# Sorting taps & dies - or - "Oh how I hate photo printing"?



## t8hants (24 Jul 2016)

Over the years I have accumulated dozens of taps and dies in a range of thread forms, so I have spent the last few days cleaning sorting and boxing them into thread types. BSW, BSF, BA, Metric, UNF/UNC, and even a few BSP and Gas.
The old fashioned ones are nicely stamped as to what they are, and even quite rusted examples proudly proclaim their size and thread after a touch on the wire brush wheel, but oh the modern things with just photo printing, the slightest amount of dirt or rust and you have no chance of reading what they are, and don't even think about the brush wheel.
Still the result of all this effort is I have a fantastic set of BSW ranging from 3/16" to 1-1/2" which will not see a lot of use any more.
Some interesting gaps in the metric set, which need filling, and I no longer have to sort through a large box of taps and dies looking for that elusive item I knew I used two months ago.

G


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## Lons (24 Jul 2016)

I've got the same problem G. A real mixture aquired over the years but every time I look at them I think it's a bit like sorting your sock drawer and find something else to do.  :lol: 

Bob


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## AES (24 Jul 2016)

I had the same problem after I inherited a bunch from my Dad when he died. Took me years to get them all cleaned & sorted, but all done now (he says with a self-satisfied glow).

BTW, this is undoubtedly teaching Grannie to suck eggs but do NOT let them bang about loosely in drawers, tobacco tins, etc.

One good solution is to visit your local model aero/car shop. They have both neoprene and silicon flexible tubing in various I/Ds (fuel tube, + electrical cable sleeving) and a couple of half metres of these in appropriate diameters make ideal protective sleeves for individual taps.

HTH

AES

P.S. 110% agreed re modern tap (& die sometimes) marking methods. :evil:


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## Rorschach (24 Jul 2016)

I think the reason for the modern marking method is because it wouldn't be possible to stamp HSS stamps, whereas it was easy on old carbon steel taps.


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## bugbear (24 Jul 2016)

Rorschach":32l582js said:


> I think the reason for the modern marking method is because it wouldn't be possible to stamp HSS stamps, whereas it was easy on old carbon steel taps.



It's also cheaper - everyone wants cheaper taps, including me.

BugBear


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## woodpig (24 Jul 2016)

Good quality stuff is laser engraved.


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## Jelly (7 Aug 2016)

woodpig":osqwkiif said:


> Good quality stuff is laser engraved.



Yes, I had to take about 0.15 thou off the shank of a HSS end mill (very high speed, very stiff tool post, very sharp insert on a lathe) the laser engraving was deeper than that...

(1"shank end mill and a 1" bore end mill holder both exact to within less than 0.01 thou, boring out the holder with just the right degree of out of concentricity to ensure the end mill holder remained concentric was harder than just cutting very hard steel).


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## Wildman (6 Dec 2016)

mine are all sorted into tobacco tins those that are too large live in a separate box mixed. They are all dipped in white spirit and lanolin for rust protection and sorted by size in stacks of the same thread form. A mic and thread pitch gauge plus the respective chart or Zeus book will identify mystery items. Dies are generally well marked and stored again in tobacco tins sorted by thread type.
Coventry die sets are in a custom built box. Nust are sorted into single size and thread boxes, bolts sorted into single size but mixed thread boxes, there are so many bits and pieces finding anything would be impossible without some sort of organisation.
I smoked for 30 years and saved one tobacco tin a week so will not run out even though the wife chucked a carrier bag full out when I was not looking.


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## MCB (12 Dec 2016)

I inherited a lot of Taps and Dies from my late father; various sizes up to 1 inch BSW in a variety of thread forms, BSW, BSF, BA. More recently a chum had to give up his shed workshop because his wife wanted them to move into a flat and I now have increased the range with Metric as well as multiple copies of different sizes of Britsih and Metric thread forms.

Everything that I can identify is in labelled flat cigar tins up to around 8mm. But I have a large box of taps and dies that I am unable to identify - I'm almost certain that they are NOT Whitworth, BSF, BA or Metric; many are marked “26” which suggests some sort of cycle thread to me.

I found a chart somewhere on the www which listed lots of thread forms in diameter order with the number of threads per inch and suggesting the thread form. That saved a lot of time going from one chart to another.

MCB


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## bugbear (12 Dec 2016)

MCB":11y8d0z4 said:


> I found a chart somewhere on the www which listed lots of thread forms in diameter order with the number of threads per inch and suggesting the thread form. That saved a lot of time going from one chart to another.



Sounds very helpful; link?

BugBear


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## Bm101 (12 Dec 2016)

https://mdmetric.com/tech/tict.htm
Any use BB?


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## boomerang bender (1 Oct 2018)

Thanks for the thread chart and info very useful


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## Bm101 (1 Oct 2018)

22 month response time.  Like your style! 
Legend Status: Unlocked.


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