Mag tailcap thread pitch and diameter

Anybody out there know the thread pitch and diameter of the C and D cell mag tailcaps and if there are taps available in those sizes? I'd hate to spend the bucks those special taps cost on a guess! I can't thread with my lathe (yet!)
Thanks.

EDIT- b2eze has just confirmed that MagCs arent 1-1/16 nor 1-1/8 but is some size in between. So far no one has found a tap (other than custom) to fit MagCs. The same probably goes for MagDs but is not confirmed yet. Thx b2eze!

MagC is Not 1 1/8-20. MagD is probably not 1 1/2-20. I'm for sure on the thread pitch but you might want to get a second opinion on the diameter sizes. I don't want you mad at me if you decide to buy them.

I've heard people say that you'll never find taps & dies this big unless maybe you get them custom made but that's not true. The place where I bought my 5/8-27 tap for MagAA carries them. If I were you, you might wanna start practicing on how to cut threads on your lathe. That way when your pro I can send you my MagD to get cut down and rethreaded too. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif I'm saying to learn cause your gonna spend alot of money on these two taps just for one purpose. The 1 1/8-20 tap costs $34 and the 1 1/2-20 tap costs $54. The prices are about right though, special size taps usually cost more and these are pretty big taps. The taps I've bought from these guys are pretty good quality not like the cheap crap at Harbor Freight and on Ebay.

Thanks. Found out the hard way that C mag is not 1 1/16" X 20 but returned the tap for just shipping charge. Where did you find those taps for $34 and $54.... that's about 1/2 the best price I've seen?

oops, sorry, I guess I forgot to mention that part. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif
I found these at JTS Machinery.

where did you find the 5/8-28 tap, they only seem to list a 5/8-27

thanks

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unnerv said:
where did you find the 5/8-28 tap, they only seem to list a 5/8-27

thanks

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woops. unnerv, my deepest apologies. It is the 5/8-27 (1-372-254) tap that I have and using, not 5/8-28. I don't know what I was thinking?? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ohgeez.gif

hmm and that works with the 5/8-28 tailcaps or kroll? Very interesting. I have just been single pointing mine on a lathe since I couldn't find a tap, but a tap would be much less time consuming.

I bought my 5/8-28 tap at MSCDirect.com and and also the
1 1/16-20 that I returned. Great selection and quick shipping. Time saved and precision repeatability are why I'm willing to buy the taps. Investments I hope will fund my retirement! (I wondered when you said 5/8-27!) Can an old geezer make a living modding flashlights? Whacha think?

[ QUOTE ]
unnerv said:
hmm and that works with the 5/8-28 tailcaps or kroll? Very interesting. I have just been single pointing mine on a lathe since I couldn't find a tap, but a tap would be much less time consuming.

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Wow that is funny. I have three different lights that I have used this 5/8-27 tap for and the Krolls all seem fine. I even just tried to fit a stock MagAA tailcap on the three it seems fine too, very smooth. My Snap-On dealer measured it for me and told me my MagAA was 5/8-27.

Now that I have my own guage, I just checked it now (never bothered before) and 5/8-28 does seem to be a tad better fit through my eyes. Funny cause my tap also screws into MagAA bodies too and doesn't seem to be cutting anything. Very smooth as well. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif But 5/8-27 looks pretty dang close too. I guess maybe my Snap-On dealer doesn't have that great of eyesight. I wonder if I should by a 5/8-28 tap now? I'd only use it for Krolls and MagAA tailcaps but they still seem to work just fine now. I guess it all depends how much a 5/8-28 tap costs.

thx

Bet the mags are single pointed in production at 27 1/2 pti! The tailcaps all feel wobbly until the o-ring enters the body,I bet they're not running near full thread.... maybe 60% on the cap to compensate for varience in tube ID. If the 27 pitch works, I wouldn't buy the 28.

Guys, C mag tail threads are not 1 1/8- 20 (Too big)or 1 1/16 - 20 (Too small)and near as I can tell there's no "special tap" in between! I suspect they use the ID of whatever tubing blanks they start with CNC lathe the threads and match the tailcaps ... A custom tap is beyond my means so I guess I'll have to learn to thread with my lathe! Good thing MSC doesn't hassle on returns!

What's the best style of tap to get? Plug? Bottoming? Taper?

[ QUOTE ]
b2eze said:
Guys, C mag tail threads are not 1 1/8- 20 (Too big)or 1 1/16 - 20 (Too small)and near as I can tell there's no "special tap" in between! I suspect they use the ID of whatever tubing blanks they start with CNC lathe the threads and match the tailcaps ... A custom tap is beyond my means so I guess I'll have to learn to thread with my lathe! Good thing MSC doesn't hassle on returns!

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow that is odd. A size between 1-1/16 & 1-1/8?? That's a first. Yes it was a good thing MSC doesn't hassle on returns. Hope there's no tension felt towards me!

So now guys, well all have to thank b2eze for figuring out that there's no tap (other than custom made) available for MagCs. Chances are, I bet goes the same for MagDs. I should go and edit my post above so no one else makes the same mistake. So know I must find my post on looking for someone with a lathe to shorten & thread my Mag2D and give it a bump.


[ QUOTE ]
Chop said:
What's the best style of tap to get? Plug? Bottoming? Taper?


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If the threading is flashlight related, it's best to stick with plug taps if your cutting thread that doesn't exist and these are the most common.

Plug taps are the steepest of the three meaning which will start cutting the full threads after a couple turns. Perfect for instance threading the back of a battery tube for a kroll.

Taper taps although can be confusing by their name aren't as steep of a taper as plug taps. This makes it easier to tap into a hole straight as opposed to plug types. I say plug taps are better for use because we don't want thread deep into the flashlight. Taper taps usually start cutting their full threads way later than plug taps.

Bottoming taps are the least common and barely have taper if any at all. They are used for cutting threads deeper into a hole where the threads are already there. I believe bottoming taps cannot start to cut new threads. I forget.

Darkzero.... No hard feelings!!!
"For every mistake, we must surely be learning"
(Beatles)

[ QUOTE ]
darkzero said:
Bottoming taps are the least common and barely have taper if any at all. They are used for cutting threads deeper into a hole where the threads are already there. I believe bottoming taps cannot start to cut new threads. I forget.


[/ QUOTE ]

They can be used to tap new threads, but doing that by hand is very dificult. In a lathe or other machine tool it is easy and done all the time.

I measured the threads on a D cell mag today at work.

It is 1 7/16-20.

I don't have a C cell mag to measure.

Dan,

You don't happen to have access to a C cell mag do you. I'd really like to know the pitch on those.

Thanks.

Mag Cs & Ds have the same thread pitch, 20 TPI. As for the the diameter size, we'll leave that to CNC Dan if he happens to get a hold of one.

Diameter is what I meant. I'd really like to get a tap 'cause cutting internal threads is a PITA!!!

I don't have a C cell one, and nobody at work had one either.

Chop: it may be easyer to do internal threads if you thread away from the chuck.