Mechanical Engineering - Production Engineering - Discussion

Taper Tap:

A taper tap has quite a lot of taper to help it ease into cutting threads gradually. Typically, the first 8 to 10 threads are tapered. Taper Taps are the most common types of taps and are typically what you'll have in a Tap and Die Set.

Bottoming Tap:

A bottoming tap has almost no taper at the end because it is designed to thread all the way to the bottom of its reach. Only 1 to 1.5 threads will be tapered.

Bottoming Taps are useful for threading blind holes. It's desireable to thread most of the hole with a Taper Tap first, and then finish the bottom of the hole with a Bottoming Tap.

Plug Tap:

Plug Taps are in between Bottoming and Taper Taps because they have 3-5 threads tapered, which is more than a Bottoming Tap and less than a Taper Tap.

Unfortunately, the terminology is not always consistent. Some vendors call these "Second Taps" and refer to Bottoming Taps as Plug Taps.

What is tap?

Types:

1. Taper
2. Second or intermediate.
3. Bottom or plug.

Taper tap 8-10 threads, intermediate or second tap is 3-4 threads, bottoming (plug) tap is used to cut threads in blind hole.

Types of Tap:

1. Taper.
2. Plug.
3. Bottoming.

Second taps also known as intermediate tap.

Bottoming taps also known as plug tap.