Tapping Aluminium profile

[jonbabbz]

Do I need to use a taper tap first or can I just use a middle tap on Ali profile? Thanks

[Tenson]

Having done a bit of tapping on aluminium recently I found a spiral point tap infinitely better than any of the standard 3 hand-taps. You can pop it in a cordless drill and with a drop of oil down the hole it cuts it like soft cheese.

[JAZZCNC]

Having done a bit of tapping on aluminium recently I found a spiral point tap infinitely better than any of the standard 3 hand-taps. You can pop it in a cordless drill and with a drop of oil down the hole it cuts it like soft cheese.

Told you so.!! Hisn't the difference between standard taps and spiral taps amazing.!!

Do I need to use a taper tap first or can I just use a middle tap on Ali profile? Thanks

Cutweltools at dewsbury is the place to get them from. High quality and not silly money. . . . Tell them it's for aluminium.

[valuframeuk]

Do I need to use a taper tap first or can I just use a middle tap on Ali profile? Thanks

If you are just doing a few tapped holes in an aluminium pofile then a straight flute tap will do the job and is cheaper than a sprial flute, but if you are doing a lot of tapping the spiral tap is the way to go.
There are also special auto reversing patting attachments you can get that reverses the chuck when you lift the pressure off.
A little cutting fluid will help too.