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Quality threading taps
- Thread starter Kevinb71
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2011
- Messages
- 8,031
Don't buy a set. I have never seen a "set" made up of high quality taps/dies. Buy the sizes you need as you need them and you will end up with no oddball sizes you will never use, and you can choose the style and brand you find best. Picking the best isn't always easy, given the tremendous variety of offerings based on specialized styles for different materials and applications. For taps, I like Emuge and Vega, and I usually can find the type recommended for the material I am working with.
Dies I rarely use. By all means, avoid carbon steel dies. Buy HSS only
Dies I rarely use. By all means, avoid carbon steel dies. Buy HSS only
T
Tom Griffin
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Good points by "42" 
.
Tap sets in general are useless. They include a bunch of taps that you'll never use and are generally low quality.
Buy a selection of the common sizes of taps you'll need. Look for high speed steel spiral point machine taps made by US or European companies. McMaster Carr sells name brand taps for reasonable prices.
I also wouldn't recommend dies. If you need an external thread, just cut it on the lathe. That will produce a much nicer and more accurate thread than a die. The only time I might consider using a die is for a very small thread, like #4 and smaller.
Tom
.Tap sets in general are useless. They include a bunch of taps that you'll never use and are generally low quality.
Buy a selection of the common sizes of taps you'll need. Look for high speed steel spiral point machine taps made by US or European companies. McMaster Carr sells name brand taps for reasonable prices.
I also wouldn't recommend dies. If you need an external thread, just cut it on the lathe. That will produce a much nicer and more accurate thread than a die. The only time I might consider using a die is for a very small thread, like #4 and smaller.
Tom
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2011
- Messages
- 2,062
There is one advantage to buying a set. You have all the sizes. Some you won't use, some you will. The ones you use will likely get broken, but not immediately. When you need to replace one, buy several of that size, but get good HSS taps from an industrial supplier.
The cheapo set serves as a starting point. You are more likely to build up your good set if you have some place to start. If you have no taps and dies, you are more likely to drill through holes and use nuts and bolts. If you have a set, even a poor one, you will at least try to thread some holes. If you learn how to keep delicate taps in one piece, the good ones will do a wonderful job for you.
The cheapo set serves as a starting point. You are more likely to build up your good set if you have some place to start. If you have no taps and dies, you are more likely to drill through holes and use nuts and bolts. If you have a set, even a poor one, you will at least try to thread some holes. If you learn how to keep delicate taps in one piece, the good ones will do a wonderful job for you.
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2012
- Messages
- 579
2nd on the set. I've got a small set taps and dies of craftsman in SAE and a Small set taps and dies from Matco in metric. Both of which I don't think go over 3/8 or 8mm. All others were bought as needed in either 3 pc sets or just starter. I couldn't give the room to one of those silly big arsed sets.
Dies are nice some things won't fit in a lathe.
Steve
Dies are nice some things won't fit in a lathe.
Steve
For the taps you buy individually, use a tie-wrap and secure the proper drill bit to the tap box and only use it when you're going to use that tap. This way you always have the correct drill bit and it's always sharp and in good condition.
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2013
- Messages
- 324
for your first purchase buy a "set" , eventually you will need to replace some of the more commonly used used as they dull or break.
I got my first set off kijiji for $45. a 60 pc set from Motormaster or canadian tire.
Since I have aquired a lot from another purchase. I will never need this many but they are all ButterField taps and drills
plus a couple sets of number drills.
And please let us know what you buy so We know too ... lol
I got my first set off kijiji for $45. a 60 pc set from Motormaster or canadian tire.
Since I have aquired a lot from another purchase. I will never need this many but they are all ButterField taps and drills
plus a couple sets of number drills.
And please let us know what you buy so We know too ... lol
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2012
- Messages
- 224
Found a set of 3 - 1/4" X 20 taps by Greenfield (plug/ taper and bottoming) for $18. Ebay might offer the best chance to pick up on some of the lot items, or nice individual older tooling. I replaced a lot of the lathe drills with older #2 taper tools in good shape. Most of the tool houses offer better than average quality import tools. Zero on most name brands like Greenfield or Butterfield.