Harbor freight tap and die sets

[Rewind97]

Are the HF tap and die sets any good? If so which set (I see they have several different levels).

 

[Hondarancher4435]

We have the sae and metric master sets at work if you take the easy and don't try to ram them in they work fine we have yet to break any of them. However I'm getting ready to invest in my own personal set and I will be saving up for a higher quality set

 

[helterskelter]

In an emergency I've used one to chase threads. Would not attempt to cut threads. Visually they were extremely poor quality.

 

[goldie lox]

not sure which metric ver i have but for all i use it, it has never let me down. like said above, go easy with it. i would like better quality but cant justify it for all i use it.

 

[Rewind97]

Mine will not be used to cut new threads.


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[TerryH]

I bought this one...

http://www.harborfreight.com/60-piece-sae-metric-tap-and-die-set-35407.html

Have used them quite a bit to chase threads and to tap holes. I go slow and use plenty of tapping lube They've held up fine. Pretty good deal IMHO.

 

[shortykorte]

Search YouTube for 5 things to buy from Harbor Freight

 

[steed andersen]

I have the
metric and SAE sets at work. They are not high quality but if you take it easy and use cutting oil they will do the job.

 

[FigureItOut]

I like mine for around the house use. I don't ever cut new threads at work but occasionally I'll fix a cross-thread with 'em. They're the only set I've ever had, but I think some of the sizes are off. I have the big metric set and the medium SAE & MM set.

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[jakemac]

I have the NTP set (pipe threads). It looks like a cheap import set (and is), BUT - it got me out of a bind and did the job for less than what a single name-brand tap would do. The one tap that I used didn't break and didn't distort. It still looks sharp, so I give it a thumbs up.

 

[CJM8515]

Havent had an issue, have both the cheaper SAE and metric smaller sets and the larger metric titanium coated set. I have use them to create more threads on grade 8 bolts, tap holes in various metals, chase threads, etc. I always just use wheel bearing grease or some used motor oil as lube. I do not rail on them and force them to do anything.

 

[Rewind97]

I'm thinking of these sets (metric and SAE)

http://www.harborfreight.com/45-pc-titanium-nitride-coated-alloy-steel-sae-tap-die-set-61411.html

 

[1950mercury]

They are awesome... The best money can buy

 

[pendragon1998]

I'm thinking of these sets (metric and SAE)

http://www.harborfreight.com/45-pc-titanium-nitride-coated-alloy-steel-sae-tap-die-set-61411.html

I paid about $25 less for this made in the USA Kromedge 41 pc set.

 

[justme-]

Wow, I'm amazed. Everywhere else when talking about taps and dyes its understood never buy cheap stuff unless you want to learn the art/science/voodoo of removing broken taps from projects.
The set I have from them (gifted to me) screams junk just by looking at them. Unfortunately at work I'm stuck with using Irwin and following in the art of removing broken taps as they are junk too.

Buy good stuff...from machinist supply places and you'll be worlds ahead of HF. Krome edge is good, most of my home stuff is Greenlee.

 

[ajchien]

Ive got the HF 40 piece in sae and metric - the cheapest of the cheap sets. I've also just recently got a big Irwin carbon set as well as a number of individual sized USA (GTD) branded HSS singles here and there.

As for the cheapest of the cheap HF set - they come with all sorts of burrs on the taps and dies than need to be cleaned up. The tap handles and die stock are truly terrible and should be thrown away or used as hammers. The tap handles round out, and also round the shanks of the taps. The die stocks slip and can't hold the die tight. Because it is a pretty complete set, it has saved my *** one time when I needed an M5 to reform some threads on an outdoor lamp post. Who uses an M5 in stuff? Sheesh. Once I needed to extend the threads on a few 5/16-18 bolts (while doing a repair on an elliptical exercise machine)and I decided to use the set. The first bolt was great! The second bolt's threads were really rough edged. The third bolt even worse. Turns out the die itself had a few threads that sheared off. I don't ever try to bring this set out to do anything "important". Most of the time, i might use it for cleaning up threads of used fasteners that I've salvaged from some defunct thing that then goes into my parts bins.

In retrospect, I would fully recommend *against* buying the cheapest set. Consider it to be capable of cutting nicely once, poorly a few times, and then disposed. I was thinking of seeing if I could unload it for $5 on CL, but that seems like too much effort.