How to clean out blind tapped holes?

[beanbag]

I have a lot of them.



What's the best way to clean them out? If the part were much smaller, an ultrasonic bath works really well. For this part, I used a degreaser solution with one of those dental water picks, then blew out each hole with a needle on an air hose. It took two rounds, and the holes still aren't completely clean.

[Joel]

Spray carb cleaner and compressed air (safety glasses mandatory). I have a definite preference for Berrymen's B-12 Chemtool. Probably better off with the part vertical. Do roughly 10-15 holes at a time, depending.

[JRouche]

I have a lot of them.



What's the best way to clean them out? If the part were much smaller, an ultrasonic bath works really well. For this part, I used a degreaser solution with one of those dental water picks, then blew out each hole with a needle on an air hose. It took two rounds, and the holes still aren't completely clean.

Hmm? Really nice plate.. Umm? You did what I would have done. Ok, more than I would have though to do. I think you did the most you could do. If the solvent was strong enough to break the oil down.

Im not sure what you are seeing, whats left over? Is it loose chips or maybe a burr? A burr can look like loose debris but its still locked in.

If its loose chips then something is holding them tight and it might be oil.

Yer needle air gun tip you used to blow the hole out? High pressure and flow? Im sure it was.. That ALWAYS clears the blind holes for me. Of all oil and chips.

My Q is why so clean? If the holes are free and clear for a stud or bolt why the supper detailed clean out. What you did will have cleaned the holes out completely for actual use. Going anal or is there a specific need for a prefect hole? Do you have plugs for the holes not in use during the final use? If not you may see alot more crap in the holes down the road...

Nice plate!!!! JR

[darryl]

Drill a hole through a bolt which can thread into the hole. Mill a slot down each side of the bolt so it looks like a two fluted tap. Grind some off the end of the bolt so the last part of the thread can go as close to the bottom as possible.

Unscrew the tip from an air nozzle. Make a tubular piece which can insert from the inside of that tip and make a tight fit into the hole in the bolt head. The end of that tube should have a flange on it such that it can't be blown out through the tip. Reinsert the tip into the nozzle, and the tool is ready. You should be able to turn the bolt easily, and when you pull the trigger air should come out the bolt end and nothing should fly away.

Now you can thread it into each hole and twirl it while applying air. An additional step might be to apply some oil or degreaser into the threaded hole before threading the thread cleaning tool into it. Wrapping a rag around the tool before you pull the trigger will be about the only way to keep the ejectate out of your face.

[beanbag]

I used an oil lube for tapping the holes. I think it is called Re Li On, or something like that. The holes were roll tapped, so there should have been no chips. Even though the oil is clear, on a lot of the holes, there is that black oily residue - maybe from tiny bits of aluminum galling on the tap? I dunno.

Anyway, I am trying to get this black residue out so that the threads look bright and shiny, and not ghetto.

I think the degreaser I used was simple green.

[strokersix]

A small knitting needle works great for grabbing knotted swarf in blind tapped holes.

[Duffy]

If you know a friendly dentist, scrounge some "root canal files." They will work like a gun barrel cleaning jag. They come indifferent sizes.

[vpt]

Pressure washer?

[Mcgyver]

I've always used compressed air. if the holes are small or swarf stubborn, put on an inflating needle - you know the things you use for pumping up a soccer ball or football.

[Toolguy]

Normally I spray the hole with Brake Parts cleaner and blow it out with the air hose. That gets the cutting oil out and makes it dry so chips don't stick to anything. Next I use a drill about half the hole size in a cordless drill. It will dig out all the chips and either break them up or wind them up on the drill bit. What doesn't come out on the drill will easily blow out with the needle nose nozzle. That is for cut tap holes.
In your case, Simple Green probably isn't a strong enough solvent to clean out the cutting oil. Once you dissolve that the holes will be clean.