Tap for titanium

[Alexi]

need to tap some titanium tubes m6x1. I'm assuming a regualr steel tap is gonna be a chore on this, I know facing ti with steel is a No Fun Endevorâ„¢

any recomendations for a tap suitable for hand tapping ti?

[Louis]

McMaster-Carr is a great resource for stuff like this:

https://www.mcmaster.com/products/ta...on~titanium-2/

Edit: I just looked at the prices - ouch! Maybe it's better to have a machine shop do it for you.

[Nessism]

What exactly are you going to be doing? Chasing threads, or making threads. And how deep? Tubes are thin.

[Alexi]

Originally Posted by Louis

McMaster-Carr is a great resource for stuff like this:

https://www.mcmaster.com/products/ta...on~titanium-2/

Edit: I just looked at the prices - ouch! Maybe it's better to have a machine shop do it for you.

looked thru McMaster, seems that they don't have any for hand taps, just machine taps. machine taps shouldn't be used for hand taps, they have a tendency to break that way.

[Alexi]

Originally Posted by Nessism

What exactly are you going to be doing? Chasing threads, or making threads. And how deep? Tubes are thin.

Cutting new 6x1 threads in a tube that is 8mm OD and 5mm ID. These will be non-weight bearing, just to thread in a bolt and oversized washer on either end that will work to keep a pair of hooks centered.

TBH it's 90% an ornimental cap on the ends of a the tube.

Edited due to brain fart on ID.

[Louis]

Ooops. Sorry about that.

[bicycletricycle]

A regular tap will work fine, just use a sharp one

[AngryScientist]

Originally Posted by bicycletricycle

A regular tap will work fine, just use a sharp one

+1. That’s a very light duty application. A new sharp steel tap will do it no problem.

[sokyroadie]

IMHO you need to think about using a smaller dia. finer thread pitch. You won't have many threads with a 6mm x1.0 in 1 mm thick material.

[Fat Cat]

Make sure that you have the proper cutting oil ! There are material specific cutting oils. And a quality tap of course

[truth]

I'll see if I can dig it up later, but on the Custom Frame Forum in some thread Mark from Paragon recommends a tap brand a cutting oil for titanium. He would know.

[Alexi]

Originally Posted by bicycletricycle

A regular tap will work fine, just use a sharp one

Excellent, I have fancy m5 taps for doing ti, glad I don't have to repurchase those!

[Alexi]

Originally Posted by sokyroadie

IMHO you need to think about using a smaller dia. finer thread pitch. You won't have many threads with a 6mm x1.0 in 1 mm thick material.

Well it's 1.5 thick! A while half mm bigger!

IIRC 7.8 OD is the minimum size for M6x1. When I did this on steel tubes I worked fine. Last resort I'll just epoxy in some slightly smaller bolts without cutting threads.

[truth]

Taps.

Cutting fluid.

[Alexi]

Originally Posted by truth

I'll see if I can dig it up later, but on the Custom Frame Forum in some thread Mark from Paragon recommends a tap brand a cutting oil for titanium. He would know.

Please do!

Make sure that you have the proper cutting oil ! There are material specific cutting oils. And a quality tap of course