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Thread: Tap and die sets.....tap magic
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2nd Sep 2013, 02:23 PM #16
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2nd Sep 2013, 06:11 PM #17Most Valued Member
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I have a set of SAE/whitworth (Taiwanese) and Metric (Taiwanese) both about 30+ years old and they're OK. Holders are rubbish.
I also have P&N and Sutton larger diameter stuff and they win hands down.
The smaller cheaper Asian taps and dies will cut OK, but I find them a lot harder to get started as they are not as thick and the lead in taper is not as gradual.
I've also bought plenty of HSS taps off of Ebay in small sizes out of Hong Kong and they've been very good quality.
The cheap taps in the full sets can be brittle.
RobThe worst that can happen is you will fail.
But at least you tried.
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2nd Sep 2013, 06:17 PM #18
Bolt is one of the most expensive places to shop IMHO. Work out what you want and then eBay it, you will be surprised.
Ew1915 17"x50" LeBlond heavy duty Lathe, 24" Queen city shaper, 1970's G Vernier FV.3.TO Universal Mill, 1958 Blohm HFS 6 surface grinder, 1942 Rivett 715 Lathe, 14"x40" Antrac Lathe, Startrite H225 Bandsaw, 1949 Hercus Camelback Drill press, 1947 Holbrook C10 Lathe.
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2nd Sep 2013, 06:28 PM #19Banned
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Bordo?
I recently bought 4 Bordo taps from Gasweld, taper and intermediate (no bottoming available) of 5 and 6mm, $6 each I think they were. Neither have broken yet, quite amazing for me, I frequently break taps up to 14mm in size. The good think about cheap ones is they don't cost much to replace.
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3rd Sep 2013, 12:50 PM #20New Member
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- Feb 2008
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Tap and Die sets
Attached are photos of my "consumer" sets.
The metric set in the grey plastic container, I purchased from McJings and the Imperial set was form Supercheap Autos.
As basic as one could get.
I plan to use the sets for directly tapping holes in hardwood, aluminum or acrylic as I make some router/ router table jigs.
Nothing too serious planned, may not even use the dies.James,
Sydney, Australia
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3rd Sep 2013, 01:03 PM #21New Member
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- Feb 2008
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A big thank you....
Wow.
I was surprised how much interest this post generated.
Thanks to all the respondents for suggesting the different fluids and where to obtain better quality taps if required.
I will be using common machine thread screws ( 1/4-20, 5/16-18, M8 and M10) for the tasks that I am working on. [3/8" machine screws seem hard to find now in Australia]....James,
Sydney, Australia
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3rd Sep 2013, 01:56 PM #22Intermediate Member
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- Sep 2011
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For the really hard to find stuff, I have had great success with this mob ( sorry I don't know any place in NSW)...
Ferntree Gully Bolts
766 Burwood Hwy
Ferntree Gully VIC 3156
Phone: 03 9756 0566
or also have a contact here in SA, but I can't find the contact details at the moment.
EDIT: found it....
Fasteners Australia
19-21 William Street Mile End, S.A.
Phone (08)8443 5000
Fasteners Australia - the Australian Fastener specialist
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3rd Sep 2013, 08:16 PM #23Senior Member
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Just a look at what they had in the ww11 years and they are still doing there job don't think they make them like this any more, they are ex army had these since 1960 brought out from Uk in 1966 don't have to worry about snapping the rubbish handles as supplied to day when the going gets tough, these were 1941 model's.
Eddie
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3rd Sep 2013, 08:31 PM #24Golden Member
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4th Sep 2013, 09:46 AM #25New Member
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5th Sep 2013, 01:05 PM #26Chief Swarf Maker
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I was surprised to read that the Frost taps were rubbish. Frost = Sutton, and their drills are great. I bought the 1-13mm .5mm rise kit from Bunnies for $50, half the price for exactly the same drill set in a Sutton box.
Ive also had good experiences with their holesaw sets.
The carbon steel ones really are crap. Just replacing a broken tap is not ideal, as you usually still have the broken half stuck in you workpiece!!
I have been wanting to buy a tap set, with ALL the metric taps for some time now, but havent found it. The closest i came was this Kinchrome one, but they are all intermediate. Great range of sizes and pitches, but you know as soon as you buy the set Murphy will immediately insist you need a plug tap.
Kincrome - Product Display
Meanwhile i just go up to the bearing or bolt shop and buy the odd tap that i need for a job. Given enough years, i will have all of them eventually
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5th Sep 2013, 01:33 PM #27Golden Member
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5th Sep 2013, 01:37 PM #28Chief Swarf Maker
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Ah, bugger. I saw the 'Sutton Australia' on the back of the box, with their Melbourne address, but not the made in China bit.
Still good drill bits...
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5th Sep 2013, 01:42 PM #29Intermediate Member
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I think you will find the subtle difference between the Sutton branded and Frost branded tools. The Sutton tools carry the "Australian Made" logo. The Frost tools according to Sutton, are manufactured to predetermined specifications and tested in-house in Australia. They are made elsewhere.
I believe Frost is a compromise between best quality and affordable. Not saying that they don't do the job, because they are backed by Sutton. The Sutton branded tools will do a better job...after all they ARE Australian made!
Their other product line, only some of the P&N tools are Australian made. I.e. the wood turning tools.
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5th Sep 2013, 03:51 PM #30Cba
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My experience with low cost taps has been, that some quite good ones can be found. But one needs to look long and very carefully, and I guess some luck is needed too. Many a low cost set I had a good look in the shop, looked useless to begin with. I do not expect precision ground threads..... but burrs at the cutting edge are in my opinion completely unacceptable. And yet, large burrs is what you get with many if not most most low cost tap sets.
As a good low cost basic metric starter set, I can recommend this. I bought it in 2002 from Alltools in Melbourne, if memory serves me well for $120. It is not HSS, but it is made in Japan from "Tungsten steel". The wrench did break, but everything else is still there and functional. A quite nicely made set for the price. I use these, where for any reason I do not want to use my good expensive taps or dies. Like to tap cast iron and the like. Or for the odd size I do not need often enough to warrant the expense for top quality.
Taps_01.jpgTaps_02.jpgTaps_03.jpg
This is a low cost imperial set I bought in 2008. I do not use imperial sizes very much, so this is really all I need (apart from a few NPT's). Strangely, it is the same box as the above, but was cheaper and it is definitely not made in Japan (else it would say so...). Every bit is still functional, but that does not mean much as I have only used it maybe a dozen times.
Taps_05.jpgTaps_04.jpg
These are the taps and dies I routinely use. I bought them over the past 25 years, when and as the need arises. All HSS and HSS-Co top quality brand names, most fully ground. I look after them, only rarely break or blunt a tap, so they seem to last almost lifetime. For often used sizes, top quality will always pay for itself.
Taps_08.jpgTaps_07.jpg
Chris