Tapping Ferrule Issue

blackhawk357m

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Decided to cut and tap my own capped ferrules from solid rod. Drilled and bored out to proper size, but when I try to tap them, the tap gets 1/2 way in and the ferrule itself starts spinning inside the headstock instead of cutting threads. No matter how tight I make the chuck, it still spins inside it.

Anyone have any suggestions on how to stop this?

I'm using a 3 pc tap set from grizzly, and turning the chuck by hand with the tap in the tailstock.

Thanks,
Nathan
 
Sounds like the hole is a bit too small. What is the diameter that you are you boring to?

Alan
 
tapping ferrules

not sure what type lathe you are using,but the type chuck and jaws make a difference.when i was doing it with a hightower i had the same issues,now i do them on a porper b,and i have no issues.
 
Decided to cut and tap my own capped ferrules from solid rod. Drilled and bored out to proper size, but when I try to tap them, the tap gets 1/2 way in and the ferrule itself starts spinning inside the headstock instead of cutting threads. No matter how tight I make the chuck, it still spins inside it.

Anyone have any suggestions on how to stop this?

I'm using a 3 pc tap set from grizzly, and turning the chuck by hand with the tap in the tailstock.

Thanks,
Nathan

Hi Nathan:
I use a lube on all my tapping, some guys like wax, I prefer T-9. It's a standard spray I use on all my cast iron beds. I even use it on wood to thread with a die. Hope this helps.
 
Could you be trying the run the tap all the way through in one shot? Sometimes when I'm having a similar issue, I back the tap out, clean/blow the particles out, tap a little more, then repeat until I bottom out. It may take several tries, but often does the trick for me. If the tap comes all the way out then you have to be careful when starting It again, so that you don't cross thread. One way to help with that is to apply slight pressure, and turn the jaws in the opposite direction until you feel lead thread of the tap drop in, then slowly try going the correct direction with It. This is all done by hand of coarse and not under power.

Wax or some kind of lube as mentioned should help too. Personally I don't do that on the inside of ferrules, but I do use wax with a compression dia, when threading the tenon, and have not had any issues with glue not bonding correctly. I do use a similar trick to what Mike mentioned for tapping My 3/8 wood threads into shafts. In Fact I think He passed that one on to me some time ago. It works pretty well for that, and I get really clean threads that way.
 
Try putting a single wrap of 220 grit sandpaper around the ferrulle and then chuck it up. You will get alot more grip from the chuck without added pressure from tightening. As mentioned before, tapping full depth is alot more pressure, especially with gun taps. By stopping every thread or two and backing out a little you break the chip, so the tap flutes do lot fill up and bind. Gun Taps should be used only on thru holes, since they push the chip ahead of the cut, and spiral fluted, or high helix taps can be used on either blind or thru holes, since the chip comes back out of the hole.
 
not sure what type lathe you are using,but the type chuck and jaws make a difference.when i was doing it with a hightower i had the same issues,now i do them on a porper b,and i have no issues.
yeah, it's a hightower deluxe
 
Hi Nathan:
I use a lube on all my tapping, some guys like wax, I prefer T-9. It's a standard spray I use on all my cast iron beds. I even use it on wood to thread with a die. Hope this helps.
I'm still pretty new to this....thanks for all the tips.

I'll try to find some local place for the T9.

I try to only do 1 or 2 threads at a time, back out, blow out, run back in....etc.

Definately gonna try the sand paper, but wouldn't that throw off the center?

Using a 3pc set, pilot thru bottom
 
Try not parting off your ferrules until after you've threaded them.

You can chuck up on the solid rod that will become the next ferrule. That material is solid and won't collapse under the pressure of the chuck, so it won't spin.

Drill and tap first, then use a parting tool to cut it off.
 
Try not parting off your ferrules until after you've threaded them.

You can chuck up on the solid rod that will become the next ferrule. That material is solid and won't collapse under the pressure of the chuck, so it won't spin.

Drill and tap first, then use a parting tool to cut it off.
makes sense, never thought i was going to have issues tapping them lol live and learn
 
Tapping Ferrule

I'm assuming you are using the taps in the correct order and not starting with the bottom tap. Griz is ok for some tools, but I would invest in
a better tap if I planned on doing more than a couple. Hard to beat
osg for taps, but you pay for the quality.
 
I hate tapping ferrules (or anything else). If I did not have live tooling I would just buy them already made (but I don't like 5/16-18 for most applications). Royce was spot on with his advice. Drill, tap and then part off to length.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R1MZQKgXJw&feature=g-upl

holey shitttt........

A $200,000 machine and several minutes to drill and tap a ferrule.

I bet they are accurate....

Let's kill mosquitoes with a 10 gauge shot gun...........

LOL


Kim
 
I hate tapping ferrules (or anything else). If I did not have live tooling I would just buy them already made (but I don't like 5/16-18 for most applications). Royce was spot on with his advice. Drill, tap and then part off to length.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R1MZQKgXJw&feature=g-upl

Man I love machine porn.
First there was the 6 million dollar man, and now there is the
1/4 million dollar ferrule.
Gotta love repeatability.
 
Man I love machine porn.

Here's your centerfold.

u4a7a5yd.jpg
 
If you follow the advice given to drill and tap into the rod and then part off, you will be able to hold the piece with both chucks until you get down to the last several inches of the rod. I would drop that bit size down to either 1/4" or .256" and get an H1 factor bottoming tap and a plug tap in case needed. You can tap completely with the bottoming tap. The good thing about an H1 size tap is when you find that type of H factor it will be usually be a quality tap. I am guessing you have H5 or H3 lower quality taps. Because with the 17/64 size if the tap is super sharp it should go on in without much problem.
 
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