Drill tapping?

[Dieuos]

Hey guys, I had been attempting to drill and tap my own blade retention holes on my style 12 blade holder, but I must admit I'm quite terrible at it. Since I'm going to replace the blade holder altogether for a start over, how many holes should I make to keep the blade stable and should I just get the shop service I didn't see last time?


Also any experiences relating to this would be awesome.

[Sidd]

Most people only use one single blade retention screw as far up on the blade as possible

[mps]

As long as you have the proper diameter blade. All you need is one screw...Sidd is right, keep it far up for better stability....If you're worried about tapping it yourself, just use the tapping service. But keep practicing at home. Use scraps of metal and just drill in some holes and tap them all...You'll get the hang of it.

[Dieuos]

Cool, thanks guys. I had been practicing on scrap metal and thought I had a pretty good grasp of it but when I went and did it on my holder I screwed it up (Pun not intended). I'll just get the shop service, which I would have done in the first place had I seen it.

[Knighthammer]

Keep practicing on the now "scrap" BH. Honestly, I still am not an expert at putting it exactly line up with say a switch or something like that.

[Jedi-Loreen]

Have you read this thread?

http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?5724-The-Basics-of-Thread-Tapping

[dgdve]

Mostly the issue is in drilling the wrong size hole.. just drill straight down and back out.. dont wobble or well it out because that affects the depth of the threads your able to cut. use a thread tapping lubricant on the tap and go slowly backing out about 4 or 5 times then thread the tap to its base to ensure a true thread path.

IF your going to replace that old bh just practice on it a few times that way your more familiar with the material.. but you can do it, I have faith in you!

Oooo yeah how to line up your holes.. well measure thrice(not twice) and use your graphing paper(you can print it out free online)

[amiranda29]

How long does the Drill and Tap hole service take?

[the Director]

I missed the drill/tap service as well. I drilled and tapped my BRS myself with an 8/32 tap I picked up at Ace Hardware. I also had to drill out for my Box #9 holes as well. I borrowed a drill press from a friend but wound up using my Dremel instead. Put a few layers of masking tape around the area to be drilled to help protect the surrounding area.

[JediMasterTim]

just a quick question for all of you: do you have to have the drill tap thing, or can you use the tungsten drill accessory for the dremel?

[the Director]

I went to Ace Hardware and bought the correct size tap for my set screw. I drilled my hole and then inserted my tap into a handle and twisted. You want to twist a few times and then "unscrew" the tap. This cleans out the shavings created by cutting the threads. Insert the tap again and give it a few more twists and back it out again. Continue this until you have the tap all the way thru. Do not put the tap in your Dremel! You will strip the hole out.

[Weaver]

I have some experience with tapping, as I've had to learn the skill to create a knotwork tool for my bullwhips. Tying a Turk's Head knot on the heel of the whip can be taxing enough without losing track of all your laces, so having a cylindrical "helper" with removable pins helps immensely. That's beside the point.

The very first thing that people tend to get wrong about tapping has nothing at all to do with the tools used. They foul up right after taking measurements. If you know where your hole is going, don't just go after it with a drill: use a center punch to physically mark the position of the hole. As was said above, make sure the measurements are precise, use an ultra-fine sharpie to dot the location, then hit it with a spring-loaded center punch to create a small divot. This will keep the drill bit on-center, help to eliminate wobbling or "traveling", and start the hole much easier.

Second, use a drill bit slightly smaller than the desired hole size. If you drill out to the exact size of the screw, you won't have any material to bite into when you tap the hole. Also make certain that you match up the thread count with the intended screw, or you won't be able to use it at all.

When drilling, try to acquire a v-jig. I picked mine up from Harbor Freight, years ago, to aid in drilling the aforementioned knot helper. The v-jig is basically a block of aluminum, marked at regular intervals with standard measurements, which has been equipped with a deep, v-shaped groove, right down the center. It's commonly used for drilling large-diameter pipes and bar stock, which is basically what you're doing; just an overly fancy-looking pipe.

To use the jig properly, use a center square (picked mine up from Amazon) to mark the X and Y axes on the end of your material, then line up one of the axes with the drill bit. If done properly, the bit should hit the screw hole at a 90 degree angle, ensuring a straight hole. You definitely want a centered, straight hole. If the screw hole is not drilled at a 90 degree angle, some of its functionality may be lost.

The last bit of advice I can give is that you never -repeat: never- use any power tool to tap a screw hole. Power tools do not care what, where, how, how fast, or why they cut; they just cut. If you attack a screw hole, full-bore, with a power tool, you will either damage the hole, the tap, or yourself; possibly a combination of the three. It's just a bad idea. What you want to do is get a t-handle tap, or some variant thereof, and do it by hand.

When tapping, try to make small, slow turns, then reverse the tap at least a quarter turn. Repeat this back-and-forth action until the tap is fully inserted. This will break off any chips or burrs on the inside of the tapped hole, which you'll find invaluable when you don't end up snapping off the tap inside the hole. When the hole is fully tapped, gently reverse the tap until it leaves the hole. You may wish to clean up the entry with a gentle filing, but I wouldn't use power tools for that either; you could end up damaging one of the first threads.

If you feel confident, and overly crafty, you can create your own screw as well. Using the same methods prescribed above (sans center punch), select a bare rod of the appropriate size, clamp it down with something that won't move (a vise comes to mind), and match up the thread count to the tap you used. You can attach a head to the screw if you like, or simply slot the end. I'm sure there are many types of potential hardware out there that could be used as a blade retention screw if you put your mind to it.

Hope it helps. Good luck with your saber.

[Jay-gon Jinn]

Lord Maul posted a pretty good thread tapping topic here: http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?5724-The-Basics-of-Thread-Tapping

[JediMasterTim]

Thanks y'all! I was just wondering, as I'm new the saber building scene. Haha my dad just looked at me weird as I'm explaining what y'all said, and he said," son I've probably tapped holes as many times as four or five times your age!!" lol thanks again, and to the guy that started this thread, sorry for invading your thread with a question.

[PaPa_FoZzY]

I'd rather use the proper tap and die. a dremel is very versatile but when you need a drill you need a drill. there is a toutorial on using a tap and die here I'll look it up real quick for you.

here it is. http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/showthread.php?5724-The-Basics-of-Thread-Tapping
He used a drill press but if you have a steady hand and know how to be slow and deliberate just using your drill will work fine. You can get single tap and die set's at lowes or other hardware stores it comes with the tap and the right size drill bit. I use the 8/32 for all my builds. Good luck.

EDIT: I didn't notice all the other replies that basically said the same thing I just did

[JediMasterTim]

thanks man, thanks a lot. I appreciate the help!!! I'm sorry for invading this guy's thread with a singular question, I have a thread now, so I'll ask further questions there. :) thanks for the time and effort you used in helping answer my question, I guess I just need to go to the "n00b" section on here. thanks for all the help y'all!!