Step one. Bought the van.
Hello Everybody, First post. I camp a lot in tents but after spending three days straight in a tent in the rain at Dolly Sods I swore I'd make a change. Here it is. Bought it Wednesday. Dro...
Forum Discussion
Fuel tank installation continued:
To attach the sending unit to the mounting platform I'm going to to drill and then tap five holes on the platform. Tapping the hole will create threads that will hold machine screws. The screws then hold the sending unit in place. Here's the wiki page about taps and dies.
Since I'll only get one chance to get this right I better practice before drilling into the tank platform. I'll use the left over metal from the circle just cut out along with one other essential tool.
That tool would be "Pocket Ref" by Thomas J Glover. A small paperback with an amazing collection of information. While typing this up I went to find a link for the book (Amazon link-4th edition) and see that the 4th edition has just come out. Since I was using the 3rd edition I just ordered the new one. So this write up has now just cost me $12.05 (including shipping). I'll keep the 3rd edition in the van.
I'm going to use #10 machine screws since they are the largest ones that will fit through the sending unit's cover plate. I have both #10-24 and #10-32.
The second number refers to the number of threads per inch. The #10-32 is called a fine thread. I'll be tapping a hole into thin aluminum which doesn't have much holding power so I'll be using the #10-24 screws (coarse threads). There are less threads per inch but the threads are thicker so should grip better.
Open up the Pocket Ref and find the section on tap and dies. On the left side find the screw #10. There are entries for both 32 and 24 threads/inch. Look at the entry for 24. Under the heading "Drill" you'll see the number "#25".
The number "#25" is the drill bit gauge. My drill bits, and most probably yours, aren't sized by gauge but by fractions of an inch (or metric) so need to do a conversion. Find the pages for conversions.
There is no direct conversion for a #25 drill bit to any one I have on hand. Want to use the next closest size that is smaller so look up the chart to 9/64 which is a drill bit I have.
Before drilling use a punch to create an indention so the drill end won't wander.
The hole that will be tapped should be as straight as can be managed. To help out I'm using my combination square.
Remove the ruler and use just the head as a guide to align the drill bit.
Set the bit right into the ruler groove and check from all sides. Then slide the square head back and slowly start drilling keeping the upright angle.
Here's the tap and die set I'll be using which I recently inherited. Dies are the round objects along the top of the set. They are used to add, or fix, threads on a screw. Below and holding one of the dies is the die wrench. Below that are series of taps. And at the bottom a tap wrench.
I'll be using the tap wrench and a tapered tap that is marked for #10-24.
Assemble the tap and lubricate it before using. I'm using the stuff you find at the bottom of a can of Vienna Sausages to lubricate the tap.
Just Kidding!
Look in the Pocket Ref.
The recommended lubricant for the threading of aluminum is "Soluble Oil, Kerosene & Lard Oil". Lard Oil? I don't know what it is but bet there's some of it at the bottom of a Vienna Sausage can. Maybe I wasn't so far off the first time.
I'm really using the Vienna Sausage can to hold some kerosene.
Use the square head to align the tap.
When it looks good start rotating the tap wrench.
Apply a steady pressure and most importantly keep the tap going straight. Once you get the tap going you're supposed to rotate it in reverse every couple of turns to break off "the chip". With something this thin that didn't seem to be much of a problem.
Back out the tap and check the work by threading in a machine screw. Check out the alignment.
Looks dead straight to me. By the way, you're looking at the first hole I've ever tapped. I checked with my Dad about which kind of threads to use in aluminum shortly before he died but most of the other info for this I got by reading.
Something else I read. After using a tap you should "Clean the swarf from your flutes". Here's a picture of one of my flutes covered in swarf.
Don't know about you but I can't say that out loud without adopting a bad Swedish accent. From now on when asked where I've been or what I've been doing the answer will be, "Been cleaning the swarf from my flutes."
One more thing to check. Tighten the screw in all the way then keep tightening until I strip out the threads I've just cut. This way when it comes time to attach the sending unit I'll have a good idea of how far to safely torque the screws.
Tap three more holes and strip them out for practice.
continued -
To attach the sending unit to the mounting platform I'm going to to drill and then tap five holes on the platform. Tapping the hole will create threads that will hold machine screws. The screws then hold the sending unit in place. Here's the wiki page about taps and dies.
Since I'll only get one chance to get this right I better practice before drilling into the tank platform. I'll use the left over metal from the circle just cut out along with one other essential tool.
That tool would be "Pocket Ref" by Thomas J Glover. A small paperback with an amazing collection of information. While typing this up I went to find a link for the book (Amazon link-4th edition) and see that the 4th edition has just come out. Since I was using the 3rd edition I just ordered the new one. So this write up has now just cost me $12.05 (including shipping). I'll keep the 3rd edition in the van.
I'm going to use #10 machine screws since they are the largest ones that will fit through the sending unit's cover plate. I have both #10-24 and #10-32.
The second number refers to the number of threads per inch. The #10-32 is called a fine thread. I'll be tapping a hole into thin aluminum which doesn't have much holding power so I'll be using the #10-24 screws (coarse threads). There are less threads per inch but the threads are thicker so should grip better.
Open up the Pocket Ref and find the section on tap and dies. On the left side find the screw #10. There are entries for both 32 and 24 threads/inch. Look at the entry for 24. Under the heading "Drill" you'll see the number "#25".
The number "#25" is the drill bit gauge. My drill bits, and most probably yours, aren't sized by gauge but by fractions of an inch (or metric) so need to do a conversion. Find the pages for conversions.
There is no direct conversion for a #25 drill bit to any one I have on hand. Want to use the next closest size that is smaller so look up the chart to 9/64 which is a drill bit I have.
Before drilling use a punch to create an indention so the drill end won't wander.
The hole that will be tapped should be as straight as can be managed. To help out I'm using my combination square.
Remove the ruler and use just the head as a guide to align the drill bit.
Set the bit right into the ruler groove and check from all sides. Then slide the square head back and slowly start drilling keeping the upright angle.
Here's the tap and die set I'll be using which I recently inherited. Dies are the round objects along the top of the set. They are used to add, or fix, threads on a screw. Below and holding one of the dies is the die wrench. Below that are series of taps. And at the bottom a tap wrench.
I'll be using the tap wrench and a tapered tap that is marked for #10-24.
Assemble the tap and lubricate it before using. I'm using the stuff you find at the bottom of a can of Vienna Sausages to lubricate the tap.
Just Kidding!
Look in the Pocket Ref.
The recommended lubricant for the threading of aluminum is "Soluble Oil, Kerosene & Lard Oil". Lard Oil? I don't know what it is but bet there's some of it at the bottom of a Vienna Sausage can. Maybe I wasn't so far off the first time.
I'm really using the Vienna Sausage can to hold some kerosene.
Use the square head to align the tap.
When it looks good start rotating the tap wrench.
Apply a steady pressure and most importantly keep the tap going straight. Once you get the tap going you're supposed to rotate it in reverse every couple of turns to break off "the chip". With something this thin that didn't seem to be much of a problem.
Back out the tap and check the work by threading in a machine screw. Check out the alignment.
Looks dead straight to me. By the way, you're looking at the first hole I've ever tapped. I checked with my Dad about which kind of threads to use in aluminum shortly before he died but most of the other info for this I got by reading.
Something else I read. After using a tap you should "Clean the swarf from your flutes". Here's a picture of one of my flutes covered in swarf.
Don't know about you but I can't say that out loud without adopting a bad Swedish accent. From now on when asked where I've been or what I've been doing the answer will be, "Been cleaning the swarf from my flutes."
One more thing to check. Tighten the screw in all the way then keep tightening until I strip out the threads I've just cut. This way when it comes time to attach the sending unit I'll have a good idea of how far to safely torque the screws.
Tap three more holes and strip them out for practice.
continued -
