Tap and Die

[Jgrden]

I have decided to buy a tap and die set. Harbor Freight has sets from fifteen dollar on up to one hundred. Before I do this, however, it would be wise to check with expereinced turners to see what they are using. SAE?, do I need to be concerned about pitch, threads per inch for pen making?

Thank you for your remarks.

John

 

[Jgrden]

I have decided to buy a tap and die set. Harbor Freight has sets from fifteen dollar on up to one hundred. Before I do this, however, it would be wise to check with expereinced turners to see what they are using. SAE?, do I need to be concerned about pitch, threads per inch for pen making?

Thank you for your remarks.

John

What remarks???? Guess I'll just go buy SAE and work with those.

 

[Monty]

John,
It will depend on what you plan to use them for. If you're wanting them to make threads for caps, most of these are triple start, meaning there are three starting points and are usually special taps and dies, not available in a set like you're talking about, and can cost as much for a matching tap and die as the sets of single start. If you want them for the nibs, most nib housings you can buy are special metric threads (like 8.7mmX1.5 - just an example, not necessarily are correct one).

 

[mredburn]

A good tap and die set is great if you going to make both the matching male and female threads on your pen parts, not to mention genral duty for other things we get into. There are not many, if any, that will match the threads on existing kit parts. The triple tap set is nice but you can use a single thread until you decide to go to that level. A combo set has the most versatility, but you may not need or use most of the sizes. As with the current Sharpie tap buy I have priced individual taps to match particular pen parts and they start at 118.00 for one. They drop in price as you have multiples made but there are so many odd sizes that one particular tap has limited use. Hope this helps. Mike

 

[Texatdurango]

What remarks???? Guess I'll just go buy SAE and work with those.

Geeze, give us a chance to reply before giving up! Some of us have other things to do other than monitor this forum 24/7... well, I don't but I'm sure some do! :biggrin:

You didn't say how you were going to use them but I'm guessing you want to make some home made pens right?

Here is my experience with buying taps and dies this past year, see if it fits your situation, keeping in mind that 80% of my pen making time is now spent working on pens that have nothing to do with purchased kits anymore.

I bought one of the larger Harbor Freight sets, the one that has several of "fine" metric sizes and have only used a couple taps out of that set, now it sits under my workbench collecting dust. Other than a 1/2-20 tap used for making some bodies for the Sharpie refill that is out now, I haven't used any SAE taps or dies to date.

I found that most of the threads I would be cutting were small, fine threads which meant metric sizes so I visited Victor tap and die and ordered every metric tap and die they have from 6mm to 10mm. Sounds like a lot but in my pen making I have used most of them already so I don't see it as a waste especially since I spent $40 on the Harbor Freight set that I will rarely use.

Lastly, even equipped with a full range of metric taps and dies I find that some of the threading I need to do is to match certain feeds and sections so wound up ordering special taps for those. There is no "Set" of taps and dies that will meet every need you encounter so in hindsight I would recommend bypassing any set and focus on the metric sizes mentioned above and whatever specialized taps you need.

Just my opinion!

 

[Jgrden]

Many thanks, Tex and Monty. That is just what I was looking for. You have saved me a bunch of money and heartbreak trying to figure out why single will not do the job. Thanks for the call Monty.

 

[bgray]

I rarely use taps and dies, but when I have, it's always been a special order.

I've never found a use for a tap or die coming from a standard SAE or metric set.

 

[Jgrden]

Me thinks if we are going to create upscale pens we need to know how to complete twist caps. Also, I am into the Sharpe conversions. AND Mr. Roberts says "know your fountain pens" which are most always twist caps. Also, I think as your reputation precedes you, requests to repair old pens might require replicating caps. Am I right, right, right??

 

[Texatdurango]

I rarely use taps and dies, but when I have, it's always been a special order.

I've never found a use for a tap or die coming from a standard SAE or metric set.

Brian, Multi-start threads for the cap and body is one thing but when you make a bulb or button filler, what size threads to you cut where the blind cap screws onto the pen body?

I use 8mm x .75 and can't imagine cutting those little threads on my little metal lathe.

I know practice makes perfect and sooner or later I will need to learn to thread on the lathe but in these cases especially with these small threads we're talking about a $3 tap, a $4 die and a few minutes to cut the threads. I don't see the payoff to investing all the time required to learn threading on the lathe, which is ironical since that IS why I bought the metal lathe to begin with.

 

[Chuck Key]

I don't see the payoff to investing all the time required to learn threading on the lathe, which is ironical since that IS why I bought the metal lathe to begin with.

Threading on the metal lathe is handy when one takes that giant step out side the penturning community. Today I made a camera tripod head mount to replace the original now broken plastic mount. The thread measured 17.66mm x 1.0mm. I did not even look to see if Victor or Enco had that die and if they did I probably would not have it until after Thanksgiving so I made the mount on my lathe from a piece of 6061. It took an hour or so.

Chuckie