Hand Tapping Titanium

S

SilentPartner

Joined
Jul 17, 2021
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Who has some guidelines for hand tapping 0-80 and 2-56 into titanium? What type of taps, jigs and fluids have worked for you?
 
well first Buy lots of taps.. (not joking)
2nd chamfer the hole (Countersink)
3rd go very slow like a fraction of turn at a time..... many buy and set up a drill press with a "Tapping head" but each size has a different torque setting...
it a100% about keeping it100% straight until it starts to cut well
any off center torque will snap the tap.. ive tapped thousands of both sizes..
 
If I remember right, it has also been recommended to use a drill that is on the larger side of the allowable size. That way you cut less metal, if that makes sense.
 
Thread forming tap?

Tapping titanium-what am I doing wrong?

I wanted to move the clip on my titanium frame lock (Benchmade 750). The factory clip is screwed into tapped bushings that are inset into the titanium handle. My plan was to tap the titanium and screw directly into the scale. I think now I understand why they used the bushings! I bought the...
www.bladeforums.com www.bladeforums.com
 
Here is my process:

I use a Bench Tapper from Ti Connector.
Moly -Dee lube from Castrol
Drill 0-80 tapping holes with an MA ford single flute solid carbide bit #54. #53 for through holes.
Drill 2-56 tapping holes with an MA ford single flute solid carbide bit 5/64 or #47. #44 for through holes.
I use OSG thread forming taps.

This has been my go to method for a few years now and is much easier and consistent than any other of the methods I have tried.
Hope that helps. I am not affiliated with any of the above companies.
 
Navman: Thanks for the tip, I'll have to try that.

As the others have mentioned, use forming taps, and chose drill bits for only 50% to 60% threads. Or even less than 50% thread will hold all that's needed and sure do tap easier.
 
super low tech on my end. drill 1.3mm, chamfer lightly, get the 0-80 tap started by hand and then I hold the tap still with a pair of pliers and gently spin the Ti liner/part around the tap. Quarter turn back every half turn forward. So far, haven't bust a tap yet.
 
I know you asked about hand tapping but you mentioned a jig , I bought a tapmatic on ebay for 100 bucks and it can tap the hole in about the same time it takes to drill the hole.
 
Ross Vosloo said:
Quarter turn back every half turn forward. So far, haven't bust a tap yet.
Click to expand...

That's what worked for me: A little bite at a time, turning back after each little bite.
 
velodemon said:
Here is my process:

I use a Bench Tapper from Ti Connector.
Moly -Dee lube from Castrol
Drill 0-80 tapping holes with an MA ford single flute solid carbide bit #54. #53 for through holes.
Drill 2-56 tapping holes with an MA ford single flute solid carbide bit 5/64 or #47. #44 for through holes.
I use OSG thread forming taps.

This has been my go to method for a few years now and is much easier and consistent than any other of the methods I have tried.
Hope that helps. I am not affiliated with any of the above companies.
Click to expand...
Thank you. This advise seems like a summary of what I've been able to put together as the most consistent method. Unfortunately, the tapper on Ti Connector is out of stock. Bob Ohlemann uses form taps in a tapmatic and told me he never breaks taps. I've also heard that the Moly Dee is amazing for tapping.

A couple of questions. Do you push the tap all the way through or do you periodically back off and on? Who is your source for the OSG thread taps? Why the single flute carbide bits for the holes - what advantage does that give you over a high quality cobalt bit? And one last question, I have a piece of high quality 1" plexiglass i was thinking of using for a guide to hold the tap perfectly perpendicular - do you think that might be an effective substitute for the tapper on Ti Connector?

Thanks again.
 
I still have my "Higgy" (Jeff Higgins) Tap-O-Matic bench tapping jig. It works wonderfully on small taps.
 
SilentPartner said:
Thank you. This advise seems like a summary of what I've been able to put together as the most consistent method. Unfortunately, the tapper on Ti Connector is out of stock. Bob Ohlemann uses form taps in a tapmatic and told me he never breaks taps. I've also heard that the Moly Dee is amazing for tapping.

A couple of questions. Do you push the tap all the way through or do you periodically back off and on? Who is your source for the OSG thread taps? Why the single flute carbide bits for the holes - what advantage does that give you over a high quality cobalt bit? And one last question, I have a piece of high quality 1" plexiglass i was thinking of using for a guide to hold the tap perfectly perpendicular - do you think that might be an effective substitute for the tapper on Ti Connector?

Thanks again.
Click to expand...

I turn the tap until I feel a little resistance and then back off a couple turns and resume (Steve @ Ti Connector has a video using it on instagram). I get my OSG taps from MSC. I find the small, carbide, single flute drill bits make very concentric holes and do not dull nearly as quickly as other bits. Not sure about the plexiglass. There are other manual tappers similar to the bench tapper, I think some else mentioned they got one from McMaster Carr. I'll leave that up to your google search. FWIW, I have used a Tapmatic in the past and it is a nice tool but for me the bench tapper is easier and less stress inducing, different strokes...I also have a tapping feature on my mill but have not used it since I got the bench tapper. I chamfer/deburr all of the holes I drill.
 
velodemon said:
Here is my process:

I use a Bench Tapper from Ti Connector.
Moly -Dee lube from Castrol
Drill 0-80 tapping holes with an MA ford single flute solid carbide bit #54. #53 for through holes.
Drill 2-56 tapping holes with an MA ford single flute solid carbide bit 5/64 or #47. #44 for through holes.
I use OSG thread forming taps.

This has been my go to method for a few years now and is much easier and consistent than any other of the methods I have tried.
Hope that helps. I am not affiliated with any of the above companies.
Click to expand...
One other quick question. I've heard of some people using doing a tiny camfer
SilentPartner said:
Who has some guidelines for hand tapping 0-80 and 2-56 into titanium? What type of taps, jigs and fluids have worked for you?
Click to expand...
Ok, so today I made a very simple jig and it worked flawlessly. I took a 1" piece of plexiglass and drilled a hole a couple thousandths bigger than the shaft on my 0-80 and 2-56 taps. I'm using Titan taps and the shafts are the same size on both so this will be a universal guide for both tap sizes. I then drill 5/64 inch holes in a piece of titanium and then gave them a tiny chamfer. I visually lined up my plexiglass jig with the hole in the titanium and clamped it to a 123 block. A dab of Moly Dee and I was able to hand tap 2 holes (Titan Form Tap) in about 2 minutes - dead on - no problems. It felt as smooth as if I were simply screwing a screw into the metal with very little resistance.

Now I think I'm going to make some type of quick clamping jig with the plexiglass and I think I'm good to go.

I don't like the tap holder I bought (I think it is an Irwin) because it doesn't have a receptical for the square end of the tap and is only held with jaws and it slipped a bit. If anyone can recommend a tap holder with that feature, I'd be appreciate.
 

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