Tap/Die sets

Anyone know of a good quality kit available? I need to retap a few things which I have sheared off. I have seen those drill bits with the taps on them, starting at £20

Avenue35, Britool tools, Draper tools, Facom tools, Kamasa tools, Laser tools, Sealey tools, Silva, Silverline tools and Sykes-Pickavant Products. Haynes Books and Manuals - Sealey Tap & Die Set Split Dies 76pc Metric
This seems like a reasonable kit, but it is a sealey brand so maybe the quality isn't up to much? I know nothing about brand names for taps and dies. I have heard of "Sherwood"?

This is all part of the master plan to buy more tools I "need"

I remember back in school the set we had was really high quality and came in a wooden box. I am unsure who made them?

These guys

metric taps & dies :: Tracy Tools, Devon, UK.

will have what you need, at sensible money, including sets. Note they also do metric fines and LH bits.

Theres also this bunch, who are pricier, but can they do have som ereal oddball stuff like taps for schnieder valves.

"TapsandDies"-TAPS DIES DIENUTS,tap sets tap die sets,tap holders die holders,lefthand HSS Taps+Dies CSTaps&Dies BSW tapdie BSF tapsdies BA tap die, BSCycle taps_dies, Model Engineer taps&dies UNC taps+dies UNF tap_die,Brass tap&die BSP tapanddie BSP

taps in particular are cheap on ebay, even for good quality brand new stuff. dies are ok, but less common. TiN (the gold coloured stuff) coatings are handy if you are working with stainless, doesnt make as much of a difference on other stuff.

I reckon you probably already know this but just in case, you need the right size drills to go with the taps, and some of them aren't in 0.5mm steps, M8x1.25 needs a 6.8mm drill for example.

J&L Industrial - look out for their sale flyers and stock clearance stuff. They'll sell you individual drills in 0.1mm increments.

Caution advised using tables of tapping drill sizes - they seem to be compiled by people who sell taps for a living.

John

Yes, thanks for the link btw, that set in the box is the British made one I had used before. I did know you had to use set drills and I notice cromwells have bits on offer at the moment at around a quarter to a third of their list price.

+1

As a toolmaker I use taps pretty much every day and as such wouldn't go near one of those sets

You'd be better off going for individual taps from proper engineering manufacturers like Dormer,Guhring or OSG, they'll be more expensive but will last you years

As for tapping drill sizes get yourself a Zeuss book that has all the size info you'll ever need

HTH Desmo