IF you use the correct hole size for application and the correct tap type AND the correct tapping fluid there is little swarf to stick to the tap.

(;-) TP

Prolly a forming tap also. What material are you trying to tap?

Also, spiral fluted taps are the most fragile taps there are. If you have a deep hole (enough for the chips to pack into) a spiral point would be stronger. If your tapping softer metals, a forming tap would be the strongest.

aluminium and blind holes

If it were me, I would go with a thread forming tap. Stronger threads, stronger tap, and best of all, no chips. Keep in mind they require a different size hole than cutting taps. M2's and 3's are pretty small taps to start out with, on an inexperienced method. Again, if it were me, I would use a larger, more forgiving tap, until I got the hang of it and learned a few "in's and out's" of the tapping head. Might save some money both on taps, and anger management classes.

IF you are doing small blind holes then Spiral points  are NOT the tap you want. They push the chips ahead of the tap. Use a std or bottom tap and the H factor you need for thread spec.

You are a brave soul learning with M2-3 taps (;-) BUT a thread is a thread by any name or size. 

(;-) TP

ok well i got the tapping head working

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBzbPQNuNFk&feature=share

but another question

for an m3 tap i use a feed rate of 0.5

i have a special m9x0.5 tap, although much larger do i still use a feed rate of 0.5?

Your feed, if using feed  per rev, is whatever your pitch is, the Dia has no bearing on the feed.
Hood

ok now although i have the head working its not going very well, it keeps snapping taps left right and centre. so i got in contact with tapmatic for a little help and heres the response i got

i shoudl use a bore in bore out program of g85 not g95.

also feed rate should be 95-98% of the calculated feed rate from the rpm.

could i get some more coding help please

not had a chance to pull my gcode sheet out yet and look at g85 and probably wont get a chance to till tomorrow evening

OK Ill ask one more time WHAT is causing the tap to snap?  Is it bottoming out ? XY moving before it clears the top ?? , or what???   

The G85 is a boring cycle. Z down then Z up at feedrate. It does not have the fast retract in the cycle.

IF you want to try it it is described in the MACH3 manual.

The G95(Ipr) is to make your life simpler. IF you want to hand calculate the feedrate then use G94 (FPM)

(;-) TP