# Tapping cast iron machine table



## Lazurus (14 Jul 2018)

I need to tap a couple 6 or 8mm holes in my bandsaw table. Anything to watch out for with cast iron. any advice?


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## Mike Jordan (14 Jul 2018)

Cast iron drills and taps well. In my case I needed the holes to be at 90 degrees to the surface . The easiest way was to drill a piece of scrap timber with the drill press and then clamp the timber to the machine bed and use the hole as a guide.


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## ColeyS1 (14 Jul 2018)

Mike Jordan":1brx3u49 said:


> Cast iron drills and taps well. In my case I needed the holes to be at 90 degrees to the surface . The easiest way was to drill a piece of scrap timber with the drill press and then clamp the timber to the machine bed and use the hole as a guide.


That's such a great tip. I saw it on pinterest this morning and saved it





For a few minutes work it should make hole tapping much more straightforward 

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk


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## custard (14 Jul 2018)

I wanted some holes drilling and tapping in a spindle moulder table for a power feed.

I'm not very confident about metal working,so I got an engineer in to to the job. He took a big block of wood from my scrap pile, pre-drilled it on my pillar drill as a guide for the pilot hole, and then borrowed some of my F Cramps to secure it to the table.

By this time I was thinking, blimey, is that all there is to it? I could have done all that myself!


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## Phil Pascoe (14 Jul 2018)

Same method for dog holes in a bench.


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## Beau (14 Jul 2018)

I know little of metal working but put some 12mm threads through the Felders top to give so extra spindle fence adjustment. The wooden block sounds a good idea but got by with no guides. All good many years on


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## AES (14 Jul 2018)

I can understand that anyone who's not tried it before would be worried about drilling and tapping cast iron. But it really is "EASY-PEASY" - perpendicular hole (however you get to that, block of wood will be fine), take it easy and clear the tap every couple of turns (max) and "Robert's yer Dad's Brother". You'll wonder what you were worried about, 'onest (as custard already said).


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## Lazurus (15 Jul 2018)

That's great, thanks for the advice will give it a go......


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## Rorschach (15 Jul 2018)

Cast Iron is one of the nicest materials to drill and tap as it forms a small chip and is self lubricating. Turning it on the lathe though is not so pleasant.


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