Balax 40055-010 Spiral Flute Tap 8-32 Unc 3 Flute H5 2B

Product Description

The BALAX 40055-010 is a spiral flute tap designed for blind hole threading in a wide range of ferrous and non-ferrous materials. Part of the BX200 series, it is manufactured from M42 powdered metal and features a 45-degree helix angle with a fast flute style that evacuates chips upward out of the hole - a critical advantage when tapping blind holes where chip packing is a failure risk. The modified bottoming chamfer allows threading closer to the bottom of a blind hole than a standard plug tap. Thread specification is 8-32 UNC with a 2B class of fit and an H5 thread limit. Machinists, tool-and-die makers, and maintenance technicians use this tap in production and repair applications.

This tap is suited for blind hole threading in aluminum, brass, bronze, carbon steel, copper, magnesium, stainless steel, wrought aluminum alloy, and zinc. The BX200 series spiral flute design is a common choice for CNC machining centers and manual tapping operations where controlled chip ejection is required. The bright uncoated finish is appropriate for use across the broad material range listed, and no coolant-through capability is required for standard application setups.

Key Features

• Modified bottoming chamfer for threading close to the bottom of blind holes
• 45-degree helix angle with fast flute style for efficient upward chip evacuation
• M42 powdered metal construction for wear resistance across diverse workpiece materials
• H5 thread limit and 2B class of fit for consistent, tolerance-controlled threads
• Right-hand thread direction, 3 flutes, 8-32 UNC specification
• BX200 series - bright uncoated finish suitable for a wide material application range

Compatibility

Designed for blind hole threading applications in aluminum, brass, bronze, carbon steel, copper, magnesium, stainless steel, wrought aluminum alloy, and zinc workpieces requiring an 8-32 UNC 2B thread.

Installation Notes

This tap is installed and used by machinists and maintenance technicians using a tap wrench, tapping head, or CNC rigid tapping cycle. Before tapping, confirm the correct drill size for an 8-32 UNC thread is used and that the workpiece is securely fixtured. Apply appropriate cutting fluid for the workpiece material to extend tap life and improve thread quality. Replace the tap at the first signs of wear or if thread gauging indicates the produced threads are falling outside 2B tolerance.