# Tap and Die Sets that don't suck



## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

Hey guys, I am looking for tap and die sets for regular screw sizes, and also NPT sizes. A couple years ago I bought some kit off of amazon that was complete garbage, and the irwins that I can get locally are garbage as well. What do you all use?


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## 460 Delta (May 9, 2018)

Well I’ve got both Snap-On and Mac brand taps and dies $$ but they are good. I think Fastenal has a premium line , Norseman maybe? I can’t remember the brand name now but they are good also.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

I buy either champion, Noresmen/CTD or Widia-GTD for taps and dies. Only thing Irwin I buy anymore are their straight and short spiral extractors.


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## tmessner (Apr 1, 2013)

Get the checkbook out. You get what you pay for with these things. I got myself a set of Tekton tap and dies for Christmas. I haven't used them much yet. They seem okay.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Years ago I went into Industrial Hardware and bought around two or three thousand 10-32 taps , the kind you can just put into a cordless drill. They were packed into little envelopes like buying little drill bits. Distributed them amongst my employee's I used to have. So anyway, at the end of being an employer I had around 200 left. Used em up one by one over the space of the remaining 27 years since then. I broke the last one about two weeks ago. Gonna have to re-open my account there again.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

I've got a large Craftsman set I've had for years that I don't always carry with me.

Also have several assorted smaller sets (Hanson, Morse, Ace, etc whatever brand Grainger has at the time) I bought them for a specific job.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

MechanicalDVR said:


> I've got a large Craftsman set I've had for years that I don't always carry with me.
> 
> Also have several assorted smaller sets (Hanson, Morse, Ace, etc whatever brand Grainger has at the time) I bought them for a specific job.


After strolling through Blowes, I wouldn’t buy a Craftsman pencil. Good name gone bad.


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

I use the Greenlee drill tap set for day to day common screw sizes, 6-32, 8-32, 10-32, and 1/4 20. Comes in a little green plastic case. They work good, but as expected, brittle.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

I have heard the Norseman brand @460Delta and @Jlarson mentioned is excellent but haven't parted with the cash yet to try them myself. They have that brand on the Harry Epstein site which usually has good prices. 



macmikeman said:


> Years ago I went into Industrial Hardware and bought around two or three thousand 10-32 taps , the kind you can just put into a cordless drill. They were packed into little envelopes like buying little drill bits.


I bought a couple of the Harbor Freight sets and compared them to the Greenlees which you can buy onesies. They look identical and I bet they come out of the same factory in China. The Greenlee are more expensive but I really only wind up going through the 10-32's. 

I occasionally use the other ones to clean up threads but that works just as well with a tap screwdriver. Once in a while I tap a 1/4-20 hole but I break too many taps doing that with a drill or impact, I prefer to do those by hand with a tap wrench. 

Ideal is making them now, I might check those out, they might actually be made in USA.


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

I have a harbor freight store locally that I have been meaning to visit. I'll see if I can find some of those drill taps there and try them out.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

nrp3 said:


> I have a harbor freight store locally that I have been meaning to visit. I'll see if I can find some of those drill taps there and try them out.


They are in the plumbing section.


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

I need some hose pinch off pliers they have for another job, so I may head over there today after a couple of small jobs this morning.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

nrp3 said:


> I use the Greenlee drill tap set for day to day common screw sizes, 6-32, 8-32, 10-32, and 1/4 20. Comes in a little green plastic case. They work good, but as expected, brittle.












I make sure everyone has a set of those and Im always on the lookout for 3/8" and buy whatever I can find.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

99cents said:


> After strolling through Blowes, I wouldn’t buy a Craftsman pencil. Good name gone bad.


That sucks!

I still want a set of their pack out styled boxes.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

splatz said:


> They are in the plumbing section.


Wonder how they figured that location?


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Southeast Power said:


> I make sure everyone has a set of those and Im always on the lookout for 3/8" and buy whatever I can find.


They make a 3/8" in this style tap?


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

That’s a good question, I’d have to look on their website, 1/4 20 is the largest in that set and I don’t have much, if any use for the I think it’s the 12-24 that’s in there.


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## CTshockhazard (Aug 28, 2009)

There's a ridiculously huge difference in taps.


If you just need a threaded hole, any tap will do.


If you want a proper, tight fitting threaded hole, only a qualtity tap will suffice.


I don't like loose holes :wink:


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## tmessner (Apr 1, 2013)

nrp3 said:


> I have a harbor freight store locally that I have been meaning to visit. I'll see if I can find some of those drill taps there and try them out.


Unless they have changed I thought there stuff was made from Play-doh.


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## five.five-six (Apr 9, 2013)

macmikeman said:


> Years ago I went into Industrial Hardware and bought around two or three thousand 10-32 taps , the kind you can just put into a cordless drill. They were packed into little envelopes like buying little drill bits. Distributed them amongst my employee's I used to have. So anyway, at the end of being an employer I had around 200 left. Used em up one by one over the space of the remaining 27 years since then. I broke the last one about two weeks ago. Gonna have to re-open my account there again.



I like the Kline tri-tap, now with 6 tap sizes LOL. Seriously, never chuck a tap up in a drill. It’s about 20X more likely to break and a 6-32 hole with a broken tap in it is a much worse problem than one that’s clogged with stucco or even stripped. For a stripped hole I just put a new hole next to it or enlarge it to 8-32

For a hole clogged with stucco, (6-32 or 8-32) there is no better tool than a bent Romex staple, bar none!


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

nrp3 said:


> That’s a good question, I’d have to look on their website, 1/4 20 is the largest in that set and I don’t have much, if any use for the I think it’s the 12-24 that’s in there.


3/8"-18 would be great for cleaning up threads with an impact.


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## five.five-six (Apr 9, 2013)

nrp3 said:


> I use the Greenlee drill tap set for day to day common screw sizes, 6-32, 8-32, 10-32, and 1/4 20. Comes in a little green plastic case. They work good, but as expected, brittle.



Because they are cutting, they have to be harder than the material that they cut or the material would cut them. Harder steel = more brittle, the higher the carbon/harder = the brittle but also the longer they will keep their cutting edge. It’s a trade off. 

The metal boxes we work with are all extreamly soft so we can get away with softer taps.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

CTshockhazard said:


> There's a ridiculously huge difference in taps.
> 
> 
> If you just need a threaded hole, any tap will do.
> ...



That just goes without saying!


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## B-Nabs (Jun 4, 2014)

MechanicalDVR said:


> They make a 3/8" in this style tap?


Yes they do, I bought one once years ago but I've actually never used it. 

Sent from my SM-G920W8 using Tapatalk


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

They make taps in all sizes. Same hardware store- I bought a couple of taps that I still have that will tap out for 3/4" box connectors or LFMC connectors , kinda useful when doing cctv up on poles.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

MechanicalDVR said:


> 3/8"-18 would be great for cleaning up threads with an impact.


They are good at drilling and tapping a hole in a back plate.

https://www.amazon.com/Greenlee-DTA...550943717&sr=8-1&keywords=greenlee+tap+3/8-16


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## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

I have a set of ideal drill taps that aren't bad, but they break a lot. They seem to survive better with a pilot hole, but are nice for tapping holes for mounting limit switches and such.


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## Navyguy (Mar 15, 2010)

I actually have a set of old Canadian Tire taps and dies; have had the set for years and while I have broken a few taps over the years and replaced them with whatever Fastenal carries, I actually found that there is two things that make the taps work better even if they are "cheapo" set.

1. Numbered drill index. Using the correct numbered / lettered drill makes a huge difference.
2. Drilling paste. I have posted here previously that I use Jokisch 897 paste, the best stuff I have ever used.

I have found that even with my cheap taps and dies if you use these two items they will last for many, many cuts.

Cheers
John


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## TGGT (Oct 28, 2012)

Going_Commando said:


> I have a set of ideal drill taps that aren't bad, but they break a lot. They seem to survive better with a pilot hole, but are nice for tapping holes for mounting limit switches and such.


Use an impact driver, never a drill.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Southeast Power said:


> They are good at drilling and tapping a hole in a back plate.
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Greenlee-DTA...550943717&sr=8-1&keywords=greenlee+tap+3/8-16


Thanks, I had no idea they came that large and didn't get a chance to google it this am.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

macmikeman said:


> They make taps in all sizes. Same hardware store- I bought a couple of taps that I still have that will tap out for 3/4" box connectors or LFMC connectors , kinda useful when doing cctv up on poles.


I know they make taps in all sizes but I was asking about one in a drill-tap quick connect pattern.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

TGGT said:


> Use an impact driver, never a drill.


Reversing a little as you proceed helps a lot too just like using a hand tap.


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## TGGT (Oct 28, 2012)

MechanicalDVR said:


> Reversing a little as you proceed helps a lot too just like using a hand tap.


A dab a lube and damn near full speed with high pressure up until it begins to tap, then I let off the pressure and still keep it running at a high speed until it's done. I've never broken one in the many years I've used them.

I won a bet doing this in 1/4" steel with the 10/24 tap because a coworker didn't believe the impact wouldn't break it.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk


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## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

No kidding. I'll have to give that a go! Never thought to use the impact.


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

I use the greenlees in my m12 impact.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

TGGT said:


> A dab a lube and damn near full speed with high pressure up until it begins to tap, then I let off the pressure and still keep it running at a high speed until it's done. I've never broken one in the many years I've used them.
> 
> I won a bet doing this in 1/4" steel with the 10/24 tap because a coworker didn't believe the impact wouldn't break it.


I use only the M12 impact for them and run full speed drilling but back off about halfway when the tap engages and haven't broken one yet.


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## That_Dude (Feb 13, 2012)

Going_Commando said:


> Hey guys, I am looking for tap and die sets for regular screw sizes, and also NPT sizes. A couple years ago I bought some kit off of amazon that was complete garbage, and the irwins that I can get locally are garbage as well. What do you all use?


Proto


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## Bleddyn (Aug 29, 2018)

Had to venture out to my shop to find the boxes mine came in, could remember the logo, not the name....

Inherited a ton of taps from my late father-in-law who was a millwright. They’re all “Butterfield” or “Union Butterfield”.

He absolutely swore by these things, said his company (BF Goodrich) wouldn’t buy anything else. I’ve since used and abused them for years and never had an issue. Never broken one, and they stay sharp a long, long time.

Just took a quick look online and they are still made and available. Can’t guarantee the current ones are as good as the 25-30 year old ones I have, but they do seem marketed as professional / industrial quality.


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## electricguy (Mar 22, 2007)

Domar P&N and even American Vermont when it was available is what i have used.


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## 460 Delta (May 9, 2018)

USS and SAE to 1/2”. I had this catalog in the garage and just found it. Kimball Midwest is the company.


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## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

460 Delta said:


> USS and SAE to 1/2”. I had this catalog in the garage and just found it. Kimball Midwest is the company.


Oooohhhh. Norseman. Pricey, but nice. I have a Norseman tool drill set. Not sure I want to spend $100+ on a drill/tap kit though. Maybe I'll get lucky and find a set from a retired machinist or something.


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