Removing broken tap

[teamsandman]

I'm sure others have broken taps... I broke one off flush with the surface in a blind hole in aluminum. Anyone ever get these out again?

[MikeNCR]

If you've gotten it stuck in aluminum it's a lot easier to get it out than if it is steel.

It'll take some patience but this method does work- http://www.tap-die.com/contents/en-uk/d296_Tip_Remove_Broken_Tap_Drill_Reamer_Tap_and_Die_Co.html

You can skip the heat portion but it will take ages.

[seangcxq]

Yeah I've had it happen. Really easy to fix if you don't mind ruining the finish a bit. Take a Dremel with a cut off tool and cut a groove in the aluminum + tap, then simply unscrew with a flat head

[AlexH]

weld a nut on the exposed part of the tap. it becomes a bolt.

[Luke]

I'm sure others have broken taps... I broke one off flush with the surface in a blind hole in aluminum. Anyone ever get these out again?

Ways of removing it include
-Welding a nut on it
-Drilling out with a left handed kobolt or carbide drill bit
-drilling out then using tap extractor
-Dissolving the tap with nitric acid (Tap X only works with aluminum or other non ferrous metals)
-Drilling out with normal carbide drill bit and picking away remnants
-Die sinker EDM or tap burner (like EDM but just meant for taps)
-Using grinder or dremel to put a slot into it

My favorite method usually is trying to drill it out, getting mad, crying, and then machining the part again....

[Team haciM]

I know this is an old thread but if it is not a very small tap you can break it into small pieces with a punch. That is my preferred method.