Tap and Die sets

[Tack]

I am in the market for a Tap and Die set. I would like a complete set (with the most needed sizes) and something USA made. It will be getting occasional at home use only. I also don't want something insanely expensive but I am willing to pay for quality. Any suggestions what to look for or what set you chose? Anything I should completely avoid?

Thanks in advance!

 

[mattygee]

I cant recall if they are USA made, but I have the Craftsman set..bought it a few years ago and it has worked well for home/light auto use.

M

 

[thebeekeeper1]

I ended up buying older Craftsman sets from Ebay. My metric set is even the old Kromedge ones. Expect to pay close to $100 as everyone knows what they are and are looking for them, but both of mine are excellent condition and worth more than I paid.

 

[NHBandit]

Ebay. I bought this slightly used Snap On set (missing 1 tap) recently to go with a couple of old Snap On sets that were my dads. I already had the really small & the really large SAE sets and needed the middle sizes. It was cheap and I assume fairly old since it's in a wooden box. $25-$30 I think is about what I paid. First pic is the large size set my dad bought new in the 50s.

 

[Red89gt]

I am going to keep an eye on craigslist as well, my luck hasn't been that good on there but I have more time than money. If I get impatient believe I will order the Irwin 75pc kit off amazon, free shipping since I pay once a year to be prime member, no tax and would also be in time for the wife to buy me for

 

[USA Tool Supply]

I do not own or sell the Irwin brand, but I think they are very affordable. Most of their product line such as the vise grips, etc. are China made now. I am pretty sure the taps and drills are USA. I am also thinking they have a warranty. Good luck.

 

[skruft]

I have all the taps and dies because I must, but use them perhaps once a month. I bought the Craftsman regular and metric about 30 years ago and they were fine except that the tools (tap wrench, etc.) that came with them were garbage. Then I got larger sizes of other brands used.

Watch at garage sales and flea markets. Good sets show up often.

 

[woody 73]

Tack if you had put your location in your avatar, I could have done a CL search in your area for a USA set of taps & dies. Try a Tempest search in your area, type in how many miles you are willing to drive; ie. 40 miles and when a good quality set comes up then you will be ready.

 

[mayday0017]

Watch for ACE hardware brand sets, typically people don't know they are rebranded Irwin just like Craftsman and Snapon are I believe....

 

[zmotorsports]

I am a fan of the Hansen tap & dies. My local NAPA carries them and they also carry a lifetime warranty if needs be.

My previous set was a MAC set that I bought way back in about early 90's. It was a great set and I only had to replace a few taps over the years as they were a well made tap. Because I haven't seen a MAC dealer in over ten years I decided to purchase a new set, Hansen, and keep my MAC set as my backup.

Mike.

 

[DRhodes]

I too would vote Irwin/Hansen if you don't want to spend $1,200 on a really nice HSS set. Last I checked Mayday0017 was correct in his statement. Irwin/Hansen makes the taps/dies for both Snap on and Craftsman and they are made from Carbon Steel. Carbon Steel taps are okay but hardly compare to an HSS tap. If I were on a budget I would buy the Hansen set, if I wasn't I would buy a Greenfield or Morse HSS set.

 

[wafrederick]

Irwin also makes Matco's taps and dies.Matco does put a lifetime warranty on taps and dies.

 

[Red89gt]

Too many threads open, wrong post.

 

[fatfillup]

If you can find an old Cman Kromedge tap and die set, you won't be disappointed. Also, Ace, Ace-Hansen, Hansen are all good stuff if you can find them used.

 

[USA Tool Supply]

One more thought. If the set is for occasional use at home it sounds like you just need something to clean up threads. If you want to save money, you can get by with a Plug tap for each size. It will clean up threads fine. In a set you may pay for Bottom, Taper and Plug of each size and not need them all.
The round dies with the handle are used for cutting threads. Hex dies to repair existing bruised or rusty threads. Hex dies are less expensive. I have never had to cut threads at home, but have cleaned and trued a few up.

 

[RCStocker]

I have Hansen and Greenlee along with Craftsman. I have dozens of sets. I have been picking them up for 50 years at swap meets and yard sales.

They all are US made. You can buy form Snap-on and they are made by the same company but 3 to 5 times more in price because of the name.
I was a tool and die maker in my former life. I know tools and I have taken hundreds of tools into the test lab at the University and ran them through long test. Snap-on is not better.
I would look for a sale on Craftsman. I have given sets to my 4 sons and several sets to the grand kids and they hold up well. They will last a long time. Just use cutting oil and remember make a little turn then back off to clear the chips. blow the hole then put another drop of oil on the tap. My first job in a machine shop was trilling and tapping wholes with a tapping head. I have drilled and tapped tens of thousands times using Greenlee or Hansen taps. Top quality. I don't care where they are made the company makes good ones. The Germans. Japanese and Argentina make good ones as well.

 

[fatfillup]

The round dies with the handle are used for cutting threads. Hex dies to repair existing bruised or rusty threads. Hex dies are less expensive. I have never had to cut threads at home, but have cleaned and trued a few up.

I have to disagree with your hex and round theory. I have cut plenty of threads with hex dies. Now thread chasers, which are hex, are used to clean up threads and are definitely the preferred method of straightening up threads cause the don't cut metal, they just form it back into shape. I'm just wondering if perhaps you have your nomenclature mixed up a bit.

Now if you want to say the round dies are better then hex, you may be right, I am just saying that hex dies, if they are in fact dies and not chasers will cut threads just fine.

 

[USA Tool Supply]

fatfillup, I agree with you my friend. Hex dies will cut threads. As a distributor of Morse Cutting Tools, their catalog simply says, " Hexagon Rethreading Dies are used in repair and maintenance applications to repair existing bruised or rusty threads. They are not recommended for cutting new threads". They have a nice web site www.morsecuttingtools.com, and also good inside sales support 800-255-1701 to answer questions.
You and I both know the hex dies will cut new threads. According to Morse, just not intended to. That is where the round's come in.
Tack's original post, looking for homeowner dies, I know he will save money with hex over round. And, no need for the sometimes bulky handle. But, I only know what they tell me, so I could be misguided. It is an interesting subject. Your post brought up good questions.

 

[fatfillup]

fatfillup, I agree with you my friend. Hex dies will cut threads. As a distributor of Morse Cutting Tools, their catalog simply says, " Hexagon Rethreading Dies are used in repair and maintenance applications to repair existing bruised or rusty threads. They are not recommended for cutting new threads". They have a nice web site www.morsecuttingtools.com, and also good inside sales support 800-255-1701 to answer questions.
You and I both know the hex dies will cut new threads. According to Morse, just not intended to. That is where the round's come in.
Tack's original post, looking for homeowner dies, I know he will save money with hex over round. And, no need for the sometimes bulky handle. But, I only know what they tell me, so I could be misguided. It is an interesting subject. Your post brought up good questions.

Thanks for the info. I was never trained as a machinist so there is obviously a big void of info on that subject that I lack. Heck, I couldn't even begin to use a lathe or bridgeport. All my dies are hex and have worked when needed. That said, most of the new threads I have cut have been pipe thread and the Metric and Sae dies have been used more in clean up. Heck, I am using them properly by accident

 

[andywander]

fatfillup, I agree with you my friend. Hex dies will cut threads. As a distributor of Morse Cutting Tools, their catalog simply says, " Hexagon Rethreading Dies are used in repair and maintenance applications to repair existing bruised or rusty threads. They are not recommended for cutting new threads". They have a nice web site www.morsecuttingtools.com, and also good inside sales support 800-255-1701 to answer questions.
You and I both know the hex dies will cut new threads. According to Morse, just not intended to. That is where the round's come in.
Tack's original post, looking for homeowner dies, I know he will save money with hex over round. And, no need for the sometimes bulky handle. But, I only know what they tell me, so I could be misguided. It is an interesting subject. Your post brought up good questions.

There are hex rethreading dies, as well as hex threading dies. They are not one and the same.

 

[USA Tool Supply]

Do you know the manufacturer's name of a good hex threading die ? One that is USA made preferably. Morse has been my only source of cutting tools and they list none in their catalog. I would appreciate having another outlet to go to. Thanks !

 

[Craptain]

Do you know the manufacturer's name of a good hex threading die ? One that is USA made preferably. Morse has been my only source of cutting tools and they list none in their catalog. I would appreciate having another outlet to go to. Thanks !

Irwin/Hanson has them on their website. http://www.irwin.com/tools/browse/taps-dies-sets/dies

They don't really tell you much about them though. So I don't know if that is exactly what you are referring to.


I had never really seen hex dies in common use until I came to this country many years ago. All the dies I used back in UK at that time were round split dies. It took a little skill to adjust the die-holder to get the precise size of thread. To tight on the screws and the thread was too sloppy.