Which drill/tap set to buy?

[Tiggy_dorset]

Looking for a tap/drill set. Im not looking for cheapie, nor wish to break the bank. Looking at these at the moment, one from RDG and another from a different seller.
The RDG is cheaper and you get a lot more content, but the other (looks) better quality, but have never heard of the name.
My budget £40 - £60 ish

Any recommendations?

RDG:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RDGTOOLS-...947487?hash=item43cccf509f:g:jq8AAOSwPe1T0Rwd

Bargain tooling :
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/METRIC-TA...592078?hash=item20d0d5484e:g:vnEAAOxy14VRUsYK

 

[Burdekin]

I have the RDG full sets and they're good. I've not had any issues anyhow.

I have the tap and die sets.

 

[Burdekin]

I just buy direct from RDG website, don't know if any price difference.

 

[Tiggy_dorset]

I'll do some research on separates, might be an option although always nice to have a proper case for them.

I will look at the RDG website too. Its not unusual for websites to be cheaper than an ebay shop for the same company. Plus I also have a 5% discount voucher for them that I can use.
Cheers.

 

[optima21]

slightly off topic, but I saw these serial taps the other day and wondered if anyone has used them and how do they rate them.

http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Cutting-Tools/Taps/Serial-Taps---Metric-BSW-BSF

with taps I normally buy individual ones the spiral flute taps are useful when tapping blind holes as the help with clearance of the swarf up the flutes, but you might be better off having normal taper/second/bottoming taps if you're taping by hand.

also do other people just use taper and plug taps, I dont think I've ever used a second tap.

 

[Tiggy_dorset]

also do other people just use taper and plug taps, I dont think I've ever used a second tap.

I have found myself just using the taper and plugs myself...not just me then

 

[Spark plug]

The second taps are usefull when tapping very hard materials, using them in order to get a little further each time. They are also fine for tapping soft materials on there own but don't get used as much as the others.

Normally reserved as a emergency backup when you snap a taper tap.

 

[MattF]

Personally, I'd go with known quality brands for the taps. Not many things where I'm reticent to give something less than best quality an opportunity, but cheap taps can be a pain in the **** for no end of reasons. Possibility of snapping more readily than a quality tap, quality of the thread they create etc. You can feel the difference between good quality taps and cheaper taps when cutting by hand, a lot of the time, same as you can generally tell when a tap is becoming blunt.

 

[Spark plug]

Dormer is my brand of choice but the sherwood range from Chromwell tools are also good at a reasonable price.

 

[Maker]

I dont think I've ever used a second tap.

I use them, by regrinding them into taper taps.

 

[Parm]

Dormer is my brand of choice but the sherwood range from Chromwell tools are also good at a reasonable price.

I've got an extensive set of assorted Dormer taps in far too many thread sizes, types etc etc all separated in individual tins courtesy of my Grandad, he was a tool maker. Thanks grandad

 

[Bill Edwards]

I would not buy any where the quality is not known to be decent, even for infrequent use.

I have some cheap and very, very nasty taps. I am sure that I've encountered cheese which is harder. They've not simply gone dull, more a case of disappearing threads - there's just nothing left after probably less than a dozen holes. And that isn't even thinking about the quality of the threads they produce.

Stay clear!!

 

[brightspark]

tracy tools do nice stuff I have a lot of there -drills and carbon taps and dies the only hss -taps and dies needed are for hard metal and constant use so I buy the odd ones and put -them in the sets

 

[Tiggy_dorset]

Dormer is my brand of choice but the sherwood range from Chromwell tools are also good at a reasonable price.

I had a look at the Cromwell site and ordered this set of Dormer. At £27 inc delivery, I thought were very good value.

https://www.cromwell.co.uk/DOR0259740D

Thanks everyone for your input.
I will still likely use my RDG voucher and buy a set of drills from them or something

 

[Tiggy_dorset]

I bookmarked the Tracy Tools site too. Looks like a wide range of stuff there.

 

[mendip mechanic]

Try Unithread in tavistock always helpful and next day delivery

 

[Burdekin]

When I worked at a bauxite mine in OZ,, taps, dyes and drill bits were regarded as consumables so you'd book them out of the store and after using you'd keep them. Needless to say I have hundreds of taps, dyes and drill bits. Unfortunately they are all still at my parents with my other tools, must be a couple of thousand pounds worth these days.

 

[wristpin]

X2 for Tracy Tools. Excellent firm to deal with.

 

[balmerchris]

I like the volkel taps. Haven't broke one yet.I think they are German.

 

[Spark plug]

I have a m6 spiral flute tap in my box at work, without exaggerating I will have taped well over 1000 holes with is. I had to bribe the store man with sweeties to get one of the fancy machine taps (fitters got poverty model hand taps), as I had 48 holes to tap through 1" plate. After drilling all them by hand I wanted a tap to stick in my drill as id been kneeling down all day and wanted it done.

I wish I could remember the make, it came in one of those little clear boxes with the flip up lids, it had a blue sticker with black wrighting and I'm almost certain the make was 3 letters like HTE or something.