Proudly made in the USA

Online Tapping services

14 Materials

.059" - .500" Thick

+1-2 days

Production Time

Tapping sizing and options

Part Sizes

1" x 1.5"

Min part size sheet

36 x 46"

Max part size sheet

1" x 1" x 1"

Min part size billet

7" x 7" x 12"

Max part size billet

14 MATERIALS, .059" - .500"

ABS Plastic5052 H32 Aluminum6061 T6 Aluminum6061 T6 Aluminum Billet7075 T6 AluminumMIC-6 AluminumBrassCopperDelrinG90 Galvanized SteelHDPEMild SteelPolycarbonate304 Stainless Steel

Compatible Services

Laser cuttingCNC RoutingCNC MachiningBendingAnodizingPlatingPowder CoatingWelding

Fast turnarounds to keep your projects moving

Add durable, production-ready threads without extra steps. Tapping ensures consistent fit and repeatability across parts.

Consistent, production-ready threads

Threads are applied with controlled tooling to ensure reliable fit and repeatability across every part.

Thread sizing guidance

Reference our detailed sizing chart to ensure proper hole dimensions for every thread.

In-house production

Tapping adds just 1–2 days to standard production times.

“The bends came out perfect (1/4” steel). Everything was tapped to perfection, the edges had a nice finish. “

Derek S.

Available materials for Tapping

We provide tapping on a variety of sheet metal, plastic, and billet materials ranging in thickness from .059” to 500” thick.

For a full list of materials and available thicknesses, please visit our materials page.

One step to a finished part
Built to take abuse
Looks as good as it performs

ABS

3 thicknesses: .125" – .234"

5052 H32 Aluminum

10 thicknesses: .063" – .500"

6061 T6 Aluminum Billet

CNC Machined

6061 T6 Aluminum

11 thicknesses: .063" – .750"

7075 T6 Aluminum

3 thicknesses: .125" – .250"

MIC-6 Aluminum

3 thicknesses: .250" – .500"

Brass

4 thicknesses: .063" – .250"

Copper

4 thicknesses: .063" – .250"

Delrin

2 thicknesses: .125" & .250"

G90 Galvanized Steel

2 thicknesses: .059" – .074"

HDPE

3 thicknesses: .250" – .500"

Mild Steel

10 thicknesses: .059" – .500"

Polycarbonate

3 thicknesses: .118" – .220"

304 Stainless Steel

8 thicknesses: .060" – .500"

Upload now for instant pricing

Tapping adds 1-2 days to production. For the fastest lead time, order tapped parts separately.

Affordable pricing. Up to 80% off in bulk.

5052 Aluminum .100"

2.5 x 4.75 in

Laser cutting, deburring, tapping

Qty 1:

$12.09/ea

Qty 100:

$4.40/ea

HRP&O Steel .187"

4 x 4"

Laser cutting, tapping

Qty 1:

$23.32/ea

Qty 100:

$5.77/ea

Delrin

2.5 x 3 in

CNC routing, tapping

Qty 1:

$15.16/ea

Qty 100:

$5.66/ea

Design guidelines for tapped parts

Following a few basic design guidelines will help ensure your parts are properly tapped and pass SendCutSend review.

Sheet metal tapping guidelines

Sizing & hole requirements

Sizing limits apply to flat parts before bending for sheet metal

Sheet metal

Min part size (flat) sheet metal	1″ x 1.5″
Max part size (flat) sheet metal	36″ x 46″

Tapping direction is perpendicular to the main surface only
All threads are right-hand
Verify min hole sizes for your material in the Material Catalog
Keep the center of any tapped hole at least this distance from other cut features:
(tap hole size ÷ 2) + minimum tap hole-to-edge distance for the material
The minimum tap hole-to-edge distance varies by material and thickness. Find it on each material info page.
Tapped holes near bends: Place tapped holes at least ½ the full die width away from the bend line. See bending guidelines.

What to expect with tapped parts

Parts may have light oil residue
Some deburring may be needed
Tapped holes near bends may distort and need chasing
All threads are right-hand

Choosing a thread type and size

UNC (Unified National Coarse) — Standard for most applications. Easier to tap, stronger in thinner materials, more resistant to stripping in soft metals.

UNF (Unified National Fine) — Better when space is limited or when working with harder materials that can support more threads per inch.

Metric (M) — Based on ISO standards. Choose if your project already uses metric hardware.

Rules of thumb:

Larger taps for thicker parts or higher load capacity. Smaller taps for thinner sections or tight spaces.
Thread engagement beyond ~1–1.5× the bolt diameter doesn’t significantly increase strength.
Keep thread depth ≤ 3× the tap diameter (3XD).

Available tap sizes for sheet metal and plastic

Model your hole at the size listed below for the tap you want. We automatically resize laser cut holes to the correct drill size.

Thread/Tap Size	Hole Size (in)	Hole Size (mm)
4-40	0.091″	2.32
6-32	0.116″	3.00
8-32	0.138″	3.51
10-32	0.164″	4.17
1/4-20	0.209″	5.31
1/4-28	0.221″	5.62
5/16-18	0.266″	6.76
5/16-24	0.278″	7.07
3/8-16	0.323″	8.21
3/8-24	0.341″	8.67
1/2-13	0.435″	11.05
1/2-20	0.459″	11.66
M2 x 0.4	0.065″	1.66
M2.5 x 0.45	0.083″	2.11
M3 x 0.5	0.102″	2.60
M4 x 0.7	0.134″	3.41
M5 x 0.8	0.170″	4.32
M6 x 1.0	0.203″	5.16
M8 x 1.25	0.274″	6.96
M10 x 1.5	0.344″	8.74

Additional tapping resources

If you’re designing parts for tapping, these resources may help:

Pre-flight checklist for sheet metal and plastic

File is in a format that we accept (2D: .dxf, .dwg, .ai, .eps; 3D: .step or .stp)
All holes and cutouts are at least 50% material thickness for laser cut parts
All holes and cutouts are no less than 0.070” for most waterjet cut parts
All holes and cutouts are no less than 0.125” for all CNC routed parts
File is built at a 1:1 scale, preferably in inch or mm units
2D files: all objects on the same layer, text converted to outlines, no open contours, all shapes united or merged, floating interiors bridged or stencilized
3D files: single solid sheet metal body, uniform thickness with a face at every edge, modeled at stock thickness with matching bend specs
All stray points, duplicate lines, empty objects and text areas have been removed

CNC Machined Billet tapping guidelines

Sizing & hole requirements

Sheet metal

Min part size: billet	1″ x 1 x 1″
Max part size: billet	7″ x 7″ x 12″

Tapping direction is perpendicular to the main surface only
Keep thread depth ≤ 3× the tap diameter (3XD). Example: a ¼-20 tap (.25″ diameter) maxes out at .75″ depth.
Through-holes will default to through-tapping under a certain ratio. Blind holes will be tapped to modeled depth under a certain ratio. Holes outside these limits need specific instruction or case-by-case review.
Keep tapped hole centers at least 1.5× the tap diameter from any part edge or shoulder. Example: a ¼-20 should be ≥ .375″ from hole center to part edge.
All tapped holes are reviewed case-by-case since clearance can vary by design.
Tool access: Make sure there’s enough clearance for the tap and collet to reach the hole. If nearby geometry blocks access, we may not be able to tap as requested.

What to provide at upload

In the tapping dialog at checkout, specify:

Tap size and matching hole diameter
Whether all holes of that size should be tapped
Through or blind
Desired tap depth

What to expect with tapped parts

Threads are right-hand
We machine from the model you upload. No prints or drawings needed
Holes that fall outside our defaults will be reviewed case-by-case

Choosing a thread type and size

UNC (Unified National Coarse) — Standard for most applications. Easier to tap, stronger in thinner materials, more resistant to stripping in soft metals.

UNF (Unified National Fine) — Better when space is limited or when working with harder materials that can support more threads per inch.

Metric (M) — Based on ISO standards. Choose if your project already uses metric hardware.

Rules of thumb:

Larger taps for thicker parts or higher load capacity. Smaller taps for thinner sections or tight spaces.
Thread engagement beyond ~1–1.5× the bolt diameter doesn’t significantly increase strength.
Keep thread depth ≤ 3× the tap diameter (3XD).

Available tap sizes for CNC machined billet

Model your hole at the size listed below for the tap you want. We automatically resize laser cut holes to the correct drill size.

Metric	Hole Size	SAE	Hole Size
M2 x 0.40	2.000mm	4-40	.1120″
M2.5 x 0.45	2.500mm	6-32	.1380″
M3 x 0.50	3.000mm	8-32	.1640″
M4 x 0.70	4.000mm	10-24	.1900″
M5 x 0.80	5.000mm	10-32	.1900″
M6 x 1.00	6.000mm	1/4-20	.2500″
M8 x 1.25	8.000mm	1/4-28	.2500″
M10 x 1.50	10.000mm	5/16-18	.3125″
M12 x 1.75	12.000mm	5/16-24	.3125″
		3/8-16	.3750″
		3/8-24	.3750″
		1/2-13	.5000″
		1/2-20	.5000″

*Hole sizes are specific to our tapping service. If you’ll be tapping the parts yourself, reference the chart from your tap manufacturer.

Additional tapping resources

If you’re designing parts for tapping, these resources may help:

Pre-flight checklist for CNC machined billet

File is in a format that we accept (.step or .stp)
Minimum machined cutout size is .125” / 3.175mm
File is built at a 1:1 scale, preferably in inch or mm units
Only include one part per file (no assemblies)
Remove any extra faces that may be left over from early design steps
CNC milled parts will have an overall tolerance of +/- .005”
We’ll machine your part based on the model you upload, we do not require prints or drawings
Sharp internal features will not be producible due to tooling radii
Features will not be producible if our tooling cannot reach the area to mill