DISCOVERED A NEW TOOL FOR DRILLING AND TAPPING - WILL ORDER A SET.

[chief38]

I am always looking for tools worth their weight and I think I've found another. The tools come in 8 different sizes and there is a set for Drilling and a set for Tapping.

I have a descent quality Drill Press, DP Vise and American made Drills so I normally have no issues with drilling holes in metal, however using a Tap below a #6 sometimes results in a broken Tap and much time wasted in removing it.

Big Gator Tools has an American made set of Tap Guides that not only keep the Tap from breaking, but also keep it perfectly straight. This is very useful when tapping firearms or valuable metal. There is also a V-groove in the bottom of the tool so it can automatically find center of any round stock or angled piece of metal. The drilling version also incorporates this feature.

I have not placed my order yet, but will later this week after deciding if I want the Drill Set as well or just the Tap Set. Look around on ebay as they are sold from many Company's at discounted prices. You can save quite a bit of money!

While I have none of these in my hands yet, I have no doubt that they will work great! Simple, durable and they just make sense.

If you do a search on Youtube for Big Gator Tools there will be videos that come up showing how they work.

Does anyone here already have them??? If so please elaborate....

 

[torizus]

I've used them and they do work in certain applications. I don't know if it is a gator brand. However, as far as gun work goes, I think they might be more effective on long guns or something with a greater surface area.

I find better results in handgun work such as tapping or drilling by using a few simple rules:
1.take your time
2.accurate measuring tools
3.quality bits,taps,fluid and in every case, a center punch,preferably spring loaded
4.take your time
5.drill press and vises when possible for precision and allows you to choke up on those super thin cutters.
6.take your time

The guides definitely work if it fits your work space or gun contours. Anyone who does a fair amount of drilling or tapping in metal should have one as they are not that expensive.

 

[Minorcan]

Do you have a link?

 

[chief38]

Do you have a link?

Big Gator Tools - American Manufacturing, Supplier, Us Manufacturing

But also do a youtube search so you can view many of the videos.

 

[chief38]

I've used them and they do work in certain applications. I don't know if it is a gator brand. However, as far as gun work goes, I think they might be more effective on long guns or something with a greater surface area.

I find better results in handgun work such as tapping or drilling by using a few simple rules:
1.take your time
2.accurate measuring tools
3.quality bits,taps,fluid and in every case, a center punch,preferably spring loaded
4.take your time
5.drill press and vises when possible for precision and allows you to choke up on those super thin cutters.
6.take your time

The guides definitely work if it fits your work space or gun contours. Anyone who does a fair amount of drilling or tapping in metal should have one as they are not that expensive.

I usually do take my time and use the proper lubricant when tapping, however when tapping #2, 3 4 & 5 Tap sizes it becomes somewhat of a challenge not to snap the Tap. All my Taps are quality made USA Taps so that is a non issue here. I also sometimes use my Drill Press (unpowered of course) to keep the Tap Wrench centered and straight with even pressure while manually turning the Chuck and that does help with small sizes but this Gator Tool might give a very thin Tap the extra side support it needs.

The drill guide tools also make it easy to drill a perfectly centered hole in a piece of round stock due to the V-groove underneath. I think I'll order a set.

I have a good Drill Press however this tool is really geared towards guys who are using hand held drills and not everyone does have a drill press. I have no affiliation with them and don't even get a thank you from them if you do buy one - just so you know. I just thought this was a really great tool.

 

[walter o]

Most apprentices make their own out of key stock . the important thing in tapping with small taps is to keep the tap straight with the hole Drill the hole on the drill press and without moving the part put the tap in the drill press chuck and turn by hand, use TAP MAGIC the correct formula for the material you are tapping

 

[Drm50]

I had a tool from Brownells that you chucked up in drill press
after you drilled hole. It was a tap holder with bearings that
lined up perfect with hole and kept it straight. It was turned
by hand with T handle. I never had much trouble with #6x48
taps, except in some hard 98 actions. The ones I had trouble
with were #3x56 and #45 bit for shotgun beads. Shotgun
barrels are not hard. You have to drill very slow to allow the
ribbon to clear bit flutes. If you don't bit will sieze and snap off.
You must have a decent drill press, if it has any wobble play
it will snap bit when it touches surface. And tap must be run
softly, it doesn't take much to twist off a #3x56 tap. I hated to
have to work on guns guys tried to drill with hand drill. I can't
do it or would I try, even on a cheap gun.The Forrester sight
drilling jig is also a handy tool but pricy. Like some already said
precision measure and layout should be achieved before you
turn on the drill and a good machine vice is a must.

 

[spdguns]

I have had good luck with this:

WILLIAMS GUN SIGHT SCOPE MOUNT DRILL FIXTURE | Brownells

You can order different size guides for drill bits and taps.

 

[Protocall_Design]

The Williams gun sight fixture is a very good one, well worth the money if you do more than a few. It's a parallelogram that automatically adjusts to the width of any barrel, always keeping the holes on center.

 

[Tom S.]

I made a tapping block when I was an apprentice. After a while though, you get good at eye-balling them to keep them straight, and I haven't used it in years.

What really helps is when you can find what we called gun taps, a.k.a. production taps. Instead of 4 flutes, they were two flutes for small sizes, three for larger, and MUCH stronger than their 4 fluted counterparts.

 

[Protocall_Design]

The gun taps also have a spiral point, which makes them cut much better than a regular straight flute tap.