What is a Tap used for?

What is a Tap used for?

• A. To Cut Internal Threads
• B. To Cut External Threads
• C. To Cut Grooves In Wood
• D. To Measure Thread Pitch

Answer: (A)

A tap is used to create internal threads inside a hole. As you turn it and advance, the cutting edges slice into the material, forming the female thread so a bolt or screw can be threaded into the hole. It’s the opposite of a die, which cuts external threads on a rod. Taps need a correctly sized pre-drilled hole (tap drill size) and often use cutting fluids to ease cutting and clear chips. It’s not for cutting grooves in wood, and it isn’t a tool for measuring thread pitch (that’s done with a pitch gauge or similar instrument).

A tap is used to create internal threads inside a hole. As you turn it and advance, the cutting edges slice into the material, forming the female thread so a bolt or screw can be threaded into the hole. It’s the opposite of a die, which cuts external threads on a rod. Taps need a correctly sized pre-drilled hole (tap drill size) and often use cutting fluids to ease cutting and clear chips. It’s not for cutting grooves in wood, and it isn’t a tool for measuring thread pitch (that’s done with a pitch gauge or similar instrument).