How To Salvage a Disaster Job
Okay, you are working and on your car and there is this bolt that is being stubborn and will not exit no matter what you have tried. So, you get a larger ratchet and or maybe a pipe to help you create more leverage to make the bolt exit by force. Well, too much force is exerted and the bolt breaks with half of the shaft still in the part you with which you are working. Now you have a mess. This is where a lot of people will call a professional mechanic and pay a lot of money to have the mechanic fix a problem that could have been easily solved if you had the proper equipment. What proper equipment is that? A problem like this can be easily solved with a tap and die set.
So, now you have this big problem but how does this tap and die set fix your mess? First, you get a regular twist drill bit with a dependable drill. It is recommended that if you have access to a drill press to use this machine for this job. A drill press will give you more consistency both with speed and direction. With a drill press you do not have to worry about drilling at a wrong angle and permanently messing up the part. So you drill the stud or shaft out of the part. It is important to use a drill bit of the exact diameter needed.
Now, that you have a hole suitable for the job, it is time to go to next step. There are two parts of the tap and die set. The tap is used to thread the female potion or “nut” of the threading process and the die is used to thread the male portion or “bolt.” After a hole has been made of the proper diameter, insert the tap into the hole with the “T” handle attached to the shaft of the tap. Turn the tap ever so slowly and carefully. Remember you are cutting threads into the metal and if you do this wrong you will have to start the process all over again and you will have to use a larger bolt. As you turn the tap make sure the shaft of the tap is perfectly vertical to the piece of equipment in which the work is being done. It is recommended that you use a synthetic cutting oil to lubricate the tap as it cuts into the metal. When you get to the desired depth slowly reverse the action and back the tap out of the hole. Really that is all there is to it. The “die” part of the process will be discussed in another article.
Not only will a tap and die set get you out of a mess; if you need a brand new hole and wish to thread it for use with a bolt, you can use a metal hole saw to drill a hole in the metal and then follow up with the tap. A metal hole saw is a perfect way to drill a perfect hole in wood or metal.
For more tips and information about tap and die please visit: metal hole saw
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