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Thinking of buying a Metric and SAE tap and die set.... I don't have a need for one very often, but when i do, boy oh boy do i need one. Any recommendations?
saw this Irwin set on Ebay... brand new they're over $110...
comes with


Nothing from Harbor Freight please

I have always found sets to be some what dissappointing and they ever have the one you need .
Also I have never seen a set that has split dies.
On top of this some times you need a full 3 piece set of taps while other times it is just the intermediate needed to clean up a buggered thread.
What is important is to get a set made from High Speed Steel and that will set you back several hundred dollars.
Because of the number of items in a full set they are generally high carbon steel which is hard & BRITTLE .
Fine for making stuff from scratch on your bench properly secured by your adjustable vice.
Not so good working under a mower, jacked up from one end cleaning out a PTO bolt hole .

My CEI 26 tpi set was $ 800 ( Aust ) and that is only for 8 diameters.
To add the 20 tpi set 1/2" to 3/4" was another $ 500.

Then you need extra longs so you can do a buggered head bolt without removing the head and stubbies because there is no clearance between the frame & the engine on the ZTR .

So that set you linked to ticks all of the NO boxes

Taps I always buy in the 3 piece box so they sit protected in the tap drawer
And dies the same, paid a little extra for the individual little boxes but then I can lable them so I can read them.
Even worse if you buy the set shown you will find replacements are never the right size to fit in the box and the blow moulded plastic soon end up with a hole in it or you drop the box and the small wire gauge sized ones vanish into that third dimenson along with all those car keys & left socks.
The self centering die holder is always worth having.

Unless you make a lot of studs or other threaded rods, a set of die nuts are a better alternative to dies for restoring buggered external threads because you can do them up a turn or two then hit them with your nut driver , ratchet or regular spannar

Don't blame you one bit on the HFT taps and dies. 11 yrs ago when I was first started I couldn't find a quality set of metric locally easily so I purchase a set from HFT. One of the worst set of tools I ever got, dies had missing cutters and lots machining left leftovers. I return them in less than hours as I had to drive 45 minutes each way.

Personally I brought a couple sets of Vermont American and they were around $100 each. Since then they are now made in China. As Bert said there will be both taps and dies that these sets does not include. Bottom taps is one. And working on lawn equipment requires several sizes that are not commonly found items. For those taps and dies most the needed ones have come from Fastenal (FMT brand) as I prefer the hex dies over the round dies. Plus there is other type of taps and dies such thread restoring versions that don't cut new threads, just clean up the threads.

Either way good taps and dies will be a little pricey but well the extra if you are going to keep and use them over many years. You will need up replacing a few items over the years due to wear but that is normal. Of course there will ones in the sets you don't use; unless, it is 10 years later as was the case Sunday when I need the 1/8-27 pipe taper tap.

What ever you do don't buy those broken tap extractors. They simply don't work or at they didn't for me.

Matter of fact I need to order a restoring tap for cleaning out the Loctite on the Briggs 310000 and 330000 crankcase cover mounting screw holes.

Wow. Taps and dies. This could generate pages of discussion.
Say what you want about the Hazard Frought stuff but. The 16 dollar set isn't worth throwing away. The 40 dollar set is good for re-threading and threading aluminum. The 84 dollar set is actually pretty good. If you are a machinist buy Cleveland brand. Do you want to chase threads or cut new threads in steel? Do you need 3 tap sets, starting ,plug, bottoming? Do you just need hex dies or adjustable split dies? Do you have the proper letter and number drills sometimes needed for proper size hole for the tap? Buy the best you need or can afford.
I love the vids on utube with some dude threading a hole using a tap and ratchet never reversing to break the chips. Just cranking it in like a bolt. Saw one where a guy shot a hex die down with an impact and deep well socket to cut threads.

I've had good luck with Craftsman sets.

slomo

But was he using a strait fluted hand tap or a spiral fluted machine tap.
Different animals
Good quality taps dies can be sharpened
On a few occasions I have split a nut, undercut the split line on a fine stone then used it to chase a damaged thread.
Similar story with a bolt works really well with grade 8 bolts.

I have found that it is a lot cheaper to purchase taps and dies piece meal as I need them. When I need a size I purchase a three piece tap set and the corresponding die. Yes it has taken a while to get the different sizes, but I now have all the sizes I need. i purchase only the hex or double hex style Die, which allows for a solid fit in my die holder. If you have a Habitat for Humanity resale store in you area, they are a good source for good tools if you look carefully at what they have. I got a small tackle box which I use to store everything in and labeled each compartment so I can find the size I need quickly. I also have a set of rifflers, they are small shaped files for those of you who aren’t familiar with them, to clean threads when they just need a touch up.

bertsmobile1 said:

But was he using a strait fluted hand tap or a spiral fluted machine tap.
Different animals
Good quality taps dies can be sharpened
On a few occasions I have split a nut, undercut the split line on a fine stone then used it to chase a damaged thread.
Similar story with a bolt works really well with grade 8 bolts.

Click to expand...

Straight flute.

thanks for all the suggestions guys, you've left me with some great advice.
I like your idea Rivets.makes sense.