Floating holders only way to go?

I'm afraid of just going for it without some type of flexibility.

Do you have Rigid Tapping turned on? I peck tap frequently on a TL1 with Rigid Tapping and Repeat Rigid Tapping turned on using an ER16 holder for taps up to 1/2"-13.

I tap everyday on my TL1 using the conversational programming using a rigid holder. I do not have the rigid tapping option, either. I have tried turning it on using the 200 hour trial and I don't see a difference in performance.
There was a thread about this a couple months ago. Cant find it right now though.

This one: http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37335

I think there might be others, I know one time I commented that our 1995 HL1 will rigid tap and I don't think it even has the option.

In my experience if you want to peck tap you do need both the things I mentioned turned on.

we have rigid tapping turned on, i'll just have to give a go a few times to play with it, just an old school machinist who never really liked tapping on a lathe to begin with....I'd rather single point em if I can.

Rigid tapping at one time used to come standard with the Haases.I believe in 95 to 96.They must not have been making money or losing money so it eventually became an option.Your machine Geof most likely has Rigid tapping as it came standard in 95.Thats probably why some people are saying they can Rigid tap and they didnt buy the option.Its already there and they didn't realize it.

Other things used to come standard with the Haas as well like the Chip Auger and Geared spindle head.Now the Chip Auger and Geared head are options on most.

Rigid Tapping is standard on all SL and VF series machines it is an option on the TM and TL series machines.

So what was the verdict on TL series Rigid Tapping? I just bought a branny-new TL-1 and I'm going through the IPS screens, trying things out. Rigid Tap is currently off (0T). I tried the IPS tapping and it sure looks like it's working: the carriage and chuck slow down together, stop and reverse at the same time.

Does this mean I can get away with Rigid Tapping one hole but I won't enjoy 'Repeat Rigid Tap'?

I can live with that. I will be working in aluminum and can design the holes to be shallow enough to not need to peck them.

Or am I inviting an unexpected crash?

...Does this mean I can get away with Rigid Tapping one hole but I won't enjoy 'Repeat Rigid Tap'?.....Or am I inviting an unexpected crash?

In my experience; Yes and No.

Thanks Geof, that was a lot of help. :D

I slowed the spindle down to 60 RPM, did a 10 TPI thread, 0.500 deep. At that speed I could watch the chuck and ride my hand along on the Z axis handle.

The thread should have been 5 revolutions. Haas feeds three lead-in threads for a total of 8 revolutions. It stopped every time on the same position. I tried 0.600 deep and as suspected, it did 9 revolutions, reversed and stopped at the end on the same clock position.

Next: I tried 0.550--the chuck stopped 180 degrees out, 0.575, 270 degrees out, etc.

It looks like it does indeed 'rigid tap' but this is where the breakdown occurs. If I pre-rotate the chuck before pressing Cycle Start, it uses the position it started from for its clocking (the new position is also exactly where it stops after the cycle).

So what I think is happening is that the machine will go through the motions but I'm not sure if the spindle encoder is 'allowed' to have absolute control over the Z axis encoder (with R-tap turned off).

My concern is that the energy in the chuck (at higher RPM) might cause the chuck to over-run the position. There's prolly no free lunch here.

I would probably single-point most threads anyway but it's interesting to see what it can/can't do without the option.

I'm now thinking of floating tap holders. Just a thread or two worth of float would allow it to work.

....I would probably single-point most threads anyway but it's interesting to see what it can/can't do without the option.

I'm now thinking of floating tap holders. Just a thread or two worth of float would allow it to work.

I would love to see you single point something like 10-32 :D

I think a floating holder is the way to go. I built a couple for myself a few years ago that used an R8 holder in a housing that could float +/-1/8" or so between springs. They work quite well.

We used to make a part (1,000's upon 1000's of them) where we had to single point 4-40 holes, but we changed the process so we could tap them. Single pointing is good for when you don't have the right size tap on hand or for special thread pitches and or large diameters, but when possible I prefer taps because it is faster and simpler to maintain a good fit.