Tap Storage Ideas

[martik777]

Made a block for the common ones with fitted holes for each size and matching drill bit:

 

[Pmedic828]

I have recently purchased some 3 tap sets (taper, plug, bottom) and along with the appropriate die. I store them in resealable bags that my daughter uses for jewelry pieces. These are about 3 1/2 inches tall and about 2 1/2 inches wide - I placed a sticker on them as to the tap size, drill #, and major diameter for each size. That way, when I grab a tap, I know the drill size, what size to turn the blank down to to thread and also color coded the labels as to fractional, NC, NF, and metric. Maybe some pondering information.:think1:

 

[gmcken]

I have found that the small plastic storage cabinets with drawers work good for storing taps and extractors. You can make labels for the drawers or use a magic maker to identify the sizes. It will hold a lot of taps; #1 thru#12 and inch sizes as well. There is still room for the metrics.

 

[Rick Leslie]

I use discarded prescription bottles for the really small ones. Works great for drill bits too. Destroy the label and mark the outside with a Sharpie.

 

[road]

This is what I have set up.

The drill bits are on the left, labelled with the sizes and the measured dia. on each drawer.

The taps are labelled the same on the right with a coresponding drill bit in each drawer.

Some drawers have misc. stuff, like small tapping tools, drive dogs, mini milling cutters etc..

 

[Dave Smith]

I use discarded prescription bottles for the really small ones. Works great for drill bits too. Destroy the label and mark the outside with a Sharpie.

I use the prescription plastic containers like Rick also--I also label them size and tpi and I keep a container of the same size nuts and a container of the small cap screws all together--it keeps me from hunting for the nuts and bolts after tapping--Dave

 

[rdhem2]

I am a little late with a reply but finally here if you are still interested. Tap storage has always bugged me as an old machinist once told me that to let taps bang against each other was just like allowing reamers to bang against each other. They get chipped and dulled. Good taps are expensive and cheap taps aren't worth having unless you like headaches. So as soon as my Kennedy tool chest set arrived I made this tray to sort my "taps in use". Taper, plug, and bottoming in all popular sizes and taper and bottoming in less used sizes. It is quick and easy to find what you want, and return to storage when finished. They are protected and at a glance you can spot what is NOT there. Never leave the tap in the drill box again. Downside is it is rather large and bulky. I seem to do a great amount of tapping so in my case anyway, the space spent is a good investment. Duplicate taps are separated and stored by size in a little multidrawer storage box.

Slots were cut on the mill with round end mills. After I cut the major length I deepened the cut about 1/4 of the length on the return. This allows me to touch the end of the tap and have the other end pop up for me to grab. Labeling was done with a hand held tape labeler. I cheated, as I started with a piece of prefinished plywood with a wood grain pattern salvaged from a cabinet shop trash can.





As you can see the tray takes up a little over half the drawer leaving room for tap handles, upper right-pipe dies 1/8" to 1", tap guides, "T" handles, a few ACME square thread taps and a small box of duplicate small taps. Also left in the drawer, but not shown, are several different charts and slip sticks showing recommended drill and clearance hole sizes. I always tried to keep it simple for my guys, so when screw-ups happened there were less excuses.

 

[drs23]

These are all great ideas. I need to make a move on coming up with something better than the resealable "Glad" container they're in now. I guess they're bumping into each other but I've had them stored like that for 10+ years and somehow they've remained sharp and usable.

 

[savarin]

I dont have any photos because an ex "friend" stole it Grrr!
I used 19mm thick by 300mm wide by 400mm long pine planks with the slots routed out to size for each tap.
A thin 3mm thick ply lid was hinged along one edge.
I soaked the pine base with engine oil until it was totally saturated as an aid to anti rusting. (very humid here in the summer)
When I get the time I will do it again.

 

[itsme_Bernie]

I am a little late with a reply but finally here if you are still interested. Tap storage has always bugged me as an old machinist once told me that to let taps bang against each other was just like allowing reamers to bang against each other. They get chipped and dulled. Good taps are expensive and cheap taps aren't worth having unless you like headaches. So as soon as my Kennedy tool chest set arrived I made this tray to sort my "taps in use". Taper, plug, and bottoming in all popular sizes and taper and bottoming in less used sizes. It is quick and easy to find what you want, and return to storage when finished. They are protected and at a glance you can spot what is NOT there. Never leave the tap in the drill box again. Downside is it is rather large and bulky. I seem to do a great amount of tapping so in my case anyway, the space spent is a good investment. Duplicate taps are separated and stored by size in a little multidrawer storage box.

Slots were cut on the mill with round end mills. After I cut the major length I deepened the cut about 1/4 of the length on the return. This allows me to touch the end of the tap and have the other end pop up for me to grab. Labeling was done with a hand held tape labeler. I cheated, as I started with a piece of prefinished plywood with a wood grain pattern salvaged from a cabinet shop trash can.



View attachment 62338

As you can see the tray takes up a little over half the drawer leaving room for tap handles, upper right-pipe dies 1/8" to 1", tap guides, "T" handles, a few ACME square thread taps and a small box of duplicate small taps. Also left in the drawer, but not shown, are several different charts and slip sticks showing recommended drill and clearance hole sizes. I always tried to keep it simple for my guys, so when screw-ups happened there were less excuses.

Holy crap that's fancy!



Bernie