Are Hanson tools OK??

[banjodunn]

G'day all I am looking for a set of metric taps and dies, now my local snap on man is trying to flog me his stuff at a price well that is a little high for what i will need it for ( Close to $600 aus ). I am a professional mech and do not mind spending good money on my tools but a quick search on fleabay this morn came up with a hanson brand set that to me looked identical to the S/O set BUT delivered to my door for @$200 aus. They are not something I will use every day but in saying that I do not want it to break the first time i use it either. Hope some of you guys have had exp with this brand and may be able to shed a bit of light on a brand not seen over here. Thanks to one and all



Jon

 

[whistlepig]

G'day all I am looking for a set of metric taps and dies, now my local snap on man is trying to flog me his stuff at a price well that is a little high for what i will need it for ( Close to $600 aus ). I am a professional mech and do not mind spending good money on my tools but a quick search on fleabay this morn came up with a hanson brand set that to me looked identical to the S/O set BUT delivered to my door for @$200 aus. They are not something I will use every day but in saying that I do not want it to break the first time i use it either. Hope some of you guys have had exp with this brand and may be able to shed a bit of light on a brand not seen over here. Thanks to one and all



Jon

If they are carbon steel taps and dies they will only last for a very short time. If they are high speed steel taps and dies you should get very good use from them.

 

[mjncad]

I'm not an overly big fan of Irwin Hanson taps as I've found them to be brittle and easily broken. Personally I suggest you buy taps as you need them so you get the good stuff. How many times do you need to thread a piece of rod? If not at all, all those dies in the set will just sit there.

I buy Greenfield taps from McMaster-Carr. Pricey? Yep; but they are great taps still made in the USA...at least the last set I bought were.

Now I have no idea where in Australia you'd go for a McMaster-Carr equivalent.

 

[deereman75]

When I get back home tomorrow, I will check what kind of taps/dies we have, I know they are very good ones, but I cant remember the brand.

 

[banjodunn]

Thanks for the input guys i might just hold off on them, some of the places i will use them are a bit hard to get to so the last thing i want is a broken tap. I might just keep looking for some sutton or p&n a couple of good aus brands


Jon

 

[whistlepig]

Greenfield makes premium high speed taps as does Cleveland Tool.

 

[deereman75]

I looked at the ones we have, and I couldnt figure out which company made them, (the price tag was over the brand name) but they are HSS, and most HSS taps should work well.

 

[whistlepig]

I looked at the ones we have, and I couldnt figure out which company made them, (the price tag was over the brand name) but they are HSS, and most HSS taps should work well.

HSS (high speed steel) is the way to go. You're OK with what you have for home use. For production work brand names like Greenfield and Cleveland hold up a bit better. Greenfield and Cleveland are expensive and not worth the extra cost for home use.

 

[deereman75]

HSS (high speed steel) is the way to go. You're OK with what you have for home use. For production work brand names like Greenfield and Cleveland hold up a bit better. Greenfield and Cleveland are expensive and not worth the extra cost for home use.

I only use taps/dies about once a year (or less), so even harbor freight carbon steel ones would work for me. I have had some really good luck with these $30 HSS lathe tools, they are better then the old industrial ones we have. (the old ones are HCS (high carbon steel) tool steel though, not HSS)