Spiral-point taps, also known as gun taps, are designed for efficient threading in through holes. They are particularly suitable for materials that produce continuous chips. The materials best suited for threading with spiral-point taps include:
1. **Carbon Steel**: This material is relatively soft and produces continuous chips, making it ideal for spiral-point taps.
2. **Alloy Steel**: Similar to carbon steel, alloy steel can be effectively threaded with spiral-point taps due to its chip-forming characteristics.
3. **Stainless Steel**: While more challenging due to its toughness, certain grades of stainless steel can be threaded with spiral-point taps, especially if they are not work-hardened.
4. **Aluminum**: This soft, ductile material is well-suited for spiral-point taps as it produces long, continuous chips.
5. **Brass**: Known for its machinability, brass is another material that works well with spiral-point taps.
6. **Bronze**: Similar to brass, bronze can be effectively threaded with spiral-point taps, especially in softer alloys.
7. **Copper**: This ductile material is suitable for spiral-point taps, as it tends to form continuous chips.
8. **Cast Iron**: Although it produces short, broken chips, certain types of cast iron can be threaded with spiral-point taps, especially if the tap is designed for this purpose.
9. **Plastics**: Many thermoplastics and thermosetting plastics can be threaded with spiral-point taps, provided they are not too brittle.
10. **Zinc and Zinc Alloys**: These materials are also suitable due to their machinability and chip-forming properties.
In summary, spiral-point taps are best used on materials that are ductile and produce continuous chips, allowing the tap to efficiently push the chips ahead and out of the hole.