I use the method you describe but release the jaws so they only act as a guide:

My most successful approach has been to loosely clamp the tap in a 3 jaw chuck, with a small flat ground on the tap shank to secure a tap wrench. I’m not keen on the idea, but it does seem to work.

Emgee

I Put the tap wrench onto the round shank then the square is not obstructed. Bonus is it will slip if the tap goes tight and may save a breakage

A bit of silversteel with a Ctr drilled hole will locate pointed and chamfered and even square ends. A point on the other end will guide taps that have a ctr hole

Leave the tailstock unclamped and just push against the handle to keep pressure on the tap. In the mill light quill pressure is all that is needed.

One I did about 20 mins ago

On 2 November 2024 at 10:41 SillyOldDuffer Said:

On 2 November 2024 at 09:07 Bo’sun Said:

Good morning,

I have many taps that are devoid of either a cone or point on their tail ends.  This makes using a spring loaded tap aligning tool out of the question.  Plus, even if small taps have a point, the tool plunger can obscure the tap wrench square…

Eeek, I’ve obviously been lucky in that all my taps came with a cone or point. Are Bosun’s machine taps, not intended for hand use?   So I can avoid buying plain ones by mistake, who sells them?

I’d be inclined to grind points on the end of all the small ones.  Cones more difficult, perhaps a Dremel with a pointy grinding tip?

If the tool-plunger obscures the flat, not difficult to make one that doesn’t.   Assuming you have the time!  It’s just a spring loaded plunger in a tube.  This is mine, home-made.

Dave

 

 

Yes agreed. I must have over 100 taps and they all have cones or points.

Dave, machine taps have square ends with a mix of points, chamfer sor just the edges eased, That is a machine tap in my photo. That is why they make special collets for them with a square hole at the end to ensure they do not slip and lose registration with the spindle when “rigid tapping”

I thought there may be comments about the end of taps so took this when I went back into the workshop, quite a range of ends and all will locate with that simple bit of silver steel. I think I must have used the two that I have for over 50 engines.