Tap and Die set.

[danielbuck]

I own a cheaper Craftsman set and a nice Snap-On set. They both break, especially if you go too fast with the taps, or use them at the wrong angle. Removing a broken tap can add hours to your project. I'm not convinced that any of the high priced sets are better than the mid-priced sets, but as much as I'm a fan of Harbor Freight on some things, I'm not sure I'd gamble on the their tap / die sets.

knowing how to use the taps is 1/2 the battle. Lube, keep it straight, and break the chips. If I can, I tap in a drill press or lathe (not under power) with a centering tool to keep the tap straight while rotating the tap by hand. If I'm tapping by hand and can't use a machine to keep the tap straight, I usually use a make-shift tap guide (tubing welded to flatbar, or holes drilled through thick metal or tubing), that helps a lot to get the tap started straight.

I also try not to ever start taping with a bottoming tap. if I need a bottomed hole, I'll get it started with a normal tapered tap, then finish it with a bottoming

 

[gman007]

Hello.Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas... I am now in the market for a new Tap and Die set. There is not a lot of stores locally, however, a new HF store has opened about 33 miles from my home.They have a 60 piece set that has very good ratings.And it is within my budget.Has anyone used this set with any degree of success? I will be using it for my welding projects, and general maintenance practices.
BTW, I did use the search function with very little success. Thanks, Ken
[/url]

Ken
Personally as a rule of thumb, if I can I stay away from Chinese junk like the plague. Now one does not necessarily have to even spend a fortune to acquire good solid American made tools and that includes tap and die set!

I try to find old but in good shape US made tools which I can usually buy at a pretty reasonable price. For example I paid $10 at a flea market for bunch of loose taps (various sizes which were a mixture of Union Butterfield, Hanson etc) and after a bit of cleaning and buffing they look like new and work like a champ. I was so happy with them that I even made a simple case for them.

I also wanted a die set, and was able to buy an ACE Hanson 42 piece tap and Die set for $25 and again after a good cleanup and buffing (do not let a bit of surface rust dissuade you, most old American made tools were made to last) , they all work great.