GearWrench Tap and Die

[Acuratechva]

http://www.gearwrench.com/hot-deals/gearwrench-82810-65-pc-metric-ratcheting-tap-and-die-set.html

Couldn't hold back and got this set monday, already arrived. Very impressed. Especially since it replaced a HF 15$ set haha.

It looks small in pictures, but when it came it exceeded all expectations.

 

[jonathan75]

What is hot about it? How much did you pay? What is the regular price?

 

[jsharpphoto]

It's on the clearance tab of gearwrench site. I bought for $110 shipped. I think retail is "370" but Amazon sells it for $230. So it's still half of what it normally sells for

 

[Acuratechva]

It's on the clearance tab of gearwrench site. I bought for $110 shipped. I think retail is "370" but Amazon sells it for $230. So it's still half of what it normally sells for

Precisely. For the price and content its best out there.

 

[kball]

I got that one and the large SAE set. Wish I bought the SAE set they used to have on the hot deals page.

These tap and die sets are actually the nicest things I've bought from Gearwrench. Their ratcheting wrenches are okay but that 56 pc ratcheting screwdriver set I got from Sears for $17 looks to me like it's only worth $17.

 

[Ign]

So are the hex dies a proprietary hex size or will other brands of dies fit? As a machinist I'm very skeptical of this for long-term use/replacement of cutting tools.

 

[tarbellb]

I also bought this set and it's been very good so far. The quality seems really good, the set is complete including rate sizes like 9mm.
The ratcheting feature is very handy. I recommend this set to anybody looking for a mid tier quality set.

 

[Davefr]

Carbon Steel or HSS?

 

[motofool33]

i got that set also very, nice ive used a few of the dies and taps all worked great.

ign i dont have any other brand of die to check the size if you measure some next time i go to shop i could check

 

[Conductor562]

Carbon Steel or HSS?

They're carbon

 

[trackwelder]

I got that one and the large SAE set. Wish I bought the SAE set they used to have on the hot deals page.



These tap and die sets are actually the nicest things I've bought from Gearwrench. Their ratcheting wrenches are okay but that 56 pc ratcheting screwdriver set I got from Sears for $17 looks to me like it's only worth $17.

Have you actually used the screwdriver set yet? I received one a few years ago from my secret Santa and it's been used hundreds of times with no issues.

I bought ten sets from sears and now have one in every vehicle.

 

[Techie1961]

I have the combo set (SAE and Metric) of GearWrench taps and dies. They are fairly good tools for general use. There are a couple of things that I don't like about them though. The ratcheting handle is nice for some things but can be a pain in the **** when you are doing back and forth threading. You have to keep switching the direction with the switch rather than just going back and forth.

The other thing is that due to the design, there are guides in the die stock adapter for centering the rod that you are threading. Since it is in the same location as the drive for the ratcheting handle, you can't push down to start a thread without the handle sliding off. Tough to describe but basically the handle ends up on the wrong side of the adapter.

Other than that, it is a really handy set.

 

[kball]

Have you actually used the screwdriver set yet? I received one a few years ago from my secret Santa and it's been used hundreds of times with no issues.

I bought ten sets from sears and now have one in every vehicle.

I haven't used it much. I think it works fine, I said it "looks" cheap. To me it looks like a cheap Chinese set compared to the tap and die sets and the 120 ratchets I have.

 

[Ign]

I have the combo set (SAE and Metric) of GearWrench taps and dies. They are fairly good tools for general use. There are a couple of things that I don't like about them though. The ratcheting handle is nice for some things but can be a pain in the **** when you are doing back and forth threading. You have to keep switching the direction with the switch rather than just going back and forth.

The other thing is that due to the design, there are guides in the die stock adapter for centering the rod that you are threading. Since it is in the same location as the drive for the ratcheting handle, you can't push down to start a thread without the handle sliding off. Tough to describe but basically the handle ends up on the wrong side of the adapter.

Other than that, it is a really handy set.

Yeah, that's why I've always held off on these. I think the ratcheting might be good for chasing pre-existing threads or for use in tight quarters, but for 99% of what I do on the mill I have to work the tap back and forth of course, so an old-fashioned fixed wrench is the ticket.

 

[Techie1961]

Yeah, that's why I've always held off on these. I think the ratcheting might be good for chasing pre-existing threads or for use in tight quarters, but for 99% of what I do on the mill I have to work the tap back and forth of course, so an old-fashioned fixed wrench is the ticket.

For the taps, there is a tee handle pin that you can use with the tap chucks so tapping isn't a problem. They also put in a center drill hole so you can use a center to keep it straight. Using the dies is a different story though as you have to use the ratcheting handle.

 

[PT Doc]

Carbon taps? It's almost hard to find carbon taps outside of Ace of HD. Most folks don't need all those taps and especially not the dies. If you ****** up threads you should use a thread restore and not cut the buggered threads.

Use HSS spiral point taps and don't looks back.

 

[logixjock]

Carbon taps? It's almost hard to find carbon taps outside of Ace of HD. Most folks don't need all those taps and especially not the dies. If you ****** up threads you should use a thread restore and not cut the buggered threads.

Use HSS spiral point taps and don't looks back.

Man speaks the truth here. Night and day difference between a HSS gun tap and a carbon plug tap for through holes.

 

[youngridge]

I bought both sets, sae and metric, love the cases and the ratcheting mechanism, I mainly use it for cleaning threads, bad beat jp and rusted, but when cutting threads or making new holes, if one starts to feel week, or the threads wear off, I just repksce it with hss. If you need it that much your better off getting something on the higher end and putting it in the same case. I love these sets though, for what I use them for they are worth the money.

 

[bcradio]

Carbon taps? It's almost hard to find carbon taps outside of Ace of HD. Most folks don't need all those taps and especially not the dies. If you ****** up threads you should use a thread restore and not cut the buggered threads.

Use HSS spiral point taps and don't looks back.

Thread derail time

This is what I want to do by getting only the HSS taps I need... problem is I don't know what sizes are common in the automotive world. Does someone have a list of these common sizes?

I will probably never use a die though.

 

[purplezr2]

Thread derail time

This is what I want to do by getting only the HSS taps I need... problem is I don't know what sizes are common in the automotive world. Does someone have a list of these common sizes?

I will probably never use a die though.

Buy a full set you will need it eventually. I have even found sizes in the sets that I needed.

 

[Quijote]

I dunno. I say this as a DIY guy, and not a machinist, but I feel there are a lot of obscure thread sizes in there. Also, for every time I've used a die, I've used a tap 50 times. I just don't really need dies. I rather just buy a few good quality taps for common thread sizes like (all coarse) M3, M4, M5, M6, M8, and M10. I can't imagine trying to tap something larger than that. I believe my hub threads are M14, so maybe I'd get one of those too in case I need to chase those threads - and I'd buy the proper tap.

 

[Conductor562]

This set and the Irwin PTS sets are very nice sets for the occasional user. They give you a nice assortment to get started and you can always upgrade the most commonly used sizes to HSS.

HSS sets are certainly superior, but they're cost prohibitive to buy in sets for a guy who isn't going to use them all the time.

 

[03silvergt]

Just picked this set up to replace an old craftsman smaller set. Got it for 109 shipped. Thanks OP

 

[MagnumForce]

Die setters at work have these tap handles, they are awesome.

 

[upgrading]

Not as low as the OP's price.

$137.99 + $5.00 shipping @ Woot if anyone wants one.

http://tools.woot.com/offers/65-piece-ratcheting-tap-and-die-metric-3?ref=cnt_wp_2_9