Good Tap and Die sets - Metric and English

[fried1765]

I have a cheapy set, the brand name is allied. I have had it 10-12 years and have had good luck with them. Then I have a set in a wooden box I got from my grandfather. I don't know the brand name, but I am pretty sure they are American made. They are only sae, no metric. It is a really nice set with quite a range of sizes.

I have two of those wooden box sets.
One is fractional, and the other is metric.
I bought them 35+ years ago.
They are American made, and I know I paid a lot for them,....way back when.

 

[/pine]

As an alternative...Ask Santa to bring you quality comprehensive drill bit indexes and some quality cutting fluid and a quality set of tap and die braces...then assemble your actual taps and dies piece meal as you need them...with about any "set" there will be items/sizes you use often and others that will rarely if ever be required by the average DIYer...and they raise the cost of full sets...

When dealing with taps there will be breakages (especially with small ones)...buy two at a time if the project is time critical and there are a lot of holes to thread etc.

Personally I use dozens of different taps dozens of times a year but I have only ever used a couple of different dies (making custom joysticks)...so another reason buying pieces rather than sets has worked for me.

 

[CincyFlyer]

Which HF set?

This one, or similar (they often have multiple part numbers for the same thing): 6 Pc SAE & Metric Tap and Die Set

 

[Oldpath05]

I bought a good sae and metric set at HF 20 years ago, they wasn't Titanium Nitride Coated and they was on par with US made die set, but lost in fire.

Four years ago I bought another set at HF, sae&metric, these are Titanium Nitride Coated and I can tell by the feel these arn't quite as good but they do work ok for part time use>>45 Pc Titanium Nitride Coated Alloy Steel Metric Tap & Die Set On hindsight I would've rather bought a good set of HSS tap&die, with no Titanium Nitride Coating but I was hoping these would be as good as the ones I previously had, then again I cant afford $400.00 for set either, they have gotten me by sofar.

The pros are they are adjustable split die and the size go from 1/4"-1", same on the metric sizes but in metric and that's what you want.

The cons are the metric set did not have the>>>M12X1.25 tap and die so I had to find them online, and if your tractor has bolts like my L3400 and you plan on doing some work on it, that size is a must and what you want.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I work in a machine shop. It's a rare day that I use a die. Maybe on a galled stainless pipe tap thread, but usually, I just use my trusty triangular thread file to debur a bad male thread.

(Maybe because I have 2 manual and a CNC lathe at work that I can make most any thread).

In lieu of tapping, my favorite method of threading small threads in tough materials is to use a CNC mill with a 60° Thread mill and interpolate them. They make cutters for down to a 2 mm thread.

 

[Phillip w]

" I work in a machine shop". That's cheating. I used to work at an ag manufacturer and yes the ability to use their equipment on a lunch break was a nice perk.

 

[tonyq60]

Just today we needed a 4-36...

Had the screws and needed to tap the hole.

Have a hand full of "sets" and none metric or standard would have a die the screw fit and we dug in the estate file set and found it.

Where we are going...

For just home and farm general use and Christmas the craftsman sets are good value as they are not super hard and seem to work well.

Harbor freight has different options and cheapest one is not too good and not tried others.

Our craftsman set was estate sale so no clue to what they have now.

For general uses one usually needs to chase existing or cut threads by hand so a "hard" unit less than optimal.

The hard units cut more but are brittle and snap easily.

If working free hand and not real good at it one risks breaking a tap and ruining the work.

Buy single 2 flute units for those that need it when needed.

Also DIG at estate sales as often one can find a box full under something in a bench for a buck or 3 and over time you get old school good grade and industrial as well.

Once got a box of maybe 50 from smaller than #4 to 9/16 and some pipe sizes too for maybe 5 bucks.

Some had tips snapped off but those are ground off to make bottom taps.

 

[Phillip w]

I have run to some real bargaing over the years at sales and auctions. Don't know how craftsman tools have been a debate on here last couple few weeks. I still buy, use, and get along pretty good with craftsman tools. I dont know about a tap and die set though. I don't have much luck with about any cheap foreign tools.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Asking Santa to bring me a tap and die set - both Metric and English. However Santa's helper needs advice.

I am finding I need these more and more for my projects and repairs. I don't need the best as the need only comes up every so often. I would say sizes up to 1/2 or 3/4", However I don't want them to break first time out either.

What are some good brands? Coatings and steel type - etc.

Any deals out there?

Santa's helper would really appreciate help. She is not mechanically minded. :confused3:

Thanks - Keith

I recommend these Harbor Freight sets for the requirement youve described. These are Alloy steel - a good step up from carbon steel. Tougher and more durable like High Speed steel.

The sets have the Titanium Nitride coating and together cover the English - Metric coarse and fine thread sizes from ~1/4 to 1" equivalent. The dies are split to allow adjustment. [A premium feature in dies.] Adequate quality for steel up to about Grade 5 hardness. --- My sets are Model #41451 and 41452. They came in metal cases ~8yrs ago. The current models appear identical except for the case.

Covering this range in a top quality set would cost $1K at least.​

45 Pc Titanium Nitride Coated Alloy Steel SAE Tap & Die Set

45 Pc Titanium Nitride Coated Alloy Steel Metric Tap & Die Set

 

[Texasmark]

I have the mid grade HF sets and for my seldom usage they are perfect and at a reasonable price.