Best Tap and Dies for 303, 316 Stainless Steel

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angelo49
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Best Tap and Dies for 303, 316 Stainless Steel

Post by angelo49 »

I sometimes need to thread m9 x 1.25, 7/16'' x 14, 18 , 1/2x20 and 9/16'' x 28 in stainless steel, (SS)
mostly 304 and 316 .
The many taps and dies I have are just about useless in SS
What would be the best taps and dies for this. I tried single pointing the threads but
its noy easy on the smaller internal diameters.
Angelo
Angelo
Rich_Carlstedt
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Re: Best Tap and Dies for 303, 316 Stainless Steel

Post by Rich_Carlstedt »

OSG Exotaps
used them and love them
Rich

https://www.osgtool.com/exotap-va-3-taps-303
Russ Hanscom
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Re: Best Tap and Dies for 303, 316 Stainless Steel

Post by Russ Hanscom »

New and sharp is best. Also use a cutting fluid suitable for stainess. I like the spiral point taps, even for hand tapping.
angelo49
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Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2008 8:20 pm
Location: Brooklyn, NY Paradise, PA

Re: Best Tap and Dies for 303, 316 Stainless Steel

Post by angelo49 »

I'll look into osgtool.
My cheap new and sharp taps and dies just didn't make it.(LOL)
Angelo
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rmac
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Re: Best Tap and Dies for 303, 316 Stainless Steel

Post by rmac »

Along with everything else in the world, McMaster-Carr has some taps they say are good for stainless:

https://www.mcmaster.com/taps/taps-for- ... ess-steel/

-- Russell Mac
angelo49
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Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2008 8:20 pm
Location: Brooklyn, NY Paradise, PA

Re: Best Tap and Dies for 303, 316 Stainless Steel

Post by angelo49 »

Phew!!! SS tooling prices!
I might just give up working with SS (LOL)
Angelo
Rich_Carlstedt
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Re: Best Tap and Dies for 303, 316 Stainless Steel

Post by Rich_Carlstedt »

Stainless is tough because it work hardens , so the tools you use must be up to snuff to handle that.
Forgot to recommend Anchorlube for a cutting fluid.
Learned that from a precision job shop who only did Stainless steel work.
It is "the" goto lube in my shop
https://www.mcmaster.com/anchorlube-tapping-fluids/

Rich
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Steggy
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Re: Best Tap and Dies for 303, 316 Stainless Steel

Post by Steggy »

rmac wrote: Sun Apr 25, 2021 4:39 pm Along with everything else in the world, McMaster-Carr has some taps they say are good for stainless:

https://www.mcmaster.com/taps/taps-for- ... ess-steel/

-- Russell Mac

Use of uncoated high speed steel taps in most stainless alloys is fine—if used with the proper cutting lubricant. I've been using uncoated HSS "gun" taps in SS for years without problems, both manually and under power.

I should note that coated HSS taps are no harder than their uncoated brethren and generally don't wear any better than the uncoated variety. What the coating does is make the tap more "slippery" than an uncoated tap, which may reduce the torque required to drive the tap in certain kinds of material. As I said, use of the correct lubricant is essential for achieving good tap life and clean threads. I use a 90/10 mixture of petroleum-based cutting oil and mineral spirits when machining stainless.
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