tap hole in 1/2" hrs

[striker12300]

What is the smallest tap hole anyone has been able to consistently cut in 1/2" steel? 8-32, 6-32, 10-32? Would a better grade of steel help much? FOM2 3015 nt 4k.

 

[jjl1210]

I've cut some small holes in 1/2 but my conditions may not work with your setup but you can try them. You need a good ramp pierce the one I have is for 3/8 so change the pierce time to 10 and lower it once you know how long it takews.

The approach and edge data also play a big part I use distance of .08, feed rate of 3, freq of 10 and a duty of 30. My cut condition is power 3500, freq of 350 and duty of 75 and play with the feed between 30 and 40 ipm.

 

[jetrep]

Striker, what has your experience been so far with cutting small holes in 1/2"?

You have a newer laser which helps but those are very small holes to be cutting in 1/2". I would undersize any laser cut hole intended for tapping and then drill/ream to size before tapping. I would not expect to make any tap-ready holes with the laser in material that thick for any size tap.

 

[striker12300]

Oops. Forgot about this over the long weekend. On the bigger tapped holes, I think we have been able to do it. I was just wondering on the smaller holes if anyone was able to do it consistently.
We were bidding a job that had 20 holes tapped in 1/2" steel.
We actually just set the pierce time at 1 second, use a punch to mark it better and drill out the smaller ones. I guess we'll keep doing that. Thanks for the replies.