Recommend me a tap handle.

[2ndGearRubber]

Looking for an adjustable tap handle, which will hold M12 taps, maybe M14 if possible. I had a nice japanese made Century tool model, but have misplaced it.... or I can't find it anyways. I was nice enough for me, just a better finished version of the generic ones that come in cheap tap and die kits. I will very rarely, extremely rarely, go below m6

Now, I have lisle tap sockets. I have a Koken adjustable tap holder, 2 actually. I have adjust t-handle style as well (yuck). I'm specifically looking for the style below.

Amazon.com

Amazon.com

Amazon.com

So my gut says starrett obviously. One of my starett auto center punches is finicky garbage, been so since day one (18c? The big one. My 18A works great). I'm soft on the brand for the price. They sure are pretty though. I don't need amazon as a vender, it was just easy to link/search. Assuming I don't misplace this one, I'm fine spending on it to get a nice one that fits well, holds consistently, and will last. Most of my work with this will be vise mounted. As I said I have tap-sockets which work great for tighter spaces. Just not as pleasant nor confidence inspiring as a real handle, even when I put a sliding T handle on top.


EDIT: My number 1 complaint is the jaws constantly loosening on the cheap ones. It's like every 1/2 rotation you need to snug them down. I realize that any irregularities in force will fight to open the jaws. But with the cheap ones you nearly need to hold the handle in tension to keep it from backing up and slipping.

 

[CGarage]

Schroeder Germany ratcheting tap handle.
I have an old west German version of this.
You have NOT LIVED until you use a ratcheting tap handle. It’s an amazing device.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

^ I specifically do not want that style.




Just a non-garbage version of this.

 

[Mgdoug3]

I have an old Greenfield tap handle that I know goes up to a 5/8" tap. Might be able find a used one on Ebay cheap.

 

[shawhite]

You know the answer starrett

 

[American Locomotive]

Just get the Starrett. I've actually seen the exact machines they were making the handles on. Top of the line stuff.

 

[ive]

Schroeder Germany ratcheting tap handle.
I have an old west German version of this.
You have NOT LIVED until you use a ratcheting tap handle. It’s an amazing device.

Had one of those West German ones at a old job. Beautiful. Last generations.

 

[ive]

Looking for an adjustable tap handle, which will hold M12 taps, maybe M14 if possible. I had a nice japanese made Century tool model, but have misplaced it.... or I can't find it anyways. I was nice enough for me, just a better finished version of the generic ones that come in cheap tap and die kits. I will very rarely, extremely rarely, go below m6

Now, I have lisle tap sockets. I have a Koken adjustable tap holder, 2 actually. I have adjust t-handle style as well (yuck). I'm specifically looking for the style below.

Amazon.com

Amazon.com

Amazon.com

So my gut says starrett obviously. One of my starett auto center punches is finicky garbage, been so since day one (18c? The big one. My 18A works great). I'm soft on the brand for the price. They sure are pretty though. I don't need amazon as a vender, it was just easy to link/search. Assuming I don't misplace this one, I'm fine spending on it to get a nice one that fits well, holds consistently, and will last. Most of my work with this will be vise mounted. As I said I have tap-sockets which work great for tighter spaces. Just not as pleasant nor confidence inspiring as a real handle, even when I put a sliding T handle on top.


EDIT: My number 1 complaint is the jaws constantly loosening on the cheap ones. It's like every 1/2 rotation you need to snug them down. I realize that any irregularities in force will fight to open the jaws. But with the cheap ones you nearly need to hold the handle in tension to keep it from backing up and slipping.

Schroeder Germany ratcheting tap handle.
I have an old west German version of this.
You have NOT LIVED until you use a ratcheting tap handle. It’s an amazing device.

Agreed.

 

[CGarage]

This one only says “Made in West Germany” but it saved my bacon about two weeks ago. Need to return it to my toolbox, but it performed admirably at home with a M8x1.25 tapping task into 6061-T6 aluminum. Once you tap with a ratcheting mechanism, you won’t go back!

 

[Malaworkerbee]

Looking for an adjustable tap handle, which will hold M12 taps, maybe M14 if possible. I had a nice japanese made Century tool model, but have misplaced it.... or I can't find it anyways. I was nice enough for me, just a better finished version of the generic ones that come in cheap tap and die kits. I will very rarely, extremely rarely, go below m6

Now, I have lisle tap sockets. I have a Koken adjustable tap holder, 2 actually. I have adjust t-handle style as well (yuck). I'm specifically looking for the style below.

Amazon.com

Amazon.com

Amazon.com

So my gut says starrett obviously. One of my starett auto center punches is finicky garbage, been so since day one (18c? The big one. My 18A works great). I'm soft on the brand for the price. They sure are pretty though. I don't need amazon as a vender, it was just easy to link/search. Assuming I don't misplace this one, I'm fine spending on it to get a nice one that fits well, holds consistently, and will last. Most of my work with this will be vise mounted. As I said I have tap-sockets which work great for tighter spaces. Just not as pleasant nor confidence inspiring as a real handle, even when I put a sliding T handle on top.


EDIT: My number 1 complaint is the jaws constantly loosening on the cheap ones. It's like every 1/2 rotation you need to snug them down. I realize that any irregularities in force will fight to open the jaws. But with the cheap ones you nearly need to hold the handle in tension to keep it from backing up and slipping.

I have the smaller uxell and the park one. Both hold strong and work well. I did have to deburr the threads on both with a file.

My recommendation is still to get a used starrett 91c off ebay if you can afford it. They are $139 new.

 

[Indexmill]

Schroeder Germany ratcheting tap handle.
I have an old west German version of this.
You have NOT LIVED until you use a ratcheting tap handle. It’s an amazing device.

Really? You must have to switch direction on the ratchet every time you want to go CCW to clean out the chips. Sounds like a pain.

 

[dutchgray]

Get the Starrett, or hunt out a similar vintage tap handle from one of the other makers who no longer exist.
There are not a whole lot of options if you want quality but plenty if you want cheap.
I to have an 18c centre punch that never worked well out the box.

 

[dutchgray]

Really? You must have to switch direction on the ratchet every time you want to go CCW to clean out the chips. Sounds like a pain.

Great for those tapping jobs where you can tap it in one shot however.

 

[catalytic]

I had a mixture of new and old Starrett tap wrenches of various sizes, as I thought they were the best when I bought them. Honestly I don't love the design---the 'piston-like' jaw doesn't give a lot of surface area on the tap, and the new ones have problems with hardening/temper (i.e. some are soft and mushroom way too easily).

So I got rid of them and started collecting vintage G.T.D. tap wrenches and die wrenches. I now have a full set from 00 through the 4 ft long #8 (still missing the giant #22 and the tiny 1849 die wrench, if it was ever made). They are excellent, durable, well-designed tools, and I much prefer them to my Starretts (which is weird, as I like Starrett tools).

There are lesser-known copies manufactured nearby, like S.W. Card. Those are usually exactly as good, except the big ones which are solid/handles don't come off for storage (which makes them stronger but also way less practical).

 

[HenryAZ]

^ I specifically do not want that style.




Just a non-garbage version of this.

I prefer that type and use it whenever I can, and I have 4 sizes, 3 of them Starrett. However, there are some times where there is no room to swing that type, so having the straight handled ones is also necessary.

 

[mogandave]

I think I have all the Starretts, but I loved these Irwins.

 

[mogandave]

Actually, I think I'll have all the Starretts for sale once I get back to the states...

 

[CGarage]

Really? You must have to switch direction on the ratchet every time you want to go CCW to clean out the chips. Sounds like a pain.

Not a pain at all. It’s a dream and takes a fraction of a second to do so....that tap handle is built like a tank....weighs half a pound. Really helps to keep the tap centered with the extra weight it seems.

 

[larry4406]

Man I totally misinterpreted this thread

 

[mogandave]

Not a pain at all. It’s a dream and takes a fraction of a second to do so....that tap handle is built like a tank....weighs half a pound. Really helps to keep the tap centered with the extra weight it seems.

Indeed. The ratchets are great, better control and much less tiring

 

[CGarage]

I buy tools preemptively when I see something new- not necessarily as needed for a task. Hence, this was the reason for me not having used a ratcheting tap handle before. Welcome to the future and I will never go back to the dark ages of non-ratcheting.

 

[Packard V8]

Maybe it's an old guy thing, but I don't see the magic in a ratcheting tap handle. As mentioned, it's more work to break chips.

FWIW, I have a drawer full of various sizes, both the straight handle and the chuck types. The Starretts are as good as anything produced today, but wildly overpriced at retail. My favorites are the older Greenfield Tap & Die.

jack vines

 

[mogandave]

Maybe it's an old guy thing, but I don't see the magic in a ratcheting tap handle. As mentioned, it's more work to break chips.

FWIW, I have a drawer full of various sizes, both the straight handle and the chuck types. The Starretts are as good as anything produced today, but wildly overpriced at retail. My favorites are the older Greenfield Tap & Die.

jack vines

There is no magic, but I'm an old guy that used Starretts most of my life, tried the SG Irwin rachets once and never went back.

 

[zmotorsports]

I really like my Starrett tap handles but also reach for my old Greenfield or Morse quite a lot as well. I despise those cheap pieces of garbage that come in most kits.

 

[tester19]

Just use tap sockets with your ratchet of choice. Way cheaper and much more flexible as you can now space the tap out to where you need it without the handle getting in the way. I often use 2' or 3' of extensions to get in tight places that you would never get to with that ratcheting handle.

I was surprised at the number of experienced people who did not even know about tap sockets either!
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[dr_clyde]

Just use tap sockets with your ratchet of choice. Way cheaper and much more flexible as you can now space the tap out to where you need it without the handle getting in the way. I often use 2' or 3' of extensions to get in tight places that you would never get to with that ratcheting handle.

I was surprised at the number of experienced people who did not even know about tap sockets either!
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OP already has tap sockets, and they are not nearly as good for larger taps. It is also much more difficult to control the straightness of the tap with a ratchet. Tap sockets have their place, but they will never replace a proper tap handle.

I use Greenfield, CTD, Starrett and S.W. Card for my tap handles.

Older Greenfield and S.W. Card are far and away the best, and Starrett is fine up to a certain size, then they stop going bigger.

 

[seber]

I have a ratcheting handle. Never use it. If I can tap straight through without backing up, the I use the drill press. For blind holes I use Greenfield or Morse. No complaints on either one. Don't have a Starrett so I can't comment on that.

 

[FMB4]

Hansen, of both types, isn't bad either imo.

 

[CGarage]

For me, the ratcheting handle encourages me to back it out counter-clockwise to remove debris etc and we all know how much it blows to break taps and have to remove the broken tap.....

 

[Olafur]

I have a Koken adjustable tap holder, 2 actually.

Sorry for off topic question, but I assume the Koken holders you have are for ratchets - how do you like them?

I don't have any input as to what you are looking for.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Ratchets or any drive tool. A sliding t handle makes for a nice drive end. They fit taps well and grip securely. Only downside is if you crank them down touch they're annoying to get off. Frankly I use my tap sockets more.

Finish and quality are what one would.expect from koken.

 

[fsae0607]

I love using my hand tapper tool:

 

[liliysdad]

I despise tap sockets for anything but cleaning up threads. Chuck style are typically "OK," but see zero need for ratcheting. I greatly prefer the Starrett/Greenfield style.

60% of my tapping is on a lathe or mill, 30% on the drill press and neither scenario calls for a ratcheting tap handle.

 

[CGarage]

I have a mill and a lathe in my shop. If you are dealing with projects that will not fit on either dimensionally, you will need a tap handle.

 

[Steve_P]

I have two 30++ year old GTD USA handles and hate them; the tap drops out of them immediately when you back it out from the hole. The Starretts don't do this as they use a different jaw design. Maybe all GTDs aren't the same, but the ones I have ****. So don't assume anything vintage USA will use the same jaw system like Starrett. I only use taps a few times a year unless I'm doing some sort of fabrication project, so I put off buying the Starretts because they're so expensive. But after buying them it's just a pleasure to use them and you forget what they cost and appreciate their quality.

 

[liliysdad]

I have a mill and a lathe in my shop. If you are dealing with projects that will not fit on either dimensionally, you will need a tap handle.

You need a tap handle on the majority of projects that do fit on the mill and lathe, as well as the drill press....

 

[matthew]

I have a Reichel that I quite like. T-handle style, with a pilot cap so you can put it in the drill press chuck to pilot it, which is kind of nice.

 

[Indexmill]

Great for those tapping jobs where you can tap it in one shot however.

For those jobs, use a driver drill.

 

[mogandave]

For anyone that does a lot of tapping should look into the Tapmatic products.

Hand tappers above are great as well. When I was a kid they would drill the holes and start the taps on the mill, then move to the hand-tapper to finish. That's where I came in....

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I have a mill and a lathe in my shop. If you are dealing with projects that will not fit on either dimensionally, you will need a tap handle.

Most of my work with the handle is vise mounted. Or very open areas.

I'll look into vintage USA, as well as reconsider starrett. I'm very worried I'm gonna get a dud like my last auto center punch from them and be pout $150+ in handles that ****.

Just use tap sockets with your ratchet of choice. Way cheaper and much more flexible as you can now space the tap out to where you need it without the handle getting in the way. I often use 2' or 3' of extensions to get in tight places that you would never get to with that ratcheting handle.

I was surprised at the number of experienced people who did not even know about tap sockets either!
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I have all the tap sockets lisle makes. Sometimes I want a more positive feel and a lower profile.\





So - I found my Japan made handle today after digging through my thread making drawers. Still on the lookout for a new one. May push for the m14 sized shank, as my maximum goal over m12, as the one I have that's decent it pretty small.