DAPPH
as dyslexik as I'm daft
- Messages
- 6,474
- Location
- Near to Cross Hands Llanelli SouthWales GB
I got a £14 cheapie metric set of " Workzone " taps & dies at 4 mm , 5 6, 8 .10 & 12 mm plus several ANC & two national gas taps & dies out if Aldi , they sell them seasonally each year . This set is six years old has tapped several hundred holes in aluminium brass & mild steels plus some new stainless steel & cast irons .
So long as you use the correct tapping & threading diameter sizes , use a specific thread cutting lube when you are supposed to use one and never ever rotate the tap or die more then 1 /6 of a turn without backing it off to break off the burr they will last a long time . Especially if you take the trouble to gently use both hands during your tapping & threading excises , leaving any rwobbly gorilla arms & hands at the back of your work bench whilst you are doing it .
Then if one becomes worn or rarely broken buy a decent replacement set of three when you can afford it . Of course if you are going to be tapping anything hard then bite the bullet & buy the best comprehensive set you can afford . avontapdie,co,uk seem to sell decent three stage tap & die £80 ( ish ) sets in various measurements & styles you can also get decent individual sets of first, second & bottoming taps too . I've got most of my small mm replacement stuff from them .
So long as you use the correct tapping & threading diameter sizes , use a specific thread cutting lube when you are supposed to use one and never ever rotate the tap or die more then 1 /6 of a turn without backing it off to break off the burr they will last a long time . Especially if you take the trouble to gently use both hands during your tapping & threading excises , leaving any rwobbly gorilla arms & hands at the back of your work bench whilst you are doing it .
Then if one becomes worn or rarely broken buy a decent replacement set of three when you can afford it . Of course if you are going to be tapping anything hard then bite the bullet & buy the best comprehensive set you can afford . avontapdie,co,uk seem to sell decent three stage tap & die £80 ( ish ) sets in various measurements & styles you can also get decent individual sets of first, second & bottoming taps too . I've got most of my small mm replacement stuff from them .