Entertaining ways to tap 8-32 screws?

[Pablo1234]

I received my power resistors, switch and jacks for my 6dB power attenuator today. I sanded and lapped the resistors to my heat sink and went to the garage to get my taping set. So its snowing bad and I can't find my taps anywhere and I have had a few beers, anyone have an alternative to threading 8-32's into an aluminum heat sink that will entertain me till tomorrow?

[pazuzu]

drill the pilot hole and muscle it in there. may work if they are stainless screws into aluminum. :/

[chi_boy]

Fighting the midwest snow?

Anywhere near Chicago?

[Ronan]

Get a flat file, or triangular file, and file a V-slot into the tip of a 8-32 screw. This will give you a cutting edge that crudely works like a tap.
(The slot goes along the length of the screw, you want a cutting edge going across 5 or 6 threads. Hope that explains it).
(Like how a unibit works, and some self-tappers come with these slots AKA tek screws).

[Pablo1234]

Ya i'm north of Chicago, stuck in Cheese-land Milwaukee.

Actually the cutting slots in the screws might work but its all for naught. I ordered an 8 and a 4 ohm resistor and I forgot I rewired my cab to 4 ohms.

I have seen some people wire the L Pad up with the current divider in parallel with the series resistor and speaker (Rc | (Rv + Rs)) but most all of the schematics I have seen are (Rs + (Rc|Rs)). Anyone have insight on why I should not do it the first way and just order a 2 ohm resistor?

[runmikeyrun]

I hate those little taps, I always seem to break them off.  How about self tapping or drill point screws?

[Pablo1234]

Ya I'm running to the store today to get a tap, I just wanted to see the ingenious ways to get around not having a tap.

[Earthscum]

How about self tapping or drill point screws?

I actually make my own. I take my dremel cutoff and put two slots in the side of a screw the size I need to tap. If you angle them right, they work great. That is how I tapped the holes in my Toe Jam Wah, lol... I had time at work, a hacksaw, and a bunch of screws the right size and no tap. So I improvised, and cussed, and grinned ear to ear when I got done, lol.

ETA: Word of advice... this works MUCH better with Phillips heads than slotted. I've done enough to know this from experience, lol. It shouldn't take a genius to figure out why, but it also should be self explanatory, given the nature of DIY, why I tried used slotted anyways. Several times.   

[greaser_au]

Self tapping screws, or maybe screws & nuts?

david