Decent quality tap & die set?

[deadbeat son]

I'm looking for a decent quality tap and die set for general use in the garage, primarily for working on the Jeep. I'll be using it for cleaning up threads, not for cutting new threads in previously unthreaded holes or creating my own threaded rods. Think above average home mechanic quality and not toolmaker quality.

With that use in mind, I ordered a new Irwin Hanson 76 piece set, with both metric and SAE taps and dies. It arrived today, and I'm a little disappointed. I thought the Irwin Hanson sets were all American made, but this is be a mixture of imported and US pieces. About half of the dies are stamped Hanson, USA, while none of the taps are. You can definitely tell the difference in the dies that are marked USA. They have a higher quality smooth machined surface, while the others are a matte finish grey and do not say country of origin (see photo below). The info paper included in the kit also has a sticker that says "Made in China" that is covering what clearly used to read "Made in USA".

With all of that said, do you think these will be sufficient to do what I need them to do? I don't care where they were made, but I do care about the quality. I paid about 50% more than a comparably equipped Craftsman set that was MIC, because I expected the Irwin to be of a higher quality. I can see there was more care put into the appearance of the American parts in the kit, but I don't know if there is a difference in the quality of steel or precision of machining.

If this one is crap, is there somewhere else I should look (without resorting to finding an old lightly used kit secondhand)?

Thanks!

 

[Blackjack]

If your main function is to clean or repair threads stick with a thread restorer kit like this https://www.jbtools.com/lang-tools-971-48-piece-sae-metric-thread-restorer-set/?wi=off These sell under several brands like K_D Tool(Kastar), Lang and often under house brand at your local parts store. I purchased a Napa branded kit off of Ebay for under $50.

 

[deadbeat son]

If your main function is to clean or repair threads stick with a thread restorer kit like this https://www.jbtools.com/lang-tools-971-48-piece-sae-metric-thread-restorer-set/?wi=off These sell under several brands like K_D Tool(Kastar), Lang and often under house brand at your local parts store. I purchased a Napa branded kit off of Ebay for under $50.

That's about 1/3 the cost of what I just bought....thanks for the advice! I may send this back and get one of those.

 

[tworley]

I bought a gearwrench 114 set a few years ago. Ive tapped a few holes with them, chased others. The die set I have also used a few times and find they work really well. No marring or chipping after several uses. For messing around in the garage and on the jeep I think the set works well. I'll have to dig it out and look at the sizes as I cant remember exactly what it has, but it has SAE/metric and NC, NF and NPT tapers and plugs. I can't remember what I paid for it, maybe a couple hundred bucks.

My set has two "T" handles that are included. The larger one fell apart with gentle handling. It was pieced back together and it hasnt happened since, but seemed odd. The tap adapters also come loose pretty easily and the tap will get left in the hole I am working on. The "T" handles are ratcheting. So I can slowly and carefully work the taps/dies back and forth which is nice.

 

[deadbeat son]

I bought a gearwrench 114 set a few years ago. Ive tapped a few holes with them, chased others. The die set I have also used a few times and find they work really well. No marring or chipping after several uses. For messing around in the garage and on the jeep I think the set works well. I'll have to dig it out and look at the sizes as I cant remember exactly what it has, but it has SAE/metric and NC, NF and NPT tapers and plugs. I can't remember what I paid for it, maybe a couple hundred bucks.

My set has two "T" handles that are included. The larger one fell apart with gentle handling. It was pieced back together and it hasnt happened since, but seemed odd. The tap adapters also come loose pretty easily and the tap will get left in the hole I am working on. The "T" handles are ratcheting. So I can slowly and carefully work the taps/dies back and forth which is nice.

Thanks, I appreciate the feedback, I'll check those out too. It probably won't hurt to have both a tap & die set and a thread chaser set.

 

[sab]

If your main function is to clean or repair threads stick with a thread restorer kit like this https://www.jbtools.com/lang-tools-971-48-piece-sae-metric-thread-restorer-set/?wi=off These sell under several brands like K_D Tool(Kastar), Lang and often under house brand at your local parts store. I purchased a Napa branded kit off of Ebay for under $50.

I can second this advice. I have several sets of these. A word of caution, though. These will shatter if your threads are severely damaged and you apply too much torque (don't ask). Definitely don't drive them with an impact like some Youtubers would do!

I also have a bunch of thread files, which can be very useful to recondition old external threads. As for taps and dies, I have a drawer full of taps and dies purchased here and there, but I also have this set, which is made in China, but I've found it to be of halfway decent quality:

https://www.championcuttingtool.com/item/CS60P/Tap-Die-Set/
It retails for about $100 at many places.

 

[MountaineerTom]

I've bought several Irwin taps and dies (as well as a handful from Drill America and Century Drill & Tool) individually over the years as I've needed them. Not quite a full complete set, but I have a lot. I don't use them anywhere near as much as some people do, but in the 15-20 times I have, I've only broke one Irwin tap. I can't remember the size, but it was a smaller size.

I found several Irwin taps and dies on Amazon at a reduced price for around 4 to 5 dollars.

 

[CMBD]

I'll be using it for cleaning up threads, not for cutting new threads in previously unthreaded holes or creating my own threaded rods.

This is what you need for your intended use

I love these things. They don't really remove any metal by cutting and are very forgiving. I don't know that these Rockwell at but they are not as brittle as a tap.

 

[deadbeat son]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I've decided to keep the Irwin set, and I'm going to pick up a good set of thread chasers/restorers as well.

 

[BlueC]

 

[deadbeat son]

I saw that. And then I ordered the MIA Irwin set. When it arrived, it was mostly MIC. Then I started this thread. Then I decided to keep it anyway. The end.

 

[NashvilleTJ]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I've decided to keep the Irwin set, and I'm going to pick up a good set of thread chasers/restorers as well.

Great way to go. Many, many years ago I bought a set similar to the Irwin - don’t recall the brand off the top of my head, but lower to middle of the road in terms of quality, and not terribly expensive. Having a complete set is a great way to start.

Over the years they break, dull, etc., and when that happens I immediately replace that single tap or die with a top quality (i.e. - expensive) unit. Costly, but easy to swallow one at a time. I continue to occasionally break one of the original pieces, but I don’t believe I’ve broken one of the replacements. Now I’m to the point where the majority of the taps I use the most are top quality, and I don’t feel like I broke the bank.

 

[deadbeat son]

Great way to go. Many, many years ago I bought a set similar to the Irwin - don’t recall the brand off the top of my head, but lower to middle of the road in terms of quality, and not terribly expensive. Having a complete set is a great way to start.

Over the years they break, dull, etc., and when that happens I immediately replace that single tap or die with a top quality (i.e. - expensive) unit. Costly, but easy to swallow one at a time. I continue to occasionally break one of the original pieces, but I don’t believe I’ve broken one of the replacements. Now I’m to the point where the majority of the taps I use the most are top quality, and I don’t feel like I broke the bank.

Great suggestion, and that's exactly my plan. I probably won't use them often enough to wear out or break them frequently, so these should do the trick. When one does bite the dust however, a high quality replacement will take its place. First use will be to thread the spring perches for bump stops in the new TJ.

 

[Mike_H]

I was frustrated with the quality of taps and dies that are available for purchase to the average home mechanic too. I found an OLD set branded ACE at a consignment auction a few years ago and threw down a bid for 25 bucks. I won it, and I have been very happy ever since. I haven't broken a single tap out of that kit...

Now, I have a supply of High quality taps at work...so I "borrow" them from time to time (I'm a partner in the business...its OK )

 

[P man]

I think user error will cause any tap to break. I have done it a few times. I learned to go slow and lots of lube. If the tap starts to feel "spongy" then stop and put it in reverse Terry.

I think the best investment I made was buying a set of sockets that fit over the square drive portion of the tap. It makes the tap start much easier and you have way more control.

 

[Apparition]

I think user error will cause any tap to break. I have done it a few times. I learned to go slow and lots of lube. If the tap starts to feel "spongy" then stop and put it in reverse Terry.

I think the best investment I made was buying a set of sockets that fit over the square drive portion of the tap. It makes the tap start much easier and you have way more control.

“Oh lord, oh lord, watchu watchu doing Terry!!!”

 

[mrblaine]

I saw that. And then I ordered the MIA Irwin set. When it arrived, it was mostly MIC. Then I started this thread. Then I decided to keep it anyway. The end.

I'm weary of assigned properties to be expected based on country of origin. I can buy a complete crap rotor for 15 bucks that is made in China and then I can buy a stellar quality version of the same part number that costs me 45 bucks from the same country, probably the same factory.

Taps are no different. I buy large amounts of the cheapest tap I can find in 1/2-13 for my knuckle saver kits. Over the years I have sent back some that were crap and been fully surprised by some that were no different than a US version. In short, they only way to know is to buy and test. Or, deal with someone who has.

 

[bucky]

I have a set of dedicated drill bits that I only use for tapping. That way my holes are always the correct size for the tap and I have not snapped one for a while. One of these days I need to get a metric setup.

 

[B1Toad]

Yep the proper size drill helps and it can vary for different metal types. I was really lucky to pick up a 100% US made tap & die set in a wooden box many years ago at a yard sale for cheap.
Since then I've done so much tapping I invested in two Tapmatics and a dedicated drill press and have purchased my taps as needed from McMaster-Carr. My tapping needs are no longer what they used to be though and I will probably be selling my Tapmatics, I can now get by with hand tapping.
Also use a good tapping lube like Tap Magic. I use it for both the drilling and the tapping. Knowing when to stop, back up and clean chips is important as well.