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  1. #16
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    Nov 2008
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    Shailer Park, Brisbane
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    21

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    Quote Originally Posted by Big Shed View Post
    I have this set and bought the additional dies from H&F as well. I find them quite good quality.
    ...this looks like the G.O. for me.
    Thanks for the replies and jw for stealing his thread.


  2. #17
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    SA
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    1,649

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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.

    Rob
    The worst that can happen is you will fail.
    But at least you tried.



  3. #18
    Ueee's Avatar
    Ueee is offline Blacksmith, Cabinetmaker, Machinist, Messmaker
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Canberra
    Age
    39
    Posts
    4,515

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    Bolt is one of the most expensive places to shop IMHO. Work out what you want and then eBay it, you will be surprised.

    Ew
    1915 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.

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    adelaide
    Posts
    293

    Default 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.

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    sydney, au
    Posts
    5

    Red face Tap and Die sets

    Quote Originally Posted by wolften View Post
    ...Ok...Now that we know of some good lube for tapping, what consumer tap and die set did you get and does anyone else have an opinion as to what is reasonably good.
    I've been looking into this subject on and off for a while now only to put it in the "gunnadoitlater" basket.
    Any help JW would be appreciated.
    Sorry to hijack...
    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.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    James,

    Sydney, Australia

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    sydney, au
    Posts
    5

    Thumbs up 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

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    South Australia
    Posts
    46

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    Quote Originally Posted by jw2170 View Post
    [3/8" machine screws seem hard to find now in Australia]....
    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

  8. #23
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    shep Victoria
    Age
    97
    Posts
    157

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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

  9. #24
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    645

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    Quote Originally Posted by th62 View Post
    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.
    They are breakable. I have certainly broken more than one. I did an M12 in a nitrided crankshaft a while back. I have knocked off more than one Bordo M4 and M5. When they grab they are usually broken..

  10. #25
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    sydney, au
    Posts
    5

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by jw2170 View Post
    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]....
    Oh, how could I forget Lee Bros., in Dunlop St, Parramatta......
    James,

    Sydney, Australia

  11. #26
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    132

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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

  12. #27
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Australia
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    645

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    Quote Originally Posted by andrew_mx83 View Post
    I was surprised to read that the Frost taps were rubbish. Frost = Sutton, and their drills are great.
    Frost = Chinese made
    Sutton = Australian made

    Despite Frost being owned by Sutton.

  13. #28
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    132

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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...

  14. #29
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    South Australia
    Posts
    46

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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.

  15. #30
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
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    Melbourne
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    68
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    1,410

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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

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