# Good value for re-threading, tapping wood, non-ferrous



## bbasiaga (Dec 8, 2012)

These are really one of the few disappointments I've had with HF tools. I have a set that I intended to use mainly with aluminum. They are barely sharp enough for that. I've had a few twist on me….as in the tap itself twists so the flutes are no longer vertical/parallel. The tap handles are very weak and break easily. For holes in aluminum sheet they work OK.

There is a set of 3 tap handles you can buy separately at HF that are pretty good. Their large size ratcheting tap holder is great actually. its like $20 but its for bigger taps and reamers. Also can hold your 1/2 socket wrench extension. But skip the die sets and buy what you need as you need it from a quality brand. Ace Hardware usually has a pretty good selection of very serviceable Irwin taps.

-Brian


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## philba (Aug 23, 2014)

With anything from HF, you have to look closely. I usually read the reviews on their web site because HF doesn't edit them. There are plenty of comments like "junk" and "don't buy". There is one review for the set you bought - one star and the review says they would not recommend to a friend. Also, HF has a very easy return policy so when you found the problem, you could have returned them. In fact, you may still be able to return them.


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## JayT (May 6, 2012)

Pipe threads are weird because the pipe is measured by inside diameter so as to be able to calculate flow rates. No idea why one would be included, it's not a commonly used size, AFAIK.


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## TheFridge (May 1, 2014)

I have had a lot of success drilling and tapping hardwoodo and hardwood for jigs and such. I look up drill and tap charts and use 100% thread engagement and go from there. You prob want a set with the 3/8" die so I'd bring it back.

1/8" is prop 1/8" pipe. That'd be my guess.


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## Racer2007 (Jan 13, 2011)

On thier website it shows this ,

Lifetime Warranty. We guarantee this Tool to be free from defects in material and workmanship for the life of the product. Limitations apply.

I would take it back even if I had it for a year and show them the one die is marked wrong. Can't hurt to try even for a $8 to $10 set. Not sure what the Limitations might be.


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## ssnvet (Jan 10, 2012)

I'm fine with the China tap and die sets…. at $8 for 21 pieces, you paid $0.38/ea for taps.

The only other alternative to buy new is to shop the metal working sites like Enco. Spend some time surfing their offerings and you'll find that the next step up in quality is going to cost you ~$2.50 for small taps. and the sets are upwards of $100-$300.

Without the cheap China stuff, I could never justify the expense of having tap sets, which I infrequently use (and I do hobby metal working as well).


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## b2rtch (Jan 20, 2010)

I bought a bigger set from HF years ago. 
I posted a good review for it and I got flack for it.

http://lumberjocks.com/reviews/2906#comments

This set saved my a** more than once and I ma very happy that I bought it.
If I could I would give it 6 stars


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## robertb574 (Jan 12, 2011)

I have the same set as b2rtch and feel the same about it as he does his.


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## philba (Aug 23, 2014)

@b2rtch, some people just have to dump on things to prove their "superiority". That tap set you bought has a good rating for HF (4.2) so I'd say it's worth the $40. Some HF tools are gems.


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## b2rtch (Jan 20, 2010)

> @b2rtch, some people just have to dump on things to prove their "superiority". That tap set you bought has a good rating for HF (4.2) so I d say it s worth the $40. Some HF tools are gems.
> 
> - philba


I know that, they are called tool snobs.
Some tools are really worth a higher price but not all of them


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

These seem to better for "cleaning" out threads instead of making em. They will make new threads tho, so, as much as you may need to make threads, I'd say that's a deal. Just my .02


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## Rayne (Mar 9, 2014)

I have this set and can't complain about them at all. I've never used a tap and die set until this and it has saved my butt a few times, including the installation of my Carter Quick Release BS Tension. I had to tap into the frame to screw in the base and it worked flawlessly. For $12 after discount, it has paid itself off and more.

http://www.harborfreight.com/40-piece-sae-carbon-steel-tap-and-die-set-39391.html


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## tomd (Jan 29, 2008)

I found the sets they sold 6 years ago are a higher quality than the sets there selling now.


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## playingwithmywood (Jan 10, 2014)

well how often are you backing out the tap and cleaning out the threads…. also are you using any type of cutting fluid

yea I do not have this set it is just two things I wondered reading your review


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## BigYin (Oct 14, 2011)

Rick …....The inclusion of the 1/8×27 NPT seems like an odd choice. I have no idea what use I would have for that. Automotive maybe??......
Fits some british motorcycle petcocks and oil line nuts, badger air brush, pressure gauges etc


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## thetinman (Mar 10, 2014)

Rick,

I don't have the HF tap and die sets. I have more expensive sets that I've used for years. Of interest here is using them on wood and Delrin. I've used both in making fixtures and models - when I used to work for a living. The cut material trapped in the tap/die can ruin a thread more so than on steel. I'll offer some tips based on my own learning curve. 1st, cut a bit with the tap/die then loosen to clear the chips/shavings. Do this often - more often than you would with steel. The chips will crack the wooden "teeth" and deform and shrink the Delrin. It will make the teeth more straight than triangular.

Do not tighten the threaded parts fully at first. They will gall and relieve/loosen in a few ours never to work again. Snug them good at first then stop. Come back later and tighten.

These materials are soft and I doubt could be used as "working" threads where they are repeatedly tightened and loosened. Build it and forget it.

I hope this info might be useful to you. Good luck.

Terry


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## Grumpymike (Jan 23, 2012)

Well, you guys struck my curiosity with the wooden threads … so I broke out my old Diamond set and tried it out.
On the 1/4×20 the threads were just to fine and were mostly a disaster. I tried oak, cherry and sapelle.
The taps worked fairly well in a bored hole and I did have some success inserting a metallic machine screw.

Now the dies were less successful in trying to thread a dowel … threads are just too fine. ... I think if we could do threads at about 3 tpi we might have some better luck.


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## patcollins (Jul 22, 2010)

Nothing at all wrong with buying an inexpensive tool that will see rare use. I can't tell you how much top end stuff I have (not just tools) that I just don't use enough for it to matter and wish I had bought the cheap stuff.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

> Well, you guys struck my curiosity with the wooden threads … so I broke out my old Diamond set and tried it out.
> On the 1/4×20 the threads were just to fine and were mostly a disaster. I tried oak, cherry and sapelle.
> The taps worked fairly well in a bored hole and I did have some success inserting a metallic machine screw.
> 
> ...


Thanks, this was helpful. So it's not just the tap.

Which reminds me, I forgot to mention it but the 1/4×20 tap is really tight in a 1/4×20 nut which leads me to believe it's out of spec.


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## playingwithmywood (Jan 10, 2014)

what kind of finish was on the nut ?? cause that can make a difference also


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

> well how often are you backing out the tap and cleaning out the threads…. also are you using any type of cutting fluid
> 
> yea I do not have this set it is just two things I wondered reading your review
> - playingwithmywood


What was your experience tapping 1/4×20 threads into wood or Delrin? Did they hold well? What cutting fluid do you recommend for those materials? What brand tap are you using and what style is it?



> what kind of finish was on the nut ?? cause that can make a difference also
> 
> - playingwithmywood


The regular kind. Thanks for your post.


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## b2rtch (Jan 20, 2010)

> - Grumpymike
> 
> Which reminds me, I forgot to mention it but the 1/4×20 tap is really tight in a 1/4×20 nut which leads me to believe it s out of spec.
> 
> - Rick M.


May be yes or may be no.
The specification have tolerances. 
It is enough that the nut be at one limit of the tolerances and the tap at the other limit.
Also you can buy, on Mc Master Carr, for example nuts ans screws and taps with tighter or larger fit.
In addition the European metric screws and nut are not exactly the same than the Japanese and I guess Chinese.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

While waiting for paint to dry on my lathe I downloaded a tolerance chart for taps then went back through all the taps and dies. The following changes/corrections were made to the review.

*update*: I originally had the sizes backward, the 3/8 die is present however the 7/16 die is questionable. I do not have a 7/16 bolt but I do have a plastic bolt/nut size checker. The 3/8 tap fits the 3/8 tab on the size checker, the 7/16 isn't even close to fitting the 7/16 tab. Using a caliper I checked the 7/16 die, it is within a hundredth of an inch of the 3/8 die. The 7/16 die does not seem to fit the 7/16 tap but that's a difficult thing to check since one is 3 flute, the other is 4 flute.

*update*: I checked the 1/4 tap with calipers, it is within spec. Then I checked all the taps, all were within spec although a couple were barely within spec (less than .001).

Also several of the dies have chunks of metal inside the flutes. They will thread on a bolt but I don't know they would actually be able to cut threads.


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## ic3ss (Oct 19, 2010)

What, you mean Harbor Fright made a tool that has dimensional and quality issues? No way.


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