HELP! Broken tap

[ammohead]

Like a gorilla I went and broke a bottoming tap off in the receiver ring of a 98 mauser. Any tips or am I hosed. This is for a Leupold scope base. All of these years I have been lucky, I guess my luck ran out.

ammohead

[Johnch]

I am no expert or a gunsmith
But I have broken a few tap's off and got them all out 1 of 2 ways

Choice #1 way is if the tap is close enough to the surface and I can get a small punch on it
I will then break up the tap with the punch and pick it out with a dental pick

Choice #2 is to use a small diamond spurr for my dremmel and cut the tap into pieces

Choice #3 I have not had to use
But I was told by a local machine shop
If in a real pinch , they could burn a tap out for me with a tap burner
Not exactly sure how it works , as I haven't needed to have it done

John

[RayinNH]

Don't know if any of this will help, but worth the read just in case...Ray

http://www.metalartspress.com/PDFs/Removing_Frozen_or_Broken_Taps_and_Fasteners.pdf

[ANeat]

Like John said; It may just break out. many of the small taps are brittle enough where they will break up pretty easily. If not grind it out.

Ive used a burnout machine before, its not real good on the small holes. On most you have a hollow consumable electrode that basicly burns the tap out with vibration and electrical current (the vibration keeps the electrode from sticking)
On big taps its easier to stay away from the sides (dont want to burn a hole in the part)

When you get it out if the hole is too buggered up to clean up brownells carries oversized taps and screws that can save the situation

[Ernest]

I'm certainly no expert but I have broken off a small tap before, I soaked it in penetrating oil and then using a ground off dental pick and a very small hammer I was able to tap/ turn it backwards and forwards enough to raise it out of the hole enough to grasp it with pliers and turn it out. It took a while and a lot of tapping but it worked.

[longbow]

As per johnch, I have broken a tap or two and the last one was in the intake manifold of my truck (thermostat housing). I tried getting needle nose pliers into the flutes ~ no go, penetrating oil and a small punch to try to turn it ~ no go, the punch method to break it up again without success. I also tried a small grinder on my Dremel but it ate up grinding bits (diamond might have worked but I didn't have one).

Then I decided to try a carbide bit in the Dremel. I didn't think it would work but that carbide bit ate the remains of the tap out easily and very quickly.

This was a little larger than what you are working with but a small diamond or carbide bit is my suggestion.

Good luck.

Longbow

[ammohead]

Thanks all,

I got busy with a small punch trying to back it out and a small piece broke off, then another, and another till it all broke out. Talk about a little panic...but once I slowed down and tried the advice here all's well that ends well.

ammohead

[Charlie Sometimes]

Carbon Steel taps will break out with a punch, High Speed Steel taps need the burr to remove them. Never get in a hurry, and use plenty of lubrication when tapping- I hate to break them, too!

[John Taylor]

Having a machine shop helps. I grind a broken carbide end mill to look like a cold chisel. This can be run in the mill and bore out a broken tap. I didn't think it would work when someone told me about it so had to try. Carbide will still hold it's shape when red hot, a tap won't. I never let it get that hot. Got to be careful not to brake the carbide off in the hole, harder to get out than a broken tap.