Tap & Die sets?

[rickster]

I would like to buy a good tap & die set. I looked at the Irwin Hanson 26377 set.
$205 117 pc set. Are these AMERICAN made?

Thanks!
Rick

 

[Taylortractornut]

I dont know about Irwin any more its about halsf and half Chinese/American. Im really disapointed with a set I bout had a bit that was chinese broke first time I used it. Id try a Craftsman set. I bought a Standard Metric set that goes up to a 1/2 13 with both cours and fine threads. I know its over 100 peices with the thread gauges and 2 sized tap handles and a T handle for the taps and then the adjustable die stock all made in Germany for 175. One of my friends is selling off his mechanic shop where they used to reman their fleet. I bought a set of Starrett up to 1 1/4 inch for 250.

 

[fordman6442]

Do not buy a set of taps and dies unless they are from a dealer you can rely on for warranty. I would buy individual pieces(dormer or such) as if one fails you can replace it with no hassle. Don't buy some Korean or Japanese set cheap because if 1 fails you will be buying a good replacement for your set.

 

[Scooby074]

Hansen products are good and used to be made in the USA. I believe this one still is. That being said, Irwin has a habit of off-shoring manufacturing so YMMV. Even ViseGrips are being made overseas now.

 

[Sackett2]

Hanson is the major manufacture of tap and die sets; they provide the sets for Snap-on and Mac tools. Bought a set of each and thy had the same reference page and "inspected by" paper. They are great sets. If you use taps a lot there is a great set of "holders" that adapt the taps to a ratchet. work great

 

[mjncad]

How much do you plan on using the dies? If not much I'd just start buying taps as that is what most threading work consists of. I've been buying 3-tap (plug, taper, bottoming) sets from McMaster-Carr, and they currently are shipping out American made Greenfield Tap & Die products. These are wonderful taps and are far better than any of the Irwin ones I've bought at the hardware store.

I've been getting the taps with the coating that is slightly purple. I don't recall which coating that is.

 

[Marlowe]

I've used tools for many years but have only recently learned about such things as carbon content when it comes to cutting tool quality. It is my opinion based on experience that if you can determine the tool's source to be China you may as well burn your money. The absolute best source I have found for cutting tools of any kind is Fastenal. Buy the tool that bears their name and it is going to be some very good quality stuff. You can find them all over the country and their prices are competitive.

 

[have_blue]

Look for HSS or High Speed Steel sets, and you won't go far wrong. Avoid "Alloy" or "High Carbon Steel".

My favorites were always Cleveland, GTD, or Starrett, but they are greviously expensive.

A good way to go is get a small house brand set, Vermont American or Craftman that offer good and better. Get the better set. If they seem to break or dull easily, replace them 1 at a time with better brands.

 

[DieselPower]

Bob brings up a very good point. The only thing I buy and use these day's are High Speed Steel tap and die sets. I have worn out more Carbon Steel sets then I care to remember. Marlowe also has some sound advice. Fastenal sells very good quality tooling. Check their website for your local store or your local yellow pages.

 

[vettemanwight]

We bought my father a tap and die set for a christmas present when I was a about 10-12 years old. Dad passed away 11 years ago and Im 54 now . I inherited the set and we have used it a fair amount, never have we had to replace 1 tap or die. V

 

[tractorman99]

Try Snap-on They make a good Quality Tap Die set.

 

[EddieWalker]

How much do you plan on using the dies? If not much I'd just start buying taps as that is what most threading work consists of. I've been buying 3-tap (plug, taper, bottoming) sets from McMaster-Carr, and they currently are shipping out American made Greenfield Tap & Die products. These are wonderful taps and are far better than any of the Irwin ones I've bought at the hardware store.

I've been getting the taps with the coating that is slightly purple. I don't recall which coating that is.

I'm doing the same thing as mjncad.

I bought a kit awhile ago from Lowes or Home Depot, I forget which one that was OK, but not great. Most of the ones in the kit are for sizes that I do not use. I also rarely use, if ever, the dies or fine thread taps. In fact, I usually only use a few sizes and they are all standard thread. The 3/8's is probably the one I use the most, but I also use the 5/16, half inch and 3/4 inch taps from McMaster Carr.

They have worked flawlessly for me, shipping is very fast and their prices seem very reasonable. I tried finding some decent quality taps in my area, and the ones that I did find were twice as much as the ones I bought from McMaster Carr. If I need another size, I'll order it from them.

You really don't need a whole kit, and you are just paying for allot of stuff that you will never need or use. Having them all handy and in a nice case is nice, but for the money, you can get just what you really need and use for less money and have better quality.

Eddie

 

[automech]

I do like a set that has stamped/engraved type markings on each piece rather than printing the markings on. The printing fades and becomes hard to see. The last tap I broke had a nice stamped marking, a polished and finished look, but was replaced by a dull, printed crappy looking unit that did not deserve to be branded Snap on.

 

[have_blue]

I do like a set that has stamped/engraved type markings on each piece rather than printing the markings on. The printing fades and becomes hard to see. The last tap I broke had a nice stamped marking, a polished and finished look, but was replaced by a dull, printed crappy looking unit that did not deserve to be branded Snap on.

You have to watch that. The best HSS taps are so hard they can't be stamped. They have to be etched or laser marked.

 

[Eagleview]

I find the middle of the range quality taps are quite good enough for cleaning/repairing threads . But if you are frequently cutting new threads , good quality is what is needed .

A little tip i would like to share . When you break a tap in a hole , use a good quality pair of long nosed pliers to get it back out . Put the tips of the pliers in the swarf grooves on either side of the tap , use a shifting spanner on the nose of the pliers close to the tap to carefully undo it .

 

[mjncad]

A little tip i would like to share . When you break a tap in a hole , use a good quality pair of long nosed pliers to get it back out . Put the tips of the pliers in the swarf grooves on either side of the tap , use a shifting spanner (Crescent wrench I suspect) on the nose of the pliers close to the tap to carefully undo it .

There are tap removers out there too. Instead of buying dies I won't use, I keep a few tap removers on hand that I will probably use.

 

[George2615]

I have a tap & die set in a red plastic case that says Ace made by Hanson. Don't know the number but it belonged to my Dad before I inherited it. The set is over30 years old that I can remember. I don't know when my Dad bought it. Its made in USA and I use often.