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Jim Bear Samba Member
Joined: March 25, 2006 Posts: 670 Location: Watkinsville, GA
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Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2018 11:08 am Post subject: Recommendations on tap and die sets |
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Looking on Amazon there a numerous sets for under $50--tungsten, titanium, carbon steel, etc. Harbor Freight has a set for $15 that is carbon steel. I was mostly looking at the 40pc sets. Thoughst? Suggestions? Experiences? _________________ "You're either on the bus, or you're off the bus." ~kk
'85 Vanagon Westy - George In the Stable 2020-?/'74 Weekender - Ophelia In the Stable 2007- ?/'69 Beetle Convertible - SOLD 2017-2020/'67 Beetle - September SOLD 2013-2016 /'67 SO42 Westy - Sage SOLD 1996-2001 /'69 Transporter - Baby Blue SOLD 1995-1995/'72 Westy - Nelly - SOLD 1990-1995--STOP FRACKING |
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KTPhil Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006 Posts: 34012 Location: Conejo Valley, CA
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Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2018 11:37 am Post subject: Re: Recommendations on tap and die sets |
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I use the HF quality tap/die set for thread chasing, plastics, maybe aluminum only. For the few tougher jobs I buy the one I need, usually Craftsman level. |
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Letterman7 Samba Member
Joined: March 14, 2004 Posts: 3198 Location: Downingtown, PA
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Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2018 2:36 pm Post subject: Re: Recommendations on tap and die sets |
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Depends on how you're going to use them. I can't tell you how many times the cheaper carbon steel ones snapped on the second or third twist in something as sticky as aluminum. If it's a common tap/die that I know I'll use more than, say, 5 times, I'll ante up and buy the better "commercial" grade pieces from the local True Value (which, weirdly, aren't listed on the TV website). I'd have to look to see what they are made from, but it isn't carbon steel. Might be high speed steel.. it's shinier
Bottom line, you get what you pay for. |
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Cusser Samba Member
Joined: October 02, 2006 Posts: 31374 Location: Hot Arizona
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Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2018 3:17 pm Post subject: Re: Recommendations on tap and die sets |
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I've had a cheap metric set for over 20 years, think it's Harbor Freight. I've never broken a tap, but had to buy better tap handles.
I also have an SAE set, also low-end. _________________ 1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297 |
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my59 Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2003 Posts: 3793 Location: connecting the dots
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Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2018 5:08 pm Post subject: Re: Recommendations on tap and die sets |
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I picked all mine up at tag sales, lots of retired machinests locally because of a few businesses.
The missing or trashed items have been replaced at local hardware store that has a stash of odd metric sizes/thread count.
The tap handles have all been crap, but a pal gave me his grandfather's still in its box, and is a nice tool. _________________ my59: Well son, my grandfather died before I got to drive it, so does that answer your question?
our79: sunroof bus w/camper interior and 2.0 FI
Other:'12 Jetta, '77 Benz 300D, and a 74 MG Midget. |
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Zundfolge1432 Samba Member
Joined: June 13, 2004 Posts: 12467
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Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2018 6:05 pm Post subject: Re: Recommendations on tap and die sets |
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I had Craftsman for many years a 37 piece set broke a few along the way. I visited Sears about two weeks ago and bought a new set 75 piece drastically reduced in price at 70 bucks, still in the nice carrying case. No worries on warranty Craftsman is sold at Ace Hardware too if Sears goes away.
Probably the last one I’ll ever buy and as for tap handles do yourself a favor get a good one like this. It’s reversible, it ratchets and has a lifetime guarantee. Hard lesson for some of these guys but good quality tooling makes work easier more enjoyable. Good luck
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anthracitedub Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2007 Posts: 3241 Location: Michigan
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Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2018 7:12 pm Post subject: Re: Recommendations on tap and die sets |
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... and just as important as good taps and dies, good cutting fluid. It makes a world of difference. |
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raygreenwood Samba Member
Joined: November 24, 2008 Posts: 21519 Location: Oklahoma City
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Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2018 8:34 pm Post subject: Re: Recommendations on tap and die sets |
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What anthracitedub said....and...make sure the taps are made of the CORRECT MATERIAL for what you will be tapping threads in....and have the correct cutting edge angle and rake.....and what the taps are coated with can be critical.....whether they are deep hole taps or shallow taps....bottoming or through hole.....tapered or plug....helical or straight flute....etc...etc.
Here is some good basic info on angles and chamfers for material ranges.
http://www.tapmatic.com/tapping_questions_tap_recommendations_for_specific_materials.ydev
It is for these reasons and how many different materials we get into in retsoring a VW...that I have refrained from buy a "Tap set" of any kind. I collect taps as ai need them.
The basic carbon steel sets...are used for tapping soft....un hardened steel only. They do not have as sharp of a cuttimg edge as high speed steel....and do not have the coatings needed for aluminum and soft metals. They will tap aluminum better in some cases than bright (uncoated) high speed steel but depending on the alloy they can get grabby.
A lot of this has to do with the poor construction and either over hardening or under hardening of carbide tools these days. Either too soft and they do not cut....or too hard and they are brittle and snap.
But.....for a basic small bore metric set I keep around the house.....these are carbon steel and seem to be quite well made and cut very well. I bought them because ai needed a 7mm tap on a Saturday....and the set was all I could get.
https://m.lowes.com/pd/IRWIN-12-Piece-Metric-Tap-a...wUQAvD_BwE
This is 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm and 7mm tap and die with a kind of crappy,die wrench but a decent tap handle in a nice little carrying case.
Ray |
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vwracerdave Samba Member
Joined: November 11, 2004 Posts: 15308 Location: Deep in the 405
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Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2018 10:03 pm Post subject: Re: Recommendations on tap and die sets |
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Sears does not own Craftsman tools anymore. They sold it to Stanley. Sears still sells Craftsman tools. _________________ 2017 Street Comp Champion - Thunder Valley Raceway Park - Noble, OK
2010 Sportsman ET Champion - Mid-America Dragway - Arkansas City, KS
1997 Sportsman ET Champion - Thunder Valley Raceway Park - Noble ,OK |
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Jim Bear Samba Member
Joined: March 25, 2006 Posts: 670 Location: Watkinsville, GA
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Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2018 11:57 am Post subject: Re: Recommendations on tap and die sets |
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So I should have mentioned that I will be using chasing threads here in the near future. Specifically the head stud threads and all other relevant threads as I reassemble the top end of my type 4. _________________ "You're either on the bus, or you're off the bus." ~kk
'85 Vanagon Westy - George In the Stable 2020-?/'74 Weekender - Ophelia In the Stable 2007- ?/'69 Beetle Convertible - SOLD 2017-2020/'67 Beetle - September SOLD 2013-2016 /'67 SO42 Westy - Sage SOLD 1996-2001 /'69 Transporter - Baby Blue SOLD 1995-1995/'72 Westy - Nelly - SOLD 1990-1995--STOP FRACKING |
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anthracitedub Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2007 Posts: 3241 Location: Michigan
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Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2018 12:07 pm Post subject: Re: Recommendations on tap and die sets |
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Might be better off to clean the head studs with a wire brush/wheel. I think they are rolled threads, so a typical die might not give you desired results. |
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nlorntson Crazy VW Lady
Joined: March 13, 2004 Posts: 3783 Location: Twin Cities, MN
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mark tucker Samba Member
Joined: April 08, 2009 Posts: 23937 Location: SHALIMAR ,FLORIDA
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Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2018 8:56 am Post subject: Re: Recommendations on tap and die sets |
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I have crapsman, I have bluepoint(snappon) and some off brans too....for the $ the $14 35 or 42 piece set's that go on sale for less and the best deal. there cheep. and they are sharper then the crapsmans&snappons...they work better and eazer. and their smaller sizes usualy twist some befor snapping off!!! well I've never get one o snappoff, unlike the crapsmans&snappofs. and if your taping the mag cases for oil galley plugs they are much eazer then the others too,I do however run a name brand NPT tap through the holes to finalize the taper as for some reason the china taps a re slightly different....or it's all in my head....hell there has to be somethen up there..... I don't know if that is needed or not, just a habbit. so go to harbor fright and get 2 black sets(black plastic cases)1 std and 1 metric...or like I do, a few of each. |
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