Buying a Tap/die set

[VH_man]

Well, I have realized, VERY quickly that having a set of taps/Dies around is a great thing for an engineer like me. So, I have been looking around, and it seems ALL of the taps/dies are priced at about as much as my bloody lathe..... Around 500 bucks.

That is, Untill I found Theese:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=45766

I want to know from some of you machinist people out there, Is it worth it to buy such a cheap set? I feel like the almost 450 dollar price difference isnt just a markup.........

[ALIHISGREAT]

The obvious thing to me is that it only has 1/8" NPT, the rest are SAE threads.

[jrrdw]

Junk! Any hand tool that's made by Pittsburg can be ruled as junk. 1 exception is the impact deep sockets, I own both the standard and metric set.

Search ebay for any 40 to 50 piece tap + die made from Tonstung steel for around the 50 dollar mark. That's what I did and got a good one I'm happy with.

[frankrede]

Lowes has a pretty good tap and die set, I bought mine for $50-60?
Its well made and they work great, unfortunately it only has a 1/8" npt tap and die, so I bought a seperate set for NPT.

[john bunsenburner]

Ironically i was thinking about a tap and die set my self so this is really interesting, Just anothe rof ym dumb questions: Does tapping require alot of practise skill or can the average craftsman do it?

[starman]

Yeah it's junk, but, if all you are tapping is PVC, then it will do just fine and probably last a lifetime doing it.

You'll want at least a 1/4" NPT tap extra. I personally haven't had a need for anything larger....yet anyway.

[frankrede]

Ironically i was thinking about a tap and die set my self so this is really interesting, Just anothe rof ym dumb questions: Does tapping require alot of practise skill or can the average craftsman do it?

It takes patience and a good eye.
I would practice tapping something flat and soft like wood before tapping anything you really need to tap.

[starman]

Ironically i was thinking about a tap and die set my self so this is really interesting, Just anothe rof ym dumb questions: Does tapping require alot of practise skill or can the average craftsman do it?

Nah, the key is drilling the proper size holes and cleanly....no wobbly hand drill holes if you can help it. It's especially easy in PVC. Metal is easy with the small bits but gets increasingly more difficult with larger sizes.

Also, I've found tapping holes to be easier than dieing male threads.

[john bunsenburner]

Ok thank you, ill see where i can get a set(possible from the same place as you will recomend to VH_man

[VH_man]

Frankerede:

I will look at lowes. I really actually need this, Because Im starting to get into working with Aluminum stock and stuff, and its becoming neccecary that things be Screwed together, Not glued.

They sell seperate NTP taps/Dies? Id need up to 1/2 inch, really. I could live with just 1/8 inch tho for most things.

Im going out and getting the last hour of driving i need before i get my liscence in a little bit, so ill stop at lowes and check it out.

Thanks Guys! I was pretty sure it was junk, But i wanted some outside opinions.

[jrrdw]

You can normally pick up pipe taps in packs of 4, being 4 different sizes. Separate from a tap and die set.

[Sticky_Tape]

Sooo what are you useing the aluminum stock for? I had a old tap die set out in my shed that I took in I threaded a piece of 10mm outside diameter aluminum pipe to screw into a blowgun for a hammer valve. I tapped the blowgun deeper and died the pipe both I got perfect the first time around.

[VH_man]

Im using the Aluminum stock for my 100% serviceable pengun, Complete with rubber grip... oh, and it writes

The ammo is the Writing cartridge itself, Which happens to be one of those Spacepen cartriges. The cartrigde is held in by a magnet inside the piston.

It should be a Great project. My goal is to have a gun that nobody would even SUSPECT was my pengun, Seeing as I have told alot of people that I was looking into building one.

That and, I have access to a Metal lathe, 100% now, but the guy wont let me use his taps/dies. My plan eventually is to construct some sort of Hammer valve gun, either that or a Riddiculously Efficient piston. And i need taps to do various things, Like thread the o-ringed chamber caps, Ect.

[Hotwired]

A $500 tap and die set? Were they massive sizes or using exotic coatings on the tools?

[john bunsenburner]

How much should they cost then?(the question is obvious and it helps me aswell i i shall ask it)