what tap and die brand to choose

[Hood]

Do some 316 and you will soon know if a tap has lost its edge. A sharp tap will go in with little effort and will hear a kind of sizzle as you go, a blunt tap will need quite a bit of force to turn it and will bind as you are cutting and that is when you snap them.

 

[MattF]

As for buying second hand, personally I won't do that as quite often they are for sale is because they are blunt. Sometimes a slight stone up the flute can bring them back to life but more often they are finished.

Always a tough call, that one. I tend to choose second hand or not depending upon the reason for sale. If it's just someone selling off bits of their gear, I'd tend to have reservations. If it's selling for other reasons, chances of them being good are higher. If I was buying from a purely business perspective though, it would be new every time. For own use, however, the possible savings can outweigh the risk.

Trying to work with blunt taps is a pain. You've reminded me, mentioning that, that there's one I need to get shut of. I noticed/felt some slight binding on the last couple of occasions I used it.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

I use Draper for thread cleaning, or repairing damaged threads. I can get them cheep and local.

For thread cutting I lean towards Dormer, only had one issue with them. That was my fault.

I have a large selection of second had taps and dies, you can soon tell if they are dull. It take effort to cut a thread.

 

[powderblast]

are presto made out of s2 steel they just say hss were as the rennie ones say hss s2

 

[powderblast]

Do some 316 and you will soon know if a tap has lost its edge. A sharp tap will go in with little effort and will hear a kind of sizzle as you go, a blunt tap will need quite a bit of force to turn it and will bind as you are cutting and that is when you snap them.

have you ever heard of a brand called somta?

 

[daleyd]

I’d agree 100% with @Hood if I need to replace any I’d definitely look at spiral machine taps - I first saw them used by a Swedish guy I was working with back in 2004 tapping blind M8/M10/M12holes in castings using a cordless drill - was an eye opener for me.

Unfortunately (or not!) I’ve got a stack of decent make “normal” taps that I had from work so I’m ok for a while.

 

[Hood]

have you ever heard of a brand called somta?

Can't say I have, heard of Sumitomo but presume that is not who you are meaning?

 

[powderblast]

I’d agree 100% with @Hood if I need to replace any I’d definitely look at spiral machine taps - I first saw them used by a Swedish guy I was working with back in 2004 tapping blind M8/M10/M12holes in castings using a cordless drill - was an eye opener for me.

Unfortunately (or not!) I’ve got a stack of decent make “normal” taps that I had from work so I’m ok for a while.

im looking through different brands now what brands are you using, im thinking of buying presto but they is another company slightly cheaper called rennie tools co theres are hss s2 taps and i have found a local place what stock somta i use a hss 12mm drill bit by somta and its good quality bt out the three not sure who to go with?

 

[Hood]

are presto made out of s2 steel they just say hss were as the rennie ones say hss s2

I would imagine there are different versions of taps from Presto as there are with most manufacturers.

 

[Hood]

These are the ones I have settled on, seem to be a good all round tap for the stainless and Alu that I mostly do. They are powdered metal which seems to stand up well.
https://www.cutwel.co.uk/threading/...formance-prime-machine-taps-yg-1-trj03-series

 

[daleyd]

im looking through different brands now what brands are you using, im thinking of buying presto but they is another company slightly cheaper called rennie tools co theres are hss s2 taps and i have found a local place what stock somta i use a hss 12mm drill bit by somta and its good quality bt out the three not sure who to go with?

I’ve got a bit of a mixture of presto guhring and a few others, but mine are all traditional taps, but if(when) I come to replace them I’ll invest in a set of spiral flute ones (or hopefully work will).

 

[powderblast]

I would imagine there are different versions of taps from Presto as there are with most manufacturers.

Are hss s2 taps better quality do you know the Presto ones do not mention s2 but the rennie tool co brand does say hss s2 material

Not sure about the somta brand I bought a 12mm drill once and it's a somta brand seems good

 

[ronan]

I think somta are Indian.

 

[powderblast]

I’ve got a bit of a mixture of presto guhring and a few others, but mine are all traditional taps, but if(when) I come to replace them I’ll invest in a set of spiral flute ones (or hopefully work will).

surely the spiral type are not good for blind holes like a traditional bottom tap but great for through holes

 

[powderblast]

I think somta are Indian.

yeah have been searching the net and there based in south africa?

 

[Hood]

Spiral flute are meant for blind holes, spiral point for through holes.

 

[ronan]

yeah have been searching the net and there based in south africa?

Seems you are right

The full name being Samuel Osborn Mushet Tools Africa.

 

[Hood]

Spiral flute look like they sound, spiral flutes They are for blind holes as the swarf spirals up the flute and evacuates at the top of the hole.

Spiral point don't look like they sound as really it is just the ground section at the end that gives them their name as they spiral the swarf round and push it in front of the tap. Perfect for through holes, not so good for blind unless you do several cuts to depth and blast out the swarf on each pass.

 

[Hood]

Seems you are right

The full name being Samuel Osborn Mushet Tools Africa.

Osborne and Mushet were names from the past, whether they are any good I have no idea as names sometimes get bought up an crap passed off on past reputations.

 

[ronan]

Osborne and Mushet were names from the past, whether they are any good I have no idea as names sometimes get bought up an crap passed off on past reputations.

True, Moore and Wright, and now Mitutoyo (illegally).