Author Topic: Taps and dyes (Read 5689 times)

Squirrel pizza · « **on:** May 31, 2016, 03:09:27 AM »

First let me say thank you to all the vets on this site, I met a young marine last night who showed me our country is still safe. That said, with all the imported junk it's hard to tell what tools are worth a hoot. I have
Been for a while been trying to set up an incredable shooting Hawken type rifle as a target gun. I've bought every height Lyman 17 I can find, a Browning Soule vernier set, Pedersoli cased set with Soule rear and adjustable spirit level front.
Now it's time to drill and tap for rear sights.
Who makes the best drill bits?
Who makes the best taps? I get one chance. Can anyone help?
I beleave I'm gonna use the Browning rear.
Browning USA uses 10-32 threads. Pedersoli uses 5+/- mm. I need 10-32 for Merit #3 eye price (master disc). The tang is concave I'd be glad to text pics. Thanks. Mike

Mark Elliott · « **Reply #1 on:** May 31, 2016, 04:21:01 AM »

I just buy the cheapest EU or US made I can get from MSC. I buy HSS drill bits and taps. I buy Cobolt steel tool bits. I don't think the quality of the drill bits or taps is going to help you install your sights. It is knowing how to use the tool that is important, not the quality of the tool. You can make just as bit a mess with expensive tools as cheap tools. Where that quality of the tool might be of importance is your drill press or vise, but then again, you need to set these up and use them correctly. I really think you are asking the wrong questions.

jerrywh · « **Reply #2 on:** May 31, 2016, 06:09:13 AM »

Stay away from the Chinese stuff. Buy American. Swiss, Japanese, or German.
Enco. MSC or McMaster Karr are good places to buy.

Ron Scott · « **Reply #3 on:** May 31, 2016, 01:51:25 PM »

If the hole are blind, I would suggest you purchase a dedicated bottom tap. I use a spiral bottom tap with lubricating paste for drilling blind 8-32 holes in lock plates.

Squirrel pizza · « **Reply #4 on:** May 31, 2016, 02:06:57 PM »

Well Mark I try to learn new things every chance I get. If I'm asking the wrong questions maybe you can enlighten me?

Bob Roller · « **Reply #5 on:** May 31, 2016, 02:14:11 PM »

Quote from: Squirrel pizza on May 31, 2016, 03:09:27 AM

First let me say thank you to all the vets on this site, I met a young marine last night who showed me our country is still safe. That said, with all the imported junk it's hard to tell what tools are worth a hoot. I have
Been for a while been trying to set up an incredable shooting Hawken type rifle as a target gun. I've bought every height Lyman 17 I can find, a Browning Soule vernier set, Pedersoli cased set with Soule rear and adjustable spirit level front.
Now it's time to drill and tap for rear sights.
Who makes the best drill bits?
Who makes the best taps? I get one chance. Can anyone help?
I beleave I'm gonna use the Browning rear.
Browning USA uses 10-32 threads. Pedersoli uses 5+/- mm. I need 10-32 for Merit #3 eye price (master disc). The tang is concave I'd be glad to text pics. Thanks. Mike

Our local industrial supply shop tries to keep USA made taps and dies made by Cleveland twist drill.
Are you SURE the eye piece is 10x32? I have seen some that were 10x40 and made that size for
the few tang sights I made for BPCR and my own Sharps and Rollong Block.

Bob Roller

Squirrel pizza · « **Reply #6 on:** May 31, 2016, 02:27:18 PM »

Yes Bob, I'm sure the thread is 10-32. Both the eye disc and mounting screws supplied with sight. Just to be 110% sure I drilled and tapped a piece of brass to test threads. I've compaired the Merit #3 to various Hadley type eye discs made by MVA, Kelly, Lee Shaver, etc. if you were buying one instead of making one would you have a preference? Thanks for your time.

Bob Roller · « **Reply #7 on:** May 31, 2016, 02:56:03 PM »

I used an MVA on my Sharps. I made the rest of it including the micrometer thread calibrations.
Probably any of them would work. I have used Lee Shavers inserts for the Layman 17A and they are first class.

Bob Roller

Squirrel pizza · « **Reply #8 on:** May 31, 2016, 03:13:56 PM »

Thanks Bob. Since there isn't a big difference in the price of most eye discs I suppose estetics play a part. I'm looking for the smallest aperture I can find, MVA has one that dials down to about .019 but the disc is huge. If I'm not mistaken the Merit goes down to .021+/- which is all well and good but first I have to mount the sight.

L. Akers · « **Reply #9 on:** May 31, 2016, 05:25:37 PM »

I would suggest you buy gun taps--also called machine tool taps. I think they cut better than a common tap. For blind holes I'd get a plug tap and a bottoming tap. I buy taps from McMaster-Carr or MSC.

P.W.Berkuta · « **Reply #10 on:** May 31, 2016, 05:52:51 PM »

Mark is "Spot On" with his answer

Learning to drill & tap correctly is the key and experience is part of it - good tooling also helps but is not the primary outcome of the "perfect" hole & threads.

Buffaload · « **Reply #11 on:** May 31, 2016, 06:59:55 PM »

And a good cutting fluid. Magic Tap or Tap Magic ( I can't remember what he bottle says, I only look at it every other day) is good and small bottle goes many miles.
There are others, many home made that are fine but my take is this might be easier.
Ed

Daryl · « **Reply #12 on:** May 31, 2016, 07:08:28 PM »

"Rapid Tap" is still good, even though they changed the formula.

Squirrel pizza · « **Reply #13 on:** May 31, 2016, 10:40:41 PM »

Well I figured the only thing to do was do it. So I did. Had a Hanson Whitney tap in 10-32 so I just used it. Job done. It's not that I have never drilled or tapped before. But it was mostly in someone else's shop and I never thought to ask about brands of taps. Is there a superior brand. I will need to buy more and I don't want to buy junk. Thanks for the input, knowledge is power, so keep helping me become more smarterer.

Ky-Flinter · « **Reply #14 on:** May 31, 2016, 11:11:27 PM »

I used to sell Hanson brand drills, taps and dies, so I'm probably biased, but they are American made and I like them. The local NAPA store stocks the more common sizes and will order the "odd-ball" sizes I need.

-Ron

Squirrel pizza · « **Reply #15 on:** May 31, 2016, 11:42:30 PM »

Yeh Ron, it worked well. I didn't know napa sold them, thanks for info. Besides the golden rule of measure three times drill once, patience is the biggest factor.

T*O*F · « **Reply #16 on:** May 31, 2016, 11:48:19 PM »

Quote

I never thought to ask about brands of taps. Is there a superior brand.

Flag down your local Snap-On or Matco truck. You won't go wrong with either of them.

Squirrel pizza · « **Reply #17 on:** June 01, 2016, 02:21:19 PM »

We must be in two different leagues. I would have to sell a kidney to afford anything off the Snap On truck.

Bob Roller · « **Reply #18 on:** June 01, 2016, 02:47:09 PM »

Quote from: Squirrel pizza on May 31, 2016, 11:42:30 PM

Yeh Ron, it worked well. I didn't know napa sold them, thanks for info. Besides the golden rule of measure three times drill once, patience is the biggest factor.

The last die,a 3/4x16 I bought from NAPA wouldn't even start a thread.
I buy from a local supply shop that has USA made taps,dies and end mills.
Also use $5 cheapie mills that it doesn't bother me to bend or break.

Bob Roller

Squirrel pizza · « **Reply #19 on:** June 01, 2016, 03:05:24 PM »

Unfortunately there aren't a lot of supply shops around. When I'm at the house outside Chicago there are plenty. Berlines being my favorite. It's like a big candy store for people who like tools. But since I do my shooting in Tennessee, and this is where my target guns are I usually have to go to Knoxville for anything more technical than a screw driver. But thanks to the internet I can have things sent to me, if I knew what I was ordering. There is a Tractor Supply,(Farm and Fleet), but most of the stuff is from china.

Doug Cline · « **Reply #20 on:** June 02, 2016, 07:37:48 PM »

The taps and dies sold by Snap-on and Mac are made by the same supplier, they sell rebranded Hanson taps and dies,

dogcatcher · « **Reply #21 on:** June 02, 2016, 08:33:34 PM »

Years ago I needed a tap for some project, only place open only sold them in sets and made in China. I needed so I bought. Over the years I have replaced most of them one at a time by buying them at the local hardware store. Now I have a case with the ones I use the most that are good ones, but the ones I never use but know I will are still in the case.

So when I built a second shop at our vacation home because I wanted a case I started with a set from Harbor Freight. Again one by one I am replacing them as I use the cheap ones.

I have done the same thing with the 115 piece drill bit sets, the cases are worth the price and most of the bits I may never use, but if I need one, I have it. If it is used regularly I replace it with a quality bit.

Squirrel pizza · « **Reply #22 on:** June 02, 2016, 10:21:38 PM »

I agree with you about Harbor Freight. Where else can you buy a table saw, a welder, and a hammer drill for $125? Even if it only lasts for a couple of jobs most times it's paid for itself. One of my brighter employees locked the keys inside the gang box. Bought a 3" air cutter and a 20 pack of blades for less than $15 and it's still running fine. But some tools aren't designed to be presition instruments. I'm happy with the results the Hanson tap provided. No reason for me not to trust that brand next time.

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Author Topic: Taps and dyes (Read 5689 times)