Cutting Dies vs. Re-Threading Dies

Janderso

Jeff Anderson
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I learned something today.
I was watching a Youtube, "Abom79" was describing the difference between the round cutting dies and the hexagon re-threading or chasing dies.
I have never heard that. My ATD jippo Tap and Die set only has hexagon dies.
I went online to Mcmaster Carr and validated this subject. It seems all those years I thought it was just a manufacturing preference.
OK, who is going to tell me I'm full of it? Go ahead.
I decided to replace my Imperial dies anyway so I am ordering 2-3 a month of quality McMaster Carr round cutting dies. That way of buying takes a bit of the pain away.
1" diameter dies $15 each
1 1/2 diameter dies $20 each
I purchased one each of the holders.
New day new lesson :)
 
Life is like that ----- When I was a kid, round dies at the local hardware store (Ace brand) were 50 cents each.
 
I saw the same video. However I do have hex dies that have start side on one side and are intended for cutting not chasing. They are carbon steel, not HSS. I wonder if that makes a difference. At our local hardware store there are many different sizes of thread cutting dies in Hex format..all "high carbon steel".

David
 
I did see in the Traver's tool site they do list threading dies that are hex, they are also carbon only. I guess as a rule of thumb, if they are round they are for cutting threads, if they are hexagon they may be cutting if carbon or chasing/rethreading if HSS.
 
I also learned about cutting vs re-threading dies a few years ago. I do not think is it so simple that all round dies are for cutting and all hex dies are for re-threading. My first tap and die set had round dies, and they did not cut new threads well.

My present set of tap and dies is hex dies. These cut well in aluminium, but not easily in steel. These are high carbon steel - I think.
 
I also learned about cutting vs re-threading dies a few years ago. I do not think is it so simple that all round dies are for cutting and all hex dies are for re-threading. My first tap and die set had round dies, and they did not cut new threads well.

My present set of tap and dies is hex dies. These cut well in aluminium, but not easily in steel. These are high carbon steel - I think.

I agree, it's not as simple as round vs. hex.
There's a lot to the manufacturer name as well.
Was your first set from the budget category?.......I once bought a set and when I threaded a die onto a bolt it was noticeably at a bad angle. That set was promptly returned to the store, and I started buying quality ones as singles.

-brino
 
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I do not know the manufacturer of my old tap and die set. It was sold under the Craftsman brand, may have been late 80's or early 90's. This was likely a budget price range. I did not appreciate the difference of budget vs quality for these tools at the time.
 
I do not know the manufacturer of my old tap and die set. It was sold under the Craftsman brand, may have been late 80's or early 90's. This was likely a budget price range. I did not appreciate the difference of budget vs quality for these tools at the time.

I have the same set. Used them for years. In fact used the metric set to thread stainless for my longer tailstock lock handle on the Grizzly


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I still have the Ace Hanson tap & die set I got for my 18th Birthday. All but one of the dies are original, several have never been used. most of the common size taps have been replaced several times. My advice is, only buy what need, especially since they are only a day away from McMaster.
 
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