Threading dies that don't suck?

I tried to add a taper to the part, it helped a little, but I still couldn't get it to run the thread. It's a 7/16-14.
 
I bought my 40 piece Craftsman tap and die set in the late sixties for around $30. Most of the set is still intact after fifty years. They were advertised at the time as Chromedge. I don't know for sure if they were HSS or carbon steel but had always assumed HSS.

MSC sells some HSS sets. There is a 40 pc. Interstate brand set for $144 (Enco user discount applied). I have bought Interstate individual taps in recent years and have had good luck with them.
 
What I have found to work was to provide a lead section at the the tap drill diameter or slightly larger. This gives some forward driving force insteady of relying on hand pressure. An added benefit is there is a greater likelihood of the die running true. When finished threading, cut the lead portion off and finish the end.

If threading with the lathe, I will apply pressure with the tailstock to get the die started and running true.
 
There are NOS US made dies that you can pick up, and they hold up well. If I need new dies these days, I purchase Toolmex TMX (made in Poland) adjustable round dies for around $10-12 each and they work very well. I prefer to use the adjustable size so I can size the thread to the tolerance I need. Taps have a finite use and will eventually fail, so I replace mine periodically. I typically buy these in sets of three (taper, plug, bottoming), usually Morse, Cleveland, OSG etc. for about $12-15 for a box. Suncoast Tools also sells the YG-1 line of taps at reasonable pricing. I do not use Interstate, or the other knock off branding, taps and dies as they do not cut as well/nor last in my experience. When doing threading on the lathe, I will do single point threading on the lathe to about 95% of the thread then follow with an adjustable dies to clean up the threads and finial sizing. I use a tailstock holder to hold the die/tap true if I am just using the die/tap for threading.
https://www.suncoasttools.com/crm/VendorPages.aspx?Vendor=Toolmex#subnav
 
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I tried to add a taper to the part,
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I tried that trick in the past as well, as you also found out, it does not work with the Harbor Freight 'Sh--tsBurgh' set of dies.

And honestly, if one has to resort to these sort of tricks for their jobs, you are using the WRONG TOOL FOR THE JOB.
 
One obvious thing. There is a correct way to use a die. Some dies are labeled "start this side". If the die isn't labeled, usually, the start side is marked with the thread size but check the chamfer. Both ends are chamfered but the start side has a larger chamfer.
 
Many of the old sets will work well past anything new the hobbyists will use. I like the real full adjustable dies with two piece cutters Greenfield made about the turn of the century . But I have and use others too. I have two sets metric and sae these use a screw in the split of the die to adjust. Many things I've made I require a tighter thread tolerance then slop free spinning nut to bolt.
I have single pointed to fit items like a grinding vise and replacement parts on all types of tools. To many times I buy a decent brand tool to find so much clearance the threads pull or strip.
This reason alone is one reason I don't like new tools. There made to use for short periods and then disposed. AKA HF , now craftsmen , Milwaukee is still about the best. Even some tools that use to be German made are going Chinese and it really shows.
Get yourself some very old sets you won't be sorry. Melt your HF sets and make hammer heads then really beat the s it out of them.
Craigslist and yard sales there out there because they just don't go bad .....
 
Ken from ontario said:
I have heard that the old Craftsman KROMEDGE sets are HSS and quite good,they are not that expensive on ebay, new old stock or used. seem to be much better than HF stuff.:
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Craftsman-K...966584?hash=item3d5ec4e338:g:IH0AAOSwLI1acunv
Edit:
Here's a search I did on ebay USA:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.TRS0&_nkw=Craftsman+Kromedge+Tap+&+Adjustable+Die+Set+&_sacat=0
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I looked back at some of my old Craftsman catalogs and it appears that the high speed steel dies all had a black oxide finish and were much more expensive than the carbon steel sets. The Kromedge dies were chrome plated carbon steel. I have Craftsman standard and metric tap and die sets I bought in about 1991, and while they've worked well for me they are not high speed steel (mine, which appear to be fairly high quality U.S. made taps and dies, were "homeowners" sets--the least expensive at $34.97 per set). In 1991 a high speed steel 59-piece standard set cost $276.99, metric $284.99.
 
RJSakowski said:
One obvious thing. There is a correct way to use a die. Some dies are labeled "start this side". If the die isn't labeled, usually, the start side is marked with the thread size but check the chamfer. Both ends are chamfered but the start side has a larger chamfer.
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Thanks for mentioning it! Sadly, that was not the issue, I did double check that. But sometimes we all need someone to ask the obvious question. :)

Silverbullet said:
Get yourself some very old sets you won't be sorry. Melt your HF sets and make hammer heads then really beat the s it out of them.
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That's the plan right now, watch for some old school gear or just pick up high quality parts one at a time as needed. I'll probably just do a lot more single-pointing. I like the HF hammer idea. I might have to look into that. :)
 
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