Recommendation for a tap handle

[Dimner]

I've been around tools long enough to know you get what you pay for....but I've only ever tapped metal twice at the robotics shop at the local H.S.

So I'm in need of a tap handle and know nothing about the different makes and what not. As always ill probably go vintage on ebay and find something hopefully under 40 bucks, but what should I be looking for? What brands? Sizes? The stuff I'm tapping will be

5/16 - 36 tpi
10-32

Thats all to start with. I'd like something that is quality, vintage and won't make me wish I bought something better.

I'm not interested in doing precise work with small variances, just functional work.

[Hossfly]

You can get an 8-12 pt socket to fit most square drive taps and use common ratchets to fit or just use common adjustable like what we call crescent wrenches will work just fine.

[Dimner]

Oh. If a crescent wrench will be good enough, that will work out fine. Thank you!

[DDriller]

The only advantage a tap handle has over a cresent wrench is it is easier to start the tap straight with the tap handle.

[Texas by God]

An unplugged drill press can work, turning the chuck with one hand while holding light downward pressure with the other. Of course the part being tapped should be in a secured vise.

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[ulav8r]

A crescent wrench will make it very easy to get the tap started crooked and to break those small taps. With a larger tap it can be used to ream a hole out enough that the threads will be very weak if you can get enough thread to run a bolt into the hole. IOW, do not use a crescent wrench. Look for a tap wrench that holds the tap securely and has symmetrical handles. The chuck type lets you switch taps more quickly than the older Starret type that use 2 screws to tighten to a tap. Several types work, just be sure to get a well made one that is not worn out.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Starrett is a very good brand-- but I misplaced mine somewhere. So for my last tap job I bought an inexpensive one from MidwayUSA. It did the job, worked just fine, no regrets.


DG

[merlin101]

I second the tap handle and I NEVER use a wrench! To easy to start crooked and then break a small tap.
You should be able to buy a couple of used handles for a few bucks each, ratcheting handles are nice when chasing threads but can be a pia for cutting new threads (YMMV)

[Winger Ed.]

+ 1 on Starrett tap handles for me.
With spending big bucks, they're hard to beat.

[country gent]

The Starretts are very good and nice. A tap handle drives a tap evenly and makes it easier to start square and gives a better feel of whats going on. What and where will you be tapping, this may have a bearing on the handles you. Tight areas a standard handle is closer to the tap length and fits in shorter areas. Tee handles give a better balance but make the tap much taller. Notice I said handles. The 10 and 5/16 taps square drives will take 2 different handles. While most companies make tap handles and they are good A lot are shop made on the floor. We had prints for both standard and tee usually made during a persons apprenticeship. These handles are also good for reamers.

Heres a simple tap handle that can be made with just a drill press will list materials and steps to complete it.

Materials
2 each 3/8 X 6 key stock
2 each 10 24 allen cap head screws 3/4" long
Thats it for the materials.

Tools drill press
center punch
small adjustable square
small ball peen hammer
#25 drill
3/16 drill
center drill optional.

steps
cut 3/8 key stock to 6" and deburr ends lightly for now
ink ends on one flat 2" from ends
Lay out hole pattern 3/8 in from end on centerline and 1 5/8 on center line do this on each bar.
center punch
one bar is from end #25 hole and then 3/16 other is 3/16 then the 25
Tap the 2 holes and again lightly deburr
Bolt together and find center line between screws lay out this line on top. un bolt and transfer line down inside faces.
file a vee on the line. if yu want to make this faster and easier leave bolted tight together and drill a small hole thru then file the vee.

file radius's on ends of handles for comfort.

If you can find it 3/8" x 1/2 and you can cut a vee on each side one small and one bigger

This is a very simple to make and easy to use handle.

The drill press makes a very nice tapping stand when used as described above, When done in the press there is no flexing or bending the tap and its very solid. Did a lot of power tapping in both the drill press and mill

If you want to get fancy lay out 2 3/16 from ends then every 1/2" 4-6 holes in each handle and drill them with the number 25 drill. this lightens the tap handle and breaks up the flat surface. give these holes a nice .060 wide chamfer.

when its done draw file the flats and blue it up.

Depending on the vees you cut one side will do from 6-1/4" the other will do from 5/16 to 1/2"

[CastingFool]

I made one using key stock, pretty much the same way country gent described.

[Dimner]

Thanks for all the ideas guys. I ended up going with a park tools th-1. It's a pretty good brand and less than 20 bucks. Description says it goes from #0 to 5/16". So that should be good for me until I can get to the flea market and look for a few vintage ones in the appropriate sizes.

And country gent, thank you very much for that writeup. This summer when the robotics team is doing projects to increase their skills on fabrication, I'm going to add this to the list. It will be a great project for them. I have always found that the most satisfying and educational projects have been the ones where I am making my own tools.

[country gent]

Apprentices spend a lot of the first years making tools to get started and learn. My grandfather in his apprentice ship actually made his files. Scribes, drill gauges, vises, clamps, we had one that was a jacobs chuck on a 1" square shank they made ( this was just a handy tool in the mill or grinders ), A mod of the aloris tool holder for small lathes,parallels, vee bocks, squares, Lathe spiders both for 3 jaw and 4 jaws. collet stops both for threaded and unthreaded 5c collets, dressers for grinders. all things they were going to need and use. These items got them started learning and were good for them to do. I have a 3 piece pen set I carry. bought the kits at wood crafters. turned from olive wood. Pen, pencil and scribe. very nice though they have checked a little over the years. The scribe is a pen kit with a insert ground from carbide round stock. Been using them for 20 years several parker refills in the pen. Another project the apprentices liked was allen tee handles here there was 1 tee with a small tapered sicket in it and the allens were set in a shaft with the matching taper and dog. insert the one needed and a light tap then a small drift to remove.
A little trick I learned was make parrallels soft so it you do touch them they dont destroy the drill. Another good project was "finese" hammers and bumpers normally brass copper or aluminum sometimes polyurethane coated and shot filled to be dead blow in the 4-6 oz range. handy for tapping parts around on grinders mills and other machines.



On the tap handles we made them from 1/4" up to 1/2" key stock sometimes turning the handles round and knurling them.

[loveruger]

Found a nut that would barely fit on the tap. Pressed it on in a vice dropped a dab of weld on the inside.

[JSnover]

A proper tap handle (even a cheap one) beats a Crescent wrench any day of the week. I've been removing broken taps for people who used C-wrenches for twenty years.
If you don't have a tap handle, you might get away with using a socket but IME, you almost never have one that fits the way you need it to and you're still pulling off-center as opposed to a proper two-handed tap handle. If you have to use a ratchet or wrench, do what loveruger said in post #14

[Dsltech1]

Irwin makes a small and large adjustable tap socket. They beat the square drive tap sockets that you never find a perfect fit with. Definitely better than a crescent or 12 point socket. I think they’re $20 or a little over for the set of two. I believe you can find them individually as well.

[curdog007]

I have tapped 10's of thousands of holes, both by hand and with power (50k on one job alone).
I could not imagine doing the job properly without the correct tools.

[waksupi]

An unplugged drill press can work, turning the chuck with one hand while holding light downward pressure with the other. Of course the part being tapped should be in a secured vise.

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Best method in my opinion, to avoid broken taps.

[trebleplink]

It can be a challenge to start the tap perfectly aligned. I used this for years with good results:

https://www.shars.com/products/cutti...eamer-holder-1

[Monobill]

Spend your money on quality drills and taps. For occasional use the handle is not going to be an issue. Keeping it straight and good form will keep from breaking the tap. Good taping fluid for lubrication is needed.