VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Body - Sheet Metal, Paint & Wood Broken Tap

I was working on my 1938 panel truck windshield frame, which is in good condition but had both small screws that hold the crank-out mechanism broken off. I carefully drilled out the stubs of the broken screws and was running a tap in the holes to re-establish the threads. The first hole went well, but--wouldn't you know it--while working on the second, I must have gotten a bit too aggressive and the tap snapped off in the shallow hole. Unfortunately, it snapped off flush with the frame surface, so there is no way to grab onto the broken stub.

I realize that taps are made of hardened steel. Is there any way for me to extricate this broken tap? Is there a drill made out of material that will drill this thing? As you might recall, these holes are only about 1/4" deep in the frame. This is a real problem, seeing that I don't know how I would attach the cranking mechanism with this hole non-functional.

Thanks for your suggestions.

Jim

Your local tool supply facility would probably carry tap extractors. We had them in our tool crib where I worked.

You might also try a left hand carbide drill.

Sometimes when I snap one i'm able to get two small nails down the flutes on opposite sides. I can grab the nails with pliers and back it out. I've also used snap ring pliers sometimes with success.

Thanks, I thought of the snap ring pliers or similar (nails), but the spaces involved are just too tight. I'll check for an extractor or the carbide drill idea.

Check Snap-On. I got a set and they work great. They have fingers that go into the slot on the tap to take out the broken tap.

Einar

Maybe a last resort, but..... http://brokentap.com

I think I used them years ago to remove a broken carburator jet.

Good luck
Richard