So I had a solitary wood tap hanging around the shop, just living in it's little plastic tube. For an upcoming project, I needed a different size tap. Eagle American had a bundle deal, so I bought a couple different sizes…really nice taps by the way. Of course, it's uncouth to have tools just lying about, so I chewed on it for a bit and came up with a design I could make from scraps I had. I laid it out in Fusion360, which I don't normally do for wood projects, but given the tighter tolerances I was trying to maintain (based in no small part around what scraps I wanted to use) it made sense. Especially since I was using my Shaper Origin CNC router for a lot of the work…and precision is easy with that machine! I could have made all this much easier on myself by using some thicker stock, since I got down to 1/32" walls in one place, but I wanted to see if I could make it work.
The CAD layout and drafting pages were easy enough, but one fo the things about using the Shaper Origin is understanding the way it sees the cut files. Without getting in the weeds on it, I did some creative cutting and cleaned up the rest by hand with chisels and planes…all of which is just fine with me!
The lid is made from a single piece that was resawn to make a very thin cover as well as supporting the top 'cap' if you will. I'm continually impressed with my FIL's old Walker Tuner 16" saw. Straight as an arrow and consistent as hell.
I'm disappointed that I didn't do something a bit nicer for the lettering on the lid. I just used the stock text capability of the Origin, but could have done something nicer. Lazy.
Based again on the size of the stock, I had to come up with a slightly eccentric (for me) hinge system. I ended up cannibalizing a couple small quadrant hinges I had in the shop. They were dainty enough and had a slot already in them to allow the hinge to slide as well as pivot. Worked out great, and allowed for clean edges. If I were a better woodworker, the tolerances would be even tighter and cleaner!
Magnets and little steel plates epoxied in place keep it closed.
I milled slots for the couple sizes I'm still missing…which now means I'll need to buy them…of course…can't have empty slots…
Cherry, finished with danish oil and buffed with wax because I like how it feeeels….
Ryan/// ~sigh~ I blew up another bowl. Moke told me "I made the inside bigger than the outside".
Nice box RyanGi... neat hinges and it's hard to beat mag "locks".
My first thought was a vino dispenser, The taps look like The Wood Whisperer's creations. I bought both metric and imperial sets, but wasn't as adventurous as you to box them... fortunately they fit neatly with my other drill bits on my louvre door... I did go to the trouble to laser engrave the drill bits used for each., The value above is for softwood and the bracketed number below is for hardwood, I had to buy some dopey imperial drill bits for the imperial set.
If I remember correctly I wrote a blog on LJ about them comparing and saying how much better they were in wood compared to metal taps... unfortunately, I can't provide a link as I doubt if I'll ever find it again with their new format.
Sorry, not trying to hijack your post, but making a "mini review" of the taps for other readers.
If your first cut is too short... Take the second cut from the longer end... LBD
Duck I like the addition of the clearance but sizes. That’s awesome. I may go back and laser those in on mine. I know Craftisian used to have a tool review section, I hope that comes back. I really enjoyed that about LJ.
They are American Eagle taps, which I do believe TWW spoke about. I got them on the recommendation from Adam Klein at In-Kleined when I got his Twin Turbo vise…another tool I’d like to do a review about. What an awesome bench addition!
Ryan/// ~sigh~ I blew up another bowl. Moke told me "I made the inside bigger than the outside".
They are American Eagle taps, which I do believe TWW spoke about.
I believe TWW designed them and soon after he got his initial batch he may have sold/colluded with Eagle for better distribution. I followed TWW right from inception and one of the first to order. The markings on yours appear similar to mine so I believe they are his baby. Whoever bottle feeds them, changes their nappies and guides them through puberty, they are still great and since I bought them, my threaded inserts have qone into my scrap bin.
If your first cut is too short... Take the second cut from the longer end... LBD
