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03B055 - Walter 5/16-24 NF HSS Plug Hand Tap

Packaging: 3 per each
$20.82/ea

Package Price:

$62.46/3 per each

Usually ships within 3-5 business days

SKU: 03B055 Categories: ,

OVERVIEW

Precision Threading with Walter High-Speed Steel Taps

The Walter 03B055 5/16"-24 NF Plug Tap is a testament to precision engineering and material excellence. Designed for industrial professionals who demand accuracy and durability, this threading tool is crafted from the finest High-Speed Steel (HSS). Unlike standard carbon steel taps, HSS offers superior red hardness, allowing the tool to maintain its cutting edge even when subjected to the heat generated during the friction of tapping tough materials. This makes it an indispensable asset for machining operations involving stainless steel, mild steel, and aluminum alloys.

The "Plug" style chamfer is the workhorse of the tapping world. With a tapered lead of 3 to 5 threads, it strikes the perfect balance between starting the thread easily and cutting full threads relatively close to the bottom of a hole. This geometry makes the Walter 03B055 ideal for through holes, where the chips can be pushed forward, as well as blind holes where there is sufficient clearance at the bottom. The threads on this tap are precision ground, not rolled, ensuring that every cut produces a clean, accurate thread profile that meets tight tolerance specifications.

Durability is a core feature of Walter tooling. This tap undergoes a rigorous hardening and tempering process. This heat treatment relieves internal stresses within the metal, significantly reducing the brittleness often associated with cutting tools. The result is a tap that resists chipping and breakage under torque, providing a long service life and consistent performance. Whether you are manufacturing new components or repairing damaged threads in maintenance applications, the reliability of Walter HSS taps ensures downtime is minimized.

This specific tool cuts 5/16" diameter threads with a National Fine (NF) pitch of 24 threads per inch. Fine threads are often preferred in automotive and aerospace applications because they provide greater tensile strength and are less likely to loosen under vibration compared to coarse threads. By choosing the Walter 03B055, you are investing in a tool that delivers professional-grade results, ensuring your assemblies are secure and your threads are cut to perfection every time.

Additional Information
Packaging Description:3 per each
Brand:Walter
Thread Size:5/16"-24 NF
Material:High-Speed Steel
Tap Style:Plug
Thread Standard:NF (National Fine)
Chamfer Length:3-5 Threads
Application Material:Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Steel

INCLUDED

  • 1 x Walter 5/16"-24 NF High-Speed Steel Plug Tap
  • Protective packaging

APPLICATIONS

  • Creating new internal threads in drilled holes
  • Repairing damaged or stripped threads in machinery
  • Fabrication of automotive and aerospace components
  • Maintenance and repair operations (MRO)
  • Suitable for use on Stainless Steel, Mild Steel, and Aluminum
  • Through-hole threading applications

FAQ

For a 5/16"-24 NF thread, the standard tap drill size is a Letter I drill bit (0.272 inches). This typically provides approximately 75% thread engagement, which is standard for most materials.

A Plug tap has a chamfer of 3-5 threads, making it suitable for general use and through holes. A Taper tap has a longer chamfer (7-10 threads) to help start the thread more easily, while a Bottoming tap has a very short chamfer (1-2 threads) for threading to the bottom of blind holes.

Yes, this tap is made from High-Speed Steel (HSS), which is harder and more heat-resistant than carbon steel. It is capable of cutting threads in stainless steel, provided proper cutting fluid and technique are used.

Yes, using a high-quality cutting fluid or tapping compound is highly recommended. It reduces friction, dissipates heat, clears chips, and significantly extends the life of the tap while producing cleaner threads.

NF stands for National Fine. It refers to the thread series, indicating that this tap cuts 24 threads per inch, which is finer than the standard Coarse (NC) series for a 5/16" diameter.

This is a hand tap design, meant to be driven by a tap wrench. However, HSS hand taps can also be used in machine tapping heads at appropriate low speeds.

HSS can withstand higher temperatures without losing its hardness (red hardness) and is generally tougher than carbon steel. This makes it less likely to break and allows it to cut harder materials like stainless steel.

If the hole is too small, the tap will bind and likely break due to excessive torque. If the hole is too large, the resulting threads will be shallow and weak, potentially stripping out under load.

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