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HSS vs Carbon Steel for taps

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by striper, Jun 19, 2013.

  1. striper
    Joined: Mar 22, 2005
    Posts: 4,498

    striper
    Member

    Looking at some taps for tie rods i.e. LH and RH 11/16 x 18. All my taps I have in sets now are HSS but I can get these at a reasonable price but they are carbon steel. For the casual user are they any good?

    Thanks, Pete
     
  2. mcmopar
    Joined: Nov 12, 2012
    Posts: 1,734

    mcmopar
    Member
    from Strum, wi

    Stick with the HSS ones. The high carbon ones wil chip easier.
     
  3. striper
    Joined: Mar 22, 2005
    Posts: 4,498

    striper
    Member

    Thanks guys. I was ordering from Speedway last night but their shipping to Australia has really taken a hike so I cancelled my order. I contacted them and the price improved a bit so I may go that way.

    Pete
     

  4. Hi Striper.. If you Google up Hi-Speed tooling in Kewdale WA, yo may find that you will get a good price on HSS taps & dies. I found them to be 30-40 dollars cheaper on good cobalt drill sets than anyone else in Wa and they are really good people to deal with
     
  5. mgtstumpy
    Joined: Jul 20, 2006
    Posts: 9,214

    mgtstumpy
    Member

    I use a US shipping address in CA and have my purchases sent here. Some double handling and slight additional cost but I get what I want cheaper for what they quote for freight.
     
  6. spinout
    Joined: Jan 15, 2008
    Posts: 333

    spinout
    Member
    from Dallas, TX

    MCMOPAR nailed it with the first reply. HSS (High Speed Steel) is the way to go.
     
  7. I think you'd have to go out of your way to find carbon steel taps, maybe at Harbor Fright.

    My bro bought some carbon drills at a garage sale, whole set in a nice box. New, beautifully sharpened, looked primo. The first thing he drills, the drill bit bent like a pretzel.

    Bob
     
  8. striper
    Joined: Mar 22, 2005
    Posts: 4,498

    striper
    Member

    Just looked them up. Like a lot of Aussie places, they don't stock 11/16 unf taps. Seems to be an in between, not very popular size. They could probably source them if I contact them but I think in the end (as usual) it ends up easier and cheaper to buy from the US.

    Pete
     
  9. Hi Striper, sorry about that.
     
  10. Curt B
    Joined: Oct 15, 2009
    Posts: 325

    Curt B
    Member

    That's odd... I see that garbage everywhere. Home depot, Lowes, etc. all sell carbon steel cutting tools which should always be avoided.
     
  11. frazzledsmythy
    Joined: Aug 30, 2009
    Posts: 70

    frazzledsmythy
    Member

    Regarding the Harbor Freight taps. Stay away! Anything purchased from the Shang Hi tool company should be considered disposable and for emergency purposes only!!
     
  12. All of my taps come from tool-supply houses. Lowes, etc is probably ok for supplying Harry Homeowner to tackle a project.

    Bob
     
  13. fsae0607
    Joined: Apr 3, 2012
    Posts: 872

    fsae0607
    Member

    I have the alloy steel tap/die set from HF and works well. I tapped stainless with one and it worked pretty good. This set got me started, and as they wear out I replace them one-by-one with good ones from Mcmaster.

    I agree, the carbon steel ones are good only for tapping stuff softer than wet kleenex.
     
  14. dirty old man
    Joined: Feb 2, 2008
    Posts: 8,910

    dirty old man
    Member Emeritus

    After 40+ years in machine shops, including my own, I think I can speak with authority when I say: Forget about the carbon steel taps, drill bits, and tool bits.
     
  15. I have the Speedway taps and they are good for the occasional tie rod/drag link fab. They are certainly not good for production work. One of my taps lost a couple of teeth some where. Make sure you use lots of tapping fluid and do the 1/4 turn, back a half routine. I do the tapping in a lathe but hand turn the chuck. I would not power tap.

    I also use a 5/8" drill. I think that 39/64" is the "correct" drill size which is also odd ball and correspondingly expensive.

    I did find this:

    http://www.wttool.com/index/page/pr...d+Plug+Tap+(WT)&update_continue_shopping=true
     
    Last edited: Jun 20, 2013
  16. I'm only 32 years into machining and I have never seen a carbon-steel tap or die in a machine shop.

    In a pinch, I have bought some import HSS taps for jobs and they worked well. This is for things that I check with a thread gauge, as that is what my customer will be doing.

    Bob
     

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