Tapping Small Holes - Not a Problem

This short video will show you a great attachment for manually tapping small holes. This easy to make tool, greatly reduces the break potential. Its a must have for all toolboxes. Take a Look.

[@randallshular5362]

Joe you truly amaze me with all the little gadgets you come up with to make life easier. I can see that you can get a better feel for the tapping process over a T handle. It's great and thanks for sharing.

[@daque1960]

These little Home made tools are some of my favorite videos. 👍🏻

[@nevetslleksah]

Excellent idea. All these years I have been driving small taps with the smallest T-handle I have and sweating breaking the tap practically every time. Thanks for making the video.

[@jchrisj200]

I've removed a broken tap from aluminum with Nitric Acid - About 6N, if I remember correctly, and only on an aluminum part with a steel tap. The acid doesn't bother the aluminum but it chews the tap up over the course of a few hours.

[@baskirmani]

You really are the gift that keeps giving, Joe! That's all I've got (!)

[@priority2]

What a terrific idea! Thanks for ALL of your videos! I’m just a beginner, self taught machinist and I’ve learned so much from you. God Bless you for sharing your knowledge

[@joepie221]

Outstanding. Glad to help.

[@cmarano]

Another really good tip. I"m going to knock a couple of these out Tomorrow. Thanks Joe, great techniques as always.

[@mykromisfit]

Hey thanks Joe! I watched this vid a couple days ago and happened to have a job today that required some hand drilling in the bottom of 1/16” holes, made a similar tool out of aluminum and it worked great, took all of 15 minutes but it will probably come in handy a thousand more times this year! I drill and tap a lot of 4/40 holes so the ID was made for that rather than a 16th bit, excited to try tapping with it tomorrow!

[@michaelegan6092]

As usual a fine video but if I was doing it I would tap the holes at the beginning to avoid problems like this at the end. Saves hours in the event of a broken tap.

[@neilwoodward7336]

I wondered when someone would say that ! 👍

[@tomcarrington572]

Really great idea. Makes tapping on small mills way easier and gives much better control - thanks.

[@ChrisB257]

Very cool gadget Joe - I may well have to make me one or two.

[@williamtwiss1000]

Hi Joe , I watched your video on setting up & using a fly cutter to create a Radius , it worked , i got a perfect Radius , fit like a glove . Thank you so much . Bill Twiss

[@johnwalters6800]

The depth stop on the tap guide is a great idea. Most of the time I have thru holes that have allowed me to tap as small as 2-56 on my old drill press running at 100 rpm. If I have a blind hole, I tap about 3 threads and finish with a tap handle. I need to take time time to make tap handles for my smaller common sizes.

[@dlwilliams76]

Thanks Joe for the great tip. I just made my own tool and tapped some 0-80 holes with no broken taps. Awesome!

[@173roberto]

Daniel Williams dude! That is really small, was the material soft or hard?

[@dlwilliams76]

Ro Cuevas Hot rolled steel and brass

[@houseofbrokendobbsthings5537]

Several broken 10-32 taps salute your wisdom and experience. Headed to my lathe now. _Dan_

[@joepie221]

Small tap = small handle. Simple rule.

[@semobill9639]

How wonderful, Joe. Simple, easy to make and obviously effective. Thank you, sir!

[@TactlessWookie]

That's great. Works like the idea of the "sensitive drill". Thanks Joe. Pure gold as always.

[@gospelman7222]

Thanks Joe for a great tip. I well remember many years ago having to tap several M3 threads in a VERY elaborate and costly stainless steel part - the thought of the taps breaking off still makes me break out in a sweat! I found that a slight countersink prior to tapping the hole was beneficial in the appearance of the finished job and chip clearance when the job was underway.

[@jamesallen3799]

Joe your work is excellent. i was thinking about this all day. Thank you. Jim

[@shannonstebbens6992]

Thanks Joe, I am presently tapping a series of 2-56 and 4-40 holes; this is the ticket. I have been down the road of breaking a small tap in an 'almost' finished part.

[@timbufordbriggs]

Excellent video and perfect timing. I know what my next project is.......Thanks again from Forney, TX

[@joepie221]

Your comment was perfectly timed for this video. Thanks for inspiring me to set up my camera during this job. I hope the technique helps you out.

[@jamessherrill3454]

As usual Joe, great video. I will be making one!

[@brucematthews6417]

I like this wheel idea better than the very small size T bar I saw in another YT video. Easier to use with just one hand position and finger manipulation. And it's these "simple" but not always obvious ideas that makes your channel stand out. Keep 'em coming I say ! ! ! !

[@ellieprice3396]

Joe, thanks for demonstrating this useful little tool for driving small taps. I've never seen it done exactly this way before but well understand the effort to avoid broken taps. I've tapped many small holes (even in 17-4) under power with slightly oversize tap drills and new spiral point (gun) taps with plenty of oil. This only works well if tap hole can be deep enough to contain chips at bottom without binding the tap. Even this is risky and impossible if client requires holes to be bottom tapped. Your tool will save many expensive parts and keep your clients very happy.

[@kentvandervelden]

Thanks Joe, that's very useful! I have several 1.6mm holes to tap and figured I had better just get a dozen hand taps, 'cuz you know... This looks really helpful and I'll give it a try.

[@RazorCustoms]

I am loving all of your videos and learning a lot. I am glad I stumbled across you just as I was getting into machining. Prior I was an airframer in the U.S. Navy as an AMS3 (aviation structural and hydraulic mechanic) and learned how to do a lot of aluminum work in making aircraft wings, body panels, structure, and flight surfaces by hand with simple manual machines. Except for a pneumatic hammer as a rivet gun and a bucking bar. I really miss those days, but the knowledge is great. We also learned hydraulics and flight controls. My wife was an avati9n Electrician in the U.S. Navy as well, I couldn’t imagine chasing one with wire the length of the aircraft through bundles as thick as your thigh, and ALL WHITE wires. We both worked on the truly amazing F-14 Tomcat, in different squadrons of course. ANYTIME BABY!!!!

[@EngineerPEretired]

JoePie, 6:30a.m. here and once again another awesome video, thank you. You sir, are the king of small...

[@k5at]

Thanks for the tip. I'm going to make some up today. Cheers!

[@MrRctintin]

Nice!! Please can we have a vid on countersinking holes, which type to buy for which material etc please. I always seem to get very uneven ‘chattery’ finishes in my holes. Thanks Joe

[@thefixerman1]

Great tip Joe, another I'll add to my toolbox. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge with us.

[@geraldking580]

Great videos, Joe. I have learned much from you. THANK YOU! I tend to use spiral point taps even on blind holes - much less torque required and taps snap off less often. I would rather waste time removing debris from a tapped blind hole than trying to remove a broken tap.

[@joepie221]

I agree. Broken taps are no fun.

[@stewartmcmanus3991]

Brilliant, I'm just about to do that exact size and was panicking about breaking the tiny tap. As Dave Poxson says below, better than the drill press. Thanks Joe, Stewart, south west Australia.

[@joepie221]

I hope it helped.

[@papahajek5383]

Years back I wrote a macro that would allow me to step down (like step drilling) a tap a variable distance and reverse a variable distance until the final depth was reached. The only time a tap would break was if the drill got dull and pushed up into the chuck. We were machining cast stainless steel that was gummy , and tended to work harden as the drill dulled. a constant air blast cleared the chips but it was tricky. Nice job on the tap holder.

[@joepie221]

Thanks. I just couldn't bring myself to loose this part, this late in the game. Hand tapping was the only way to go and these little wheels give great feedback for elevated confidence.

[@howder1951]

Makes me want to drill and tap my waffle iron! Great looking depthing tool.

[@jimsvideos7201]

Congrats, you were as close as anyone has ever been to causing me to paste my dinner onto my monitor.

[@ricksweetser1683]

Great info as always.......thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge.

[@joepie221]

My pleasure!

[@ogenmatic]

Great channel. Stumbled upon it the other day. Much appreciated.

[@Sketch1994]

That's nice! I recently had to tap a lot of M3 threads that were deep enough to not allow for a normal tap wrench. I ended up heating an old tap square and driving it into a hard plastic screwdriver handle to use as an extended tap "wrench". I noticed I could easily make better threads than before for such small taps, as they would sometimes turn out a little loose.

[@peteramor9810]

Nice one yet again Joe Have started to keep a book and will be calling it Joes hints and tips Thanks for taking the time in making and sending your vids to us Pete UK

[@joepie221]

Let me know when its done Pete. I'll come over and sign it.

[@spindlyaustralia4063]

Peter Amor 5

[@extraace]

Will have to make some of those. Thanks! I usually thread mill holes that I'm scared to break off a tap in. Have to have a small enough thread mill on hand of course.

[@thatoldbob7956]

I wish I had one where tapped an M2.5 thread into a late tool holder instead of just a tap socket. Great idea Joe, as always. Bob

[@silentwalk1768]

Nice idea I have also used or a spin-off of this and old Jacob's Chuck small one also works well a splendid idea

[@johnnywayne7654]

Anything under 3/8 I've gone to a powder metal form tap. In aluminum I run them about 120 sfm, in SS about 50 and in HTSA about 15. I've yet to ever break one in a CNC and it's been approximately everyday for almost 10/12 years now. One shot, to depth, and never a problem. I've actually had more problems with thread Mills (in larger holes mainly) tbh. Love your videos Mr Pie, you're very knowledgeable.

[@workwillfreeyou]

Joe, your aces in my book! Helping people! Thanks!

[@WestRiverRR]

Great tip. Now on my to-do list, and near the top! Thanks, Joe.

[@VærdAtSe]

Very Nice Joe. So simple, yet so effective 👍😁

[@EduardoCredidioCosta]

Joe, you are great! I learn lots with you. THANKS!

[@neilw2O]

Hi Joe. I have evolved a simple method, with just a small tap wrench, and power drive my M3 and smaller taps. Method: alignment cap with a hole on top of tap wrench. One of mine just has a 4mm hole. I have a 4mm pin in the spindle chuck. Just place a rubber grommet on the top and it does the driving. Push down, more torque and the tap goes down and away from the grommet magically reducing the torque. Backing out is the opposite problem, so I just reverse manually with the grommet not touching. After very carefully breaking a M5 tap solid tapping I decided not to go solid below M5, 3/16" any more. I am using small cnc syil SX3 mill with a manual quill, so it is easy to control.

[@bjorn5209]

Seems like more risk than it's worth

[@Endofcomment]

I run a part frequently that has about 27 m2.5x.45 threaded thru holes and 16 or so m3x.5 threaded blind holes running about .3" deep. tapped in the mill with tension compression tapping head and using cut taps for the m2.5 and roll taps for the m3. We run about 100 of these parts at a time with no issues with the taps.

[@peteredwards4945]

Hi Joe. Great video. I used a similar technique when tapping 12 BA threads (tapping size drill .0413) in the steel smoke box of my model steam loco. During winter I found it a distinct advantage to slightly warm the tap and the work piece. Big Pete.

[@kgee2111]

Interesting tip. Thanks.

[@Country_Bubba]

How fortuitous, my project for today is to drill and tap some 2-56 holes and of course am slightly stressed about breaking a tap! I like it. Art

[@MrCrispinEnterprises]

Hi Joe. Have watched all your latest videos and all good stuff. Useful tips in a watchable format. Keep them coming. I did A video along similar lines with a slightly different tool. I can't post a link or it will put this comment in your Junk messages folder but it was called Tapping Small Holes. Cheers. Crispin

[@geoffrimmer2535]

your vids are an enormous help but there so many and i cant find a list so i keep seeing ones to watch later but cant find them, the sprung loaded tap guide is a good example, i soo need one now!

[@joepie221]

Subscribe or like one to set a book mark. Once you can re-find the channel, hi the video's button for a list. the playlist option breaks everything down ever farther.

[@geoffrimmer2535]

@@joepie221 im certain ive seen a video of you making the small holes no problem and the sprung loaded tap guide but it literally has disappeared?

[@joepie221]

@@geoffrimmer2535 Try filtering my videos from oldest to newest.

[@michaelbodine6142]

it IS a 'heat sink ' Joe and YOUR videos are AWESOME;

[@Bereft777]

Alec Steele just did his first folder and really could have used this Joe. Those small tap holders are perfect!

[@ROBRENZ]

Good stuff Joe, enjoyed! ATB, Robin

[@keithnoneya]

Loved it Joe. Thanks for sharing your cool tools and knowledge with us. Best Wishes n Blessings. Keith Noneya

[@christopherruble3913]

You are right about that, Joe. Re-doing a job because of a small broken tap is a pain in the ass.

[@clemenceronald]

Great tool Joe. Combined with roll form tap it would be even better. I stopped using cut tap on aluminum for anything smaller than M6. Your tool works great for both types. Thanks for the videos you posted. I still don't get it why there are so many dislikes for your videos.

[@markmall7142]

Lots fucken idiots in this world so they feel the need to attract attention i guess.

[@mykromisfit]

Very cool Joe, I tap a lot of small holes. I’m going to make a little tool similar to yours, hopefully it will help! Thanks for the inspiration!

[@200xcBruce]

Another great process thanks again Joe

[@robmckennie4203]

I'm sure you're probably aware joe, but a great tip I've heard for getting broken taps out of aluminium is by dissolving it chemically, pretty slick. I don't recall exactly what is used, but I have seen it done. EDIT: I did some quick googling, the stuff you want is alum.

[@stefantrethan]

I don't know how to do that, but I removed galled aluminium from step drills the other day with caustic soda (lye). It worked great. Would be kinda funny if someone got confused and tried that, only to come back in the morning to find a broken tap and the workpiece gone...

[@chrisbliss2034]

A neat tool for sure. For tapping smaller holes. under 2mm and down to about 0.3, I use a small pin vice ; great feed back and control, but ensure your clearance hole is large enough--- check the recommendation in the tapping tables, they're a smidge more for smaller holes generally. Keeping the threading true and perfectly aligned is tricky, but having the work accurately jigged in a vice enables you to cue off of its square dimensions. There must be tool for this too...?

[@Simon28298]

A technique we use for a big production of SS304 with 4-40 thread 1/4 deep around 2000 parts with one tap and it doesn't break, is we grind relief all the thread of the tap except two full dia thread. Try it!

[@gordonvenables8311]

Joe For us novice machinists a sketch or diagram with dimensions would surely assist with our ability to make these tools ourselves. Thanks Joe from Down Under Australia

[@michaeljohnson-li5nn]

Great video - as always. One thing to add is the choice of tapping fluid to assist with this operation. My current project at Rolls-Royce is to tap a series of M4 holes in Titanium. I use a tapping fluid called Hangstefers, I believe it originates from Germany. It has a slight pink tinge to its colour but it really does the job. Having said that, due to a CNC program error (my fault) I managed to break a tap and have to have it spark erroded to remove it!

[@maxcnc777]

michael johnson The J18? I love that stuff... especially in Ti.

[@algirdpatrick5048]

Hangsterfers is a US co located in Mantua, NJ. I first used their cutting fluids back in the early 70's. We use one of their water-solubles in our CNC's now. Back then they had a very interesting logo (long gone) comprised of a human-skull with bat-wings a-la Dracula, hovering over the letter " H ". Last image, bottom-left. www.trademarkia.com/company-hangsterfers-laboratories-inc-539230-page-1-0

[@ChrisMower]

Another great tip Joe. Thanks.

[@samterian7694]

great video, this method saves many hours of screw ups

[@joepie221]

It provides great feedback from the tap.

[@mfvzulu9077]

another simple but effective idea many thanks for sharing

[@joepie221]

It provides fantastic feedback.

[@tomherd4179]

Have made one before months ago and have used it. Will have to add the turning wheel now. I think I made one because you were using one on some earlier video. Anyway THANKS!!

[@johnambler3107]

Great tool Joe thanks for the information I’ll have to get on make some. 👍

[@TheKnacklersWorkshop]

Hi Joe, A very nice and useful tool for small work. Take care Paul,,

[@onlooker251]

Joe... Ingenious! Nice one. John🇬🇧

[@jcs6347]

Great idea, thanks!

[@drjohn148]

Nice idea. I will definitely make some .... once I finish the Pantograph

[@RGSABloke]

Awesome Joe, great tips as always. Joe.

[@jeffreylewis145]

I love the short videos.

[@stephendeakin2714]

Great bit of simple tooling.

[@Robonthemoor]

I like it joe👏what a simple & effective tool. It's on my list👌

[@danielwerger5641]

Excellent Joe, thanks...!!!

[@Omniwoof]

That was great. I've never done machining work before and I'm looking at making a part for my 3d printer that uses M3 screws. Thanks.

[@joepie221]

Small tap = small handle

[@12345NoNamesLeft]

I love your tip vids, always interesting.

[@tomherd4179]

Joe, thanks for yet another great tool to add to my home shop! :-D

[@roughrooster4750]

Thanks, Joe! Good tip!

[@RazorCustoms]

This is going to make drilling small #10 (I think) holes in the back of an AR. It is for the rear takedown pin retaining pin and spring that goes under the receiver end plate and always goes flying when taking it off for any reason. Tap that hole, cut the spring in about half, give or take, then put the pin and spring in followed by a headless machine scree. You’ll never loose the screw AND one can now also adjust how much pressure it takes to pull out the rear takedown pin.

[@johnpgerrity]

Wish I had one of those when I was tapping an M1.4 hole in 316SS - Thanks for the tip!

[@joepie221]

I bet it would have worked!

[@neilwoodward7336]

316 can be a real pig!

[@johnathanjones6152]

Great video as always Joe! I would really like to see a video on how to get the slop out of the X axis on a lathe. The lathe we have at work has about .200 backlash.

[@joepie221]

Nothing is worn that much. Something is loose. the leadscrew nut probably came loose from the cross slide. Check all the cap screws you can see in the middle of the cross slide.

[@dennyskerb4992]

Now I have to make a set, thanks Joe.

[@jimmilne19]

Man, yet another great one!

[@claasmeyer2269]

Thank you for sharing this. 👍🏼

[@goldeee666]

that looks good. many thanks dr pi

[@rasmillion]

M3 is not small, but guess it depends on perspective. Thanks again joe

[@LetsRogerThat]

Great tip. Thanks Joe. Gilles

[@doright6461]

CNC awesome! nothing like the 'feel' of a tap as it shines the cutting edge and knowing how fare it can be pushed. (rotated) ;- ) I was taught that theory to turn and back out a 1/4 to break the chip and all. I find backing just barely enough to release the chip from the cutting edge and allow a micro amount of fluid (sauce) to sink to the heated edge keep the 'feel' pressure uniform all the way down. Shop. Such an under paid profession. I need a million dollars for this stuff or a vacation lol. You all are metal surgeons. Tx Joe

[@tinker5349]

Fantastic idea, thanks

[@ugotit33x]

I will take ten of them.LOL Great gadget Thank you

[@davestambaugh7282]

Exactly the situation where you want to use roll form taps instead of cut taps. If you can drill the hole with out getting it over sized.

[@juliusignatius7829]

Very neat idea.

[@Mr.X_Dj_Arrow]

Wowww !!! Really Nice / Amazing !!! Sooo useful ! Great trick thx !!! I'm making one asap !!!!👍👍👍

[@terrycannon570]

Outstanding !

[@anthonymazziotti1605]

another great job joe pie

[@joepie221]

Thanks. Its a good thing to have in your box.