34LaSalleClubSedan Posted March 26, 2021 Share Posted March 26, 2021 (edited) Does anyone know where I could buy a tool to remove a broken off tap for a 1/4 inch bolt for water jacket plate cover? The block is cast iron. Thanks, Jim Edited March 26, 2021 by 34LaSalleClubSedan (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike6024 Posted March 26, 2021 Share Posted March 26, 2021 I have never heard of such a tool. Did a search and saw these. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike6024 Posted March 26, 2021 Share Posted March 26, 2021 Size #3 is 6 mm or about 1/4 inch 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike6024 Posted March 26, 2021 Share Posted March 26, 2021 (edited) Walton 1/4" 3-Flute Extractor https://www.waltontools.com/products/extract-machsc-hand.htm Tap Extractor Removal broken taps and save the threads. Walton Tap Extractors let you remove broken taps without drilling, lasers, damaged threads, scrapped parts or repair inserts. The hardened steel fingers fit in the flutes of a broken tap to back it out simple and safely. This effective method has been used since 1908. https://www.globalindustrial.com/p/metalworking-tools/metalworking-threading/tap-extractors/wal-1-4-3-flute-extractor? Edited March 26, 2021 by mike6024 (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike6024 Posted March 26, 2021 Share Posted March 26, 2021 Here are tap drills. Carbide drills to drill out the tap. Tap extractors drill into a broken tap to break it up while it is still in the hole. This allows the pieces of the broken tap to be removed from the hole so that the partially threaded hole can be cleared without damaging it. https://www.grainger.com/search/machining/threading/taps-internal-threading-tools/tapping-tools/tap-extractors? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RansomEli Posted March 26, 2021 Share Posted March 26, 2021 I am amazed about how many useful tools are out there that I never knew existed. And could have used in the past. Thanks for bringing it to our attention. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_padavano Posted March 26, 2021 Share Posted March 26, 2021 2 hours ago, mike6024 said: I have never heard of such a tool. Did a search and saw these. Oh, hell. Now I have to get a set! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgansdad Posted March 26, 2021 Share Posted March 26, 2021 3 minutes ago, joe_padavano said: Oh, hell. Now I have to get a set! Knowing before hand, that you will never break another tap in your life after you get a set ! LOL. Ima gonna get a set also ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike6024 Posted March 26, 2021 Share Posted March 26, 2021 The walton tool https://www.waltontools.com/products/extractr.htm 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Locomobile Posted March 26, 2021 Share Posted March 26, 2021 3 hours ago, 34LaSalleClubSedan said: Does anyone know where I could buy a tool to remove a broken off tap for a 1/4 inch bolt for water jacket plate cover? The block is cast iron. Thanks, Jim It depends how it broke, was it working freely or is it bound in the hole? If it's not bound in the hole a tap removal tool may get it out. If not.. Call a local tool and die shop, they either have or know of someone with a tap burner. It's a carbon electrode they insert and it will burn it out. I keep carbide drill blanks in my box that I grind drill points on and they'll disintegrate the tap, messy but it works. Broken taps are a real pain. Any tap under 3/8-16 with more than two flutes are better fishing sinkers. 1/4-20 and 10-24 are the two worst for fracturing. Good luck to ya, I know your pain. Ron 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
34LaSalleClubSedan Posted March 27, 2021 Author Share Posted March 27, 2021 Thanks Mike and Ron for the info. I will give it a try. Jim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 We occasionally make convertible top irons in stainless. Early '30s Packard Phaeton top irons have snaps that are held in place with 10-24 screws. We have about a 50% success rate tapping 10-24 threads in 1/4" stainless without breaking the tap. Not a job we assign to newbies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_padavano Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 14 hours ago, Morgansdad said: Knowing before hand, that you will never break another tap in your life after you get a set ! LOL. Ima gonna get a set also ! Exactly! I bought a snow blower for the first time a few years ago. So far, I've had to use it exactly once. Cheap insurance! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ojh Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 Last week I broke an 8-32 tap on a stainless luggage rack cross member and had to replace the whole thing, I'll have me a set of those extractors! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAKerry Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 I have broken my share during door hardware installation (closers mostly- buildings not cars) and its always miserable trying to get them out. Glad to know theres a tool for that. Guess I shouldve figured eh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
46 woodie Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 I have several tap extractors, that over time I have purchased from McMaster-Carr. As Locomobile suggests, if the tap is really stuck most of the tools don't work. Remember, the tap probably broke because you over torqued it into the hole and it jammed. I have used the tool that Mike pictures, but all I did was bend the fingers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike6024 Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 Those pronged tools won't work if it is stuck real tight, but they might work in some situations, apparently. Reviews: Negative: Right out of the box I was doubtful. Tools were too light and felt cheap. Two tines broke off the instant I applied even minimal force. No, I didn't over torque it. Cleaned out the shavings and applied plenty of penetrating oil before attempting removal. The tines are maybe half a centimeter long. Poor quality and cheaply made. Buy something else. Positive: These tap extractors worked very well. I purchased a used steel frame bike and the previous owner broke a tap off in an area that was extremely tight access. I applied penetrating oil over a period of a few weeks, and used the smallest tool in the kit. I didn’t have a tap handle, so I put a small pair of vise grips to use. I gently rocked the tool back and forth and applied small pressure in reverse. The tap backed out and I was able to completely remove the broken tap. The bike frame was again usable. This is a well designed, well made set of tools that work! Tool steel is tough. Broken taps are something everyone tries to avoid but are going to happen,this set gives a good start at rescue. https://www.amazon.com/HSS-Broken-Extractor-Removal-Tool/dp/B07PLN1MTM 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Locomobile Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 6 hours ago, Restorer32 said: We have about a 50% success rate tapping 10-24 threads in 1/4" stainless Oy.. I would definitely cheat a bit with an oversize tap drill. 75% threads are not always imperative, especially with that material thickness. If you're not already use a good two flute tap with lots of oil. The center web of the two flute is much heavier. 3 hours ago, ojh said: Last week I broke an 8-32 tap on a stainless luggage rack cross member and had to replace the whole thing, I'll have me a set of those extractors! As I wrote above check with the local Machine shop or weld shop, they will likely have a tap burner. It's a carbon electrode connected to a variac transformer. They set the electrode on the tap and keep cranking the current up until it burns through it. An EDM machine can do it too. Taps are hard as glass and why they are so brittle. Only thing that ever worked as a removal tool for me is a carbide blank, it has to be held in a mill etc, lest it veers off to the side and spoils the piece. Working in machine shops since 1979 I've seen a good number of afternoons (and parts) ruined with a broken tap. It's the last operation and one of the most risky. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ojh Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 2 minutes ago, Locomobile said: Oy.. I would definitely cheat a bit with an oversize tap drill. 75% threads are not always imperative, especially with that material thickness. If you're not already use a good two flute tap with lots of oil. The center web of the two flute is much heavier. As I wrote above check with the local Machine shop or weld shop, they will likely have a tap burner. It's a carbon electrode connected to a variac transformer. They set the electrode on the tap and keep cranking the current up until it burns through it. An EDM machine can do it too. Taps are hard as glass and why they are so brittle. Only thing that ever worked as a removal tool for me is a carbide blank, it has to be held in a mill etc, lest it veers off to the side and spoils the piece. Working in machine shops since 1979 I've seen a good number of afternoons (and parts) ruined with a broken tap. It's the last operation and one of the most risky. Ron Yes, a friend has an EDM machine, pretty amazing gizmo. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK M Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 21 hours ago, Morgansdad said: Knowing before hand, that you will never break another tap in your life after you get a set ! LOL. Ima gonna get a set also ! 7 hours ago, joe_padavano said: Exactly! I bought a snow blower for the first time a few years ago. So far, I've had to use it exactly once. Cheap insurance! Kind of like loaning a twenty to someone you don't like very much. Hope they disappear. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank DuVal Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 11 hours ago, Locomobile said: Oy.. I would definitely cheat a bit with an oversize tap drill. 75% threads are not always imperative, especially with that material thickness. If you're not already use a good two flute tap with lots of oil. The center web of the two flute is much heavier. YES! I rarely use the 75% column tap drills when doing hard material. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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