Tap and die suggestions?

[shawn]

I need a metric tap and die set. My guess is it needs to be 30-50 pieces to catch the most-used sizes. Any suggestions on a "good enough" quality set?

I have an old craftsman set of SAE that's been good, and a smattering of randoms from greenfield, hanson, "JAPAN", etc....

 

[skyhighZJ]

I bought a set made by gear wrench off of Amazon and it has done everything I needed it to putting my 22R motor together for my Toyota I really like the ratchet handle that it comes with. Also comes in a very nice blow molded case.

 

[snipes243]

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I have good luck with this irwin hanson kit.

 

[jeepinmatt]

EuroMetric and JapMetric have variations in thread pitch on certain sizes, so make sure you get the right one for your application. I have an old Blue Point set that has generally served me well, and a few oddballs that I have collected through the years when I needed something that is not in the set.

 

[shawn]

the right one for your application

It's "need a metric tap on Sunday afternoon that isn't likely to break in the hole and create a bigger problem". The likelihood is that most of the parts in a 50 piece set will stay in the case for the next 20 years. Can you elaborate on the pitch? Guessing it doesn't affect me because I don't have anything Japanese, but might be helpful for the discussion.

 

[Fabrik8]

It's "need a metric tap on Sunday afternoon that isn't likely to break in the hole and create a bigger problem". The likelihood is that most of the parts in a 50 piece set will stay in the case for the next 20 years. Can you elaborate on the pitch? Guessing it doesn't affect me because I don't have anything Japanese, but might be helpful for the discussion.

Something like M10, which could be 1mm, 1.25mm, or 1.5mm thread pitch.

 

[jeepinmatt]

Like ^ said, M10 is the one that came to mind without researching. One of them uses M10x1.5 and the other uses M10x1.25. Good quick read on it here with charts:

Understanding metric hardware

Here's what you need to know before using metric hardware on your racer.

grassrootsmotorsports.com

 

[skyhighZJ]

That’s why I like that my set came with a checker ma jigger 9000

 

[justjeepin86]

I've used several different brands of box sets. None have actually been of good quality, but ymmv. Like Irwin type stuff. That being said, something is better than nothing and generally won't break with cutting oil and taking your time as long as you run the tap straight. I like to avoid 4 flute taps because they are weaker than a 2 or 3 flute, but most of the sets come in 4 flute. I dig OSG taps, but i would assume you can't buy a kit and they would be pretty high if you could.

 

[WARRIORWELDING]

Two flute for the best, I agree.
My Matco tools set has done me well.
We have some Irwin stuff I like at work. Their easy out and extraction tools are pretty darn good as well.
I consider the "sets" as chasers and correction pieces.
Anything I'm doing production gets higher end machining quality stuff.

This type is really efficient.
Particularly when you need to do stuff like this:

2 inch thick. Bottom tapping. One lid a night. One new tap per lid, times 12.

Bout 480 holes total. All power tapped with the magnetic drill.

 

[jeepinmatt]

I dig OSG taps, but i would assume you can't buy a kit and

Guhring, OSG, and Emuge are my go to depending on application and availability. Hahaha, can you imagine? Gotta be way over a grand for a full set!

 

[justjeepin86]

Two flute for the best, I agree.
My Matco tools set has done me well.
We have some Irwin stuff I like at work. Their easy out and extraction tools are pretty darn good as well.
I consider the "sets" as chasers and correction pieces.
Anything I'm doing production gets higher end machining quality stuff.
View attachment 342780
This type is really efficient.
Particularly when you need to do stuff like this:
View attachment 342781
View attachment 342782
2 inch thick. Bottom tapping. One lid a night. One new tap per lid, times 12.

Bout 480 holes total. All power tapped with the magnetic drill.

The best part about spiral flute taps is pulling the chip out the top instead of pushing it. They are really designed for blind holes, but work pretty well in most materials depending on the grade of tap. They definitely aren't what shawn is looking for, ha!

 

[Van-go]

I bought a set made by gear wrench off of Amazon and it has done everything I needed it to putting my 22R motor together for my Toyota I really like the ratchet handle that it comes with. Also comes in a very nice blow molded case.

I second the gear wrench set. A few of us have them and I’ve never broken one. Seems to have what I need.

 

[RatLabGuy]

Something like M10, which could be 1mm, 1.25mm, or 1.5mm thread pitch.

Like ^ said, M10 is the one that came to mind without researching. One of them uses M10x1.5 and the other uses M10x1.25. Good quick read on it here with charts:

Understanding metric hardware

Here's what you need to know before using metric hardware on your racer.

grassrootsmotorsports.com

View attachment 342759

Those of us w/ Jap vehicle, and sepcifically 80/90s Toyota knows this pain well.

Basically m6 and m8 are the only ones that are the same between a Eupoean and Japanese spec bolt. Anything bigger or smaller is different. And also, not so relevant to this thread but an equal PITA is that the hex socket head sizes are different (e.g. m8 = 12 J spec and 13mm E spec)

95% of the time you just go to a ardware store and get a 10mm (M10) bolt, its goin gto be E-spec. And most non-auotomotive metric applications encountered in daily life are E spec.
My experience with also huntin gto tap & die sets is that if it is both SAE & metric it it is rarely J spec metric, and rarely does a single Metric set include both unless it is an exhaustive set of everything.

Also - that chart is wrong. JIS M8 is definitely not 1.5 thread pitch, it is 1.25,

 

[jeepinmatt]

Also - that chart is wrong. JIS M8 is definitely not 1.5 thread pitch, it is 1.25,

Correct, M8, M10, and M12 are all 1.25 pitch in JIS threads.

 

[YotaOnRocks]

We got a gearwrench set at work and my maintenance team hates them. Not sure why they don't like it but I do know it was supposed to replace a 60 year old made in USA set that was missing some pieces.

 

[amcjeepman]

A Hanson / Irwin will be a good general duty set in metric.
I really like this Jawco set for doing thread repair, saves more of the threads than a typical tap/die set.
Some of my metric taps and dies.
If you are going to be in cutting a lot of threads then get some spiral point taps.
Much less cutting effort.