# Tap Storage Tip



## schor (Jun 16, 2017)

Saw these ice bar makers for $1.99 and thought they would be great for tap storage.


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## hman (Jun 16, 2017)

Neat suggestion, Steve!  Maybe we should all sing a verse of "F'reeze a jolly good fellow!"


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## Charles Spencer (Jun 16, 2017)

hman said:


> Neat suggestion, Steve!  Maybe we should all sing a verse of "F'reeze a jolly good fellow!"



Terrible!  You should be pun-ished.


I use test tubes for taps and end mills.


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## schor (Jun 17, 2017)

Charles Spencer said:


> Terrible!  You should be pun-ished.
> 
> 
> I use test tubes for taps and end mills.



It would be nice to find something like that.


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## Charles Spencer (Jun 17, 2017)

I got them from this place but they say they only ship to the USA.  You might contact them.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/25-Pack-16-...st-Tubes-with-White-Caps-5-inch-/121693671450


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## NCjeeper (Jun 17, 2017)

I have way too many taps so I went the cabinet route. Your idea is a good one though.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HUOT-FRACTI...848053?hash=item1c7da1ec35:g:Qy4AAOxyf~hRydQ~


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## Buffalo20 (Jun 17, 2017)

I have a Craftsman bottom box full of taps and dies.


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## extropic (Jun 18, 2017)

schor,
Neat find. Thanks for the tip.

I plan to use one, or more, at the milling machine to organize small items (edge finder, spotting drill, tap drill, countersink, tap, drills, cutters, etc.) that are needed at hand for a project.
All the tools go back into more appropriate storage places when the project is completed, but those trays will be great for keeping things handy and secure for WIP.

Thanks again.


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## GLCarlson (Jun 18, 2017)

They're a buck at the low-end dollar stores rather than $2 and up.  If you can find 'em, used poly cutting boards are also good (try Goodwill- again if lucky they can be had for a couple bucks).


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## uncle harry (Jun 18, 2017)

schor said:


> Saw these ice bar makers for $1.99 and thought they would be great for tap storage.



Too late for me. I just purchased a Huot tap dispenser cabinet for $68 and about $21 for shipping.  The ice "cube" trays would also work for drill storage, especially spotting drills.


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## schor (Jun 19, 2017)

uncle harry said:


> Too late for me. I just purchased a Huot tap dispenser cabinet for $68 and about $21 for shipping.  The ice "cube" trays would also work for drill storage, especially spotting drills.



I would like to get a tap dispenser, but just a bit too pricy for me. I did buy more trays and now have sorted my center drills and many of my endmills.


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## chips&more (Jun 19, 2017)

I have a few of these tap drill organizers (pic) and for me they are the best thing. I can get the tap and drill bit together. I can easily carry the whole set if I want to. My tooling overflow goes into Huot’s.


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## Buffalo20 (Jun 19, 2017)

In my actual job, I'm an industrial boiler service technician and living in the Northeast US, manufacturing jobs, in our service area,  are closing up at an alarming rate. This gives me a huge opportunity at the tooling, that they are getting rid of, buying 4-5, 5 gallon buckets full of taps, dies, drill bits, end mills, carbide inserts (and holders) and other cutting tools, for $50-$100 or a couple of delivered pizzas. This had led to piles of taps and such, I ended going to the my local industrial supplier, I've known for 40+ years, and get the empty bulk tap and drill bit packaging. For me this makes sense, the volume of tooling at times has been extreme.

The machine tools are either shipped out or destroyed (will not sell any machines to the general public, due to liability concerns), but the back door sales of tooling seems to be funding the lunches and BBQs of the plant personnel, during the shut down. Our company is there to change the steam systems from production, to minimal building heat mode, usually one of the last contractors, in the plant before they actually lock the doors, so the opportunities abound.


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## hman (Jun 19, 2017)

Durn, Jack.  I'm torn ... On one hand, your good fortune does deserve a "like."  But the sad state of the industry does not.


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## Buffalo20 (Jun 19, 2017)

hman said:


> Durn, Jack.  I'm torn ... On one hand, your good fortune does deserve a "like."  But the sad state of the industry does not.




Its hard to be an industrial service technician, when there is no industry....................................

When I started this job 40+ years ago, it was about 85% production process and 15% heating, now its about 90% heating and 10% production process


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## bl00 (Jun 19, 2017)

Buffalo20 said:


> This gives me a huge opportunity at the tooling, that they are getting rid of, buying 4-5, 5 gallon buckets full of taps, dies, drill bits, end mills, carbide inserts



If this becomes a problem I will happily drive up and buy some buckets of tooling from you .


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## schor (Jun 19, 2017)

I picked up another 6 trays and sorted center drills, end mills and all my carbide endmills.


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## Buffalo20 (Jun 20, 2017)

Looks like they would be very handy


some of my stockpile


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## Cadillac STS (Jun 22, 2017)

Charles Spencer said:


> Terrible!  You should be pun-ished.
> 
> 
> I use test tubes for taps and end mills.
> View attachment 235675



I also use test tubes but larger diameter ones. So in the tube I put one or more taps AND the right drill bit for the tap. That way the right drill bit is always there and ready to go.


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## Charles Spencer (Jun 23, 2017)

I use smaller tubes for smaller tools and larger tubes for larger tools.


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## dlane (Jun 23, 2017)

Are those glass tubes ?.


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## hman (Jun 23, 2017)

Most lab "glassware" nowadays is plastic.  The link that Charles Spencer provided is for plastic test tubes with caps.


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## Cadillac STS (Jun 23, 2017)

dlane said:


> Are those glass tubes ?.



Mine are glass.  I have had a couple over the years crack.  It is nice to have the clear glass for labels inside and seeing what taps are inside easily.  Living dangerously I guess but they are cheap and nice to use.


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## finsruskw (Dec 20, 2022)

Old thread, I know
Just stumbled across these the Mrs. just tossed into our recycle bin.
And the thought came to mind that I have several large drill bits and end mills that need something to live in to keep them sharp and separated.
These will do the trick nicely with new labels.
1.125" OD x 5.75 & 3.5" long respectively.
Lids just snap on and are 1.375" OD.


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## Provincial (Dec 26, 2022)

I saw this dish drainer mat at Dollar Store the other day.  It looked like it would store end mills, and also taps.  The spacing of the ribs allows end mills up to 1/2" diameter to be stored side-by-side, and 5/8" end mills can be separated by up to a 1/2" end mill.  3/4" end mills require a 3/8" diameter end mill for separation.  

I will be trimming this one down to fit in a 12" deep drawer.  The cut will be at the bottom of the full width of the ribs.  

This had nubs on the back to make it lower in the middle and drain toward the open end.  I used a small back saw to cut off the taller nubs, and used a 4-1/2" angle grinder to smooth out my cuts and remove the smallest nubs.  

I think it should work just a well for taps.  Narrow strips of tape (like striping tape for cars) could be used to keep items from moving when the drawer is opened and closed.


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