mangocrazy
Italian V-twin nutjob
- Messages
- 1,164
- Location
- Sheffield, UK
I have a requirement to tap an M10 x 1.0 thread into 15mm copper rod. The piece of rod is 40mm long, and only the first 20mm really needs to be threaded, but I can't even manage that. I got the piece of rod centre drilled to 9mm (correct clearance for M10 x 1.0 thread), put the piece of rod in the vice and started to tap the thread (HSS taper tap with plenty of cutting compound). For a soft material I was surprised how hard it was to tap. I was careful to take small bites, unwind, move forward and back so as not to force it, but at the point where the thread was starting to go full depth it just completely stripped.
I tried the other end of the piece and that did exactly the same. What am I doing wrong? Is the only way to tap a thread into copper by using a lathe? I don't have a lathe, by the way.
I tried the other end of the piece and that did exactly the same. What am I doing wrong? Is the only way to tap a thread into copper by using a lathe? I don't have a lathe, by the way.