Dick L

Well-known Member
I needed to tap six 7/16 holes today. Looked thru my taps and couldn't find one decent 7/16 tap. Needed to pick up some bolts so I went into Rural King. They have changed brands of drill bits and taps to Irwin. I figured if I bought two it should get me six holes. I couldn't get one hole taped as deep as I wanted even sharpening the tap three times. Each sharpening would get about three threads. P20 is a little tuff but I have never had a new tap not do several holes in it.
 
You are tapping mold steel?
The tap is likely plain carbon steel.....or basically junk. It isnt a crime to make thread taps that are not heat treated tool steel but it should be.
 
Yes mold steel. I knew they were not going to last but not even one hole? I ordered some good taps but the job sets until next week. I Probly wouldn't get back to it now if I had the taps tomorrow as I have about six hours on another job tomorrow that is hot.
 
Those hardware store taps are awful.. Carbon Steel, instead of HSS, not even ground.. But sometimes you have to get by.. I am lucky, Travers Tool is 4 miles away.

Amazing how long good taps will last.. Sadly, last week, I broke one of my favorite 1/4-20 taps, after using it for years... I think it was an Emuge brand.. Not cheap, but really a bargain, if you consider how many holes it tapped..
 
Irwin was a good brand of tool a number of years ago. I have a set of easy outs made by them. The set cost me $75 more then 2 decades ago and in all that time I have broken only one of them which says something about how good they are
 
Junk tools at a farm fleet store Dick??? no way! LOL
Best general use type taps and dies I ever owned were Hanson back when Hanson was not Irwin. I look for the old ones when I go into an old man pa hardware store and buy them if the real deal. Same as with many other brands Hanson was ruined when Irwin took them over, its like going to Lowes and buying a "Troy Built" or a "Bolans" That being said even when I spend good money at a real tool supplier taps in general seem to be lower grade than 20 years ago? Steel seems to be there but they are NOT sharp. So bad that I have been watching fleabay for a grinder set up for taps.
 
When I hired tool makers they would bring in the tapered easy break offs. When I find one I head to the post grinder grind a center punch point on the end and shine up the sides to remove the grip. Not having them in working order saves time in the long run. The square ones are worth a try sometimes.
 
I do like EZ Outs to remove the broken off brass fittings.. Never loan them to the set-up guys, though, or I'll be firing up the EDM.
 

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