Harbor freight tap & die sets

[Soundguy]

We think alike!

I have a 'cheap' chase set i made a few years back. it is nothing more than a handfull of gr5,8, 10 mixed bolts, that I used a cut off wheel on and made a slot in them, and then beveled down the first 1/4 to 1/2 of the threads. I slather a bit of grease on them and run them in 'unknown' holes before I really put the bolt in.

I've been doing this for a long time now, and my firends always tell me i need to just go ahead and buy a chase set... I guess its time to 'cave in' and get them..

Soundguy

Soundguy,

Just for chasing paint, rust, etc. from existing threads, they should work fine. I have, many times, cut a slot in a bolt with a hacksaw to make a "tap" to do this exact same thing. I finally did the same thing you are talking about, bought a cheap set for this type of job.

Only difference, mine weren't from Harbor Freight, they were from a church "garage sale." Made in China, and from the price still listed on the box, unbelievably cheap. I went ahead, thinking, if they are cr*p, I didn't spend much, and the money did go to a good cause.

Five years later, I am still using them, and they are working fine.

Good luck, and Merry Christmas!

 

[DieselPower]

Personally I wouldn't waste my money on them. My tap and die sets go from 0-80 up to 1 1/2 inch in course, fine and national special and also British Wentworth and metric up to M39. Almost every single tap and die is either high carbon or carbide and made by Cleveland. With proper care, correct use and good tapping fluid most of them will probably last me my whole life. If you have ever tried to tap a 1 1/2 inch hole in a 6 inch block of steel with a cheap tap you very quickly learn the value of a high quality tap. There is no comparisson.

 

[bamatoolmaker]

Personally I wouldn't waste my money on them. My tap and die sets go from 0-80 up to 1 1/2 inch in course, fine and national special and also British Wentworth and metric up to M39. Almost every single tap and die is either high carbon or carbide and made by Cleveland. With proper care, correct use and good tapping fluid most of them will probably last me my whole life. If you have ever tried to tap a 1 1/2 inch hole in a 6 inch block of steel with a cheap tap you very quickly learn the value of a high quality tap. There is no comparisson.

Exactly the truth.A couple extra dollars up front for a good tap can save you thousands in scrap.Oh by the way the Craftsman tap and die set is not any better than the above mentioned imports.No they will not replace it if you break it either.

 

[Jim_Fisher]

I see in the last few fliers, HF has a pretty large tap and die set.. for uh.. pretty cheap.

I am in need of a set to pretty much just 'chase' existing threads.. vs really cutting new threads.

Anyone got one? they good enough to be thread chases?

Soundguy

I'm sure that they would work.

That said, I've gotten a couple of good quaity sets off of ebay for about what you will pay for the Harbor Freight sets. Requires a bit of time and patience.

Here's one that might fill the bill: eBay: VINTAGE CRAFTSMAN TAP AND DEI SET, MADE IN THE U.S.A. (item 110070169658 end time Dec-25-06 14:43:09 PST)

 

[Sully2]

Soundguy,

Just for chasing paint, rust, etc. from existing threads, they should work fine. I have, many times, cut a slot in a bolt with a hacksaw to make a "tap" to do this exact same thing. I finally did the same thing you are talking about, bought a cheap set for this type of job.

Only difference, mine weren't from Harbor Freight, they were from a church "garage sale." Made in China, and from the price still listed on the box, unbelievably cheap. I went ahead, thinking, if they are cr*p, I didn't spend much, and the money did go to a good cause.

Five years later, I am still using them, and they are working fine.

Good luck, and Merry Christmas!

I agree totally. For the work he has outlined they'll work fine. I WOULDNT start building a pulling tractor with them.....but for cleaning out grungy already tapped holes...sure.

 

[kmdigital]

If you have ever tried to tap a 1 1/2 inch hole in a 6 inch block of steel with a cheap tap you very quickly learn the value of a high quality tap. There is no comparisson.

I have never ever had a need for a brand new hole this size, and I doubt that many others do either. But if you do, then you obviously need quality!

Quality tools are nice, but very hard to justify unless you make your living with them. I have been to auctions when they sell Snap-On, and good Lord, those things go for a ton of money. Example; one little itty bitty 1/4" drive rachet with a swivel head for $50! And no sockets with it! There is no way I could justify that for something that gets used maybe 3-4 times a year. Sure, they hold their value, IF (and that is sometimes a big IF), you don't lose them first, which is sometimes way too easy to do!

And even if they sell well later, they still aren't a good investment as the definition of an investment is something that INCREASES in value greater then the rate of inflation. And even a Snap-On tool set doesn't do that! I know an awful lot of mechanics that are rather broke because a large part of their paychecks go to the tool dealer each week. Heck, I know mechanics that have $30k worth of tool at the dealership where they work, and another $25k worth at home so they can do side jobs on the weekends. The thing is, they haven't ever figured out how many side jobs they need to do to justify this expense (notice, it doesn't fit the definition of an investment, even though that is what they think it is)!

But they are just like many building contractors and their new diesel pickup trucks. They want them, even though they can't justify them, and these builders are the first to go out of business at the first hickup in the economy. In fact several contractors in this area that have been around for over 10 years just closed in the last 2 months because residential construction has slowed so much.

So it all depends on what you would rather do with your money. Buy the best available because you really need it (a good reason, though actually very, very rare), or buy the best because you can afford it out of current income (not a very good reason but by far the most common. Read the "Millionaire Next Door" to see what the authors have to say about these consumers.)

Or buy a reasonably priced item that is a good blend of quality and price and is of sufficient quality to meet your needs, and invest the difference in something that actually appreciates in value. With consistent application of this principal I can pretty much guarantee you who will come out ahead financially in the long-term.

 

[DieselPower]

I have never ever had a need for a brand new hole this size, and I doubt that many others do either. But if you do, then you obviously need quality!

Quality tools are nice, but very hard to justify unless you make your living with them. I have been to auctions when they sell Snap-On, and good Lord, those things go for a ton of money. Example; one little itty bitty 1/4" drive rachet with a swivel head for $50! And no sockets with it! There is no way I could justify that for something that gets used maybe 3-4 times a year. Sure, they hold their value, IF (and that is sometimes a big IF), you don't lose them first, which is sometimes way too easy to do!

And even if they sell well later, they still aren't a good investment as the definition of an investment is something that INCREASES in value greater then the rate of inflation. And even a Snap-On tool set doesn't do that! I know an awful lot of mechanics that are rather broke because a large part of their paychecks go to the tool dealer each week. Heck, I know mechanics that have $30k worth of tool at the dealership where they work, and another $25k worth at home so they can do side jobs on the weekends. The thing is, they haven't ever figured out how many side jobs they need to do to justify this expense (notice, it doesn't fit the definition of an investment, even though that is what they think it is)!

But they are just like many building contractors and their new diesel pickup trucks. They want them, even though they can't justify them, and these builders are the first to go out of business at the first hickup in the economy. In fact several contractors in this area that have been around for over 10 years just closed in the last 2 months because residential construction has slowed so much.

So it all depends on what you would rather do with your money. Buy the best available because you really need it (a good reason, though actually very, very rare), or buy the best because you can afford it out of current income (not a very good reason but by far the most common. Read the "Millionaire Next Door" to see what the authors have to say about these consumers.)

Or buy a reasonably priced item that is a good blend of quality and price and is of sufficient quality to meet your needs, and invest the difference in something that actually appreciates in value. With consistent application of this principal I can pretty much guarantee you who will come out ahead financially in the long-term.

Shoot, I wish that's all I had in tools. I spend close to 25-30,000 per year minimum on tools and equipment. Needless to say my Snap-On man loves me. Two years ago I had to buy a 2 1/2 inch drive 5 5/8 inch impact socket. Cost $2,250.00, for one socket! It's one of those thing's though. I had to have it to take the nuts off of Hendrickson suspenssion's and they were one of the only companies that make it. I guess I should be thankful though. I checked the current Snap-On price list and it's now close to 3 grand. I guess it was a bargin when I got it.

 

[kmdigital]

DieselPower, I take it you must own your own repair business? Otherwise, how can you possibly afford that much in tools annually??!! That is unless you make a lot more then most mechanics I know make! As the owner of a shop with several mechanics, I can see that you might spend that much in specialized tools, and it goes a long way in explaining why it costs so much to take something in for repairs!

 

[Soundguy]

On the other hand.. for a guy like me that chases a thread or two while restoring an old tractor.. i think the 30$ chinese set will do fine to clean paint from old threaded holes..

If i have a 6' block of steel that needs 2" threads in it..well.. that's what machinists are for... ( that or welders... )

Soundguy

 

[mopacman]

If you use half of the taps a dies one time it will more than pay for itself. Larry