I get mine from Metric Tools. Their web site for M-1 through M-11 is: http://www.metric-tools.com/page/page/4024203.htm
They are in Boston and unfortunately not open on the weekends.
They are in Boston and unfortunately not open on the weekends.
m5 x 05 taps and dies
1 - 20 of 21 Posts
You can also try nwsl.com for metric taps and dies and other hardware at slightly lower prices, although they only list 1 to 3mm on their website.
Try that again.... Northwest Shortline
Wow! I found em, but so expensive!. An average of 30 dollars just for one die!
MSCDIRECT.COM page 292 has a 5x0.5 tap for $3.79.
Also page 373 has the same size die for $13 plus pennies.
Also page 373 has the same size die for $13 plus pennies.
Did you try Rutland Tool? Local store on Brokaw Road, and what they don't have ships from Reno, so you'll have it in two days.
M5X05 taps are available at traindept.com for about $22.50 Dies about $36.11. Delivery is abour 6 Weeks.
or you could use a company that advertising in the Steam in the Garden magazine...microfasteners.com. Ordered them Monday morning and got them on Wednesday (NJ to Michigan). 5 taps were about $35 if I remember right, plus $7 shipping. They carry a lot of "stuff"
Thanks Everyone. I ended up ordering from msdirect. It had the best price and the exact sizes I Needed with 2 day shiping and one extra tap it came to 34.47, thats less than what I was seeing for most dies 
when shopping for tooling [taps and dies ] you should ask the vendor whether they are "Carbon" steel or" High speed steel" ground threads.. BIG difference in life /performance and costs.. the Bargain prices are mostly "carbon" can be ok for cutting a small number of threads, but the taps can be very fragile in small sizes.
Gordon.
Gordon.
Gordon makes a good point.
My approach was to order a large kit of SAE and Metric from Harbor freight (yea, the cheap stuff - maybe $30-40 for each set) so I would have one each of the common sizes. I then replace the sizes that wear out with good quality High speed steel tools. Before I did this it seemed I was always shopping for a new tap/die to complete a project. Now it is rare for me not to have the correct size tap/die.
My approach was to order a large kit of SAE and Metric from Harbor freight (yea, the cheap stuff - maybe $30-40 for each set) so I would have one each of the common sizes. I then replace the sizes that wear out with good quality High speed steel tools. Before I did this it seemed I was always shopping for a new tap/die to complete a project. Now it is rare for me not to have the correct size tap/die.
G
The problem with many "cheap" taps and dies, such as one might buy at the hardware or Asian discount tool seller, is the finish is often left as-machined rather than rolled or ground. This may or may not be the case here but it often is the case. This makes the tap require more force to cut, and therefore more prone to breakage, and unground taps and dies will sometimes have deformed threads which will, therefore, deform your work. I'm not criticising your choice, but eventually most of us learn that the most expensive tool you can buy is a cheap one. Here is a quote from an Englishman, John Ruskin, which I have found to be very good advice:
"It's unwise to pay too much, but it's worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money-that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot - it can't be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better. There is nothing in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and he who considers price only is that man's lawful prey."
"It's unwise to pay too much, but it's worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money-that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot - it can't be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better. There is nothing in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and he who considers price only is that man's lawful prey."
I'll be the first to agree that a "cheap" tool is often useless. However, the quality of inexpensive tools from Asia has improved dramatically. The inexpensive sets I got were all surface ground. Some of the sizes have seen a fair amount of use (mainly 6061 AL, and 360 brass) and are holding up well.
Posted By Curmudge on 02/01/2009 1:55 PM
The problem with many "cheap" taps and dies, such as one might buy at the hardware or Asian discount tool seller, is the finish is often left as-machined rather than rolled or ground. This may or may not be the case here but it often is the case. This makes the tap require more force to cut, and therefore more prone to breakage, and unground taps and dies will sometimes have deformed threads which will, therefore, deform your work. I'm not criticising your choice, but eventually most of us learn that the most expensive tool you can buy is a cheap one. Here is a quote from an Englishman, John Ruskin, which I have found to be very good advice:
"It's unwise to pay too much, but it's worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money-that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot - it can't be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better. There is nothing in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and he who considers price only is that man's lawful prey."
KISS: "The most expensive tool you'll ever buy is a cheap tool."
The problem with many "cheap" taps and dies, such as one might buy at the hardware or Asian discount tool seller, is the finish is often left as-machined rather than rolled or ground. This may or may not be the case here but it often is the case. This makes the tap require more force to cut, and therefore more prone to breakage, and unground taps and dies will sometimes have deformed threads which will, therefore, deform your work. I'm not criticising your choice, but eventually most of us learn that the most expensive tool you can buy is a cheap one. Here is a quote from an Englishman, John Ruskin, which I have found to be very good advice:
"It's unwise to pay too much, but it's worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money-that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot - it can't be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better. There is nothing in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and he who considers price only is that man's lawful prey."
KISS: "The most expensive tool you'll ever buy is a cheap tool."
Posted By Dwight Ennis on 01/30/2009 6:50 PM
Did you try Rutland Tool? Local store on Brokaw Road, and what they don't have ships from Reno, so you'll have it in two days.
Online: Rutland Tool
www.shoprutlandtool.com
Did you try Rutland Tool? Local store on Brokaw Road, and what they don't have ships from Reno, so you'll have it in two days.
Online: Rutland Tool
www.shoprutlandtool.com
Sorry for the late post Mark. I took your advise on the large metric set, but it did not include the m5 x .05. it only included the m8 x .05. Still, for the price it was a good deal and I did get a lot of dies and taps that I need. Just not that particular one, which everything on the Ruby seems to need.
Good tip Gordon, but in this case the tap and dies I order are so cheap that by the time I've used 10 of them, I will have spent as much as I would have on the higher quality tool hss tools.
Good tip Gordon, but in this case the tap and dies I order are so cheap that by the time I've used 10 of them, I will have spent as much as I would have on the higher quality tool hss tools.
Posted By Curmudge on 02/01/2009 1:55 PM
The problem with many "cheap" taps and dies, such as one might buy at the hardware or Asian discount tool seller, is the finish is often left as-machined rather than rolled or ground. This may or may not be the case here but it often is the case. This makes the tap require more force to cut, and therefore more prone to breakage, and unground taps and dies will sometimes have deformed threads which will, therefore, deform your work. I'm not criticising your choice, but eventually most of us learn that the most expensive tool you can buy is a cheap one. Here is a quote from an Englishman, John Ruskin, which I have found to be very good advice:
"It's unwise to pay too much, but it's worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money-that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot - it can't be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better. There is nothing in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and he who considers price only is that man's lawful prey."
I have put in a plug for MSC also. They have about the largest selection and great prices. They offer high end stuff as well as "imports". All of the "imports" I got came from Japan and are very high quality HSS. They are sharp, bright finish and cut very close clean fits.
Take care, Bob
The problem with many "cheap" taps and dies, such as one might buy at the hardware or Asian discount tool seller, is the finish is often left as-machined rather than rolled or ground. This may or may not be the case here but it often is the case. This makes the tap require more force to cut, and therefore more prone to breakage, and unground taps and dies will sometimes have deformed threads which will, therefore, deform your work. I'm not criticising your choice, but eventually most of us learn that the most expensive tool you can buy is a cheap one. Here is a quote from an Englishman, John Ruskin, which I have found to be very good advice:
"It's unwise to pay too much, but it's worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money-that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot - it can't be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better. There is nothing in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and he who considers price only is that man's lawful prey."
I have put in a plug for MSC also. They have about the largest selection and great prices. They offer high end stuff as well as "imports". All of the "imports" I got came from Japan and are very high quality HSS. They are sharp, bright finish and cut very close clean fits.
Take care, Bob
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