Tap, Die, other tooling reccomended suppliers?

Taps and Dies you don't wont to skimp on I find USA ones on Ebay, Zoro.com or local machine shop supplier. Tooling is another story you can try cheep and if it doesn't workout your not out much try aliexpress.com for basic stuff more complex stuff by used name brand.
 
I recommend starting here with lathe tooling, especially if you're new to it:

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How To Grind A Hss Turning Tool

This is a discussion about tool grinding, which can be a dangerous business. I highly recommend safety glasses, leather gloves, dust mask and hearing protection. I also use an apron in case something comes apart and hits me. Please be careful and wear your safety gear. Lathe tools are some of...
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Models for grinding HSS Lathe Tools

In a recent thread by @Darkbluesky, http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/lathe-accessories-tools-ideas-of-what-to-buy.62043/#post-511618, @ttabbal joked about sending me blanks to be ground into lathe tools ... he was joking! But it got me to thinking ... yeah, I know it's not a good thing...
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Just giving you a hard time Dave.

I'm usually the one getting caught by the grammar Police. LOL

Like I said, Welcome to the forum! I'm new enough to the hobby I can't really recommend a lot but there are plenty of guys here that will help you spend your money.
 
Good thread.
I want to get higher end tooling over time.
Right now, for milling, I use mostly HSS from China but I mainly cut aluminum.
When I switch to something harder I need better bits. I do have a few carbide that I can work with but not a lot of sizes.
The problem is most of my projects are metric.

I already have a couple hundred higher end taps in STD sizes. They came in a package, going out of business, deal.
 
Welcome to the forum. For my taps, drills, endmills and inserts I usually start with Carbidedepot.com. They will take your call and help you select the insert you need for the material. They have some lower priced tool holders and all the way to ISCAR and Kennemetal. I use almost exclusively Garr carbide drills and end mills from them for my CNC and they are good value and fast shipping.
 
I have been buying a lot of tooling lately, and search for the best "value" buys. I try to stay away from the lowest price, cheap stuff, but not worth going premium either. You do get what you pay for, but sometimes paying more just means you are buying from a company that has much higher overhead. Being a hobby, I like the idea of supporting the smaller shops. In many cases you are buying the same stuff, just paying less.

  • https://onlinecarbide.com - USA made carbide end mills, counter sinks, chamfers and single carbide drill bits, overall, I have found their prices to be very good. For their larger end mills, like a 3/4" their price was nearly $40 cheaper than other places
  • Vertex is a brand I have found be be a great value for mill and lathe tooling. Boring heads, chucks, rotary table, etc... Vertex is 99% made in Taiwan and is the manufacturer for many other brands. The challenge here in the US is sourcing it. I have used http://www.rotagriponline.com for several orders and Ian over there seems to have the most vertex stuff direct. Ugly site, but great prices and I received my orders withing 4-3 days of ordering, even though it comes via international Fedex.
    • For example, he has one Albrecht 1-13mm keyless chuck for $170, anywhere else locally that is $400'ish.
  • latheinserts.com is another good source. Though, most of his lathe inserts are ZCC, so not made in the USA if you care about that. Shars sells ZCC inserts and they seem to be very high quality.
  • Zoro - if you play their games, such as put something in your cart, let it sit for a day, you'll likely get a 20% off coupon. I have purchased some Melin cobalt roughing end mills from them, make right here in Cleveland, Ohio and very pleased with their performance.
  • Shars for many USA made end mills and indexable inserts
    • Though, some of their stuff is the cheap import stuff.
  • and a million other sites
I tend to shop by brand/manufacturer first then find the site that sells their stuff. Keep in mind, researching, sourcing and buying tooling can be a hobby in itself

If you plan to dive into indexable insert tooling and that nomenclature is new to you, I recommend @davidpbest's book Introduction to Indexable Tooling for the Metal Lathe: A User Guide. It has the perfect balance of high level info to in depth details so you can fully understand the fundamentals without getting lost in the weeds. You will feel like you've mastered the basics.
 
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