HSS vs Carbon Steel for taps

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

 

Stick with the HSS ones. The high carbon ones wil chip easier.

 

I don't even see why they sell anything but quality HSS taps. I looked at MSC online (no LH taps) and the import HSS is $46, USA HSS is $78.

Speedway Motors has both of them at $32 per, looks like a good deal.

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Industrial-Tap-11-16-Inch-18-SAE,31923.html

Bob

 

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

 

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

 

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.

 

MCMOPAR nailed it with the first reply. HSS (High Speed Steel) is the way to go.

 

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

 

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

 

Hi Striper, sorry about that.

 

That's odd... I see that garbage everywhere. Home depot, Lowes, etc. all sell carbon steel cutting tools which should always be avoided.

 

Regarding the Harbor Freight taps. Stay away! Anything purchased from the Shang Hi tool company should be considered disposable and for emergency purposes only!!

 

All of my taps come from tool-supply houses. Lowes, etc is probably ok for supplying Harry Homeowner to tackle a project.

Bob

 

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.

 

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.

 

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

 

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