I need help with a home made tap

Hi, I want to make a tap and I have researched it as much as I can and I think I have most of the info, the bit I am not clear on and can't find the info anywhere is after hardening the tap what do I use to clean it up, is it a wire brush or something else?

Regards

Peter

Allegedly, if you cover the tap with soft soap before heating it, it all comes off when you quench.

Hello Peter,

If it already hard and scaled then leave it soaking in citric acid solution, strong mix. It is readily available at home brew outlets amongst other places.

If you have yet to harden it then John Haine's suggestion will leave it clean for you.

Regards

Brian

When I made a set of square thread serial taps I just left them in a jar of el cheapo vinegar for a couple of days after hardening and tempering. That removes most of the scale and leaves a uniform dull grey finish.

Andrew

If you make it out of silver steel and are going to use it on brass or aluminium they will cut a number of times without hardening. The main difficulty I had was obtaining a sharp edge in the flutes. Milling or using a slotting attachment wouldn't leave a sharp edge. I decided to flute it first next time I have to make one but might still find they need grinding.

John

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I haven't heard of that before, I will certainly try it when I can get round to making the tap.

Thank you.

Posted by Brian Wood on 23/08/2015 08:55:25:

Hello Peter,

If it already hard and scaled then leave it soaking in citric acid solution, strong mix. It is readily available at home brew outlets amongst other places.

If you have yet to harden it then John Haine's suggestion will leave it clean for you.

Regards

Brian

Thank you Brian, I haven't made it yet, so will try the soft soap.

Thanks Andrew, I will try the soft soap and if that doesn't work can fall back on the acid/vinegar.

Thanks John, It will be from silver steel and it will be mostly used for acrylic, brass and aluminium, but I would like to try it on stainless which I know will be pushing it if it's not done well. I have no milling machine so was going to cut the flutes with a dremel, before it gets hardened. If it works it will be the first of many.

Thanks again to everyone for their advice, I do appreciate it.

Regards

Peter

I cut my tap flutes on a horizontal mill. I had no problems with sharpness, although I did spend a considerable time before hardening with needle files ensuring that all burrs were removed, and that edges were nice and sharp:

Andrew