How to Buy a Tap and Die Set
A tap and die is a set of cutting tools used to make screw threads in virtually any solid material. A tap cuts the female portion (the nut) and the die cuts the male portion (the bolt.) A die is primarily used to cut threads on a pipe and a tap is used for most other purposes, making taps much more commonly purchased. The following steps will show how to buy a tap and die set. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Determine the type of tap you will need. There are three different taps that perform largely separate tasks. You will need to be able to identify these types by sight.
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Recognize a plug tap by its tapered cutting edges. This is the most commonly used tap and is used to start and align the threads.
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Identify a bottoming tap by the lack of taper on the cutting edges. This tap is used to extend the threads to the bottom of an existing hole and cannot be used to start the thread.
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Use a taper tap instead of a plug tap to provide a more gradual cut. This tap has a pronounced taper and is primarily used when the tap is prone to breakage as is the case with hard materials such as alloyed steel or very small taps.
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Buy inexpensive tap and dies in the individual sizes you need at a good hardware store for most uses. Complete sets are more appropriate for serious machinists because most of the tools in these sets will not be helpful for general use.
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