Small taps ME

I have brought some 1/4" ME taps, the plug tap comes with a point, the 3/8 "has no point.

I phoned the supplier that I needed to thread blind holes with the 1/4 "plug tap, they explained the reason of the point on the end and why a lager tap has a small hole on the cutting end.

To get over the problem I can grind the point off but I still will not be able to tap to the bottom of the blind hole.

As I don't want to ruin the plug tap but with other small taps I have ground down to the start of the thread so have a flat bottom, as these old taps were from the working days they didn't cost me anything.

The ME plug tap and second tap has about 3/16" before the start of the thread.

I thought about tapping 1/4" steel and then insert the tap and just before the thread starts at the other side, grind it flat using the 1/4" steel as the stop.

Any suggestions if this is incorrect way of doing this.

Thanks Bob.

I just freehand grind the points off mine.

Yes I just grind them down to a plug configuration, like Jason. Maybe take it a bit easy in case you soften the first few threads.

The points and dimples are used as centres when making the tap. They are also used if you ever sharpen them, but that probably isn't going to happen!

Andrew.

For bottoming small ME threads, eg 1/4" x 40, I made taps from silver steel threaded to the tip. Flutes milled in with the corner of an end-mill then hardened. Work well, even without sharpening, on items such as union nuts etc. Nowadays though, I'd probably just grind a commercial tap