Spindle Taps

[Burt Alcantara]

I want to begin making my own jam and vacuum chucks. What I need is a 1 1/4 x 8 tap (???). I notice that Beall sells a 1 1/4 x 5 which I assume is just a shorter version of the 8.

I'm thinking that there are many thread configurations in taps just as there are in screws. If I bought a tap from a supplier how would I know what thread to ask for?

Thanks,
Burt

[Clarence Sears]

Beall offers a 1 1/4x8 spindle tap. (It sounds like someone might have made an "adding machine error" substituting the "5" you saw for an "8".) To answer your other question: you can certainly buy a regular metal tap from another source that should work for you as long as the diameter and pitch match your lathe spindle. (I presume yours is 1 1/4 x 8?) BTW, I bought a Chinese metal working tap from Grizzly Industrial that works just fine on wood - and will probably outlast me. ;)

[Dave Schell]

Burt, wherever you are seeing a Beall 1 1/4 x5 spindle tap - I think it is a misprint. That "5" represents threads per inch, so a 5 is dramatically different thread than an 8 and a size I have never seen before.

Coincidently, I used my Beall 1 1/4 x 8 spindle tap just yesterday for the first time. It was amazingly easy to use and produced great results in a flash. I think it will prove to be a worthwhile investment over time. Good luck.

[Maria Alvarado]

Burt,
Beall sells a 1 1/4 x 8 tap, I'm not sure where you saw x 5. The 8 refers to the thread count, not the length of the spindle.
Hope that helps

[Bernie Weishapl]

I have the Beall 1 1/4 X 8 and it works slick.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Burt - I have used mine for all my vacuum chucks and it works great! This is the one I picked up - http://www.hartvilletool.com/product/12719

[Jeff Nicol]

I have the 1 1/4" x 8 Beall tap also and it works like a champ. You could do like others said and get a tap from Grizzly or any other machine tooling company that sells taps. Once in a while there is one on e-bay but not very often.

Good luck,

Jeff

[Burt Alcantara]

Ordered the Beall 1 1/4 x 8 from Hartville. Picked up a few other things I needed like rare earth magnets and a scissors jig for the Tormek.

Funny how a $26 item can cost over $100.

Burt

[Allen Neighbors]

Thanks for posting this, Steve. That's a really good price, too. I need a 33mm.

[Cyril Griesbach]

Funny how a $26 item can cost over $100.

Burt[/quote]

Burt, I got a $10 CSUSA gift certificate at the club raffle last weekend and that raffle will probably cost me more than $100.:D

[scott schmidt grasshopper]

there are several types of taps. the ones beal sells are wood taps and will work good on the spindle nuts we might be making. machinist taps ( for metal) are a slightly differant cutter angle and have to be used gently on wood. ( makes great holes but watch for tearout. ) that being said. I have a ebay bought 20 bucks machinist tap and I can either make wooden threaded blocks of my own faceplates etc. , if you order a tap. there are a couple types. BOTTOMING taps have threads full thickness clear to the end of the tap ( made for blind holes) or STANDARD taps which have taper to the tap length and makes a smoother cut. with either one when tapping always do so in a back and forth motion to clear the cuttings from the tap. ( will give you a cleaner cut. normally we were taught turn forward 3/4 turn back 1/4) good luck scott
ps if you need just a couple blocks let me know ,I might make some for the right price. I have 1" 8tpi and 1.25"8tpi for the big yellow

[ralph tafoya]

ok this is going to sound dumb what is a blind hole? and what is the one we need for wood? standard or the other?

[Scott Conners]

A blind hole is one with a closed end. A bottoming tap will fully thread a close-ended hole. A standard tap needs to be run through the hole a ways to fully thread it.

[Chuck Jones]

I'm not sure where you would need a bottoming tap. Certainly not for vacuum chucks. Everything I have tapped for my wood lathe tightens against the shoulders of the spindle. May require a little more wood but that's not a problem. I have the Beall 1 1/4 x 8 and it works great. A little wax or grease on the threads works wonders.

[scott schmidt grasshopper]

the only reason I mentioned the bottoming tap is if you wanted a face plate without a thru and thru hole in it. and if you go online and start looking for standard taps it comes up alot . ( so now you know the term,)as for will a standard tap work for wood and what we do . yes it does, you need to make sure and use care in making the threads but then you need that anyhow after all you make a dozen of these and they can last forever.I have blocks that I made up and then glued waste blocks on . when the waste block is mostly used then I face it off and glue on a new block . the threaded portion never declines

[Steve Trauthwein]

Just as a side note. MSC has 1-1/4 x 8 nuts that will fit a spindle very well and can be epoxied into wood use for faceplates or glue blocks. Just another way to go.

Regards, Steve

[Burt Alcantara]

Steve,
My original intention was to buy some nuts and do as you say. Seems it would be a lot easier and faster. As my tap is on backorder, I may just try a few as I have a few bowls looking for a vacuum chuck.

Burt

[ralph tafoya]

Steve i have done that. the nuts work well. I inset the nut a bit then trued up the faceplate on the lathe before i used it. works for me.