Recommend me a tap & die set?

[skotl]

I've got this set and, for the money (£12!) it's been great. To be honest, the components are actually pretty well made.

That said, it is a rather odd mix of sizes - the smaller M sizes have pitches that don't match the majority of fixings that I come across.

So what would you recommend for £50 or (ideally) cheaper that has a decent and usable range?

 

[graffian]

Thatl looks cheap and nasty mate;-)
I would just buy the ones I need.
I wonder if those cheap taps/dies cut a decent thread?

 

[skotl]

Thatl looks cheap and nasty mate;-)
I would just buy the ones I need.
I wonder if those cheap taps/dies cut a decent thread?

Happy with the quality, to be perfectly honest - it just doesn't have the range that I need.

I take your point re buying t&ds individually, but can't be arsed hence my question on whether anyone can recommend a decent set. I'll flog my cheap (and not all that nasty) current set for a tenner as a deposit on the next one

 

[lincoln17]

I would try Tracey tools, if you google them you will see they do a small metric set for £55. Sets from Presto or Dormer are much more expensive but they sometimes come up on flea bay and if your patient you may get lucky. The Tracey stuff I have bought has been ok.

 

[Parm]

I've got one I picked up from screwfix about 10 years ago, it's in a neat little wooden case and has all the sides I want. Also been given a consignment of taps, drills and dies but my dad, but these are all in tobacco tins and it takes ages to find the one you need. Being a lazy git I always use the sceprew fix ones cause they are laid out, but I know my dads stuff is all top notch cause he was an an engineer until he retired.

 

[skotl]

I've got one I picked up from screwfix about 10 years ago, it's in a neat little wooden case and has all the sides I want. Also been given a consignment of taps, drills and dies but my dad, but these are all in tobacco tins and it takes ages to find the one you need. Being a lazy git I always use the sceprew fix ones cause they are laid out, but I know my dads stuff is all top notch cause he was an an engineer until he retired.

You should sell your dad's stuff to me, then, and I'll make a nice wooden box for them

Spoiler

That was a joke - I still have a bunch of my dad's tools and would never part with them!

 

[ronan]

The dies aren't split, more dienuts than actual dies.

 

[Digger6135]

That is a very poor quality set, they are die nuts which only cut one size thread, proper split dies can be adjusted to cut either tight threads or loose fitting ones, what you have paid for the set would not buy one decent die.

Digger6135

 

[Chris Stevens]

Carbon steel tap and die sets are probably fine for cleaning up threads, and maybe cutting threads in aluminum, but the saving over a reasonable set soon evaporates when one snaps off in an important job. Best to buy individual good quality taps and dies from Ebay, in all the common sizes, as it seems impossible to buy a good set today for anything other than mega money.

 

[eSCHEn]

There's a set on the for sale section mate. Comes with a free tool chest as well.

 

[balmerchris]

I was going to suggest volkel as these are what I use in work but I just googled them and they are a tad on the expensive side.

 

[Chris Stevens]

I was going to suggest volkel as these are what I use in work but I just googled them and they are a tad on the expensive side.

I have a Volkel set, it seems reasonable, but while taps and dies are HSS German made, everything else appears to be Chinese, so not that great.

 

[Burdekin]

I have a couple of sets from RDG Tools, they do the job for me. If using them loads I would invest in better quality but I've had no issue with them.

http://www.rdgtools.co.uk/acatalog/TAP_DIE_SETS.html

 

[daleyd]

Non split dies but a pretty good price for a decent set, and then add to it as you need odd sizes?

(I'm tempted myself at that price if they have any left!!)

http://primetools.co.uk/product/cra...nd-die-set-m3-m12-with-holders-in-steel-case/

 

[brightspark]

tracy tools do decent carbon steel ones at the rite price and good quality. I have whitworth unf bsf metric ba and bsp. if your using a particular size on hard materials I buy hss and put them in the sets used with a decent cutting compound they will last years. ive only ever snapped about 3 and that was being careless

 

[skotl]

There's a set on the for sale section mate. Comes with a free tool chest as well.

Yeah - that's what got me thinking. I'd have paid for that if it was closer!

 

[skotl]

Non split dies but a pretty good price for a decent set, and then add to it as you need odd sizes?

(I'm tempted myself at that price if they have any left!!)

http://primetools.co.uk/product/cra...nd-die-set-m3-m12-with-holders-in-steel-case/

That does seem to fit the bill...

 

[brightspark]

That does seem to fit the bill...

there the same as the machine mart ones all made by same company re badged . there actualy half decent I have a set

 

[skotl]

there the same as the machine mart ones all made by same company re badged . there actualy half decent I have a set

Good stuff - and much the same price at MM (yet another fantasy "recommended retail price" by the looks of things!).

 

[Chris Stevens]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/sNEW-SCRE...639687?hash=item5683377ec7:g:9KgAAOSwxp9W3ACp

Got one of those a while back, as it includes metric fine, which I often need for cleaning up threads on bikes, and also goes up to 18mm. Not great quality, but probably fine for occasional use or threads in aluminum.

Prices vary from £50 to £250 though, and I would be very surprised if they arent all the same thing.