'Cheap' Tap and Die Sets

[rtcosic]

I just use these for thread chasing and ocassionally cutting new threads in 3-5mm mild steel plate and RHS wall.

I have a Lidl Magical Middle Aisle of Mystery special metric coarse set which has been adequate for my needs thus far.

I have been donated a US Pro BSW set.

I now have a need for BSF and UNC/F. Whilst I'm shopping I have a 'need' - rarely - for Metric Fine.

These are the cheapest Amazon specials that Mrs Google can find for me:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/BSF-British-Standard-Fine-Tap/dp/B017H9NBQG?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=A29TF37YOLRWV1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CBBVKPWN/ref=sspa_dk_detail_0?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B0CBBVKPWN&pd_rd_w=llz0s&content-id=amzn1.sym.46187d6a-4306-4bc6-830c-7b2085e0e39f&pf_rd_p=46187d6a-4306-4bc6-830c-7b2085e0e39f&pf_rd_r=082751FPZKR4P3QEMATA&pd_rd_wg=85mFE&pd_rd_r=a355fb6a-c455-4689-a690-1ac634dde52f&s=diy&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWw

I know the pros are going to turn their noses up at such case hardened cheese - rightly.

But for my purposes are these as adequate as the ones I already have?

 

[Keithmac]

I was given a set of metric Goliath taps and dies and they are very good quality, better than my Snap-on set.

You may be better off buying a good 2nd hand kit rather than Chinese rubbish?.

 

[winchman]

Good secondhand is best we do a have Lidl / Aldi special and it has helped out but most recent job I had to root out a proper tap. Problem is Metric fine and Cycle threads are very hard to find used.

 

[pressbrake1]

I was given a set of metric Goliath taps and dies and they are very good quality, better than my Snap-on set.

You may be better off buying a good 2nd hand kit rather than Chinese rubbish?.

Snap on taps are disgraceful quality and real tool money

I have a us pro metric set up to 20mm
I’d never power tap with them…
I don’t trust the small ones but I have successfully tapped m16 in 12mm stainless plate. Fine in cast iron and the odd pitches have saved me from misery.
£55 well spent

 

[dyno-tron]

I’ve had an Axminster set for a number of years, great quality, split dies, hss- but a bit more costly than the usual rubbish sets. About £36 at the moment.

 

[bourbon]

I get my taps from UK drills in sets of three. We sell them, but tbh, they are not the best quality

 

[iNf]

Try these sets from machine mart, I've got the top set on this page and they work well. The accessories are a bit pants but taps and dies cut ok. If you can wait until they're on offer/vat free even better.
https://www.machinemart.co.uk/c/tap-die-sets-files-extractors/

 

[Gragson]

Craft-Pro by Presto I would put on the ovoid list from experience, rubbish.
I also get the ones I need now rather than sets, if I don't already have it in a set

 

[Gragson]

I've had a Clarke set for a while and TBF it's been pretty good.

 

[rtcosic]

BSW, UNC/F, BSP but no BSF that I can see. Hmmmm

 

[brightspark]

I've had a Clarke set for a while and TBF it's been pretty good.

i have the cheap metric set and there ok done loads of work with them . all the rest of my sets are presto high carbon steel and last years

 

[Gragson]

Try these sets from machine mart, I've got the top set on this page and they work well. The accessories are a bit pants but taps and dies cut ok. If you can wait until they're on offer/vat free even better.
https://www.machinemart.co.uk/c/tap-die-sets-files-extractors/

i have the cheap metric set and there ok done loads of work with them . all the rest of my sets are presto high carbon steel and last years

Don't get suckered into Craft-Pro by Presto - They are crap IME, Not Presto at all

 

[brightspark]

Don't get suckered into Craft-Pro by Presto - They are crap IME, Not Presto at all

all my sets are over 50 years old and a lot second hand when i got them . proper presto ive only ever snapped 2 in my life and that was being clumsy

 

[minimutly]

Possibly ‘adequate’, but unlikely to be as adequate as your previous acquisitions. Even thread chasing can remove wanted thread metal with non-conforming items.

I only purchase taps and dies as I need them, these days. A good quality item will last me out, almost for certain, but I avoid the cheap and nasty like the plague.

Enough dissapointments in life as it is without buying your own....

 

[Nomad]

I bought a mid-priced tap set from Machine Mart / Clarke when I was doing a full winter rebuild on a big Kawasaki - soon returned it as one on the main taps I needed for cleaning existing threads was deformed and chewed up good threads ( the problem was a slight burr on the cutting edge - obviously there before it was hardened)
I took it back and turned down their offer of a replacement set as I had no way of knowing if it was a one-off or if they had a bad batch.

Replaced it with a machinists tap & drill set in a steel box from a decent tool supplier, quality is fantastic, it did the Kawasaki and many more and is still like new.
The tap holder is "ok" but I often use one of my older tap holder just because...

I also picked up a proper cheapo tap & die set from my local hardware / gardening / kids toys store, very basic but has a good range of fine / Std / coarse threads. Quality is rough but they work well to clean existing threads and have tapped some blind holes with no problems.

 

[Barking Mat]

Don't buy cheap. Buy decent stuff you need for the job.

 

[Islander71]

I've found Tracy Tools good https://www.tracytools.com/

 

[Kram]

I have found it is very difficult to buy a decent set of dies, it is rare to find HSS types and being honest, carbon steel dont cut well for more than a few threads and not in better grades of steel! May e better screwcutting in lathe..


Taps, if you dont need the full set better to buy individuals and preferably look for machine taps, even if you only plan to hand tap, they are far better quality!

Apt may have some. Zoro used to but not at the moment

I have bought odd tap/dies off amazons "sourcingmap" seller. Some are acceptable but others unusable. Test on some scrap well before the return window closes!

 

[Onoff]

All I know is a cheap no name set that incuded M9 metric coarse got me out of trouble with my MK1 Focus brakes!

Until then I thought the M9 was an obscure Scottish motorway.

 

[ukracer]

I tend to use older 2nd hand cheaply acquired taps. But for specific I use ones from various tool suppliers on amazon or similar.
But the larger taps I have a set of Neilsen in a large steel.case complete with drills.
Drills not brilliant but the taps cut well.
They are nothing like the cheap blunt looking Chinese offering in medium plastic cases.


The set I have does not seem.available any more.

But the red set is the closest.

The blue set are the cheese like sets.. I think they will be carbon steel. The red set is HSS but whilst not top quality, they seem to work when I needed them.