New build with recycled parts on a ridiculous budget 120cm*60cm work area

[Zeeflyboy]

I doubt you will get an m12 bolt in without a tap.

3 piece set here for 8 quid... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HSS-METRIC...NnuGfIi7lhU9Dg

[Desertboy]

Hi this is where the bolts are going into


You can get away without a tap if you use a decent impact driver but I've heeded your advice and bought one anyway lol might as well do it right. ;)

They sell bolts for self tapping into these I assume they have a more aggressive thread but I have used stainless A2's before untapped but that was with the 20mm extrusion which was very hard to do.

The 20mm is a solid circle though in the middle I think this would be easier to drive them in but might as well tap them. Annoying because I wanted to assemble the frame this weekend and bolt the rest of the Hiwin's on.

[Zeeflyboy]

Yeah I've used the self tapping thread screws before, albeit m6 rather than m12. As you say they have a cutting type thread rather than the typical. Work well though, especially when you have a lot to do it's a big time saver over tapping.

your extrusion holes are a slightly different design to mine and looks easier to tap with those "tabs", I just know that even tapping mine to m12 was quite an effort. I just imagine you might risk shearing a bolt off trying to drive a thread that big with a normal bolt using an impact driver.... which might probably ruin your day, although m12 is quite meaty so that would take a lot of force I guess.

If you were closer you could have just borrowed my taps, but I guess just posting them to you won't work out much cheaper or quicker. No one near you that you could borrow from?

[Desertboy]

Yeah I've used the self tapping thread screws before, albeit m6 rather than m12. As you say they have a cutting type thread rather than the typical. Work well though, especially when you have a lot to do it's a big time saver over tapping.

your extrusion holes are a slightly different design to mine and looks easier to tap with those "tabs", I just know that even tapping mine to m12 was quite an effort. I just imagine you might risk shearing a bolt off trying to drive a thread that big with a normal bolt using an impact driver.... which might probably ruin your day, although m12 is quite meaty so that would take a lot of force I guess.

If you were closer you could have just borrowed my taps, but I guess just posting them to you won't work out much cheaper or quicker. No one near you that you could borrow from?

I just bought one £8 was worth it

[Clive S]

I have just tapped 26 M12 in heavy extrusion, it take less than 20 secs a hole with the right tap.

[Desertboy]

I have just tapped 26 M12 in heavy extrusion, it take less than 20 secs a hole with the right tap.

Oddly enough I have 26 to tap.