Is Irwin Hanson Taps now made in CHINA?
- Thread starter seagiant
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four.cycle
Well-known member
^ most likely tons of old stock hanging on pegboard hooks all over the country. all mine are US made, purchased from ACE Hardware or online.
LOTS of ebay sellers have boatloads of taps... guy I got mine from bought out an inventory from a hardware store... I got 'em for about $2 bucks a pop + shipping.
LOTS of ebay sellers have boatloads of taps... guy I got mine from bought out an inventory from a hardware store... I got 'em for about $2 bucks a pop + shipping.
Drunkonunleaded
Well-known member
Where did you hear this? I see no evidence of the COO changing on these.
That said, I've been dragging my feet on the 26376 set. Ordered from Zoro this morning just in case. I'll report back upon receipt. Their site lists COO as USA. If I receive something else, it's going back.
That said, I've been dragging my feet on the 26376 set. Ordered from Zoro this morning just in case. I'll report back upon receipt. Their site lists COO as USA. If I receive something else, it's going back.
reader2580
Well-known member
Zoro has a disclaimer that COO could change. Manufacturers regularly change where stuff is made. Zoro will take stuff back for any reason.
I don't have anything official to show you, but I can't think of a single made in USA Irwin-Hanson tool I've seen other than a tap & die set I had years ago... Rather it be locking pliers, punches, chisels, pliers, screwdrivers, drill bits, etc. It's all been made overseas somewhere, usually Taiwan or China. Honestly it wouldn't surprise me if they've gone the same route with their taps and dies too.
But until you order or buy something, I guess you won't know for sure. Vendor images and Amazon listings don't get updated enough.
You could also try contacting Irwin and asking them.
But until you order or buy something, I guess you won't know for sure. Vendor images and Amazon listings don't get updated enough.
You could also try contacting Irwin and asking them.
Drunkonunleaded
Well-known member
Hence why I bought it from there. It may have been a little bit easier to order from Amazon but I don't trust that I will receive a legitimate product from them any longer. Zoro will have this on my doorstep this afternoon and their return policy is effectively the same as Amazon's. With the 15% off coupon, Zoro was a bit cheaper than Amazon as well. IMO, there's no real reason to buy tools from Amazon these days unless they're the only retailer in stock and/or it's something cheap where quality is secondary.
The bolt extractors are Made in USA. I just bought a second set last week.
alfadan
Well-known member
It seems their individual taps and dies are still made here, but like most 'sets' they are made in the land of cheap and cheerful
dnschmidt
Well-known member
Better, no doubt, cheaper considerable doubt.
I'm a eBay guy, and there's def cheaper better options (if you know what you're looking for)
Drunkonunleaded
Well-known member
So they did arrive. Looks exactly like the previous set I had. COO marked USA with handles originating from PRC. More importantly, they’re dated 8/26/24.
YMMV, but at least what I received was made here. And yes, I know that good taps and dies do not come in sets I would have been “better off” buying singles of my most used sizes.
YMMV, but at least what I received was made here. And yes, I know that good taps and dies do not come in sets I would have been “better off” buying singles of my most used sizes.
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Wamsutta
Well-known member
The most important part is the blow molded case. The taps and dies can be replaced with American pieces when the Chinese pieces break.
Draftpick1
Well-known member
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- Mar 22, 2018
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Yes, those tap and die case are hard to find!!
cmandp
Well-known member
I really feel like a cutting tool snob when I hear Irwin taps and I make a face.
When it comes to taps it's a quality HSS one or nothing. Carbon steel taps are way more brittle and I don't want to mess up a tapped hole in something hard to repair or part is just spent time on.
Same goes for drill bits, end Mills, etc.
When it comes to taps it's a quality HSS one or nothing. Carbon steel taps are way more brittle and I don't want to mess up a tapped hole in something hard to repair or part is just spent time on.
Same goes for drill bits, end Mills, etc.
alfadan
Well-known member
They're ok for cleaning up threads in something nasty, saving your hss for clean metal.
Cheap Chinese tap and die sets give me the chills. If there is anything you want better quality it is taps and dies. But quality ones are expensive. It can be a good strategy to get a relatively cheap generic set and then replace the specific ones you use over time with higher quality ones on individual order from machine tool suppliers. Also, I strongly recommend getting better tap and die handles, sockets, and guides and have the right size cobalt drills to make sure you get clean, and correctly sized holes to tap. The set can make sure you have something for one off jobs, and if you use a size a few times, replace it with better.
Also, something important: To chase threads you should use special thread restorer tap and dies, NOT taps and dies designed to cut threads. And certainly not cheap tap and dies ... which might compound problems. Thread restoring tap and dies are designed to clean out and reform the threads without taking off much material. That is often what you want for damaged or corroded threads. You can purchase good USA thread chaser sets for relatively cheap. These will also be sufficient for a lot of clean up work that people often (mis)use taps and dies for. Clean up work, for most, also comes up more frequently than the need to cut new threads.
I would add that I have an older USA-made Craftsman tap and die set with a large numbers of taps and dies that I use. These are not HSS or cobalt, but are reasonably good quality and not very brittle. They work fairly well for a lot. Just make sure that you keep them stored well with a protective oil film: you do not want taps and dies to corrode or they will be ruined (outside of difficult restores and resharpening). The older tap and die handles in such sets are ok, but I have some better Starret handles, General Tools ratcheting tap handles, and Lislie tap sockets that all work better and make the process easier. Plus I have a full set of cobalt drill bits (fractional, wire, letter, and metric) that pretty much covers all needs and I resist the temptation to use these drill bits for daily use projects. So they stay in good shape for when needed. Having some left handed Cobalt bits to help remove broken bolts can also be very valuable. But the main thing is to go slow and be careful when cutting new threads. Things can go bad quickly with small taps and you really do not want to break off brittle taps. Such problems can be nightmarish.
Also, something important: To chase threads you should use special thread restorer tap and dies, NOT taps and dies designed to cut threads. And certainly not cheap tap and dies ... which might compound problems. Thread restoring tap and dies are designed to clean out and reform the threads without taking off much material. That is often what you want for damaged or corroded threads. You can purchase good USA thread chaser sets for relatively cheap. These will also be sufficient for a lot of clean up work that people often (mis)use taps and dies for. Clean up work, for most, also comes up more frequently than the need to cut new threads.
I would add that I have an older USA-made Craftsman tap and die set with a large numbers of taps and dies that I use. These are not HSS or cobalt, but are reasonably good quality and not very brittle. They work fairly well for a lot. Just make sure that you keep them stored well with a protective oil film: you do not want taps and dies to corrode or they will be ruined (outside of difficult restores and resharpening). The older tap and die handles in such sets are ok, but I have some better Starret handles, General Tools ratcheting tap handles, and Lislie tap sockets that all work better and make the process easier. Plus I have a full set of cobalt drill bits (fractional, wire, letter, and metric) that pretty much covers all needs and I resist the temptation to use these drill bits for daily use projects. So they stay in good shape for when needed. Having some left handed Cobalt bits to help remove broken bolts can also be very valuable. But the main thing is to go slow and be careful when cutting new threads. Things can go bad quickly with small taps and you really do not want to break off brittle taps. Such problems can be nightmarish.
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john.k
Well-known member
If you want to tap holes as opposed to cleaning threads ,your taps should be ground thread and whats called 'relief ground' or 'cam relieved' ........GTD is a good example of a quality tap ........relief ground taps cut with half the force of plain taps ,and will not bind or break in a hole .
BlakeTheCarGuy
ALLIANCE MEMBER
All my Ace stores are out of the old stock USA made ones. The ones I’ve saw most recently have all been China or Made in the USA with Global Components. Not sure on quality but I always spend extra money on things like this that you don’t want to break off.
dnschmidt
Well-known member
Taps and dies are things you buy from McMaster-Carr due to the extreme trouble you can get into if a tap breaks off. Tough to get an EDM machine into an engine compartment. Sometimes you just have to buy the best or face the consequences. Save money somewhere else.
wafrederick
Well-known member
I seen USA made at an Auto Value auto parts store,none made in China