Anyone use a Tap and Die set?

[Veccster]

I have been using a buddies set to clean up the threads on many of my bolts and holes. Very handy!

Anyone ever see the cheap ones on eBay...or have experience with them?

It's $18 for a 40 piece HDC set. Anyone know about these?

Ebay Link

[weatherman64]

I have a cheap but nice set from harbor freight... lost most of the taps when the movers layed my toolbox sideways (couldnt take tools out bc i was 200 miles away when we moved). Usually if something needs to be tapped, it needs to be helicoiled. I have a 5mm, 6mm, and 8mm heli coil set that includes the tap... not cheap, but works

[dirtrulz]

Its not likely the highest quality but if all you are doing is chasing threads it would be fine.

[125shifter]

ching chang chong

[Veccster]

I have a cheap but nice set from harborfreight... lost most of the taps when the movers layed my toolbox sideways (couldnt take tools out bc i was 200 miles away when we moved). Usually if something needs to be tapped, it needs to be helicoiled. I have a 5mm, 6mm, and 8mm heli coil set that includes the tap... not cheap, but works

Whats does a helicoil do that a tap can't?

Anyone know what is worst, better, best between Carbon Steel, Alloy Steel and Titanium Nitride? I don't know which to get

ching chang chong

Hey, if they can make quality bikes, they can make quality tools!

[Crash369]

its best to spend the extra money on a good set. It isn't fun trying to drill mout a broke tap because you didn't want to spend the extra money and it cost you more in the long run in time and money(Experienced)

[125shifter]

Hey, if they can make quality bikes, they can make quality tools!

In Chiney???

[kilgore trout]

its best to spend the extra money on a good set. It isn't fun trying to drill mout a broke tap because you didn't want to spend the extra money and it cost you more in the long run in time and money(Experienced)

Agreed 100%

[klxd]

Whats does a helicoil do that a tap can't?

Anyone know what is worst, better, best between Carbon Steel, Alloy Steel and Titanium Nitride? I don't know which to get

Hey, if they can make quality bikes, they can make quality tools!

Helicoil is an insert used to fix a stripped hole and return it to standard size. You need a special tap to thread the hole for the helicoil.

High speed steel is best. Sometimes cobalt is added to improve high temp hardness (I think) so it won't do much for a tap used by hand, carbon steel would have no other alloying elements. Hard but brittle. Titanium nitride is a coating. Improves wear properties of good steel won't do much for poor. They put it on cheap stuff as a selling point. "Alloy steel" is meaningless. What alloy? Even "high speed steel" really doesn't mean much. I've had Chinese high speed steel drills that are worthless. So, as stated by several others, buying name brand tools is the only way to be sure of what you're getting.

[frankiewhipit]

I would spend (& have spent) the $$ for a USA made quality set, check Manhattan supply or any other machine shop supplier on line.

[zookeeper]

klxd hit the nail on the head. Never buy plain carbon-steel taps, or drills for that matter. Always look to make sure they are made from high speed steel. Look at places like Enco for good tools at cheap prices.

[zwr250f]

McMaster Carr

MSC Direct

Enco

All good places to get quality tap and die sets. Do not buy cheap taps ecspecially unless you just WANT to spend hours getting a broken tap out. Or if you have an EDM you can burn it out!

[Veccster]

I do understand that "you get what you pay for". I do wish all of my tools were of the best quailty from a genuine USA manufacturer. I think we all do!

Unfortunetly, most of us cannot afford to spend money like that. The $75 and up sets are out of my range. I do not build or rebuild engines...I maintain them. The only time I used a tap was to straighten the threads on my subframe mount.

I also used one to create threads for a throttle cable housing bolt (after breaking a bolt and ruining the threads during extraction).

Everyone says these ebay taps will break, but I wonder what applications you consider using them for?

What about a set of Kobalts from Lowes?

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=232549-1083-358360&lpage=none

It's only a 26 piece for $40. I'm sure it's better than THIS ONE but doesn't have as many pieces.

I appreciate the replies so far! Keep them coming.

Thanks,

Eric

[zookeeper]

I know taps are spendy, and maybe rather than spring for a whole set at once, you could buy individual taps as you can afford them. My whole CRF seems to only have a handful of sizes throughout the chassis. If I were you, I'd buy a couple taps every now and again. I buy good quality metric taps at the local hardware store for about $4 each. If you can keep track of them, you'll have set of the most popular sizes in no time. Just be aware that the head size isn't the bolt size and you'll be fine. Also, if you're only chasing threads in aluminum and not trying to cut threads on a daily basis in steel, you can probably get away with a set of carbon steel taps. After all, files are made from carbon steel and you know how hard they are to break.

[450X22]

I know taps are spendy, and maybe rather than spring for a whole set at once, you could buy individual taps as you can afford them. My whole CRF seems to only have a handful of sizes throughout the chassis. If I were you, I'd buy a couple taps every now and again. I buy good quality metric taps at the local hardware store for about $4 each. If you can keep track of them, you'll have set of the most popular sizes in no time. Just be aware that the head size isn't the bolt size and you'll be fine. Also, if you're only chasing threads in aluminum and not trying to cut threads on a daily basis in steel, you can probably get away with a set of carbon steel taps. After all, files are made from carbon steel and you know how hard they are to break.

Yes,yes,yes...I have a cheap set I will use to just clean threads. I buy good taps individual to repair threads, 5mm X .08, 6mm X1.0, 8mm X 1.25 is all that is needed.

[boxbuilder]

Some helicoils sets come with taps,i use NAPA helicoils.I bought a craftsman tap and die set and i have had it for years with no problems.

[motomonte]

just take notice that there are two kind of taps and dies,those for cutting threads (high speed steel will work best here)and those for chasing or cleaning/rethreading(carbon steel or cheaper will do)as said before,you may not need the whole set.5,6,8 & 10mm should cover your bike.I've had good experiences with MSC and McMaster.

[dmoney1074]

Get the cheapies, unless you use them ALL THE TIME the cheapies will do the job... not everyone has money to waste! I can understand if you are into fabricating or something, but the harbor freight ones for $10 work fine for me!

[fivepointnine]

just break down and get a set of good US made HSS gun-taps, you are just throwing away your money on the cheapies if you use them more than once. Im lucky because I started with cheapies but my company replaces then when they break (which is often) but they replace them with the good US made ones (havnt broke any of those yet)

[fivepointnine]

mcmaster is tops, thats where my work orders all their stuff from