AES
Established Member
Good to know the M&W 143 is still available, thanks.
And +1 for cutting threads on the lathe if you have one.
And +1 for cutting threads on the lathe if you have one.
Tap & die set advice, please.
- Thread starter MikeG.
- Start date
Help Support UKworkshop.co.uk:
Bod
Established Member
Selection of tap wrenches.
Top LH. Ratchet tap wrench, available in 3 sizes.
Top Centre & RH. Eclipse tap wrenches, again 3 sizes. The Tommy bar is moveable for difficult jobs.
Bottom. Selection of Bar type wrenches.
Be sure to get enough to cover all the sizes of taps you use.
Die holders. Again there are different sizes.
Note the slit in the dies shown, this is to allow adjustment, via the 3 screws.
Top. Die Nuts and holder. Better quality ones are able to repair threads quite well, cheaper ones, barely able to remove thin paint/rust. Does have the advantage of being usable with a spanner.
Bottom. Examples of cheap dies and holder, no split in the die, or screws to adjust. The tap wrench shown is cheap and nasty, will not grip a tap. Not shown is the tap wrench mate to the cheap die holder, which mushrooms over rather than grips the tap.
Bod
Attachments
AES
Established Member
+1 Rorschach. But it's news to me that there are 3 sizes of the M&W tap holder. I "only" inherited one from my Dad (from the pix it must be the smallest one think). I must have a Google for the biggest one of the 3.
I also have the ratchet type shown on the extreme LH, but must confess I don't like it all that much
I also have the ratchet type shown on the extreme LH, but must confess I don't like it all that much
AES":2nb8esdu said:
News to me as well, I have 2 sizes of eclipse tap holder, they cover everything I need to do for hand tapping though so I guess a small size again wouldn't be much use to me.
What I really want to get hold of, never seen one at a car boot etc yet, is a spring loaded tap follower for use on the lathe or drill press.
AES
Established Member
Ah, I've got a spring-loaded tap follower for use on the lathe Rorschach, and very useful I find it too. I THINK I got mine from Arc Eurotrade, quite cheaply (usual disclaimers). Unlike you I do (or more accurately, I used to do) quite small sizes (about 10 BA and 1.5 mm), hence my interest in the Arc device and the smallest (two now) M&W tap wrenches.
It's why I don't particularly like the ratchet model shown - a bit big/heavy for small stuff in my hands anyway.
It's why I don't particularly like the ratchet model shown - a bit big/heavy for small stuff in my hands anyway.
Yeah I don't think I have ever needed a ratchet holder though I am sure for certain jobs in confined spaces they are very useful.
I have seen the spring loaded followers on the interwebs but they are a little out of my budget especially as I don't do an awful lot of tapping jobs that it would be used on.
One job I was doing on the lathe where I really needed it I used a big bungie cord wrapped around the tailstock to provide pressure, worked nicely but was a bit of a faff for regular use.
I have seen the spring loaded followers on the interwebs but they are a little out of my budget especially as I don't do an awful lot of tapping jobs that it would be used on.
One job I was doing on the lathe where I really needed it I used a big bungie cord wrapped around the tailstock to provide pressure, worked nicely but was a bit of a faff for regular use.
