Can I get away with just one tap...

[furini]

Hi all
At last, there is a UK supplier of Bock nibs with feeds and housings. They also sell taps! I anticipate using just ebonite for making sections - will I get away with just having the second tap?
Size 5 Bock Nibs
Many thanks in advance
Cheers
Stewart

 

[mredburn]

Depending on the designs of your pens and what your customers prefer, you may have to have a tap for both the #5 and #6 feed assemblies. They are different sizes.
If your only making pens for yourself and a size #5 nib is what you like then you would just need the one tap.

 

[furini]

Thanks, Mike
I'll start off with a 5. I wondered if I should get the first or second tap and get away with having just one of them?

 

[skiprat]

Stewart, the taps are the same, just the amount of taper varies to allow you to eventually tap thread to the bottom of a blind or shouldered hole. So you would start with a Taper, then use Plug, then Bottom. If you don't need a shoulder a the bottom of the hole then just make your life easy and use a taper. Easier to use and less likely to crack the hole as it takes lots of smaller bites before the thread gets full depth, as opposed to a bottom tap that will try and cut a full depth thread within one or two revs.....:wink:

 

[edstreet]

Nibs use blind holes now?

 

[mredburn]

Sorry, just read the link, Skip is correct you just need the taper tap, make sure you thread it in far enough to fully form the threads.

 

[skiprat]

Stewart, here's a quick pic showing the different taps. You can see that the taper and even the plug, take several small cuts before a full thread is cut.
The more cuts you take, the less stress on the blank. :wink:

 

[furini]

Thanks Skip and Mike
Will order and get started on kitless! Might be while before I can post a pic though!
Cheers
Stewart