Taps and dies...

[PipesByDesign]

Not entirely pipe related, but wondering if anyone has a recommendation on a good, and relatively inexpensive starter tap and die set...

[KurtHuhn]

I have a cheap set I bought at Harbor Freight.

Bleagh.

I use each tap and die once, then replace them with something of quality. The local Mom-n-Pop hardware store carries Irwin brand taps and dies, and those are excellent quality.

My suggestion: figure which you need, then buy singles from McMaster-Carr. Sure it's more expensive that way, but then you don't need the entire set to replace one by one either. Plus, you really don't need all those taps and dies. I use about 20% of the NF and NC taps and dies in a typical set, plus a handful of metric.

[Sasquatch]

I have a small set from Vermont American and they have done the trick, although I can't say it's overused.

[PipesByDesign]

Yeah, the price is tempting at HF but I figured with something like this the quality would be an issue.

As far as I know there isn't a little mom and pop place near me. Sad. I've got Ace and True Value, which could maybe qualify, but I purposefully don't go in there because I've always felt like I was attacked by leaches. Part of the hardware store experience that is sacred to me is just wandering around looking at stuff and thinking about projects...by myself... I feel hunted down by the employees in those places. Of course, the flip side of the coin is that the big home improvement stores are like barren wastelands, and help is scarce.

Oh well.

I like the idea of just getting some singles from McMaster... Good call Kurt.

Thanks for the tips.

[Alan L]

The folks at my local Ace have learned not to bother me when I'm wandering around letting ideas ferment in my pointy little head, but it did take 'em a couple of years.

A firm "Nah, I got it, just need to think about stuff" sends them on their way. Oh, and for the record Ace and Tru Value are mom-and-pop stores, owned by locals. They're just franchised to keep costs down and gain a wider advertising area.

An aside about taps: If you're working in steel on a critical part, do not use HSS taps. they can't be easily removed when they break. Go the extra mile to get some plain high carbon steel ones, or sold carbide if you can afford 'em. When those break you can use a center punch to shatter the remains in the hole and shake 'em out. HSS taps are more than happy to snap off, but they don't shatter in the hole when you want them out.