What's new
What's new

Form tapping in a mag drill?

drummerdimitri

Plastic
Joined
Feb 23, 2020
Location
Beirut, Lebanon
Is there any benefit to form tap in a mag drill vs cut tapping?

It is my understanding that form tapping should only be done on soft metals such as brass, copper and aluminium and cut taps are better suited for harder materials such as steel and stainless steel.

Is it true that form taps create a stronger thread?

I had great success tapping 20mm of M12 thread into a piece of aluminium using a form tap but need to know if there are any benefits to doing this vs using a spiral flutted cut tap as I do not want to purchase every tap size I use in forming taps unless they provide some additional benefits.
 
Form taps do create a "stronger" thread in the same way that rolling threads does. This has to do with altering the grain structure in the material vs shearing and separating grains in the material. This is not as important on internal threads as it is external, as you usually have quite a thicker cross section of material surrounding those threads.

They are probably best suited for softer materials, but are usable in some harder materials as well. The oil grooves in a form tap are not nearly as deep as flutes would be, so you have a stronger core on the tap.

I have used form taps (tiny ones #00 and the like) on powder press Titanium, with much better results than cutting taps.

I would say use the form taps where you are having issues with chips or surface finish in your threads, or if your customer requires formed threads.

Probably not best on thin walled material unless you have support around it, due to the higher forces involved.
 
Is there any benefit to form tap in a mag drill vs cut tapping?

It is my understanding that form tapping should only be done on soft metals such as brass, copper and aluminium and cut taps are better suited for harder materials such as steel and stainless steel.

Is it true that form taps create a stronger thread?

I had great success tapping 20mm of M12 thread into a piece of aluminium using a form tap but need to know if there are any benefits to doing this vs using a spiral flutted cut tap as I do not want to purchase every tap size I use in forming taps unless they provide some additional benefits.
Assuming you're asking about using a magnetic base drill? and If so then alloys are going to be a problem.
 
I use a form drill in mild steel tubing. 20mm x 14mm tube and 6 x1 mm threads. The advantage is the metal pushed into the tube allows for an extra few threads like a thread insert. Your mag drill may be a little slow.
 








 
Back
Top