Best TAP & DIE Set? Craftsman vs Irwin, Bosch, Draper, Vermont American, Tekton, GearWrench

[@ProjectFarm]

Here’s the list of products reviewed. More details in the video description. Thank you! Craftsman: amzn.to/361UCIl Century: amzn.to/3GL2RFe Tekton: amzn.to/3JDCWS7 Bosch: amzn.to/3gGqzIl Draper: amzn.to/3HNmnSW GearWrench: amzn.to/3LvjEzO Vermont American: amzn.to/3HK5E2U Irwin: Available at Lowes Pittsburgh: available at Harbor Freight

[@MisterSeabass]

Love the closeup of the Harbor Freight set with all the scattered parts and the poorly machined dies while you quoted their product's 'exacting standards'.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thank you! I was hoping Pittsburg would be of better quality.

[@Seb123]

hmm

[@jrodriguez1374]

@@ProjectFarm there's that sense of humor!

[@hexsaver420]

I actually thought the shot at 0:32 was a joke at first, good lord

[@appalachiangunman9589]

Yeah the machining on the inside of the die looked very crude. It seemed like one of the other Chinese brands was pretty sloppy too. The Irwin-Hanson was a daylight to dark difference with beautifully cut threads.

[@tjohnson9051]

I was a machinist for a defense contractor and we use Greenfield and Guhring taps. The tap sets you tested here are fine to general use and do not have a tread clearance called out, that's why they vary on how lose they cut. The Greenfield and Guhring you have to specify GH1 or GH2 depending on how you want the bolt to fit. GH1 are very close tolerance fit and are the most expensive. The GH2 has more clearance but still less than the sets you tested. Maximum holding power use the GH1.

[@jimb9283]

How does Starett quality compare to the other two?

[@phillhuddleston9445]

@@jimb9283 Starrett makes mostly measuring devices, they do make tap wrenches but I've never seen a tap made by them, even if they have made taps better to stick to the companies that specialize in making taps.

[@jonjohnson102]

Gurhring makes taps? Learned something new

[@HighGear7445]

Also 4 flute taps need to be reversed frequently to break the chip to achieve the best it can deliver. A quality cutting fluid makes a world of difference also. All tested are hobby grade , a far cry from a Greenfield or Guhring . Retired Tool Die & Mold maker.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks for the feedback.

[@Night_Monkey]

I just love your format and tempo. No fluff, no filler, just clear concise and to the point. You've helped me make many confident decisions as a homeowner and general diy'er. Thank you.

[@ProjectFarm]

You are so welcome!

[@jimglassford9967]

I invested in Irwin sets a long time ago. What I have found is that carbon steel taps and dies are single use only. The teeth on the taps break when tapping steel. Over the years, I have purchased individual HHS taps made in the USA, replacing damaged taps in the set. The difference in cutting and longevity is amazing.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks for the feedback.

[@jessehoeper2674]

I’m tempted to buy a set but think I’ll do as you did just buy as needed

[@jakass]

It seems better for most things to buy as needed instead of a mass set. Kitchen knives and pots/pans sets made that clear to me a while back

[@Area51Motorcycles]

I can't find a brand that make taps of HHS. Could you tell me wich one you buy?

[@skudak]

@@Area51Motorcycles He most likely meant HSS which is high speed steel. You can get them from places like MSC

[@tylergmorales17]

The rate this man produces content is insane. Most of my subscriptions get away with a video every 2 months or so. Awesome, and glad I watched before buying a set because I truly was considering that pittsburgh set not having known anything about quality.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks for the feedback.

[@ewaltmana]

I have a Pittsburgh tap set for home mechanic use. It stinks.

[@tylergmorales17]

@@ewaltmana Ah good to know

[@twistedhillbilly6157]

You can't even chase a thread with a Pitsburgh much less cut a clean one.. the cost of a good set is so expensive, you are usually better off buying the size you need when you need it.. get a tap handle and a die stock at a flea market.. You'll most likely only use a couple of the pieces in the set anyway.. OR Work in a machine shop and return the taps to your toolbox instead of the tool crib..

[@tylergmorales17]

@@twistedhillbilly6157 I’ll just buy the Irwin set I guess

[@everperez8538]

Now before I buy a tool I come to this channel to see if Project Farm has tested it. I am about to graduate as a Motorcycle Tech and buying lots of tools, this channel has helped me narrow down to what I need and where to spend and not to spend money when it comes to brands. Thanks PROJECT FARM!

[@ProjectFarm]

Thank you very much!

[@Rickie53]

I think a video on rivet nuts would be pretty interesting. I’ve been looking at them to put on my pickup bed so I can easily remove and remount my toolbox. With just a bolt from the top instead of having to get a nut underneath the edge. My old truck it was easy to do, but my new one is impossible to get under the back corners of the tool box with my hand and a nut. I’m mostly curious how much torque the standard round ones can handle before twisting loose. I’ve seen these hex shaped rivet nuts also. For them a small hole is drilled, then a tool pulled through the hole to make it hex shaped, then the hex shaped rivet nut is crushed into that. Looks like it could take a ton of torque without being spun out.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thank you for the video idea!

[@lpete2766]

l would be interested in that to .

[@JT-rq7nt]

@@ProjectFarm Thanks for the videos, but I have to ask: What happened to you displaying the top products at the end of the video? It's just you sitting next to an empty table! o_O

[@rickjablonski9669]

That’d be cool. I’ve used them a few times. Really come in handy. Most recent instance was a DIY upgrade to extend the length of my table saw’s front rail. Worked really well and has held up without any issues.

[@steakdaddy2600]

Rivet nuts would definitely be a nice video

[@Leonarco333]

A bonus for craftsman and Irwin is that you can buy single taps and dies to replace worn ones. I believe it’s the same with gear wrench. Not so with many of these sets. Or if you are made entirely out of money, snap-on or Mac offers a similar arrangement.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks for the feedback.

[@zacharycaron4834]

Interstate and precision offer the same. But they’re up there in price as well.

[@dimitar4y]

14:00 a small error you made is the split dies are meant for adjusting how tight/loose the thread is, by clamping it in the vice, you are *making* it as loose as it can make the thread by means of collapsing it to it's maximum cut. This would also increase torque/wear on the die.

[@benscott19841]

I had the same thought when I saw how he did the test with the split dies.

[@compt3ck]

Yup. That will cut a smaller diameter thread and cause the loose fit.

[@brianhardyfsj]

Came here to say exactly this, by closing the die your forcing it to both cut more (taking more force) and giving a looser fit

[@Tinkering902]

Not that small an error, I guess this is the price of churning out content. Still an awesome channel and I really appreciate the effort.

[@stuartgreenshields5591]

I was thinking the same thing. Also do people not reverse up to cut the thread any more, and clean out the swarf? No wonder some of these were binding and breaking. I wonder if that caused some of the slop too.

[@tomcardale5596]

Generally speaking, at least in the UK market, ones marketed as "carbon steel" are fit for chucking straight in the bin. HSS is the minimal viable material.

[@outlawbillionairez9780]

That's basically true, but if you're going to be chasing rusted or damaged EXISTING threads on cars and such, carbon steel taps aren't as easy to break as HSS. A broken tap, buried in a hard to reach spot on an engine block, is now your greatest nightmare. I will often run a worn carbon tap in first, then follow with HSS or better yet, cobalt HSS. As a machinist and a mechanic for over 50 years, I've removed more broken taps than most people have ever seen. 😊👍

[@twistedhillbilly6157]

@@outlawbillionairez9780 There are some good videos on here with lots of tricks to remove broken taps.. Let's Go Brandon!!!

[@Mote78]

@@twistedhillbilly6157 Don’t stain this great forum with politics. Take it elsewhere guys.

[@lambdaman3228]

@@Mote78 > Take it elsewhere guys. Guys plural? I only see one person who explicitly wrote about political matters in their comment.

[@thomasbarlow4223]

@@outlawbillionairez9780 whats the go to method? Ive seen AvE use acid or something to loosen a broken tap. Ever tried that?

[@jhagge2]

As an aircraft mechanic who does heavy maintenance I really appreciate the videos you put out. You help make my life and my coworkers lives much easier!

[@ProjectFarm]

You are welcome! Glad to hear!

[@memphiskennedy9541]

That makes two of us 😂

[@kevinlloyd2707]

a machinist uses brands like DORMER OR BLUEPOINT, sure expensive but you have a tap that will cut 500 holes and pass a go/nogo Gage

[@jhagge2]

@@kevinlloyd2707 I don't think I'm gonna be doing that many holes, but definitely good to know because then that means they'll last me a lifetime.

[@tac0majas0n]

A&P here! My box is full of suggestions from project farm haha

[@Twenty_Six_Hundred]

Obviously these tests are for pure strength and quality. I was taught as a steel fabricator by trade that when tapping by hand use plenty of cutting compound, keep straight as possible, and turn a 180-360 then reverse 90 or so till you feel the swarf break loose an repeat until hole is tapped. I have an el' cheapo set in the shed for around the house. Using this method gives me a nice clean thread and they have lasted years with occasional use. Sure it takes longer but works a treat. My boss that taught me was probably tight about replacing taps. However it works well and minimizes wear.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks for the feedback.

[@lewishodge4935]

Right on 26!@@ProjectFarm

[@gpsguidedsimpson]

me too back and forth not all one way

[@Gomepez]

I tried using a harbor freight tap to cut a hole in an engine block. IT DID NOT CUT FOR ANYTHING. got a good quality hardened tap and worked perfect. Learned my lesson 😂

[@ProjectFarm]

Great feedback! Thank you

[@Dumascain]

Harbor Freight tools are hit or miss. I've gotten a few excellent tools from there that lasted years. Went back to get another one, and it was total garbage. And then, a 3rd time and got some sort of mid-range quality. I thin it all depends on who they source from when they need to restock their warehouses.

[@Kc12v140]

I’d love to see you test different brands of “flushable” wipes. The brands say they are safe and they dissolve, but virtually every plumber says never use them 👍

[@rothandre6497]

I used to work in a retirement home, we constantly told the care givers that "flushable" doesn't mean flushable. They still flushed them. Guess what the most common thing was that I snaked out of the sewer lines when they clogged?

[@Deere2154D]

Listen to the plumbers.

[@rothandre6497]

@@Deere2154D I laugh at the wipes labeled "plumber approved." Of course they are plumber approved: they provide job security for plumbers!

[@x_DEUS_VULT_x]

"septic safe" TP vs standard

[@trailerwookie]

I am certified to work on aerobic septic systems. Flushable wipes literally means that they are capable of being flushed down the toilet, so technically the labels are correct. By that same logic, a small pet is also flushable.

[@TgWags69]

Something to keep in mind is the H-limit (class of fit) to these taps. Most consumer sets are H-3 taps which is a fairly loose fit, as in the taps are actually larger than nominal.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thank you for the feedback!

[@loboheeler]

Exactly why you usually don't want to use standard taps for thread chasing, as they cut oversized. There are special taps for that, and other special threading needs. Any good machinist should know these things, but do we have such skilled people anymore?

[@markp8295]

@@loboheeler It also didn't help that he didn't back turn the tap to break the bur every rotation or so. This results in a worse cut and more force needed.

[@magicoddeffect]

@@markp8295 He did that intentionally in these tests to simulate accelerated wear and abuse, and therefore find out which brands were toughest

[@carlfesser6673]

@@magicoddeffect Someone buying the tools that will survive the most abuse instead of the tools that will best do the jobs says a lot more about the skills of the tool user than the tools.

[@mrhalfstep]

I need you to know that I'm trying to be informative and not critical with this comment. You are possibly the best content provider that I follow, for a number of reasons. I love your videos and the time and effort you put into "covering all the bases" with each group of items you test. Having said that, I, respectfully, say that you may have come up a little short on this one. Training as a draftsman back when we had Vocational and Technical High Schools in this country that trained young people to go to work and not always to go to college, I learned that there are various "Fit" standards for American, and I can only assume, Metric, threaded fasteners. I have worked with many skilled tradesmen over the years and it is the rare one that knows this. Mechanical engineers and machinists know it, but not mechanics, or other end users, so much. When you use the "recommended" twist drill for a given thread size in a "Kit" like this, you aren't wrong, but you need to understand that there is actually a range of drills that should be used for each tap, depending on how much "Thread Engagement", expressed as a percentage, is desired from the finished hole. Of course you can, and most users eventually do, decide on a "good enough" size that gets most jobs done. The problem arises when you begin to compare the wobble in a nut of unknown thread engagement on a bolt, also of unknown thread fit standard, to a cut thread using the same twist drill for each hole with multiple brands of taps. Each tap brand could be used with a differing drill size that could possible replicate the sample nut and bolt fit, so the wobble factor rating could be considerably changed and, therefore, doesn't mean the tap is of poor quality or design. You as the end user are supposed to be aware of these things. Many taps are meant to be used with Number or Letter drills, not fractional drills. I noticed that some of your dies were adjustable dies. The ones with a split in the circumference will be adjustable. Some of them that are adjustable will have a set screw that spans the gap created by the split and can be tightened to spread the split and give a shallower cut and a tighter thread fit. The second type of adjustable die has a slit and a "V" notch in the circumference. The handle for that die will have a screw that wedges itself into the "V" and forces it apart, again making the threads shallower and tighter. How DEEP the threads are cut with both the taps and the dies, will influence the torque needed to cut the thread. That means that a very sharp die, cutting a very deep thread, could still have a high torque requirement and would yield a very sloppy thread. It doesn't make it a bad die. I don't know if you made adjustments to the dies or not, but adjusting them, and they are meant to be adjusted and usually cost more for that reason, will dramatically change your results in many ways. Likewise, It would be helpful to know if the same "standard drill" was recommended in all materials, by all the sets. One other consideration when comparing factory nuts and bolts the home shop made threaded products is the quality of the machine driving the drill. A drill running in a press will run truer and yield a smaller, rounder hole than one run in a hand drill. Even starting a tap with a drill press doesn't guarantee that it will go straight (although for the thickness of material you where using, it should). The factories that make nuts and bolts use precision machines called, you guessed it, Screw Machines, to mass produce threaded fasteners. In a machine shop, when making a one off thread, a bench tapping machine or a lathe is used to make sure everything is lined up and that would require the least amount of torque. A thread that runs out will get harder and harder to make. I'd just like your subscribers to know that if the thread is too loose feeling, they should try a smaller drill and expect it to take more torque and lube. Also be aware that some dies can be adjusted for a very snug fit. Practice on some scrap first.

[@NotAdamSnider]

Dude get a life. Just kidding. Thank you for leaving this comment. It's nice to be getting the correct information when looking at this stuff. It's always nice to hear from someone who is experienced. Getting the wrong info can lead to some major trouble. So thank you! 😊

[@mrhalfstep]

@@NotAdamSnider You're quite welcome. I wish I wasn't so lazy and was willing to invest in the gear and effort required to film content, since I do have experience in lots of useful skills. I use this KZbin resource all the time to acquire even more skills and value all the content makers that put in the effort that this fella does. He's right up there at the top, wouldn't you agree? I try to give back in the comments when I can because I do know how to talk ( ask any of my friends LOL) and write, although my typing is hunt and peck. I share as I can.

[@62Cristoforo]

Thanks for that wealth good information, some of which I already knew. My uncle was a well paid tool & die maker, cutting his teeth while serving in the royal navy during WWII, below decks as an artificer, and later after the war for a major farm equipment manufacturer, so I picked up some of this minutia second hand. I have inherited some of his precision tools, mostly from companies like Gray, Butterfield and Starrett, well made good quality precision tools that will outlast you and your next generation, harder and harder to find these days. I feel those days of precision and quality and pride in one’s work are diminishing daily.

[@dyer2cycle]

@@62Cristoforo ..yes, and sadly, many of those old trusted brands are now owned by China and made in China..Vermont American used to be very decent stuff at a budget price..now it is just average run of the mill China fodder...

[@akulkis]

@@62Cristoforo China. That's what's behind the drop in quality. Any manufacturer who moves operations to China isn't interested in quality. First, the employees at the new factory, including supervisor will be newbies. Chinese managers will cut every corner possible, including using cheaper, lower grade metals than specified (if you supply the material yourself, they will sell it and buy cheaper), and then pocket the difference. They will justify this fraud by: "If I don't do it, then I'm not doing enough for my family." Chinese don't trust each other, and will take advantage of any foreigner from a high trust society where people where living up to contractual obligations is considered the bare minimum, not a ceiling which should be sereptitiously unmet by slowly lowering product quality, farther and farther below the specifications, until the outsourcing company complains, and then just revert to the standard of the previously accepted shipment, with zero intention of EVER putting out product to the quality level specified in the purchase order.

[@Rood67]

I get your testing; however, when my Dad cut threads, he would go a turn then back of. Then again and again. This allowed chip removal, and the set he bought 40+ years ago still look like new and work great. Almost certain the set is from Craftsman as that is all he bought unless the item wasn’t available from Craftsman, or our local Sears didn’t have it.

[@slayersabre5]

Modern tap and die sets are designed to feed shavings away from the threads. These sets were used exactly as the manufacturers intended. I've used older sets, and even my college professor told us to turn and back off, but it's really not necessary.

[@weeral1]

@@slayersabre5 I've had the Harbor Freight ones (easily the crappiest brand) for probably 20 years... Still work like new because I take my time and don't push them. My point being the back off method clearly is better unless you need to do tons of items all day long. I use mine mostly for automotive. I don't use a one turn then half back rule.. I go by feel.. if they are struggling I back out to clear and go again until I feel a struggle.

[@timothymilam732]

My dad was a machinist for nearly 40 years, and the best way he said to use taps and dies, is exactly as you say. Run them in until you feel slight resistance, and back it out until you see the cut material fall out. Then run it in again until you feel it once more, and this from a man with unlimited access to all that he needed, even if he busted one or two on every hole. But he was a perfectionist, and believed that if you wanted the best fitment for your threads, then the slow and easy followed by reversing the tap or dies was the best way to achieve that goal. Being as he did all the proof work for engineers before the prints were released for general shop use, I've pretty much taken his word for gospel on anything to do with that sort of thing. I've got most of his tools, and the tap n die set are in a handmade wooden box with felt. The outside has some darkening from machine coolant I assume, but the green felt looks brand new, and he passed in 1998, and had been retired for probably 10 years prior to that time, but I know he still uaed his taps and dies after his retirement.

[@Oneillnn]

Machinist here, you’re right. Taps should me turned reverse every couple turns to break the chip. Even if the flutes are designed to remove them, that only helps but not replace traditional procedure.

[@joshuastewart7894]

All the taps that were used are straight flute taps which require chip removal, easily done by hand. Normally machine taps with have a gun point or spiral flutes which will either push the chips forward ahead of the tap or pull them out the back through the flutes

[@JM800]

Being a machinist, I would like to add that the fit check after initial tap test is a bit confusing. I've tapped thousands of holes. Maintaining a perpendicular axis at all times will make even the cheapest taps look great. The top wobble as you cut the threads is problem. I power tap on the lathe and the mill. Using a spring loaded tap guide can make them very nice and snug, just as you'd expect.

[@quimbymicheal]

Too much side torque with that ratchet making an oblong thread. Tbh all these sets are junk anyway

[@s.porter8646]

The best taps...regrinds...from your friendly neighborhood Tool and Die guy

[@MrRandyj72]

Im not a machinist but thought the same thing. Who really cares about the difference in torque required... It was a sloppy test with all that wobble. He should have done each tap using the press to ensure a good stable tap.

[@tshoveltuski8273]

@@quimbymicheal Your favorite brand? Not sure if high quality taps/dies are still made?! I really like the antique Greenfield USA set of tap/die I have. They seem to last & last even on hardened steel (I use good cutting fluid every time)

[@wrongfullyaccused7139]

@@MrRandyj72 ; The torque required shows just how well the tap was ground at the factory. The more accurate the tap is ground, the smoother the cut will be, torque requirement will be lower and the finish will be superior. So, that part of the test had some value. That wobbling was terrible and definitely would throw off the fit test.

[@goobygoo3253]

Another solid video! I can't get enough of these test reviews. So good at helping me make choices!

[@ProjectFarm]

Thank you very much!

[@Psalms19.1]

I was rooting for Irwin from the start and I’d have to say it didn’t let me down… They make really good tools for the price and they’ll last as long as you don’t abuse them. I love my Irwin tools. Definitely gonna have to pick up this tap and die kit.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks for sharing.

[@mrk8220]

Warning for those trying to source tools in the USA! I believe Irwin has given up on US manufacturing, lots of reports of getting mixed US/China taps and dies in sets, and the product pages no longer mention origin.

[@Psalms19.1]

@@mrk8220 Wow that’s unbelievable

[@phantombread3170]

@@mrk8220of course that happened I swear none of this shit is made in the us anymore

[@pastmasterdan4080]

This is also a great way to explain and understand “Slop” in a 4 wheel drive system when dealing with differentials. Preload, post load and running.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks for the feedback.

[@ACoustaDC]

Irwin and craftsman were the chosen ones. Having a teckton impact set I was sad to see the failure of the shaft of the tap. Very creative testing on your part as usual. One thing I would have like to see along with the overall price is the price per piece. The Irwin was a small set.

[@Ides385]

I agree, you might need something along the lines of $/in though. An extra 1/4" tap should be a lot cheaper than an extra 5/8" tap.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thank you!

[@ap1s2k78]

Machinist here too, I've had great luck with guhring drills and taps

[@FJB2020]

I'd pick the Irwin as it still supports American jobs..

[@tonywilson4713]

@@ProjectFarm Good effort to try this, but dang this is something really hard to do without some serious testing jigs. There were some obvious flaws in this and to be fair its a very hard thing to do. On the taps you really needed to use a guide and keep them straight all the way through the hole when your testing for the torque. Its simply way to easy to get a tap out of alignment. At 9:33 its obvious the Pittsburgh (on the left) was not straight. If you do this again I'd suggest finding a way to use a spring loaded guide. On the Dies and Nuts you cant just simply put a die in a vice as you did with the Draper (13:55). No matter how you set it up it will deform because its designed to deform. The fundamental difference between a nut and die is that split in the die allows the die to be compressed and cut deeper. In the proper handle you can start cutting a shallow thread with a die and then cut deeper by compressing the die. Putting that die in a vice compressed it and that's why the rod was so lose in the nut In all the tests I have seen you do this was probably the hardest to do. So you get an A+ for attempting it and trying to be fair to the products.

[@larrycleeton]

I have two, 40-year-old, Vermont American sets, imperial and metric. They clearly are better quality than the same brand you bought and mine were US-made. Most of what they sell today in retail box stores is junk. I've recently bought some US-made individual taps from McMaster-Carr. Excellent quality.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks for sharing.

[@GFTP100]

McMaster can't afford to sell junk. Too many industries depend on them to provide usable goods. McMaster Carr, my favorite 'toy store'...

[@runningwater5936]

It is a problem to find quality taps and dies, unless you know the good brands. There are so many Chinese, junk like tools on the market.

[@philthycoder]

@@GFTP100 Agreed, but the only problem with McMaster is that the shopping experience is geared toward engineers, and it can be a laborious process to zero in on the correct item for your need. They almost certainly sell that correct item, but you better damn well know how to ask for it!

[@imtheonehero9305]

It's okay if you like it. Test doesn't lie tho

[@stuartstuart866]

A few ideas for future tests: 1) Rivet nut tools 2) Rivet nuts 3) Insulated coffee mugs Thanks Todd, your videos are my “go to source” before I buy tools

[@ProjectFarm]

You are welcome! Thanks for sharing.

[@gjk1504]

I really would like to see the insulated coffee mug test too

[@mjminino]

Id be in for the rivet nut tool

[@salazam]

Thermos (the actual brand, not the colloquial term). Hands down.

[@corey6393]

I'm still using the same Japanese made tap and die set that I bought used at a flea market in the mid 90's. But I have been considering a new, more complete set since some of my stuff has broken/worn out/got lost over the years. The Irwin or Century seem to be right in my wheel house for cost and function. Great timing with this video!

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks!

[@1pcfred]

I have an old tap and die set I bought off Harbor Freight in the 90s made in Japan and it's a lot better than anything I'm seeing here. Was their top of the line back then. Think I paid $70 for it? 1/4 to 1" coarse and fine taps and dies. So pretty comprehensive set. I wish I'd bought the metric back then.

[@Rippthrough]

Exactly this, even a cheapish set of osborne or similar spiral point coated taps and drills at $60-80 make these sets look incredibly crude.

[@blackhawk7r221]

I’m pretty sold on the reliability and strength of my Century tsps and dies. Easy to find nowadays at OReilly’s.

[@stylicho]

I'm glad I bought a large Irwin set awhile back from somebody on marketplace for a hundred bucks. This set has everything though, not the small one

[@LV4TD101]

I'm a machinist by trade, and the tap brands you show are OK for very occasional emergency use. But if you're looking for higher precision and quality and are willing to pay more you want to go with brands like OSG, Emuge, greenfield or Guhring which can be bought through places like McMaster-Carr or MSC direct. The horrible quality and burrs you showed on the close up of these cheap taps and dies, made me cringe, lol

[@1pcfred]

Burrs in dies is always the hallmark of quality. Extra material! It used to be you could get hardware store tap and die sets that were so so. But this batch has lowered my expectations.

[@joughhenry1211]

I make Greenfield taps. I would be ashamed to make something so low quality as what was seen in this video.

[@AirwavesVT]

I will recommend OSG taps til the day I die, their A brand is pricey but god damn they are amazing!

[@danand6907]

We use osg taps all day everyday but for hard material we use yg or emouge

[@tubastuff]

My most cherished set of taps (3 for each size, including bottoming) are an old John Bath set (Worcester, MA). Sad to see all of the old-line US makers disappear.

[@LawpickingLocksmith]

Wow! When I had mechanical engineering in 1973 we had 3 taps and dies for every thread! A starter, a medium and a finish. Side to side movements were practically nil! I still have a small set somewhere for metric M3 to M6. Getting a matching drill is now nearly impossible. And we were forced to cut all aluminum on a lathe just to uphold the tight tolerances.

[@8710ify]

Try McMasterCarr! They have a TON of drill sizes.

[@kleetus92]

I think you mean a taper, plug, and bottoming tap...

[@christhesnaildriver]

@@kleetus92 Terminology appears to vary country to country. In the UK it's common to see taps termed taper, second, then plug

[@danand6907]

@@kleetus92 he is a mechanical engineer not a machinist lol

[@kleetus92]

@@danand6907 LOL

[@shannonlawsonnashville]

I literally watch your videos every time im looking at purchasing a tool. Not only that, your car vids are highly informative! You are a true service to the public. Thank you for your diligent testing!

[@ProjectFarm]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@electronicsNmore]

Such thorough testing! Was nice seeing the exact same tap & die set that I own being tested, the Craftsman. Thanks for all the work you put into making these great videos!

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks and you are welcome!

[@glowytheglowbug]

after watching the entire video i still dont understand what a tap and die set is

[@Cuuniyevo]

@@glowytheglowbug A tap cuts threads (the lines of metal that hold a bolt and nut together) in a blank hole so that a bolt can screw into it. It can also be used to repair lightly damaged threads in a case or nut. A die cuts threads on a shaft or rod so that a nut can go onto it. It can also be used to repair lightly damaged threads on a bolt or stud. BTW, never put a tap through a die. The threads will seize up and the tools will break because they aren't exactly the same size, and they're made of a hardened material that won't flex.

[@glowytheglowbug]

@@Cuuniyevo ooh so one is for nuts one is for bolts/screws thanks!

[@FJB2020]

Thanks for supporting the CCP..

[@SSChambers1]

Great testing as always! I purchased that exact Craftsman set around 5 or 6 years ago at a Sears on Black Friday for around $70. It's saved my butt many times and all taps and dies are still in perfect condition.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks! Nice!

[@alfredomarquez9777]

@@ProjectFarm Me too: Years ago I used two sets of Taps, and one of them was a Craftsman from around 1980... And found it consistently gave me the tightest fit in all the sizes. But most probably, Craftsman has changed on suppliers since 1980....

[@salazam]

Bro. Seriously? You can't say that. It's "African-American". Show some respect.

[@Thinkingaway]

All of the tested sets are more for chasing/correcting threads than for cutting. High carbon steel is ok for aluminum and mild steel but none of them are really sharp enough for any serious project. Also, it is recommended to countersink holes prior to tapping to prevent damage to the leading threads like what happened to all the taps. I agree with others that the quality of these sets is revolting. As always though, nice work and thank you!

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks and you are welcome!

[@okramw1]

Absolutely!

[@kevinsellsit5584]

Revolting ... that is the word I was looking for! Taps and dies from an actual "tool and die" company in USA, Germany, or Japan look nothing like this junk.

[@okramw1]

@@kevinsellsit5584 Total junk! Made in China 🗑

[@sebkorsnes]

@@kevinsellsit5584 what is a reputable brand to get tap and dies from? Im looking mostly to buy just one size (m2.5) and i want good quality that will last.

[@aishayana4298]

I’d like to thank you for doing all this testing. You did an awesome job with the way you did these tests. I found a few old (1977) brand new Craftsman tap and die sets on eBay and jumped on them. For the money you just couldn’t beat them. I paid $400 with free shipping for 2 big SAE and Metric sets. Biggest sets they ever made up to 3/4 sae and 18 mm I think. I’m a machinist and dreamed about having these sets my whole life. Now I’m 64 and crippled up with arthritis real bad. Now I just bail out people who are stuck and want to borrow a tap or die. The old Craftsman are much better than the old.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks and you are welcome!

[@chuckmiller5763]

Irwin is known for its taps, have some that are 50 years old, still going. Irwin made the taps for ACE hardware years ago also.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks for the feedback.

[@FishFind3000]

I know a guy that worked for the mothership at owns Irwin and if I remember correctly he said that Irwin makes snap-ons taps

[@mikethetoolman8776]

@@FishFind3000 all tool trucks labeled sets are maked by them likely--definitely mac and snap-off

[@1pcfred]

Known as in past tense. That was then and this is now. What I'm seeing now is nothing like it used to be.

[@christianscustoms6429]

That’s shocking to hear. The Irwin ones I bought are some of the worst I’ve ever used, and my job requires tapping holes daily so I’ve used quite a few

[@daylimpingleg1430]

I knew a guy that used to do specialty tune-ups. He was so particular with his tune ups when he bought spark plugs at the parts store he took his microscope with him to check for cracks so small they aren't visible however close you look. It was amazing how he could walk into a parts store and only every 1 in 3 plugs had no cracks in them. I would like to see a video that tests tiny cracks in the plugs, or testing the difference between copper, iridium, and other types of plugs. Great video by the way.

[@pubbiehive]

Denso Iridium Power are supposedly the best ones, but of course a test would be great.

[@pubbiehive]

But also, usually the best bet is to stick with what the manufacturer recommends, because you can never really substitute one brand for another one to one.

[@stevesether]

@@pubbiehive From experience, I'd agree. I bought some E3 plugs for 2 of my cars about a year ago. After a year, one car is fine, the other car started having severe miss-fire problems. Replaced the plugs with the originals plugs with 50K miles, and the miss-fire went away. Good quality plugs that last 70-100 thousand miles are somewhat expensive at $7-$12 a plug, so just buy the same plug the manufacturer put in and you won't have problems.

[@youthought3308]

He actually has a video already testing lots of spark plugs if you've seen them but nothing about cracking tho

[@WarpedYT]

I think you should have left the Draper out of the test. This was a much needed video and perfect timing!, just two days after I broke one of those taps off in my part that took me a week to machine and cost me about $600 in tooling and material alone....smh.

[@rotorhead5826]

You need real taps for the stuff you're doing, not these cheap generic ones. Greenfield is a good tool for the money.

[@WarpedYT]

@@rotorhead5826 lol... Your right, but I was tapping copper which really sucks to machine tap or anything else.

[@Norwegian_Bastard]

@@WarpedYT its like a thermal clutch when drilling. geting a little hot and it grabs the drillbit. took me 9 drillbits and 14 atempts to get a 3mm hole in a piece of copper for a boost pipe on a turbo...

[@pflaffik]

With correct use they are hard to break, even pros are often lazy to actually do some centering when tolerances is not an issue, and then sooner or later taps will break inside.

[@rotorhead5826]

@@WarpedYT I know how horrible copper can be. With the right tooling though everything gets much easier.

[@69soulseeker]

This channel always helps me choose what tools I want to spend my money on. Thank you for all the great information and great videos. I'm on my way out the door to pick me up a tap and die set now. This is one of the best channels on KZbin!

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks! Glad to hear!

[@andyaustin3041]

Man, I just discovered this channel as an up and coming Canadian millwright apprentice, and gotta say these videos definitely narrow down what the best bang for your buck is! I only wish you would include Gray Tools in your tests, most of the old maintenance guys I work under swear by it.

[@ProjectFarm]

Welcome! Thanks for the suggestion.

[@SparxI0]

Our shop has a Gray Tools tap & die set at work and a small socket rail. I find my personal Mastercraft Maximum tap & die set far superior (it looks very similar to the Craftsman set but it's titanium coated) and I don't find their sockets any better than say Stanley or Mastercraft, just hugely overpriced because they're made in Canada.. I could be out to lunch but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I shell out big bucks for Knipex and Wera hand tools because of the noticeable quality difference, but I don't think Gray's price is worth paying for

[@JackofAllTrades1]

Dude, I’ve got the cheap Chinese one and it’s caused me so much heartburn over the years…. I gotta work twice as hard to make it work. I think this will be my next tool upgrade. Thanks for the video.

[@ProjectFarm]

You are welcome! Thanks for sharing.

[@salazam]

You aren't supposed to eat them.

[@Inquisitor6321]

The Craftsman and Gear Wrench sets were impressive! I own a Snap-on set myself and I've had it for 27 years - hardly used. Tap and die sets are rarely used by skilled mechanics but when you need it, you're mighty glad it's in your tool box. Don't buy a cheap set! I might buy the Gear Wrench for the die handle. Thanks again PF for yet again another well informed video.

[@ProjectFarm]

You are welcome!

[@MattB90]

very true, if you're using these all the time you're doing something wrong

[@Inquisitor6321]

@@MattB90 OR a fastener breaks when you are trying to remove a rusted or otherwise seized fastener. OR you're removing a ferrous fastener in a aluminum tap with a lot of electrolysis in the tap and the tap is stripped out. I rarely encounter these situations, and when I do I usually know what to do to avoid the use of the tap and tie or a heli-coil. As I said, my set is rarely used in 27+ years. It still looks new! (Wanna buy it?) 😏

[@MattB90]

@@Inquisitor6321 Do I want to buy your snap-on tap/die set? of course...can I afford to? probably not lol

[@Inquisitor6321]

@@MattB90 I bought it 27 years ago. I paid less for it than the Craftsman kit goes for today.

[@Razorphil]

I cannot believe how long it took to find your channel! This is the first channel that reviews products that is not basically a commercial for a brand. There are affiliate links, but it actually makes sense since you need financial support to buy all the products that you basically have to destroy for the testing. But most importantly, you don't take free products from the brands that no matter what anyone says, will affect your decision making. It takes a lot to say "NO" to that type of bribes, keep up the great content.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks, will do!

[@kracin]

Great work! Another video I love to see. Can i suggest something though? When checking how much "Movement" things have, Set up a dial indicator with the dial facing the screen, and get an accurate measurement like checking backlash of gears. This would improve the numbers comparison instead of relying on feel alone. Still awesome videos regardless, I'm glad you made this one, I have a thousand taps and dies and no complete "Set" yet.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks! Thanks for the suggestion.

[@FishFind3000]

@@ProjectFarm looks like you could do a video on cheap calipers and dial indicators

[@melgross]

The first problem I see is that these are, as expected, “hand taps”. Hand taps aren’t meant to be driven continuously through the material. You are supposed to turn forwards a turn or two (at the most), and then turn a half turn backwards to clear the chips. You need to do this until the entire thread is cut. That’s NOT what was done here. Therefore, these sets were not used properly. I can’t take these sets seriously since they weren’t used properly. The other problem is the way he was tapping. Yes, he started the tap straight. But, in reality, you have to tap it straight. That’s not what he did. In order to get an accurately cut thread, you have to use a tap wrench with handles on both sides, applying pressure evenly on both handles, watching the tap while you’re tapping, so that it doesn’t wobble and make a bigger tapped hole. With the dies, you are supposed to be doing these by hand as well, clearing chips as you go. Handheld die wrenches aren’t required to clear chips without some help. I always recommend that people not buy these sets unless you almost never have to use them but have no idea which ones you will need when you do. Otherwise, buy spiral tooth taps that will allow you to tap continuously through making batter threads and much lower force. Buy what you need when you do. You’ll be happier in the long run.

[@paulcharlton4788]

I’ve just come on to say much the same thing 👍👍

[@PeregrineBF]

Agreed (though it's "spiral flute" not "spiral tooth" taps).

[@melgross]

@@PeregrineBF I said tooth to distinguish from spiral flute taps which are different, and used for blind holes, as they project the cutting out the back of the tap, towards you. Spiral taps, as they’re just usually called, or sometimes machine taps, or gun taps, have straight flutes, but the cutting teeth are at a short spiral at the cutting end. They push the cut strings forwards, out the front of the tap, through the hole.

[@stevesether]

This is a fair critique. The instructions for the pittsburgh tap do include the instructions that you should turn backwards to clear out the chips. I'd expect the others do as well, since AFAIK this is standard technique for hand taps. Standard advice as I recall from my father from 40+ years ago.

[@stanwells4537]

I agree. His tests are normally very good, but this one was a failure. The procedure for cutting both internal and external threads was completely wrong. You MUST clear the chips. You have to work slowly and get a feel for how your tap or die is cutting. Most people just drill a hole and use a tap like they’re installing a bolt into a threaded hole. No wonder they get poor results or a broken tap. There’s a great deal of finesse involved. In over 40 years of metalworking I’ve never broken a tap for three reasons: using quality taps, working slowly with a quality tapping fluid, a a lot of good luck.

[@m1stertim]

I own the Irwin because I felt at the time that it really punched above its cost, and I didn't want to spend $300 on a real set. I've never had an issue with it. i'd love to see an episode on garbage bags - either kitchen or yard/lawn/construction bags, or both.

[@chuckmiller5763]

You cannot beat Irwin taps for the money. They hold up just as good as very expensive sets. They are the only ones I will buy.

[@intellectualiconoclasm3264]

Nice request!

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks for the video idea.

[@isaiahaskinner]

I agree, garbage bags would be interesting.

[@salazam]

Garbage bags? Now there's a high-ticket item I'm always wary of splurging on. I hope he does this because there's no way I could tell if a garbage bag is good or not... you know, with my own eyes. Maybe he can do toilet paper next! Then toothpicks!

[@paularnold6616]

I bought a Craftsman set in 1975. As an auto/industrial tech, it was used. Later bought Snap-on, it was junk. Still use the Craftsman.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks for the feedback.

[@alexpasichnik7617]

I never knew the Craftsman set was that pricey, I bought mine at a Sears that closed a few months ago for only $75, didn't realize I was buying one of better sets on the market, thank you for making me feel even better about my purchase lol.

[@ProjectFarm]

You are welcome!

[@twinwankel]

I bought this set too on sale and I’m glad I did. I’ve used it a few times and always performed well. When Sears owned Craftman it was an excellent ownership. They produced top notch stuff even the Chinese tools were good regardless of what people will tell you.

[@alexpasichnik7617]

@@twinwankel You're absolutely right, Im not old enough to remember the "good ole Craftsman days" but I started working on cars as Sears was shutting down, and I bought alot of discounted stuff, and I've got no complaints, the set is great, and it's very precise for some of the really small stuff I gotta deal with at work, and even some of the new Lowe's stuff isnt bad at all either.

[@Monkeh616]

@@twinwankel Let me know if you ever use the near-fictional M3x0.6, M4x0.75, M5x0.9, M9 or M11 sizes.. Oh, and the M7x1 I've seen in exactly one application in the last 20 years.

[@additudeobx]

Craftsman makes several different combinations of Tap & Die sets from around $40 and up.....

[@jamesmcallen3354]

This guy puts other reviewers” on KZbin to shame. Excellent content as always

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks!

[@willb3018]

He is absolutely the best. Nothing like a product reviewer with bad case of obsessive compulsive disorder. 👍 😂

[@BYOTools]

I wish I saw this video 6 months ago haha! I bought one from dewalt and it broke immediately. Should have known from all of your testing that over the years that Irwin would have been a great choice. Thanks for the great video.

[@mikethetoolman8776]

irwin and dewalt part of same company but dewalts might be made by someone else. dewalt bad about licensing their name out to others as in their heated coats and roll around stools. all made by others

[@youneverknow111]

i bought my in germany while i was working there i payed it 100€ that was 4 years ago

[@ProjectFarm]

You are welcome!

[@gizzyguzzi]

That Irwin is a brand that keep rising to the top, isn't it?

[@mikethetoolman8776]

@@gizzyguzzi hopefully stanley brings it back from the mess rubbermaid made with it. the vise grip stuff was USA made until rubbermaid moved it to china.

[@betterdeal11]

I have watched most of your tests and I would like to make a suggestion. You do an excellent report and you spend a lot of time preparing each project. Now when someone has watched the long test they really want you to spend a few minutes on the results. It seems after you do such a great job you want to end quickly, please spend more time on the results. Some of us print the end results in its that important. Thank you I love the way you do all of your tests.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks! Thanks for the suggestion.

[@2down4up]

I’ve got a combination metric SAE Craftsman tap and die set from the early 2000s when it was still made in America. I can’t tell you how much it’s been used over the years but it’s definitely a lot. Working in an auto shop brings lots of chances to use tap and dies. It cuts beautiful tight threads in everything from aluminum to lug bolt steel and has never failed. One of the 14mm dies has cut over 40 full lug bolts and aside from looking slightly used it still works perfectly fine. Absolutely love it and think it does a better job then any of the Snap On, Matco, Mac, gear wrench, and Cornwell sets that other technicians have.

[@dartdodge69]

I've got the same set. I'm a machinist and shade tree mechanic. Nothing bad to say about that set!

[@libertystuffnthingsreviews829]

I have a blue cased metric and SAE Craftsman set from the 90's I bought new. Like you said very nice cutting set. I bet Irwin made them back in the day. Cheap China crap does not occupy my tool boxes.

[@2down4up]

@@libertystuffnthingsreviews829 yep my case is blue is well. My dad actually bought it for me as a present back in 2002 I believe. Literally can’t say enough good things about it.

[@ProjectFarm]

Nice! Thanks for sharing.

[@mikethetoolman8776]

made by irwin likely as are all of the labeled tool truck sets all owned by stanley

[@jamesanderson2176]

Taps are a perfect illustration of "Quality doesn't cost, it pays". Now that I have a full set, every tap I replace is the best quality I can find, because removing broken taps is no fun at all!

[@jamesanderson2176]

@Michael Meyer Sorry, that's like saying you're only buying drill bits or tires once. Taps are cutting tools and will dull with use. And continuing to use a worn-out tap is a sure way to break even a top-quality one. Buy a reasonable quality set and, as they wear out, replace them with top quality. Most people won't even use half the taps in a large set.

[@shanepotter7722]

I agree. i quit like 3 stage taps as im in no rush to remove a broken one. I generally pay more for 1 good set of 3 taps than the sets in this vid

[@bobpaulino4714]

The integrity of the material one is cutting and tapping varies greatly also. I travelled nine states for a union contractor, founded in 1869, that manufactured and installed industrial and institutional heating, cooling, and process equipment. I was lead service foreman and was also hands on in service and project management. We also designed and built our proprietary control systems. Many of our bids required that all materials be sourced in the US. With power threaders we would occasionally get garbage raw stock that one just couldn't cut - it would seize, roll, and mutilate the stock. I still have pipe dies with MANUAL handles from 1/8" up to 2 1/2" NPT, and taps/ dies to ridiculous diameters (most techs these days would run or faint!) Was a lot of tough work but it was very rewarding. -- and then I fought fire, cut people out of their vehicles, ran EMS, dive team, and occasionally flew with medical helicopters to unwind after dealing with some of the people with too many framed documents on their plush office walls ----- ** Definitely appreciate the effort and time put into these videos.

[@ksb2112]

@Michael Meyer Do not buy a set. Even the best ones pale in comparison to a quality tap. Buy a tap when you need it and eventually you'll have a set.

[@mc-sp8zr]

As much as I love the variety that has been on here consistently, I do sometimes long for the vintage crazy engine vids. Watching am engine run on shampoo was entertaining as hell.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks for the suggestion.

[@RaggedsEdge]

And to me, that’s all boring. Gotta run with what’s widely appealing.

[@geoffscott265]

I was one of the viewers that suggested a tap/die test, as usual you provided some great content and useful info. Thank you.

[@ProjectFarm]

You are welcome! Thanks for suggesting the video test!

[@davieheartattack]

Depending on how tightly you clamp the die, it has an effect on the threads. That's why there's an open slot on the die itself for thread depth adjustment

[@bryanwildeman2902]

Why would it be adjustable because I have a big snapon set and there all adjustable dyes

[@davieheartattack]

@Bryan Wildeman different manufacturers have slightly different tolerances when cutting threads in nuts etc. The die wrench should have adjustment screws to squeeze the die and make it cut deeper or shallower threads to suit these differences.

[@borysnijinski331]

Only one brand was a split die for cutting new threads; all the rest were for chasing existing threads. Same with the taps…typically you would have three taps to cut internal threads.

[@gigigigiontis8]

@@borysnijinski331 You would need three taps only if you wanted to tap a blind hole though

[@Grayson203]

FINALLY! I've been looking forward to this for over a year! Thanks for making things happen for me :)

[@ProjectFarm]

Sorry it's taken me so long and thank you!

[@Grayson203]

@@ProjectFarm well worth the wait!

[@bubblewhip382]

Fuzzy project farm fam

[@Buddy179]

I've always heard the Snap On kits are made by Irwin, and I had a good feeling going into this test that Irwin would be one of the top competitors. Well done again!

[@ProjectFarm]

Thank you!

[@Tramnit1]

Irwin does make the tap and die sets for snap on. My home set is snap on and is identical from sizes to layout and charts as the irwin set at my work place. Only difference is the colour of the case and warranty.... and maybe price... definitely price.

[@ifixem9585]

Dang, I already bought the snap on set 🙄

[@FusionBoost2.0]

Irwin made just about every tool truck set

[@g.tucker8682]

@@Tramnit1 Yeah, they even include the exact same "Tapping Tips" insert! I'll take the 60% discount, please.

[@garydevine7787]

I learned my trade in the early sixties and all the taps we used or made were made of high speed steel not carbon steel and for the larger sizes >2" the blanks were hardened before we ground the taps. I would like to see how the spiral-fluted taps would compare. Great report.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks! Thanks for the suggestion.

[@garbo8962]

Retired sparky who tapped thousands of holes in 0.25" aluminum plate to mount various electrical boxes. Used a 1/4 20 gun tap in a corded drill to tap holes along with aluminum tapping fluid. We would order 4 to 6 4'by 8' sheets of aluminum and have it cut down to 4 by 4', 2 by 4' & 2 by 8' foot sheets to mount motor starters, control transformers, safety switches , transformers ( 0.5 to 5 KVA ) etc in a large candy plant where you could not use plywood because of possible bug infestation.

[@gregs2284]

Awesome videos, and usually I have no complaints. But this time I have concerns. Both the side-to-side tolerances and the torque needed are very sensitive to how straight the tap or die is and driving them by hand with no guides is going to make that vary a lot. In the sped up video you can see the some of the taps rocking from side to side and the rod didn't look straight in any of the die tests. I would recommend testing with a tap guide holding the tape straight to see if the side to side tolerances were better and for the rod to see if the dies lasted longer (though yeah, clearing chips would be fairer too).

[@Johnny-uy4iu]

That’s my complaint as well, torque testing with a wobbly setup then measuring the looseness of the bolt is not a great test. Too many variables. Doing a comparison like I the first test is fine but when you add measurements but use the same janky setup I think you invalidate the results. Same with the die test. Performing a failure test intended to determine how far the rod will go is not the intended use of the die and shouldn’t be how you measure if you will get a tight fit under specified procedure.

[@DrD6452]

I bought a Craftsman tap & die set years ago and it has served me very well. If I were looking to buy a new tap & die set today I would buy Craftsman again based on this video. Thanks for your awesome videos. Most of my tool purchases are now based on the results of your videos. Keep up the great work!

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks, will do!

[@sapelesteve]

Very impressive testing as usual PF! You really tapped into this one leaving no screw unturned. Hope that you & your family are doing well & staying safe! 👍👍😉😉👏👏

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks!

[@dljones61]

we see what you did there :)

[@Allazander]

Good to see those results as I normally use Irwin taps/dies. They are reasonably priced and I've always been happy with the results.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks for sharing!

[@mlensment]

You know it’s a good day when Project Farm uploads! Can you make a review of medium budget chef’s knives?

[@ProjectFarm]

Glad you're here and thank you!

[@ruebendelvecchio811]

I get the feeling that in the first tap test the reason your third reading is always high is that the friction of the first two cuts heated the bit ever so slightly causing thermal expansion. Just a thought. Love all your tests and procedures. You are THE MOST HONEST and FAIR product reviews. Many thanks from Australia. 🙏🏽God Bless

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks and you are welcome!

[@rooster3019]

I have had very good service from my "old" Craftsman set of "theading die kit" and also from my old Craftsman "re-threading die & tap" kit. Both including metric as well as SAE selections. I notice your introduction of the Harbor Fright kit mentioned both threading and thread restoration; those two procedures typically call for different dies and taps. Re-threading taps and dies should be designed to provide minimal cutting and more of a rolling the old distorted thereads back towear original form.

[@nathanstaab]

OG craftsman pack? the two piece grey bottom, top clear plastic style? those were a solid set.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks for sharing.

[@Automcanic]

Still makes me sick seeing Craftsman made in China... 😔

[@MoneyManHolmes]

The set in this video appeared to be the Sears Craftsman packaging. I’m not sure if you can even still buy this set.

[@NotTheBomb]

I’m a diesel tech, and I own a snap on set. They are very very good. Taps the quickest and I have only ever broke one, and the broken section only revealed itself after I already removed the tap (I.e the tool didn’t” break in the bolt hole). Very good tool, highly recommend.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks for the feedback.

[@gregparrott]

What a professional test! My immediate takeaway are: 1) I should just pitch my 'Pittsburg' tap and die set (which I already knew removed a lot of material from pre-threaded threaded rods/bolts and resulted in loose fitting nuts) 2) Even without use on spring steel, taps/dies have a shorter usable life than many tools - somewhat akin to drill bits, except taps/dies cannot be re-sharpened.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks! Thanks for the feedback.

[@Ztalin]

You can resharpen a tap. Especially the expensive ones.

[@gregparrott]

@@Ztalin I'm surprised..The actual amount of material (leading edges of the flutes) is quite small and any removal of material will shrink at least the minor (root) diameter of the tapped hole. Do they first rebuild the material on the tap via. a plasma spray or vapor deposition, and then sharpen

[@Ztalin]

@@gregparrott No you just grind the chip surface och the flute. When we do it at work we remove about 0.1-0.3mm. Most taps can be resharpened at least 2 times. The relief angle on the flutes is not big and the tolerance on the diameter is not an issue.

[@gregparrott]

@@Ztalin I don't mean to 'nitpick', but 0.3mm can be a lot. That's 5% relative to a 6mm bolt. That leads me to ask what size limitation exists on resharpening taps. If you're resharpening taps for holes in large structural elements, 0.3mm seems fine. But my limited world rarely sees bolts larger than 12mm.

[@stask85]

i love your videos! You're not gabbling around to fill 10 mins for monetizing, but comparing the tools objectivly and breaking it down to relevant points.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks!

[@svedalawoodcrafts]

When taping your supposed to release up pressure and not continuous taping to clear debris. If you do you'll get a much better tolerance on fit. Not clearing the tap will cause a less tolerance on the fit as debris will push in to the threads especially in aluminum. I love watching your tests of various tooling and machinery but I would suggest you first find out exactly how to do the process before doing any tests. Thank you for your video's very enjoyable. The SKF Swedish made tap and die, superior steel, you should test that, would blow these brands away in a heartbeat. I have it myself and you can see the difference. I also have a bosch and Pittsburgh set for non precision jobs.

[@stevechristensen9762]

exactly, I learned as a child from my grandfather that after every 1/4 turn, you back it out 2 turns. Even the cheap taps have always lasted me

[@cowshottv5867]

Fun fact:snap on taps, which I'm pretty sure are made by Irwin, are warranteed for breakage but not against getting dull, which happens over time. So when they get dull, put them in a vise and break them with a hammer:instant warranty. We been doing this for years. This tip courtesy of my local snap on dealer

[@Roy_Tellason]

Last set I bought of my then Snap-On dealer wasn't branded as such, but rather Blue Point...

[@fullerbrookknives]

i hope you wear glasses lol. Hardened steel is not nice when you whack it with a hammer

[@scott1152]

@@Roy_Tellason I am concerned about Snap-On starting to market sub-brands in the same areas of tools as Snap-On themselves. Especially, that in some areas of Snap-On's tool lines those other brands are the the only brands offered... (Blue Point Tools) was one of the two companies involved (SnapOn Wrench Co) that established the Snap-On Tools brand, though Blue Point Tools technically ceased to exist after the merger - or were they the actual brand behind Snao-On's sockets the whole time?, and Snap-On decided to make them visible??, or are they a whole new company under a familiar name??? I-dunno, still not comforted by the whole arrangement.

[@cowshottv5867]

@Roman agreed. He's just a young guy trying to build his business and so far he seems to be doing well. No bullshit. Much luck to him in future

[@salazam]

I didn't know jews did blue-collar work...

[@joughhenry1211]

As a person that makes taps every day, I can tell you this test is highly subjective. You can see be the pics, the chamfer lengths are all different on the different brands, and one brand had some aggressive “roughing” threads on the end. Not only that, those were all straight flute “hand taps”. They are designed to go in a few rotations, and then be backed out a few to clear the chips. Otherwise, you’ll get chip build up and end up galling out the cut threads and blowing the hole way bigger than you wanted. And you saw it happen when he cut the aluminum. And the die test wasn’t fair. The dies that had the slots in the side are adjustment slots, for controlling final thread size. You can’t put those in a vise and expect the correct thread size to come out.

[@caodesignworks2407]

While I don't put it past anybody to overlook certain aspects of tools, he's generally pretty observant and attempts to account for as many variables as each tool offers. I'd be surprised if he didn't adjust the dies to be as close to the same diameter as possible. Considering he did a thread fit using a standard bolt first. The point of the test was to accelerate wear on the tools. Unless you're working in ideal conditions, these thing aren't getting babied much, and if it's going to survive abuse like this, it'll probably last you a lot longer in the field.

[@litjaso003j3]

I agree with you, the method he used was not correct on how to tap holes, also holding the die in a vise isn't correct either. In and back out is the proper method with plenty of cutting oil. I would call this a test of the tools' durability by people who improperly used the sets.

[@danl.4743]

It happens a lot in his videos. They provide value, but not as much as an expert advice.

[@VictorGalayda]

I totally agree with you. Also, tapping a hole in the metal clamped between two jaws would require more force and would produce an oval hole.

[@littlejackalo5326]

Putting the slotted dies into a vise has no bearing on the function of they are in a die holder. The vise is exerting force on the die holder, not the die.

[@brianwunschel6362]

I got a big craftsman set at sears 20 years ago that I haven't had any issues with. Got a small Pittsburgh set few years ago as back up

[@shawjoe71]

Its interesting to see how the cheaply made tools perform compared to well made tools. I'm glad I bought a lot of Craftsman hand tools in the 80's and early 90's including a tap and die set, all made in USA.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks for the feedback.

[@willb3018]

Same here. All my Craftsman is the USA made stuff starting in the 1970 when I worked at Sears while in college. My newest is probably in the 20 year old range. I also have what at the time was the most completes set of taps and dies they had. Some have never been used. Some used quite a lot and still perform just fine. While perhaps not very useful for most, it would be fun to see PF do more comparisons of old (USA) vs new (China) Craftsman.

[@squarebodyseth5986]

We use Irwin taps at work with a 1/4" impact driver they usually go 2-3 days before not being useable but if they bind up they snap easy. Not really the fault of the tap at that point but seeing them survive the abuse day by day impresses me.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks for the feedback.

[@jim9689]

Never use taps with an impact driver, the hammering action will chew them to shreds. Use a hand drill instead.

[@squarebodyseth5986]

@@jim9689 Lol I wish they’d give me another drill, they tell me to use the impact driver instead of switching out bits on the drill or taking up a second drill. Not my money 😂

[@joughhenry1211]

For anyone that cares… Straight flute hand taps = Go in a few threads, back out a few to clear chips Spiral fluted taps = Drive it in with consistent force, like a drill, and the chips will evacuate out of the hole Spiral point or “gun” tap= Same as spiral flute, only the “gun” flute forces the chips out the bottom of the hole, only used if it’s a “through hole” to be tapped.

[@hvguy]

I really wish he could have tested a spiral flute big brand name tap for us machinists. Something attainable like from McMaster or something.

[@aarondcmedia9585]

So glad I found your channel. Looking at getting tools and very comfortable looking for a video of yours already reviewing the ones I can afford is outstanding. Thank you.

[@ProjectFarm]

You are welcome!

[@charlesenfield2192]

I couldn't help noticing that despite starting in the drill press, many of the holes in the mild steel were tapped well out of square. Tapping force seemed to correlate with how well the tap was aligned with the hole, so I'm not sure that data says much about how well the taps cut steel. The spring steel results looked much better. I'm pleasantly surprised that you only broke one tap doing that test.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks for the feedback.

[@jamusgriego6389]

I agree there is a reason the set comes with a T handle to make sure there is equal pressure on at least two sides. When cutting threads with a socket wrench only puts torque on one side which is why your cutting is coming out soo sloppy.

[@charlesenfield2192]

@@jamusgriego6389 I thought about that too and you're probably right, but the Aluminum and spring steel results appeared much straighter despite the same methods. There's probably some knowledge to be gleaned from that, but I haven't figured out what it is.

[@ZingaraJoe]

@@jamusgriego6389 Spot on observation, using a ratchet puts loads of side force on the tap and results in needing more torque as well. torque. I would not think of using a ratchet - too damn hard to contend with a broken tape in a blind hole.

[@axa.axa.]

Well at least he was consistent in screwing that up

[@ManWithBeard1990]

As a quick FYI: I believe a galvanized bolt is slightly thicker than a regular one, so for a cheap set like that, having the hole a little oversized for a carbon steel bolt is not that unreasonable.

[@normferguson2769]

I found last year that galvanized bolts are difficult to come by. Zinc plated is the most common I was told.

[@wconstructionco]

Any plated bolt is. Zink plating on nuts will cause issues with fine threading done on a cnc lathe. It's hard to find some things in a raw finish.

[@BloodSprite-tan]

@@normferguson2769 that's pretty much only true because of the pandemic. there seems to be a decent amount of galvanized bolts in stores now at least the 3 or 4 near where I live.

[@jadedmc59601]

This is true. This is particularly annoying when someone uses galvanized ASTM A325 fasteners paired with SAE locking nuts.

[@haitchteeceeeightnineeight5571]

This is another good video, as we've come to expect from you. Thank you. One point I'd like to raise is that the bolt at 11:40 is cadmium plated rather than zinc. This generally only matters if you're going to sand or machine a lot of it, because cadmium is a poisonous heavy metal and breathing it in is very bad for you.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks and you are welcome! Thanks for the feedback.

[@Ritalie]

Are you sure they use Cadmium plating? Do you have any source for this? I don't doubt your information, but Cadmium is a lethal poison, and it's not something that they put on the exterior of products. It would be like coating bolts in lead, or arsenic, or beryllium.

[@MakeitZUPER]

I've owned SnapOn, Irwin and Craftsman sets and they have all been great. the chip buildup issue should have been resolved in the test with an additional test that included removing the chips after a turn or two. The thread tolerances and manufacturing quality are always the key features for these tools. I prefer to use different tap and die handles other than what is typically offered in the sets. Precision ratcheting handles of each size range and Lisle tap sockets. Additionally, I prefer hex or 12 point dies co I can use a socket to hold them if needed. The round dies are useless to me for that reason. Your presentation was great and I'm glad that my years of experience were in line with your results.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks for sharing.

[@muthaflaco75]

I have the Henry Hanson tap and die sets in my work box. Great quality, made in Worcester Mass.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks for the feedback.

[@327365hp]

That's what I have., 👍. Unfortunately they got bought by Irwin, 👎

[@davidsmith6859]

Whenever I was tapping new threads I'd always double drill to get the best hole size tolerance. Going straight in with the final size drill bit is a recipe for oversized holes and a bad thread. As it stands we can't really know if the slop in the finished threads you made was from the tap or an oversized hole. Never go straight through the material with a tap. Quarter turn, back off to break the chip, another quarter turn. Split dies need to be adjusted to size in the die holder before use. You can't measure anything meaningful from them when held in a vice fully sprung open. I always used to use a new tap a few times in a hard material like cast iron or steel to remove any burrs before using them in aluminium. Any manufacturing defect will chew aluminium up in no time. Lubricant is a must. Paraffin or diesel on aluminium and tapping oil on ferrous materials.

[@carlfesser6673]

Agreed on all points. I was watching this and wondering why we're torture testing precision tools. Swing and a miss from a normally thought out channel. Maybe this was aimed at employers that need to see what happens with novice, unsupervised employees? "Looks like a drill bit, guess I'll use it like one."

[@jason-ge5nr]

At least im not the only one who backs out a 1/4 turn to break the chip

[@nrdesign1991]

@@jason-ge5nr This was part of my training when learning how to tap threads. Saves a lot of wear on the tap, chips are small and can accumulate in the space between the cutters, and the tap doesnt get super hot. Taps heating up means they expand, making the thread less accurate.

[@Catrik]

My machinist education tells the opposite. If you want an accurate and straight hole, go straight to the correct size. I only drill in steps if it's necessary (drilling with a hand drill, part can't be clamped tight enough, not enough power in the machine etc). A small drillbit is more likely to drill a crooked hole, and there is no need to waste time with step drilling if its not necessary otherwise. Tip about breaking chips with taps does applies for hand taps, but not any other tap types. Most quality taps push the chips either up or down though the hole and there is no need to break chip. The taps in this video are hand taps, so chip breaking should have been used.

[@jason-ge5nr]

@@Catrik nah. if the end goal is a quarter inch hole; then a 1/8th inch hole will not bother it at all. Unless of course your cambodian machinist education tells you otherwise.

[@ericschreiber1847]

Oh boy, for tapping, you gotta chamfer the hole first, the burr on the edge of the hole can get into the flutes of the tap and bind it up, it also helps start the tap. Also, you must use a tap wrench to keep even pressure on the tap, using a ratchet there is too much side load and contributes to the poor thread formation. Additionally when tapping a tap guide is a must to keep the tap inline with the hole. Cheap ones can be bought on amazon. For the dies, the hex dies are not designed to cut threads! Hex dies are only for chasing threads. Plus when using a round thread cutting die it must be kept in perfect alignment or it will dig in and cut the threads undersized and have a poor fit. Dies should only be used in a jam, a thread cutting machine or lathe to single point cut the threads is preferred. I would like to know why no quality taps were used? Seeing Widia would of been nice since that's about as top shelf as it gets for taps. Also for hard metals you gotta use the correct cutting oil. We use tap magic xtra thick to tap inconel and it works great! As a machinist this was a painful video to watch.

[@borysnijinski331]

I made same comment about cutting threads with closed die (only for chasing threads); split dies can be used to cut new threads. I’m not a machinist and I cringed watching closed dies being used to cut new threads (to think that an electrical engineer, i.e. me, knows this).

[@ktm42080]

When I heard you say you were going to be tapping threads in spring steel I grabbed my popcorn and sat down with a smile. Some of the brands held up better than I would have guessed, but running a die down round stock is almost always disappointing. Unless it's Project Farm and I'm watching for a failure. Another great video!

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks!

[@videopipeline6419]

Also, standard practice is to alternately tap forward-reverse by hand (instead of forward only). Instead of using a drill press just for starting the tap, ensure the tap runs straighter all the way by keeping the top (back) end secured in the drill press for the entire operation (although this may require a different drive wrench than is included with some sets) while turning it by hand.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thank you!

[@MurcuryEntertainment]

I would love for you guys to do a wrap-up or review style video at the end of every year going back over the recommended tools (or top 3) in each category based off of your tests.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks for the suggestion.

[@caerdwyn7467]

Curious as to whether manufacturers ever object to your results, and if so, how strenuously.

[@FisherCatProductions]

I have put off buying a tap and die set because I lacked any objective comparisons. Amazon and similar ratings are all over the place, and appeared too subjective. Also, a lot of inexperienced users rating them.THIS is the only data I need to make a decision. Like you, if the thread fit is poor, nothing else matters. The "Most Expensive" Craftsman kit is actually only $120 on Amazon (not $220). An equivalent 76 pc Irwin is $270. Both held up well. No brainer. THANK YOU. Thumbs up. Was already subscribed.

[@ProjectFarm]

You are welcome!

[@FisherCatProductions]

Based on your tests I bought the Craftsman set. There were taps missing, and I had to return the whole unit to get a full set. They appear to be decent quality--no burrs, etc. I'm happy with the tolerance of the tapped holes I've made. The case is exceptionally nice, which is important in a tap and die set. Decent tap handles, but not as good as the ones I already had. Thanks again.

[@daeljuma]

I appreciate the work you go to for these videos. Having said that, this test isn't really a good comparison of the various tap and die sets. The tests you've subjected them to are torture tests - how long will they last under extreme conditions. It would be interesting (since you still have the rest of the sets left) to conduct a test where you use the taps and dies according to manufacturer recommendations, i.e., two to three turns and then backing the tap or die 1/2 to 3/4 turn to clear chips. I'd like to know which ones perform best under those conditions. It would also be interesting to tap some 1/2" mild steel and see which taps snap first.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thank you!

[@joseeduardo4327]

Bro have you seen this guys vids before? Every week is a torture test

[@BryceKimball7.3]

@TheCheesePlease a tap isn’t going to be strong no matter what, it might as well be good and make somewhat accurate threads, which it seems like all of these cheapoes really struggled at doing. If strength is a concern when you’re using taps or dies, you need to adjust your technique so you’re not breaking them. Chances are, based on your comment, you don’t actually use taps or dies, or else you would already know that.

[@dodgerblue7381]

Very adept suggestion. This as you said was a torture test and not how they should be used correctly. That being said I like my Irwin set of taps and dies and extractor set. Knock on wood have not broken any.

[@peter_kelly]

Great review, would like to have seen a better grade HSS set from Greenfield or Viking for comparison though. A broken tap can cost you a hell of a lot more than the price of the tool.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks for the feedback.

[@alfredomarquez9777]

@@ProjectFarm I think he has a point... Perhaps a good closing comment for your comparison video, would be the suggestion of buying individual sizes of industrial or trade quality taps or dies AS NEEDED, instead of buying a complete set that will have 70% of their sizes unused and stored for years in the box.

[@nickrider5220]

Good toughness test. But to make good DIY threads, especially in soft metals, you have to reverse back after every turn, else you just foul the tool and metal - more important the thicker the material. Love the tests though 👍

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks!

[@babuji7363]

I suggested this a while ago and you made it! Appreciate the video!

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks! Thanks for suggesting the video test.

[@intellectualiconoclasm3264]

Now this is going to be useful for me. Thank you for what you do! I wonder if the slop in the holes comes from the stack of adapters and stacked tolerances.

[@gus473]

Yes, I wondered too ...! 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@kalemmackey2917]

It could be, but he started each tap with the drill press. I think once he started it would follow the hole straight. Could be wrong though.

[@Jujoji]

Most consumer available taps are made to have slightly loose tolerances, making it easier to create the threads and balance out the forces required to tighten the fasteners. You can get taps with tighter tolerances, but that trades off for a higher chance of breakage or your fastener being out of tolerance. You also have to go to an industrial supplier (or the base manufacturer) and special order But to some extent, the final fit is going to be the sum of how oversized the hole is combined with how undersized the bolt is (for an internally threaded hole). What PF hasn't revealed, and maybe he didn't think to, is the individual dimensions of the graded bolts he's using (including if it's the same bolt or different bolts for each hole) for each hole.

[@TheClampetts]

Thanks for another great comparison test. Through a lifetime of hobbyist metalworking, I've learned that anything less than US-made HSS is a waste of time and money. These cheap sets may be OK for the occasional homeowner thread cleanup, but if you want good threads, good tap life, and avoiding broken taps, you have to pay for the quality. Anything "high carbon" or similar is good for nothing more than cleaning up existing threads. Anything Chinese is inherently junk. I would have liked to see this test at least include a control reference consisting of something like a Kennametal, Cleveland, Greenfield, Union-Butterfield high quality tap. It is also important to make sure the tap goes in straight by using a spring-loaded tap guide. Even after starting off from the drill press, if you wobble a bit or if you're off perpendicular by even a small amount, it makes a big difference in thread quality, tapping force, tap life, and not breaking your tap. I've learned the hard way over the years that all these sets are basically junk, even for hobbyist metalworking. You can buy your taps one at a time as needed and have them in a day or 2 from MSC or McMaster-Carr. You'll pay more for one tap than for an entire set of these cheap Chinese taps, but believe me, it's worth it.

[@HolzMichel]

concur

[@jean-guybusque3637]

Je veu voir.Yvan bolduc Lewiston meine USA.

[@joeyshack2964]

love the videos would be really interested in seeing a video on breaker bars and ratchets. also think it would be cool to see a comparison between the newer cheep tools and a used nice tool of the same price. could help lots of people decide what’s the best deal in the long run when you can’t afford the high end new snap on or mac tools. As always love the videos and keep up the hard work!

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks, will do! Thanks for the video idea.

[@MrMrphil100]

I bought the cheapest thread restorer kit I could find on Amazon and it has served me well. I always wondered if the more expensive ones were worth the price if the cheap one works so well. Maybe that's another tool you could test. Thread restorer/chaser sets. Thanks for another great video sir!

[@ProjectFarm]

You are welcome! Thanks for the suggestion.

[@inkman6964]

The problem I have with these sets is they are more for cleaning up threads as opposed to cutting new threads as a proper tap set comes with 3 taps at different removal settings with the first removing about a 1/3 of the material and the last one more for precise thread cutting making for a much better fit

[@TheHelp14]

Fit is based on the class of threads you can get a tight fit with one tap by just getting a different class of tap

[@novanogo07]

That's where the Lang thread repair kits are amazing. I buy taps to cut threads.

[@inkman6964]

@@TheHelp14 then please explain to me why tap sets come in sets of 3 and not just one especially when you put way more stress on the tap by trying to remove too much material as opposed to using the 3 tap set that contains a starter and bottom finisher tap I have worked in a engineering environment and would be laughed at if I turned up with one of these sets

[@CaptainDangeax]

@Inkman69 that's what I use for my electronic hobbyist, using only m3 and m4. Those tool sets are for amateurs even with bigger price

[@machintelligence]

@@inkman6964 Most folks don't need plug and bottoming taps, so these sets are just fine. You can always make your own plug and bottoming taps by grinding off some or all of the leading edge.

[@RipRoaringGarage]

Hanson are still up there, but finding a good set is tough. Irwin seems to make the weirdest sets, so you have to buy two or three for some of the sizes. And I will say this again, Husky (and in general cheapo Chinese ones) suck. I don't care if they warranty them for life if it breaks the parts I was working on (whit the tap grenades). Also, I will say, the die will clog going in all the way without backking up. The rule is do a few full turns, then back off half to one turn, which is why I do like the reversable ratcheting stock. For the die, once you use a Starrett, you won't go back. Those are NICE.

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks for the feedback.

[@mildlydisinterested]

@@ProjectFarm He is right, though. Retail junk like Husky will usually break when you are miles from the nearest Harbor Freight location. People who use your opinion to make actual real world decisions for tool purchases just don't care about the newest and neatest Ikon branded indexing ratchet.

[@DaddyBeanDaddyBean]

Great video. Years ago, I was taught to make a turn or two, then rotate it backwards to break the chip; is that wrong?

[@thebiggianthead8364]

You are correct as it is better for tool life and a quality thread, but I can see that keeping things consistent for testing by just going straight on through is probably best. Also, in production runs using heavy machinery like a turret lathe you would just bust on through. Every now and again a part gets ruined by double threading or a broken tool, but speed is typically more desirable and a few botched parts are expected.

[@jorisknuts9662]

Depends on material and depth of cut. You break the chip to make sure the tap doesn't 'load up'. If the material is not too thick the chips have no problem to clear.

[@smilergrogan1452]

It's the right thing to do, but with some of the 'el cheapo' taps you're better off without backing off, as the chip just gets caught up in the tap often tearing out the thread you just cut.

[@dainsmart6237]

I was shown that way couple of turns and pull back to break the ribbon of metal swarf and then two more turns to cut.

[@DaddyBeanDaddyBean]

Thanks everyone. Had a few terrifying minutes last summer, drilling/tapping a stripped hole in an aluminum engine to install a heli-coil - impossible to use a standard T-handle tap driver, so I had to put the square end in a 12-point socket and drive it with a ratchet and extension. So sketchy getting it started, using Fab Rats' eye-crometer to make sure it was straight, while applying offset torque from one side with the ratchet.

[@howardfitzner7789]

Thanks!

[@ProjectFarm]

Thanks for supporting the channel! I really appreciate it!

[@cammza9989]

Another fantastic video, would love to see you look at bench mounted wire wheels. Maybe cleaning rust off a plate of steel, lifespan of wires, material loss and so forth?

[@ProjectFarm]

Great suggestion! Thank you