People involved in the construction business would always have thread taps in their arsenal. But what are thread taps?
Thread taps are especially designed tools used to cut the female portion of a mating pair of metal fasteners. A die, on the other hand, is a tool used to cut the male portions. Basically, taps are used to cut nuts and dies are used to cut bolts. Taps are also used to cut threads into a hole, so that they will receive a bolt more effectively.
There are different types of thread taps that are used for a variety of reasons and purposes. Below are some of the most common types of thread taps and their basic description:
- Straight flute taps. This particular type of tap is the most affordable and the simplest type of tap. This tap was designed to be used manually or by hand and the threads on this tap are straight, and as such, its surface appears to be ribbed or corrugated.
- Gun taps.Gun taps have angular cutting faces on their ends and have straight flutes. This specific type of tap always provides a very close and exact cut since their angular cutting faces help to boost the pieces of material in front of the tap to ensure that they will not interfere when the tap is in use.
- Spiral flute taps. These taps are usually used with machines and on aluminum and soft steel. When a spiral flute tap is used, the threading is deeper and more precise because itsshape permits the chips to be propelled out effectively and cleanly out of the hole.
- Spiral pointed taps. This specific type of tap is specially designed to be used for high speed production. Spiral pointed taps only have one leading flute that is ground at an angle to the access of the tap. These taps are also akin to gun taps since they also propel chips in front of the tap so that the threading will not be affected.
- Pipe taps. With this kind of tap, you can either use parallel or taper threads. Pipe taps can be used manually or by hand or with a machine. They are also smaller than the other common types of taps.
- Long shank machine taps. These taps are used with machines and are longer in length than other regular types of taps.
- Long shank machine taps. This particular type of tap is longer than the average type of tap. These taps also come in different sizes and types.
- Machine NIB taps.This tap is regularly used in nut manufacture and is specifically designed to make sure that that the shape of nut threads always comes out perfect.