Taps and Taper taps

[Rusty67]

I was working on my friend's car this weekend and we needed to use a taper tap to move the seal point on a bushing so that we could get the fitting screwed in further. This was due to space constraints. Luckly we ran into a plummer at the store where we bought the fittings and he did it for us in the parking lot. We bought him a beer as payment.

I don't have any of these magical taps. I did a quick search and didn't find much. I was hoping to buy a set of tapered taps. As I type this I realize I also don't have a great assortment of regular taps/dies.

Can you guys recomend a decent set of both regular taps/dies and a taper tap set ? I realize I'm not going to get the taper taps with a set of regular taps. I'm not looking to spend thousands of dollars but a few hundred bucks would be a good investment in tools I don't have.

 

[mdlbldrmatt135]

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[Rusty67]

To clarify, when I say taper tap set, what I mean is NPT.

 

[speed bump]

You typically get a coupe of NPT taps with a standard set of taps and dies. I generally buy the us made tap from mcmaster or MSC when I need a specific one.

 

[mdlbldrmatt135]

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[Outlawmws]

I can't recall ever seeing a "Set" of pipe taps. Dies for certain, but not taps.

I have 1/8, 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, and 3/4" (The last one I've never used... and I seem to recall one larger one somewhere, for actual "big" pipe...), and that has been more than sufficient for normal shop/automotive use. (I also have one odd 9 TPI 1/4" pipe tap that I got free, but what is is for I couldn't even guess...

You can buy them separately, and all together they won't be even close to a C-Note...

 

[Rusty67]

Any recomendations on sets or brands ?

 

[Shipfittin]

I think you'll be fine buying taps from brands such as Craftsman on up. I'd steer away from the Harbor Freight's of the world when it came to tap and die sets.

The most important thing to do is make sure you are using the tape properly with a device such as a T-Handle. And go back and forth with it to remove some of the shavings as you go. It's also always a good idea to use something like Tap Magic.