6394]

11:55 when he blows the arrows off the screen with the air! These touches make TOT videos such a joy to watch!

[@FredMiller]

Always a great way to start the week! Thanks Tony! Loved the red arrows getting blown away with the air gun. "Ya had to be watching closely fellas" LOL

[@LelandRJohnson]

In the midst of all of the chaos going on in the world today, this video drew a huge smile 😃. Thanks! God Bless!

[@drain_001]

*Slams hood of expensive production hardware* You can break off so many 4-40 taps in this bad boy!

[@oleclausing5768]

If you can, your taps are to dull (cutting force to high) or your Incredibly stupid

[@xenonram]

@@oleclausing5768 Yeah, if they broke a tap that small _their_ pretty stupid. I can't tell why you think breaking a tiny #4 tap would make someone stupid, but _you're_ right about the cutting forces.

[@jimmccoskey8253]

Yep, their, there, they're and your, you're, yore can be nearly as painful as a broken tap.

[@petroelb]

@@xenonram There's irony in these here comments, eh?

[@obi-wankenobi9871]

@@petroelb Yea, and that nobody gets the joke is even worse.

[@motopreserve]

"That is integral...it's all one thing...That's what integral means." Just want to thank you for going the extra mile to clarify things :)

[@jtkilroy]

That tool post is HUGE for a lathe that size! You would gain a boat load of rigidity with a losing the compound. Thanks for that video on how to use the lathe DRO, didn't have to read the chinglish myself!!!

[@BertrandBrussel]

Your whole channel is a lifestyle change I'm not quite ready for! Brilliant!

[@recklessroges]

I blame Clickspring for the coldblue addiction. 15:22 was the best joke that I got. If you want taps broken, there's a certain Scandinavian creating a musical toy in france that seems unable to keep taps in one piece ;-s (I believe you will know him... depending on, to which timeline I post this comment.)

[@tomatosoup44]

Martin's real hobby is to break taps, the music is just to cover his malevolence

[@DerMarkus1982]

Yeah, that Scandinavian seems to have lost some of his marbles. They scatter all around the place in a certain older one of his videos... ;)

[@xenonram]

I don't think Clickspring ever did any cold bluing. Did he? I always saw him heat bluing.

[@kwasg3]

So you didn't see he has sharp tooling?? Actually blue sharp tooling??

[@felixar90]

Clickspring is hot bluing tho.

[@martinhansen6802]

I listen to your videos when my nightmares got me walking around. I made it around 15 minutes in before i fell asleep again. 10/10 watching again :)

[@Corbald]

Panel Screws exist for the sole purpose of using in other projects. If your panels rattle, it means they should be removed. You *want* to see all the moving parts, right?

[@matspatpc]

There are limits to what panels you want to / can remove tho'. Some, for example, prevent oil splashing out of the gearbox, which makes a right mess on the floor when that happens... (I'm, in this instance, NOT speaking from personal experience, but acquired experience from others - although I'm sure sooner or later I'll get some experience of running something with splashy oil coming out at me, I'm sure!)

[@firstmkb]

Panel screws are important, which is why I have have a large collection of them in my spare parts drawer.

[@eyedocduncan]

I really enjoy watching your videos and I am never going to operate any of those very. Just enjoy the craftsmanship and the humor.

[@LazerLord10]

Thought I'd break a tap making a modification to a breadmaker the other day. It was a blind hole for a 4-40 in the end of the shaft, but everything went well, somehow.

[@bretonkyle]

You had me on edge with every one of those holes being tapped. I need a drink.

[@godehardmatzel630]

Happy to see a new one from you. Just as an idea for repeatability, tighten the holder in the post with a torque wrench. That way it should sit in the same position...

[@TheGoodoftheLand]

Fantastic video! Thanks for having us down!

[@fdavillar]

I came for the knowledge, but I stayed for the HUMOR! I love these TOT videos. GO Metrics!

[@CjHAnderson]

Super video. I just got gifted a tapping head and was facing a similar problem with my Deckel FP2 mill (no real quill). So this video hit the spot! Thanks. One piece of advice: try not to be so blue concerning the finish on your parts.

[@markc1234golf]

I have been watching this guy for about 3 years..... Really funny and great edits for both sound and vision... Just want to say that...

[@vahannema]

@21:35 instead of having to drill a hole into the bottom thing your toolpost sits on, you could use the dovetail opposite the one holding the current tool. make a part with a dovetail like the tool holders, but instead of a horizontal groove for tools, you could make a groove pointing downwards, that slides very snugly over that toolpost holder. that way, if the toolpost wants to move, the extention on the opposite side of the used tool, this new part, would prevent that from happening, as it would have to move the entire lower slab too. not sure that made any sense, i've never touched a tool in my life, but if you don't want to modify the original part, you could make a part that adapts to that part instead : )

[@joandar1]

Vincent Hannema, That is a wonderful idea and thank you for sharing your thoughts with us!. I have been thinking about a dilemma I have with a home built QTP and you have given me a great direction for my efforts to go many thanks. Cheers from John, Australia.

[@firstmkb]

Clever! At first glance, I thought you said "I've never touched a hole in my life."

[@Dartfreak75]

Man I love your videos they are so seamless and satisfying! And your voice is so soothing even if I didn't care about machining at all I would watch your videos! Great job keep it up!

[@torque350hp]

Great vid. I prefer to break my own taps though, I like it done right.

[@SeanBZA]

That is why I have broken tap extractors, along with a collection of old windscreen wiper guides, that make a dandy extractor when used with the remains of the tap and a nut, so you have 3 blades of nice strong stainless steel to slip into the broken tap to turn it out.

[@bobtheblob2770]

Thanks for the tutorial on how to break a tap! The hardened steel is way too hard to snap off but with your expert guidance I managed to finally break all the taps in home depot!

[@DudleyToolwright]

Without a quill, how do you take any notes? Great CGI on the tapping segment, by the way. How did you model your hand? The Tail end of this video had a decidely "Blue" feel to it.

[@mr1enrollment]

This Old Tony == "the gift of laughter". Thx Bro.

[@brucebrucestofiston5554]

Your French is coming along nicely.

[@davidparrain7500]

simon miles just don’t pronunce the s at the end of finis

[@f3c4lm4tt3r]

Tony, Thank you for making these videos. I get nothing other than entertainment from them as i don't even own a file. Your comedy is timed perfectly and brilliantly done. Keep up the puns and thank you.

[@TheFabricatorSeries]

Questions I often ask myself that only people on KZbin ask themselves: "Am I in frame"?

[@Conservative_Patriot]

Simple answer for Tony is: no no you are not

[@Methoverbitches]

As a wise man once said FRAMING YOU FUK - AVE

[@bittech1]

This was like an ultimate playlist moment today. Alec Steele ring rolling into Abom79 purge fixture finale and finishing on a Tony tapping video? Bliss

[@calebjohnson7592]

Well there's your problem. You're using English taps in a metric head. Everyone knows millimeters are just inches for people who can't do fractions.

[@ColtaineCrows]

I thought everyone knew that the inch is defined by the metre. :-O

[@calebjohnson7592]

@@ColtaineCrows ...and meters are defined by photons in time, which is defined by electron transitions is Cesium, but I'm not gonna start stacking Cesium atoms on my mill.

[@throngcleaver]

@john blackthorn I was working on a jet at MCAS Yuma when one of my engineers came out on the flight ramp to see if I needed anything. I said, "Sure, bring me an 11/16" wrench." He came back out of the hangar with a fairly large wrench, and when he handed it to me, I said, "This is kinda big...", as I noticed it said, 1 1/6" on it. He was very embarrassed.

[@tibfulv]

@@calebjohnson7592 Old news. It's been defined as a fraction of light-speed since 1983.

[@jrsydvl7218]

I was working at a shop when a tech was all proud of himself for puting up an exploded view of a ruler down to 1/16" to make alignments easier. Word got back to the engineer, he switched us over to metric the next day.

[@Abrikosmanden]

This was some of the best music my body has ever heard; it would NOT not move to it. My wife gave my body some weird looks, whenever the music was on. I enjoyed it too - the music and the looks ...

[@jensharbers6702]

Hell yeah, new Video from the machining magician, evening is saved. :D I like your videos. Because well made, adding value to KZbin and you learn something as well. I might own a lathe when I'm a significant older, but better lathe then never. Greetings from germany. ^^

[@CobetcknnKolowski]

All of your jokes are really top notch but I think not cutting corners when you make chamfers is the best. Love these ToT!

[@PiGood]

Cold bluing is always a bit tricky, but here is what I have learned over the years. There is such thing as too nice of a surface finish for bluing. Just like rust bluing has a hard time permeating the surface of steel the closer you get to a mirrored finish. Clean and degrease the parts, and use gloves. Nothing is worse then a thumb print in your nice new bluing. And the sooner you blue after your machining operations the better. The parts will start to oxidize just from the oxygen in the air, it may not be viable but it is happening. I tend to use a cleaner with a mild acid made for bluing if I can not blue the parts immediately after their completion. This will remove the nonviable oxidation and expose fresh steel for the bluing to adhere to.

[@foxy9011]

This is the best machinist channel on youtube for sure

[@OperaBass3]

Here's a tip. NEVER use acetone as a final de-grease before plating or blacking. Acetone is an organic solvent and contains tiny amounts of organic impurities like waxes and goo. These impurities are what cause that splotchiness. Acetone as a final cleaner is a piss-poor choice. Clean the work thoroughly in your U/S cleaner, scrub with Comet, abrasive media blast, whatever, rinse with hot water and drop the work in the plating/blacking solution. If you have to delay before blacking etc, rinse with hot distilled water. This is not my pet notion. Dan Gelbart, a professor in prototype design, has videoed an excellent 18 part series of tips and tricks for building apparatus prototypes. His words on ensuring surfaces to be plated, bonded, silver brazed, or coated are in a "high energy state" are spot-on in my experience. It's counter-productive to chemically clean, etch, bead blast a surface then contaminate it by a wash in organic solvent. Water will coat a clean high energy surface in an unbroken film but will bead if the surface is solvent washed or even allowed to sit in the open air for a few hours. Here's the link to Professor Gelbart's coating video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rmjSn419pteMr7s. Take some time to watch the whole series. The man has some real tricks and shortcuts.

[@Nemozoli]

You can use acetone as a degreaser solvent - as long as you can get your hands on "pro analysi" (99.9%) pureness grade, also used in HPLC. I understand these can be harder to get, but they perform second to none in all of these areas. I use it to clean knife blades before etching.

[@OperaBass3]

@@Nemozoli Try the "water break" test to compare the high purity solvent cleaning Vs aqueous scrub, clean media blast, dry abrasion, etch, electro etch, etc. Seems to me the high purity solvent would be several times more expensive than the retail stuff, and way more expensive than Comet cleanser and water. I'm not sure of the best way for cleaning articles buffed to what the Brits call a "black polish." Stick and cream emulsion buffing compounds use a wax binder impervious to most water based cleaning preparations. Maybe two or more solvent clean cycles with a soft clean brush followed by - what? Solvent cleaning may be contra-indicated if a zero water-break cleanliness is required for the final treatment. I might be seen as over-selling my assertion but I really don't have a dog in the fight. I've seen Professor Gelbart's video series several times and his remarks in his videos addressing surface cleanliness etc cannot be competently refuted. I once used hot phosphoric acid to blacken steel parts. Following traditional wisdom of an acetone wrinse prior to blackening lead to splotchy, uneven, muted results similar to Tony's. A vigorous scrub with powdered cleanser (Comet, Bon Ami, Ajax, etc), a hot water wrinse and immediately into the hot acid lead to an even glossy black surface identical to that seen on factory made items like tool shanks, twist drills, Allen fasteners, etc. And it was quicker and posed no fire hazard. Comparing traditional wisdom of the acetone wrinse to the cleaning methods recommended by Professor Gelbart leads me to conclude the acetone wrinse results in splotchy surface treatments and weaker bonds, poses fire and health hazards (easily mitigated with ordinary care,) and involves an extra step. No acetone for me. Back in the day when I was enabling some technology transfer involving high strength bonding of graphite fiber tube to its titanium terminations, I learned that zero water-break surface cleanliness was mandated by the Mil Spec. This leads me to conclude if an aqueous surface treatment is splotchy and uneven, the surface to which its applied had some barrier preventing the treatment solution from completely wetting and reacting with the article. If a solvent final rinse was used prior to treatment, I'm inclined to suspect the solvent impurities or the solvent itself.

[@stevedunkerton9491]

my 2 cents-- in hot metal gun blueing --- 1]wash in cold water with blue DAWN dishsoap...2] boil in hot water without touching,support with rod or wire. 3] imerse while hot into solution. = perfect results.

[@MrKotBonifacy]

@@OperaBass3 I guess I'm chiming in rather late, but hey, it's never too late for a word of wisdom (a.k.a. twopence), isn't it? ;-) Acetone - well, yes... I mean, "no", but that depends, you see... General purpose acetone ("technical grade") is good for, well, general purpose de-greasing, and it indeed contains some impurities. Then you've got reagent grade acetone, which is good enough for "good enough" cleaning in applications like titanium TIG welding or pre-cleaning small items for electroplating (not on industrial scale, though). Analytic grade acetone might be OK, but it will be prohibitively expensive, as purifying it to such high purity is rather costly process. Acetone itself is tad expensive as a solvent - I'd recommend using ethyl acetate (or butyl acetate) instead. (AFAIK those two are used in degreasing metal objects, steel and aluminium ones, prior to powder coating.) Then if you want to get rid of all remaining traces of oils, fat and waxes, I'd recommend using a hot bath of concentrated NaOH solution (sodium hydroxide, a.k.a. caustic soda) followed by a rinse with distilled water. In some book about "home electroplating" I've read about using Ca(OH)2 paste (Calcium hydroxide, a.k.a. quenched lime) but I have my doubts regarding this reagent (namely, possibility of forming insoluble calcium soap on contact with fat, i.e. triglycerides). That should be "good enough" for cold bluing - anything above it would be an overkill. Maybe I've added an extra step - some sort of "activating" or "surface developing" bath - like, say, a short dip in 10% H2SO4 (sulphuric acid) solution (and a rinse with distilled water afterwards, of course) - the acid would etch the surface a little, creating a better base for iron oxides to form and bind to base metal. Cold bluing isn't an application where surface preparation is crucial and critical - there isn't any "tensile strength requirement" involved here, as is the case with carbon fibre to titanium bonding with some ultra-strong epoxy adhesive, or other stuff like that. All that matters here is obtaining a surface finish with moderate corrosion resistance, plus appealing appearance - so no need to go over the top, to extremes like sand blasting and analytic grade acetone. Prof. Gelbart's methods have their fields of application, but cold bluing tool holders in a garage shop is not one of them, methinks...

[@chalfontcrew]

Made my Sunday evening a little better knowing it's back to work tomorrow, thanks Tony

[@tibfulv]

Well, that's a relief.

[@chrisi2348]

this guy always gets me. these out of the blue, straight in your face bad jokes are hilarious

[@kevinreardon2558]

"And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door, That I scarce was sure I heard you”-here I opened wide the door;- Darkness there and nothing more." ---The Poe

[@mrmudslide5676]

"My preferred method to break them". You are priceless! Thanks a ton.

[@mrmudslide5676]

Also PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE when you take a tool apart could you at least throw in a sarcastic reference to AvE? Skookum, Choocher, Chineseium, TBag,? Perhaps a burp and drink off some really, really (did I say really?) cheap Canadiam beer? Take off, hoser!

[@Lumpio2]

"The factory tool holders are good to about two tenths of an inch." - This Old Tony 17:44

[@ToTheTopCrane]

My Sunday is now complete! Thanks for yet another fantastic video! 🙂👍

[@SOCOLVN]

I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT YOU TONY . Crap I said that out loud.

[@KronosIV]

Oddly enough when I asked the foreman in our shop to show me how to use a tapping head two weeks ago I was thinking about whether Tony had one or not and might explain it better. Guess this answers that question.

[@opendstudio7141]

The humor is so subtle in this episode, that many viewers might not get the jokes. Still, very clever content in multiple ways.

[@jasonpatterson8091]

How to break a tap. Step 1. Genuinely NEED a threaded hole. Step 2. Break tap.

[@Gottenhimfella]

You forgot one step: make sure the hole in question has a thread for which replacement taps are no longer available.

[@Sicktrickintuner]

Step 3 profit?

[@jasonmurawski5877]

Or just send it to wintergatan

[@confuzionn4843]

Tony, I don't even have a mill or any of these fancy cool tools you have, in fact the most I have is a Dremel, but that doesn't make your content any less interesting. For me the mark of a great content creator is to make anything, no matter who the audience, interesting, and you have checked that box. The amount of entertainment I get out of these video's I don't fully understand, is exceptional. Somehow, I've been lured into building and milling videos, when the smartest thing I've done is duct tape a hole in a canoe. Truly, thank you for your content. Know that somewhere out there in the world you make someone laugh, and have fun, even at the end of a long day. Don't stop doing what you do, ever.

[@gabrielheil7535]

another great video by ToT, im curious of your gear video with the mini lathe. sorry for my bad english and greetings from Germany

[@bostedtap8399]

My 2 pennies on Bluing: consistent surface finish helps with an even colour, lower plain carbon steels blue easily, several treatments are normally required, with an abrasive pad between each process. Great video, thanks for sharing.

[@Alebergantini]

Thanks for the vid, TOT! I give this a 10/10 (or 1 in metric)!

[@TheFalconJetDriver]

I am not a machinist although I installed CNC machines White Sundstrand in the early 80’s. Maybe one day I will acquire a mill (with a movable quill) and lathe. I really enjoy your videos quick to the point with no chamfer. Lyle Peterson pointed me to your humor. I mean channel. I learn something new in everyone of your videos.

[@BPollard86]

Was it selenium or kids that make you go bald? I can't remember.

[@clayz1]

It was Celine Dion I’m pretty sure.

[@janes-e378]

TONY I LOVE WATCHING YOUR VIDS AND I AM MYSELF NEW TO MILLING,AND YOUR EDITING PROCESS IS GREAT.,IVE LEARNT SO MUCH IN SUCH A LITTLE TIME DUE TO YOU GETTING DOWN TO THE BRASS FACTS,CHEERS

[@keylay9453]

Hey, I know this is kinda a weird question, but may I have the shavings in the thumbnail? I'm willing to pay for postage etc. My wife does a lot of epoxy work, and I think the shavings would look nice in one of her projects. If this community could like this so Tony could see it, I'd appreciate it.

[@DavidLindes]

Ooh, love this idea! I saved some chip from a machining class I took, and made some fun photos with them... having them in an epoxy piece would be cool. :)

[@uhhhhh262]

Just find a local shop and ask one of the guys if you can grab a handful

[@ThisOldTony]

I'm afraid they're already mixed in with other junk but I make more all the time. that said, check your local machine shop and save on shipping! you'll probably be the first one to have come through the door asking for chips. :)

[@billmielke7395]

The shop I work at has a big bin out back, I imagine if you asked they would, worst case, sell you some, scrap rate it really cheap (less than .10/lb usually) so a dollar would buy you a fair amount, that said, if you only wanted a 5 gallon bucket I can't imagine they would bother with asking for a couple of dollars. They would probably just let you have them, just ask first, you'll want to look for a small shop, because a factory won't mess around with letting you look through scrap. Walk in the front door, speak nicely to whoever meets you, and be prepared to take no for an answer.

[@jonanderson5137]

Depending on the size of the shop, you might luck into some plate or cool slugs to turn into coasters too.

[@oldhick9047]

Nice job as always sir. Don't stop.......ever, even into your early 100's just what ever you do don't stop ever, you simply can't I tell you.

[@poptartmcjelly7054]

Will you ever try hobbing gears with a threading tap?

[@thisquietplace]

"When it comes to chamfers, you don't want to cut corners." You make me chuckle every time

[@skudak]

You should just make a new drawbar to use bt30 holders. I had a nightmare of a time trying to find these nmtb30 holders for my machine. I put in a drawbar with the right thread size for bt30 holders and now I can use those which are widely available and much more affordable.

[@jcethel3495]

I'm glad to see Toys for ToT have not diminished! Keep em rolling Tony!

[@gcewing]

I vote that we make "Break a tap!" the official way to wish someone luck when they're embarking on a machining project.

[@JohnDoe-zx1ck]

Well, I sure am on a lucky streak. Thanks!

[@paulrichmond6903]

I always wanted to know how those tapping head thingies worked. Thanks for the time to educate us.

[@igetbored5600]

i find it hilarious that you have a several thousand dollar mill to do all kinds of amazing work that ill never be able to afford, but i have literally the cheapest drill press with a quill and can tap holes way easier than you can.

[@tjejojyj]

My understanding is professional machinists get their apprentices to break taps for them. Thanks for you excellent videos. Never disappointment here.

[@MIKT725]

In my whole career I can honestly say I have never broken a single tap. I generally break several....