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Cupboard

Member Since: 21 Mar 2014
Location: Suffolk
Posts: 2971

2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 HT Corris Grey

Decent, affordable tap & die set?

Can anyone recommend a decent, affordable tap and die set?
I've been happy with Dormer ones before, I haven't been happy with off brand ones that either go blunt or snap almost instantly.

I'm after good value, not cheap! Obviously cheap is good but not at the expense of value (i.e. they have to be decent).

I'm happy with things like Bahco socket sets and Starrett punches, things don't have to be Snap On or PB Swiss Tools.

Something like this lot, they say they're HSS which is good?
http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/threading-tap-die-sets/5090143/

21st Nov 2016 1:36pm

blackwolf

Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17432

2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey

I try to stick with Dormer whenever possible, however the choice is also influenced by the thread forms and sizes you need, the amount of use and type of use you'll be putting them to, and whether you need hand or machine cutting tools, but I am guessing from the one in the link that you are after a basic metric set for occasional use, and hand use only.

I find it hard to imagine that the one on the RS page is particularly high quality since it includes roughly 29 cutting tools and costs around £75, so approx £2.50 per tool. I would not expect to buy a good tap or die of any size for that. That being said, for occasional use in a home-workshop type environment it is probably quite satisfactory. RS seldom sells rubbish.

In larger sizes (1/2" or 12mm sort of thing upwards), buying good second-hand tools and resharpening them if necessary will often get you a better cutting tool than buying cheap new tools. Sharpening smaller sizes is more tricky and usually not worth the effort, I find.

21st Nov 2016 2:06pm

Cupboard

Member Since: 21 Mar 2014
Location: Suffolk
Posts: 2971

Thanks. Yes, hand use only.

They're not going to be used every day but equally I get sick being let down by bad tools.

I've got a set of up to M12 Dormer taps at work which seem to be good. They're the general purpose ones that you can't tap all the way to the bottom of a blind hole with but that's not been a problem for my use yet.
Maybe I'd be better off just buying individual ones and building my own kit up.

It's occasionally useful to have some really odd sizes like the seatbelt bolt one which got me out of a pickle once.

21st Nov 2016 4:46pm

blackwolf

Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17432

Normally sets with multiple sizes include a "second" tap, which has less of a taper than a "first" or "starter". I usually buy individual sizes as required in a set of first, second and plug (the one for bottoming holes) but it does get expensive when you're working with metric coarse and fine threads, helicoil sizes, as well as UNC, UNF, BSF, BSW, BSPP, BSPT and one or two other thread systems.

21st Nov 2016 6:20pm

ARC99

Member Since: 19 Feb 2013
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 1831

2008 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Cairns Blue

I Have used Senator Tap and Die 's in the recent past always found them to be up for the job provided you drill the correct size and use cutting compound.

Found this from the company I buy from,https://www.cromwell.co.uk/shop/cutting-tools/metric-iso529-hss-gt-threading-sets/m3-m12-hss-threading-setin-case-32-pce/p/SEN0869980K, look familiar. Don't make old people mad.
We don't like being old in the first place,
so it doesn't take much to

us off.

Richard

21st Nov 2016 8:28pm

Cupboard

Member Since: 21 Mar 2014
Location: Suffolk
Posts: 2971

That does look familiar, yes

Given they're HSS rather than carbon so probably not too awful (hopefully?), I might buy something like that, replace what dies and add a few other bits and bobs.

Then the other half of me is saying buy cheap, buy twice, just get the Dormer ones.

21st Nov 2016 10:19pm

shaggydog

Member Since: 12 Aug 2012
Location: Kent
Posts: 3347

1991 Defender 110 200 Tdi USW Arles Blue

I have got a few of these sets and they seem a good balance of value and quality.

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

Would prefer Dormer though

Running Restoration Thread http://www.defender2.net/forum/post323197.html#323197

Self confessed mileage hunter

21st Nov 2016 10:30pm

defender9

Member Since: 12 Mar 2016
Location: Fylde Coast
Posts: 1629

2015 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 SW Keswick Green

I have used Dormer for years also drill bits. Always look for them at auto jumbles .

21st Nov 2016 11:38pm

Ramsay

Member Since: 30 Sep 2015
Location: Moffat, Dumfries & Galloway
Posts: 627

1995 Defender 110 300 Tdi CSW Auto Keswick Green

The RS Eventus set is probably Polish made. When I worked for RS the Polish tools were good basic workshop items. HSS is fine for hand tapping in most workshop applications. It is only once you are going to production speeds and exotic materials that you need the coated tools. 1995 Defender 110 CSW
1971 SIIA Lightweight

22nd Nov 2016 9:12am

Riccarton

Member Since: 10 Aug 2015
Location: Gods' Own Country
Posts: 280

2012 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 HT Zambezi Silver

Unfortunately I'm of the opinion Dormer aren't what they used to be.
We buy fecking hundreds of M6, M8, M10 & M12 (first cut) - all of them dormer - and they just don't last nor do they cut as well as my memory serves.
Privately I've always liked the Wurth set father has but they aren't easy to get hold of individually.

22nd Nov 2016 10:00pm

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