taps and dies?

[jekbrown]

I'm looking to get a tap/die set. Pretty much all the tool places I have been to have sets of 'em but since I don't have much experience cuttin' threads I'm not sure what features to look for. I'm not going to be making tierods or mass producing anything, just wanna be able to thread stuff for my own small fab projects. HF has sets from $12.99 up to $99.99. what do you guys use?

did a search... all I get is posts about benders. ;)

j

[braxton357]

They're like drill bits, buy the best you can afford. It always sucks when you break a tap off in something important. The cheapo ones will work fine for tapping mild steel and such as long as you use them right.

[jekbrown]

yeah, regular old mild steel is all these would be used for. thanks for the info. anyone else have anything to add? anyone have a set from HF? yay? nay?

j

[AIRZUKI]

with taps you get what you pay for ....... if you want to get the BEST taps available... Osborne Blue Wizard ... is all you need to know

if they've got to be offshore for $$$ reasons go with eastern europe ( Bosnia ,Czecheslovakia etc.. not china )

[krb]

In the machining industry we use High Speed Steel(HSS).The cheap sets are made of high carbon steel which are a lower quality.The decision is yours on how much $$$$ you want to spend.

[MC]

stay away from taps that look like they have been sand blasted and dies that have a sand blasted look to them. Chinese tapos and dies are notorious for not giving you the thread you need.

[BadDog]

Yeah, saying "cheap is ok for mild steel" is a bit too far IMO. The HF t/d set for instance it s total POS. I've got one that I thought would be ok just for cleaning threads, but it's not even fit for that. The Craftsman set is about the cheapest I know of that I would put in the "ok for mild steel and aluminum" category, but I wouldn't want to go for much else without getting a better set.

[frankenfab]

A long time ago, I bought a Craftsman metric and a Craftsman standard set. They were the smaller sets, maybe 50 pieces each. I bought the empty plastic case for the giant set from Snap-On and put the Craftsman sets in it. All the empty holes were filled with Snap-On taps and dies. As taps have broken, I have replaced them with "made in the USA" taps from True Value. Overall, I rate the Snap-On best, True Value second, and Craftsman last. I don't have experience with Chinese taps and dies.

Use tap oil (I like tap magic). Turn the tap or die in 1/2 turn, then out 1/4 turn....repeat. This is very important! The 1/4 turn back, breaks the chips. Too many turns forward, without a back turn, ruins the cut threads, and is the main reason a tap jams and breaks.

[Toyota_Jim]

I bought the big snap on std and metric set, dont remember what it cost, don't really care. I know I can depend on them not breaking when i need them. tho I have broken some out of my own stupidity...

[Magoo]

I have broke taps up to 5/8" and all of our stuff is quality. I would stay away from the cheap stuff like the plague, and buy the best you can or even buy as you go. You also need to look at the tap itself as there are different types. Gun taps have a chip breaker that pushes the chip ahead of the tap, which works great in through holes. Spiral taps work good in SS and pull the chip out of the hole works great in blind holes. Bottoming taps only have a 1-2 thread lead-in, and don't work well when your trying to tap deep. Then there are coatings, polished, form taps (roll taps), ect...

BTW the best way to break a tap is to tip it to one side ;) the best way to not break a tap is to back it out a little as you tap to break the chip. And use the appropriate size handle, you don't need much leverage for a #10-32 in aluminum for example(I use a knurled knob with a hole and set screw for most small taps like the #2-56 I'm running now).

[glfredrick]

FYI - Snap On warranties their tap and dies for life - making them a very good value overall.

[jekbrown]

thanks for the advice guys. The good ones seem to cost a boatload of cash... I dunno, maybe I should just select a couple of sizes that I would use most often and get them individually instead of a crazy big set. hmmm...

j

[DavidVanVorous]

thanks for the advice guys. The good ones seem to cost a boatload of cash... I dunno, maybe I should just select a couple of sizes that I would use most often and get them individually instead of a crazy big set. hmmm...

j

Thing I've found is that dies "last" longer than taps because they're less frequently used. Getting "decent" dies as opposed to "primo" is fine, but scrimping on the taps is asking for trouble, which means buy a just a die set with a decent a die handle or handles. The thing I look for in a die is both common size (round) and adjustability. The hex shaped dies are "rethreaders" and not particularly good for making new threads on rounds.

Buy good tap wrenches and the best taps individually as required. For the taps, look at what size bolts-nuts you most commonly use and start with those sizes.

D.

[PTSchram]

Buy the best American made thread cutting tools you can find. I have broken nearly all of my Snap-On taps, along with many Greenfields (my personal favorites).

Why do I avoid cheap thread cutting tools? Let me show you the hole in my chest where a broken piece of tap is still lodged. Cost me half a days work getting X-rayed, etc. and I still have the piece in my chest.

The outside configuration is not necessarily indicative of the application. All dies come in all configurations depending upon manufacturer and intended die holding equipment.

Lastly, always use a real tap handle/die stock. Wrong handles are responsible for many broken thread cutting tools.

[Robert]

I have a Matco set that comes with drill bits needed for tapping. Has been very useful. I have not broken any yet. Cost about $250.

[Ollyota]

i've had very good luck with cleveland and greenfield. i vote to go the route of getting a few commonly used good quality taps as you need them. i also use spiral point taps unless i need a bottoming thread. they start easier, clear chips better, and seem to last longer, but you need to be tapping a through hole.
the craftsman sets are nice when you need to clean up threads.

[ironpig70]

fyi make sure you get taps and dies :D i have a rethreader set which will clean out bolt holes and clean paint off bolts but it will not thread a hole. i use them at work for assembling tractors and many times welded on nuts get paint in the threads and need to be cleaned out. i thought they where the same :rolleyes: oh well live and learn.

[randii]

Let me show you the hole in my chest where a broken piece of tap is still lodged. Cost me half a days work getting X-rayed, etc. and I still have the piece in my chest.
Pics of the X-rays, please. :p

Randii

[cebby]

I got this set from Eastwood. It has been OK, but it doesn't exactly get hard use. I got it on sale for $60. It's $75 normally.

http://www.eastwood.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=2130&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=608&iSubCat=616&iProductID=2130

[PTSchram]

Pics of the X-rays, please. :p

Randii

Bastards wouldn't let me keep them

[FISHMOUTH FABWORKS]

I agree with AIRZUKI. Osborne blue wizard are what we use. i have NEVER had a problem with these. Nethier by hand or power tapping.