Tap Socket Set

[pontiac428]

Are you saying that you have, for instance, a number of 1/4-20 taps that have various shank diameters and/or various square drive sizes? Details please?

Oh lord yes. My dad gave me a bunch of Bilz clutched tap chucks, and I bought a bunch more, then thought I would line them up in a neat little holder by size and load them with sequentially sized taps... No, no way, there is no consistency between the size of the thread and the size of the drive square. My tap collection is fairly large at this point, and built from lots of "sets" and grab bags, whatever it takes to get plenty of taps and spares with the various pitches, bottoming profiles, and fluting for hand and power tapping. I have sharp taps that are older than I am, machine shop surplus, and partial or complete sets of everything from GTD to Kromedge to Irwin to YG1 and PTD. I promise you, there is no standard among them. Consensus standards and compliance standards like ANSI and ISO are great and purposeful things, but they only apply to those who subscribe to them, they are not laws. And, in case my point isn't sticking, based on what you have in your bins your mileage may vary!

 

[extropic]

@pontiac428
I don't doubt that I also have some (maybe more than a few) taps that don't conform to the ANSI standard, but I suspect they are either "created as specials" or vintage (pre ANSI standard). I suspect that any new tap, bought today, will conform to the ANSI standard. Otherwise, Bilz and other fixed size tap drive systems, would be out of business. Not to mention the various tooling costs for industry in general. Of course, you could request any special configuration tap you like, and pay the price for a non-ANSI shank diameter and/or special square drive size.

I bumped into something, recently on eBay, that I'd never seen before. IIRC, they were 3 ea, new, 3/4-10 taper taps at a very attractive price, except the drive end of the taps had very short square section followed by about 1/2" long thread. Obviously, somebody wanted them created (unless it was a fake picture). Not for me, thank you.

I'm pretty sure that nut taps don't conform to the ANSI chart I linked, but none the less, I bet they conform to some a standard (unless special or vintage).

 

[Eyerelief]

Oh lord yes.

I agree. Being the foul ball that I am, most of my taps are dumpster finds, floor sweepings, and spent projectiles that were hurled at me when I was asked to leave the premises. I have very little brand loyalty when It comes to taps (save Nachi) so organizing by thread size and pitch is as far as I sort. If I am tapping one hole I don’t worry much about what I grab, if I set up a tapping head or the auto tapper I make sure I have several of the same brand on hand.

 

[Jake M]

Taps aren't made to one standard, they are made to many standards. Four or five I think. ANSI is one, that's the one that is kinda USAish. Din has a standard, JIS has a standard, and there's more. out there. We're in a global economy, so I'm sure all the standards show up here now and again. Plus brands that may or may not be quality, but don't target production machining, (hand taps for example), where the actual drive dimension doesn't matter at all (or at least not much) to the end user, where there's NO incentive to follow a standard on a non funcitonal dimension? (well, functional, but not of concern to the target market...) There's some flat out random stuff too. But most of the good brands are probably made to "some" standard, just maybe not the one you're looking for.

If the drive dimensions matter to you, it's best to find out ahead of time. ANSI standard dimensions are not hard to find, but in this world, if you want or need ANSI standards, you've got to verify ANSI standard. Even though there more common here, in the decent brands, there are no guarantees otherwise.

 

[extropic]

@Jake M is correct. Multiple Standards exist and they are not all coordinated. I think taps conforming to ISO 529 / DIN 374 do not consistently (some may) have the same shank diameter or the same square drive size as taps conforming to ANSI.

I doubt that there are any standard production taps that are "random" shank/drive sizes. Any customer can request any configuration and pay the price for a special. I suspect that any tap you buy in the USA at the local hardware store or an industrial distributer is going to conform to ANSI, unless you ask for something else. Perhaps get in the habit of asking for taps conforming to the ANSI standards. Be ready for the "huh?"

MSC, for instance, does carry DIN 374 taps so they are out there.

If you're getting a significant number of your taps second hand, buyer beware.

 

[pontiac428]

The square is there, but the size is a surprise.

So how's that for a rule of thumb?

 

[Eyerelief]

The square is there, but the size is a surprise.

So how's that for a rule of thumb?

Spot on! Love it

 

[MrWhoopee]

I ordered one of each, but this is the winner. Keep it short.
Seriously thinking about milling a hex on the OD and shortening the shank so it fits up in the chuck.

 

[GeneT45]

I'm confuzzled, are you power tapping, or hand tapping in the mill?

GST

 

[MrWhoopee]

I'm confuzzled, are you power tapping, or hand tapping in the mill?

GST

Hand tapping, blind holes in hardened material.