Industrial Catalog

Tapping Speed Recommendations

MATERIAL TOBE TAPPED

LUBRICANT / COOLANT

SPEED - (SFM)

Soluble, light base or lard oil

90 - 150 65 - 75 20 - 60 25 - 40 50 - 90 100 - 200 80 - 150 100 - 200 20 - 80 80 - 150 10 - 20 65 - 100 30 - 50 50 - 90 8 - 20 25 - 40 8 - 20 8 - 20 30 - 50 8 - 20 20 - 60 20 - 45 8 - 20 20 - 60 5 - 25 8 - 20 8 - 20 65 - 100 100 - 150 100 - 200 80 - 150 25 - 80 50 - 200 20 - 60 40 - 90 40 - 90 20 - 50 40 - 90 20 - 40 8 - 20 20 - 50 20 - 50 8 - 20 65 - 100 50 - 200 50 - 200 65 - 100 25 - 40

Aluminum (wrought) Aluminum die casting

Soluble or lard oil

Mineral oil with lard or light oil

Aluminum bronze

Dry or air jet

Bakelite (hard plastic)

Soluble light base oil Soluble light base oil Soluble light base oil Soluble light base oil Dry or soluble oil Soluble light base oil Soluble light base oil Soluble or lard oil Anti-seize compound Sulphur based oils Sulphur based oils Soluble light base oil Sulphur based oils Soluble light base oil Sulphur based oils Sulphur based oils Soluble light base oil Soluble light base oil Sulphur based oils Soluble light base oil Sulphur based oils Sulphur based oils Dry or air jet

Beryllium copper

Brass

Bronze (free-machine)

Cast brass

Cast iron (gray)

Copper

Copper - nickel

Dry, air jet or water soluble Soluble or sulphur based oils

Delrin

Ductile iron Duralumin Ferro-Tic Fiberglass Hastelloy

Inconel

Magnesium

Soluble or sulphur based oils

Malleable iron

Manganese

Manganese bronze

Molybdenum

Monel

Naval brass Naval bronze Nickel silver Nickel (pure)

Nitralloy

Nitronic (*no guarantee)

Dry, air jet or water soluble

Nylon

Plastics: Thermoplastic (soft)

Dry, air jet or water soluble

ABS, Delrin, nylon, PVC, etc. Thermosetting (hard)

Dry or air jet

Tapping Speed Recommendations Bakelite, laminates, Phenolic, polyesters, etc. Powdered metal (sintered)

Soluble light base oil

Dry

Rubber, hard Silicon bronze

Soluble light base oil

Steel:

Sulphur based oil Sulphur based oil Sulphur based oil Sulphur based oil Sulphur based oil Sulphur based oil Sulphur based oil Sulphur based oil Sulphur based oil

Carbon steel

Cold-rolled steel (1018, etc.)

Forged

Leaded (12L14, etc.) Stainless Free machining Precip. Hardening

Tool

Titanium Tungsten

Dry, air jet or water soluble Soluble light base oil Soluble light base oil

Turcite (soft plastic) Zamak (zinc die cast)

Zinc

• Speeds shown are suggested starting points only. Speeds may be increased or decreased depending on the actual material and machining conditions. Begin at lowest possible speed and increase until the machining cycle is optimized. • Tap speeds may be increased for coated taps, spiral point taps, fine pitch taps and when the percentage of thread is decreased. • It may be necessary to decrease tap speeds for uncoated taps, spiral flute taps, coarse pitch taps, bottoming taps, difficult materials, longer thread inserts and when the percentage of thread is increased. • Generally, thread forming taps form threads more efficiently at higher speeds. Suggested speeds are up to 50% to 100% higher than the suggested speeds for cutting taps in similar applications. • Pipe tap speeds should be between ½ and ¾ of the speeds of taps of comparable diameter and pitch.

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