Tap & Die Set

I've had cheap sets and they arnt worth the money. They usually come with the intermediate size which is why it's hard to start with them. Good sets will have 3taps per thread size. A starter, intermediate and finishing tap.

toaster55 wrote:I've had cheap sets and they arnt worth the money. They usually come with the intermediate size which is why it's hard to start with them. Good sets will have 3taps per thread size. A starter, intermediate and finishing tap.

I would need a suitcase if my set had 3 of each
The finishing taps are also good for threads in a block etc where the thread goes all the way in

I have a cheap set Ive never used, maybe Ill think twice before using it on my inlet manifold.

I need a good tap and die set but what is actually any good on ebay? Tried looking for an irwin set as thats what the snap-on and mac ones are but there all state side by the looks of it.

Irwin bought hanson brand but they made in china these days & quality is far from great.
For uk you could look at facom or quality engineering set from german manufacture, cheaper stuff such as draper set for professional use probably not too bad. I have an old draper set & it lasted well with no breakages like you get with modern brittle monkey metal sets.
I used a gearwrench set last year & that seemed quite decent & think they more sensibly priced .

Facom's French which isn't all that great, I've looked at all the stuff on the mactools van but that was mostly there spanners and ratchets. I did find after googling the hanson and Irwin stuff is the same.
Old draper stuff was good but new stuff is Chinese I think

That trouble these days, most suff is chinese (they should be banned from making engineering tools lol) :-( I had a large 1/2 drive socket set at same time I got tap & die set from draper supplier (about 26 years back), was before done expert range & all of it is still superb, sockets way better than snapon & thinner wall so fit tight spots better & chrome don't flake, taps & dies are hard & strong plus cut cleanly & handles are far better clamping than most new stuff.
Hit & miss these days big time on drill bits & tap & dies, if want real good probably need be German or US stuff, Most that HSS will be good but also very expensive. Facom do decent HSS range, some of there stuff is decent, might be worth trying luck with carbon steel mid range set then build up a quality set bit by bit or when see something decent second hand perhaps .

I'll have a look. Hunting down good tools does get annoying at times but worth it if you can under cut snap on prices.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-UK-42pc-ReThread-Tool-Kit-Set-UNC-UNF-and-Metric-Sizes-Taps-Dies-and-Files-/261319013193?hash=item3cd7d3b349:g:L8wAAOSwu4BViBnp

I used these the other day off a work mate but had snap on on the box. I liked those because I could get them in a socket so going to buy them aswell.

^ yep that handy, thread files have saved my day on a couple of occasions.
if you buy any give review & link as would be great know what currently a worthy buy :-)
Tools these days are PITA, even when buy something good if go back & production source changed you get junk :-/

http://sealey.co.uk/PLPageBuilder.asp?gotonode=ViewProduct&method=mViewProduct&productid=10488&PromotionID=109467&PromotionTitleID=564

Completly different tool but on ebay can be had for £14.35 delivered, just the box is different. Used mine a few times just the handles could do with abit of glue as they move alittle.