Can't find a metric Hand Tapper

[FlyingElectron]

Hi all,

Hoping that someone might be able to help me find a hand tapper for metric taps. I'm in the USA and can't seem to find one. I've been able to find a hand tapper for UNC taps like the ones in the links below, but what I really need is one that can do metric taps. I really only tap two metric threads 4mm and 6mm and the time to change the taps is not really a concern. Any help would be appreciated, even links to overseas sellers that may have sell one.

Thanks!


UNC hand tappers I found, but don't seem to do metric:

http://www.grizzly.com/products/Hand...-Machine/G8748
http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?P...&PMPXNO=953101
http://www.littlemachineshop.com/pro...2539&category=
http://www.littlemachineshop.com/pro...2898&category=

[Al_The_Man]

Is it possible to make a couple of adaptors? or failing that, could you get two smaller sizes EDM'd out to the metric size, if you get stuck?
Al.

[FlyingElectron]

I found a page with a really good picture of what the adapters look like.

http://www.finelinehair.com/home/Tap...nce_tables.htm

The only part I can't figure out how to make would be the square hole at the top.

I never considered EDM for anything. It always seemed to me to be super high tech / expensive, but I realized that was always just an assumption I made. The only thing I know about EDM is from a show I saw on TV where a guy used an EDM machine to make a die to press counterfeit slot machine tokens. Anyone know ballpark how much it would cost to have a shop use EDM to enlarge a square hole?

[Al_The_Man]

I am not sure of the going rate for EDM, but another cheaper solution you may be able to do yourself, depending on the nature of the square hole, is a square broach.
Not sure if they make them that small though.
Al.

[graver1]

I expect you have an answer by now, but this will work. Make your adaptor and instead of a square hole, use 2 set screws. . LL.

[FlyingElectron]

Thanks for the elegant simple solution, I think that might work! For now I ended up making a tapping block which gets the job done, but I may go back and get the hand tapper and try to make the adapters.