Threading tap - square conversion to 1/4 or 3/8 drive

[Dan Steely]

Hi All,

I infrequently use taps and dies and usually put the tap into a battery drill and drive them slowly in.

With that in mind is anyone aware of a convertor/adaptor that has a female square socket for the tap and on the other end has a 1/4" or 3/8" drive female.

Many thanks.

 

[ChaiLatte]

I am everso stupid so if I needed a socket to turn a threading tap, I would have to look for 'tap socket' in a search engine.

https://www.neilsentools.com/products/ct5615-10pc-tap-holder-socket-set
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/256275400596
https://www.tuckwells.com/shop/adjustable-tap-socket-set-2pc/

Be aware that unless you have ISO taps (whose square is defined according to a Standard), the adjustable ones would be a more flexible option that would accommodate everything from the ones you inherited from your grandfather to something you could buy from Zoro today.

 

[Dan Steely]

The problem i have sometimes is knowing what something is called and therefore search becomes a pain.

Many thanks for your help.

 

[niall Y]

Even knowing what something is called doesn't necessarily help. If you look up " steel rims" hoping to find a rim made of steel you will be presented exclusively, with car wheels.
The search engines seem to default to using mainly American terms for things, or home in on one specific group of items, even from a very general description.
One would think that a "tap socket" would throw up lots of listings of sockets used for water taps, but for this one has to use the search term "faucet sockets"

 

[Dan Steely]

You raise a good point about searches being US centric. With time and AI, hopefully things will be more regional and better.

 

[J-G]

The correct term would be Tap WRENCH.

They come in a few 'flavours', those for small taps (BA sizes and sub 1/8"/4mm) are usually 'chuck' type but above that they are generally two bars with a central section with 90° Vee clamps.

There are also two parallel bars with a Vee cut into the opposite faces and ywo clamping screws.

They all to exactly the same job - just depends upon the tap size and what restrictions as to access is available.

 

[TomGW]

You could simply use an 8 point socket of the appropriate size to suit your tap. 8point sockets are designed for square nuts.
Alternatively go for these:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/25625292...O5fjK9idxgAQcbD2nxqihFTy7fckNpVBoC_OkQAvD_BwE

 

[ChaiLatte]

The correct term would be Tap WRENCH.

I am not sure that is correct. He wants a tool with a female 1/4" square or female 3/8" square in the top of it so he can drive it with something with a 1/4" male or 3/8" male square on the end of it.

You could simply use an 8 point socket of the appropriate size to suit your tap. 8 point sockets are designed for square nuts. Alternatively go for these:

Please look up dimensions for the square sizes on taps to see if they match available 8 pont sockets. The information is difficult to find, as in the past there was no standardisation. An M6 tap from three different manufacturers might have three different square sizes.

Now, there are ISO and US Standards for tap shank and square sizes. The items in the eBay link will only work with ISO standard taps:

https://cdn.standards.iteh.ai/samples/4597/6beedcfdc1044951ab9342fa7e1c994d/ISO-529-1975.pdf

If he happens to have a random selection of taps collected over the years, he is likely to be disappointed.

 

[J-G]

I am not sure that is correct. He wants a tool with a female 1/4" square or female 3/8" square in the top of it so he can drive it with something with a 1/4" male or 3/8" male square on the end of it.

He has no idea what he wants! - Except that he wants to be able to drive taps to make threaded holes. Therefore he needs a 'Tap Wrench'.

Which style is still up for debate of course. There could be many factors of which we are not aware that will determine precisely which style he needs. That fact does not affect my statement.