How to Align Carbide Threading Cutters

Tap Clamps

• 1

  Open the jaws on your drill chuck until they are completely open.

• 2

  Center the hole located in the material you drilled under the chuck of the drill press and then clamp the material to the drill press table with clamps.

• 3

  Slide the square end of the tap into the tap wrench.

• 4

  Position the threaded end of the tap into the hole and then position the wrench directly under the drill chuck.

• 5

  Rotate the chuck handle until the chuck butts against the top of the tap wrench. Inspect the surfaces between the chuck and wrench. Slide the wrench around until the wrench and chuck rest flat together. This centers the tap in the hole.

• 6

  Turn the tap wrench with one hand as you push down on the drill chuck handle. You can release the drill chuck handle once you turn the tap approximately 25 percent of the distance into the hole.

Die

• 7

  Position the rod in a vice. Place a precision square against the side of the rod, square it up in the vice and then clamp the vice jaws tight.

• 8

  Close the jaws on the drill press chuck as tightly as possible.

• 9

  Center the rod under the drill press chuck and clamp the vice to the drill press table.

• 10

  Place the die into the die wrench and then center the threads on the die over the rod. Rotate the chuck handle until the jaws of the chuck press against the top of the die. This will automatically line the die up with the rod.

• 11

  Turn the die wrench with one hand as you push down on the drill chuck handle. You can release the drill chuck handle once you turn all the threads on the die onto the rod.