Tapping Tips for your Sioux® power tapper
Once you have invested in the power tapper, you certainly want to take advantage of its abilities to help you perform crack repair faster, more consistently and more profitably. Here are some hints and tips to give you a head start.
 | The Sioux tapper does not have a clutch that can be adjusted for torque. The Jacobs tap collet can be tightened to allow the tap to slip in it if you are concerned about breaking taps. The tool does have enough torque to break even one of our L8 or C3 taps. We recommend that people begin to learn how to use the tapper on the side of a block or something else that they can drill "through" holes into. A 1/4" wall is good to practice on. |
| There is an adjustment on the trigger that will control the speed. The negative about this is that it controls the amount of air available. Slowing the speed this way also reduces the power. |
| There is an adjustable square drive located within the body of the Jacobs tap collet. DO NOT use it to secure the end of the tap. If the tap is held tight in the drive, it will not be able to slip in the collet if the operator wants it to. |
| Make sure you drill holes for tapping in such a way and angle that there will be room for the tap collet to clear. (You may want to invest in an extension kit.) You should also be careful not to gouge the surface or other parts of the head with the collet while tapping. |
| Because of the leverage created by the overall length of the tapper when a tap is tightened into it, the greatest potential for tap breakage is caused by tipping the tool to one side and snapping the tap off. To prevent this from happening, hold the tapper with your left hand held firmly around the barrel and your left elbow held against, or supported against, the part you are repairing. The right hand should be used to pull the trigger. This will greatly reduce the chance of tap breakage. (Note: lefties may want to reverse the above instructions. The air discharge port at the bottom can be rotated.) |
| When tapping, always use tapping fluid that dries off within a short amount of time. This is to prevent contamination of the thread sealant. (See: Fluids) |
| When tapping with a bottom tap, care must be taken to assure that the angle of the drill is repeated as close as possible. If the hole is tapped at an angle slightly different than the one it was drilled at, it is very possible to cut a small shoulder within the drilled hole that can jam the tap and even cause it to break. |
| Tapping holes with the power tapper is at least five time faster than tapping by hand. |
| The quality of the power-tapped holes is high. Hand-tapping quite often will end up in egg-shaped holes. This is caused by side pressure on the tap that is exerted when starting the hole as well as while tapping the entire hole in come cases. |
| CAUTION: Do not allow the tap to strike the bottom of a blind hole with the tap while under high power. |
| CAUTION: Do not allow the tap collet to rub on any surface. This will usually cause side pressure and break the tap. |
| Call 800-736-8261 or 209-632-2345 or email if you have any questions. Also, check our our Technical Support page for Frequently Asked Questions. |
