Loading…
2
Vent: pre-drilling 1/8 pilot holes on 6061 before tapping, lazy or the smart move?
So on the 200 brackets we ran in March at the plant in Rockford, I got tired of snapping 1/4-20 taps in aluminum like clockwork every 30 parts. I tried pre-drilling a 1/8 pilot before the tap drill size and my breakage dropped to almost nothing over a full run. Problem is one of the older guys on second shift says I'm just slowing myself down and that a sharp spiral flute tap should go straight in dry.
Now I'm split. Half of me says the extra 6 seconds a hole is nothing compared to digging out a broken tap. Other half says he's been doing this 22 years and I'm overthinking a soft metal.
Which side are you on and what pilot size do you run on aluminum?
0 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In0 Comments
No comments yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this discussion.