Taps & Dies, Drills & Rods? Reference Wanted

[von Corax]

Can anyone point me toward some sort of chart showing the proper diameter rod for a given thread, the proper drill size for the mating threaded hole, and the proper drill size for the corresponding clearance hole? If said chart happens to be inside a book of general usefulness, so much the better; feel free to discuss the relative merits of different books, as I currently haven't the knowledge to judge them myself, nor the budget to acquire them all...

[Reckless Engineer]

What kind of threads are you after?

Just to name a few (there is lots and lots and lots of threads out there)

unf,unc,bsf,bsw,bsp,bspt,bsb,BA,ME 40tpi.ME 32TPI metric fine,metric course,iso metric!

really you need a zeus book or presto book which ever you want to call them they have all the info a budding engineer could wish for.

[Narsil]

Yeah you want Zeus tables

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Precision-Reference-Drawing-Toolroom-Workshop/dp/B0000CLZUO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=diy&qid=1282475828&sr=8-1

It's also useful to get a thread measuring tool, this has a set of toothed blades which are used to accurately measure the pitch of existing threads.

Most countries apart from the US use metric threads for most applications which keeps things nice and simple. The notable exception being pipe fittings which is sufficiently specialist that you need completely different tools for that anyway.

This is a table of tap sizes. http://www.simetric.co.uk/sidrill.htm

For metric threads the nominal size is the major diameter ie an M8 external thread is cut from an 8mm rod.

[Dave_G]

....... or keep an eye open for a copy of "Machinerys handbook" in old bookshops. Dosent fit in your overall pocket as well as a zues book though.

[Miles (a sailor)Martin]

i missed seeing this before. so ,without further ado.....wait for it...kerzap
the info ,in a nice pocket size,reference is avalable from the Morse Cutting Tool company,
they publish three pocket sized / moleskin size references as follows, i have used all three and found them to be VERY usefull  start points for all my machine work;
         

      • Machinist's Practical Guide
      • Machinist's Guide for Taps
      • Machinist's Guide for Carbide Tooling

hope this helps. miles

  oops another reference is the MSC Catalog,

Spoiler: ShowHide

 the Big Book ,in N.A. it is free of cost for the first one, all 3000 pages of SUPER TOOL and SUPPLY PORN. I don't know about Overseas shipment,but they do have it avalable on CD, as well as on the web. have fun

rule of thumb for tapping Metric threads: drill hole smaller by the pitch of the thread. IE. tapping a M6*1.5 then drill the hole no smaller than 4.5mm  preferably a 4.6mm to give a bit of room for  the chips, use a lubricant of apropriate type, if plastic- water works, aluminum-Kerosine/parrafin or veg cooking oil, steel use lard oil and kerosine .
   if using commercial preperations don't use a tapping fluid rated for aluminum on steel or visa versa ,you will break your tap off.