Drill bits

[325abn]

What are some thoughts on the proper drill bit when tapping for 5/16 health taps and 7/16 metal spliles?

Is it better to use a 5/16, 7/16 auger bit or somthing like a regular 5/16, 7/16 high speed bit. Or is there somthing else?

[Russell Lampron]

You should use a bit specifically made for tapping that you can get from maple suppliers. They are expensive compared to hardware store bits but they make nice clean holes fast.

Russ

[Dave Y]

There is a thread on here recently that gave the stock # for a fast spiral bit you could purchase from MSC. They are excatly like the ones the maple dealers sell as tapping bits. at a fraction of the price.

[Father & Son]

Here's the link again for the 5/16 bit from MSC

http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNSRIT...0204&PMCTLG=00

I think this is the comparable bit in 7/16

http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNSRIT?PMCTLG=00&PMAKA=81140287&partnerURL=http://catalogs.shoplocal.com/mscdirect/index.aspx%6Fpagename=shopmain%50circularid=9086%5 0pagenumber=95%50mode=

Jim

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Yeah, but they want $ 10 to ship 2 bits.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Bascom's shipping is $14 for an order $25 to 50= Double whammy thumbs down if you wanted 2 bits.

I was going to order a bunch of fittings from a company and they wanted $27 to ship 800 of them=I could have walked there for that??? Didn't place the order.

[Fred Henderson]

I use a Tanaka tapper and the best bit I have found for this is a standard wood bit or wood auger from my local hardware store. I make a block of wood to go over the bit that leaves about 2-1.4" of bit exposed. When the block bottoms out against the bark it pulls all the chips out of the hole. If I an doing 5/16" I use a brad point with a block of wood also.

[hard maple]

I use a carbide bit, for the proper depth I simply take it to the tool room and have it ground down. That way when I run out of flute length I know the tap hole is at the correct depth. Or one could grind a groove around the bit at the proper depth if it is too long.

[powerdub]

I really like the more expensive tapping bits from Bascom. In my opinion, they really make a nice hole. Do the Maple guys sell the same one's? I anyone wants, I can go buy them and ship them for less than fouteen bucks. Dang, they can't cost much more than a couple of bucks to ship. PM's Accepted.

Disclaimer: Offer not valid if I find out the maple guys sell the same bits.

[Russell Lampron]

Scott the Maple Guys do sell tapping bits. Use the link at the bottom of the page, go to the all products section and look at the top of page 4. Are any of these the same as the ones you like from Bascoms?

Russ

[Jim Brown]

We set the hole depth the old fashion way ,Take brand new bits,tape off the cutting end at the depth you want to go,we use 1 1/4 in.then just paint the rest of the drill bit a bright color like white. When the white paint(or red or blue) get to the bark STOP!
Works for us!

[Fred Henderson]

Jim,
Try the block of wood on the bit. When the block bottoms out on the bark it cleans the hole of chips. I know that I will be drilling and looking where the next tree is and if it were not for that block I will have drilled too deep.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Let me give you a little heads up on the difference of the two bits that Bascom's sells or the ones you can get for 1/4 of the price from MSC that i posted a link to a couple of years ago.

Bascom's fast spiral bit is put on a mill by a company in canada and the inside lip on both sides cutting edges are given a finer cutting edge(Yes probably a whisker or two sharper)

MSC fast spiral bits are untouched from the factory so the cutting edge is what it is.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Cowboy Up!!!

Here is a link i found and am still laughing/Funny how i can amuse myself on here= http://www.mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?t=824&page=2&highlight=tapping+bit

[Russell Lampron]

Kevin,

A couple of post down from the one where you posted the link for the bits you said you where signing off of the maple trader for good. Funny to see that you are still here, not that I thought that you could stay away for long anyways. After all you are addicted to this site like the rest of us.

Russ

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Ya i know/I'm a internet nitwit- i did lay off for a while//But i had to come back and straighten all the crap out (: (:.

Ok i'll sign off for good this time-Hope all your sugaring seasons are good one's.

As soon as i get the Ph meters i'll send it out/hopefully this week-No more Pm's as they don't show up in your regular e-mail anymore??. Most know my # it's in the book if you need to get a hold of me.

[Russell Lampron]

Kevin I didn't mean to scare you off.

Us nit-wits need guidance Ha Ha!

Russ

[murferd]

Thanks Russ !!!!!!!!!

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Russ- You didn't scare me off. If i put as much time in the woods as i did on here in the time it takes me to make post=i'd be all caught up.

Think i'm kinda loosing intrest in sugarin' some? figuring out how much free time i would have to do other things rather then work my 2nd. full time job sugarin. Probably only do 1,000 taps this year??