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  •  » Broken taps

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    7/13/2023 2:40 PM  #1

    Greg B
    Senior 24-7 FYI Addict

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    Registered: 4/01/2013
    Posts: 1,685

    Broken taps


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    So I did a thing.  I broke a tap.  A small tap.  Out of my craftsman kromedge set I've had since the early 80s.  Yes, they don't make them anymore, they were originally made by Vermont American, who are still in business but the taps are different.   I decided I didn't want to replace it with another tap from Northern tool, so I started looking around and thought maybe I can find an old one. Bingo: I found this set on ebay, cheep!  New Old Stock.  So I'm going to put it and a couple of the other ones in my set, taking out their Northern tool replacements.  (Which seem to be ok taps, btw) but a set is a set!   Just thought I'd show off my pick that I'm kind of proud of finding.   We can discuss  taps and dies and sets if you want.  I've been reading up.  Harbor freight taps, the titanium ones might be a lot better set than most people would think. Lots of good reviews.  I know, shocking...

    Bob Villa hawks Neiko titanium coated taps as the best reasonable tap and die sets around.  Guess who sells what appears to be mirror images of them?  Yep old HF. 

    Love talking about tools as much as Mustangs and Galaxies!

    If multiple things can go wrong, the one that will go wrong will be the one that causes the most damage.
     

    7/13/2023 3:57 PM  #2

    BobE
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    From: White Plains, NY
    Registered: 4/04/2013
    Posts: 2,622

    Re: Broken taps

    I bought my Craftsman tap set in the late seventies, or early eighties, when they used to have a once-a-year sale at like a 50% off.  I only broke one through the years.  Although it is not like I use them every day. 

    65 Fastback, 351W, 5-speed, 4 wheel discs, 9" rear,  R&C Front End.
     

    7/13/2023 4:30 PM  #3

    Greg B
    Senior 24-7 FYI Addict

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    Registered: 4/01/2013
    Posts: 1,685

    Re: Broken taps

    I've broken I believe 4 in all these years.  It was all  small ones and I remember snapping the 3/8.  Oh i remember that.  Curse words may or may not have been said. There was a time mine got a lot of use so some of the common ones have a lot of mileage on them.  Hence why I was thinking of a new set, but honestly, don't really "need" them like that anymore. 

    I kind of got a new level of thing going on playing with the mill was just thinking fresh set with that.

    If multiple things can go wrong, the one that will go wrong will be the one that causes the most damage.
       •Thread Starter
     

    7/13/2023 6:07 PM  #4

    MS
    Forum Originator

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    From: Canyon Lake, Texas
    Registered: 1/24/2013
    Posts: 12,218

    Re: Broken taps

    Got an extra 1/4” tap?
    I just broke one in my 1973 Craftsman vintage set just the other day

    Money you enjoy wasting is NOT wasted money... unless your wife finds out.
     

    7/13/2023 9:45 PM  #5

    Bentworker
    I FYI 24-7

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    Registered: 9/17/2017
    Posts: 472

    Re: Broken taps

    WIDIA GTD makes good taps.  I use only high speed steel taps, and toss them when dull.  It isn’t worth the risk of breaking one trying to wring every last cent out of it.

    McMaster-Carr sells WIDA and other good quality cutting tools.

     

    7/14/2023 1:16 AM  #6

    Ron68
    Senior 24-7 FYI Addict

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    From: Mukilteo, Washington
    Registered: 4/01/2013
    Posts: 1,565

    Re: Broken taps

    Proud to say that I still have the Craftsman tap & die set that was presented to  me by MustangSteve for winning the spark plug changing contest at Birthday Bash #1. It has served me well over the years. Never broke a tap but I did have to get an new 1/4-NC24 die though.

    68 coupe - 351W, 4R70W, 9" 3.25 -- 65 convertible - 289 4v, C4, 8" 3.00
     

     

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