New tool thread

[JHZR2]

I find it ......well, 100% impossible that Snappy tooled up domestically to create better cutting tools than factories that make Hertel, OSG, Cleveland, Guhring, C/L (Chicago Latrobe), UB (Union Butterfield), Kennametal, Sandvik and on and on

Never worked in a real machine shop that used tool truck cutting tools.

Now, maybe it's good stuff although I too would prefer to see HSS. But it ain't superior. OTOH I'm selling ocean front property here in CO at fire sale prices. Taking reservations now!!

Regardless it’s a nice set that isn’t chinesium. If something needs a specific tool, one can buy it too. At least the set gives all the handles and everything else. I suspect it cuts cast iron and aluminum just fine for an auto shop…

A lot of the quality stuff I’ve been buying for my jobs is NOS.

 

[D60]

Regardless it’s a nice set that isn’t chinesium. If something needs a specific tool, one can buy it too. At least the set gives all the handles and everything else. I suspect it cuts cast iron and aluminum just fine for an auto shop…

A lot of the quality stuff I’ve been buying for my jobs is NOS.

I imagine The Critic paid WAY under list -- and good for him. At retail it's just setting money on fire.

Kennametal (rep) flat out admitted they just can't make tooling -- specifically carbide insert tooling -- state side. The environmental regulations simply don't allow it. Apparently the chemicals used for PVD (physical vapor deposition) and CVD (chemical vapor deposition) are NASTY.

Now, does this apply to hand taps? Maybe. Maybe not. But the economics of scale are boggling if you're truly making quality, durable, top-of-market hand taps ($$$$) and only selling thru SnapOn (extremely low volume sales). It doesn't add up.

Someone else has to be making these for them. Or they're low quality and SnapOn is adopting the AutoZone LT warranty mentality: we'll hand you more junk when the junk breaks.

 

[Trav]

The tap T handles are a give away that it is a lower end set, the taps are good thread chasers though and probably all he needs.
I have an old set of Irwin for thread chasing, made in USA but still low end carbon steel, same cheap T handles. Good cutting tools usually don't come in set or blow molded cases.

A few good ones, I keep them in a separate draw in an old kennedy box. I but the 3 box sets on ebay from good companies like Morse and Cleveland for cheap money (cheap for what they are) some have damaged boxes and use them only for cutting new threads.

 

[The Critic]

I imagine The Critic paid WAY under list -- and good for him. At retail it's just setting money on fire.

Kennametal (rep) flat out admitted they just can't make tooling -- specifically carbide insert tooling -- state side. The environmental regulations simply don't allow it. Apparently the chemicals used for PVD (physical vapor deposition) and CVD (chemical vapor deposition) are NASTY.

Now, does this apply to hand taps? Maybe. Maybe not. But the economics of scale are boggling if you're truly making quality, durable, top-of-market hand taps ($$$$) and only selling thru SnapOn (extremely low volume sales). It doesn't add up.

Someone else has to be making these for them. Or they're low quality and SnapOn is adopting the AutoZone LT warranty mentality: we'll hand you more junk when the junk breaks.

The tap T handles are a give away that it is a lower end set, the taps are good thread chasers though and probably all he needs.
I have an old set of Irwin for thread chasing, made in USA but still low end carbon steel, same cheap T handles. Good cutting tools usually don't come in set or blow molded cases.

View attachment 338369

A few good ones, I keep them in a separate draw in an old kennedy box. I but the 3 box sets on ebay from good companies like Morse and Cleveland for cheap money (cheap for what they are) some have damaged boxes and use them only for cutting new threads.
View attachment 338370

They're definitely carbon steel and not HSS. I have asked a few dealers and Snap-On is supposedly doing the production in-house, but it could be baloney. I started a discussion in one of the tool facebook groups and I received similar responses, so there may be some truth to it.

And yes, I did not pay anywhere near MSRP for them. However, I advise looking up the cost of Irwin #26317...because that is the most comparable Irwin kit to this one and the price may surprise you.

 

[Trav]

I wouldn't touch that for $258 (Amazon), one review summed it up nicely "China Garbage tap set hiding in the corpse of an American brand".

​

 

[JWC86]

New oil filter wrench after using countless grip-style, band-style, a cheap, pressed-metal from Amsoil, and a Lisle wrench which only removes filters (yes, I know... hand tighten <blah>-<blah>-<blah>). Think P-style gasket.

This filter wrench fits Honda filters, and more. Tested on the Pentius and it had a little bit of play, but is rock solid on the Carquest Premium. It's on the speedy side at ~$30, but a nice chunk of aluminum, superb packaging, and Made In the USA .

View attachment 338172

I have the same one and in my case it fits the Pentius filters perfectly. Zero if any play at all.

 

[The Critic]

I find it ......well, 100% impossible that Snappy tooled up domestically to create better cutting tools than factories that make Hertel, OSG, Cleveland, Guhring, C/L (Chicago Latrobe), UB (Union Butterfield), Kennametal, Sandvik and on and on

Never worked in a real machine shop that used tool truck cutting tools.

Now, maybe it's good stuff although I too would prefer to see HSS. But it ain't superior. OTOH I'm selling ocean front property here in CO at fire sale prices. Taking reservations now!!

From some guy in a facebook group - but his explanation matches what some locals have told me:

"Mac bought out Irwin who was making the tap and dies.
Stanley/black and decker, who wons mac, shut down all manufacturing in the USa and went to China. If you dont believe me find a " made in the usa" on vise grip.
Snapon the proceded to hook up with a small family owned manufacturing business in Minnesota to build tap and dies, extractor, drill bits etc. Still made in America, by Americans. Did you guys wonder why we didnt have tap and dies for four years?
It took this family and millions in investments to get to this point."

 

[AutoMechanic]

My Snap-on dealer told me when I bought my set they were made in house but maybe that’s just what Snap-on is saying. They are nice though based on the few I’ve had to use.

 

[spasm3]

Regardless it’s a nice set that isn’t chinesium. If something needs a specific tool, one can buy it too. At least the set gives all the handles and everything else. I suspect it cuts cast iron and aluminum just fine for an auto shop…

A lot of the quality stuff I’ve been buying for my jobs is NOS.

They're definitely carbon steel and not HSS. I have asked a few dealers and Snap-On is supposedly doing the production in-house, but it could be baloney. I started a discussion in one of the tool facebook groups and I received similar responses, so there may be some truth to it.

And yes, I did not pay anywhere near MSRP for them. However, I advise looking up the cost of Irwin #26317...because that is the most comparable Irwin kit to this one and the price may surprise you.

I wouldn't touch that for $258 (Amazon), one review summed it up nicely "China Garbage tap set hiding in the corpse of an American brand".

​

What do you guys think of the icon tungsten molybdenum tap sets?
I think they are Taiwan not china. Or should I just look on the secondary market for USA NOS ?

 

[JHZR2]

What do you guys think of the icon tungsten molybdenum tap sets?
I think they are Taiwan not china. Or should I just look on the secondary market for USA NOS ?

Buy Cleveland or similar NOS in the sizes you need, and a decent used tap handle.

I see no reason to support offshoring just because it’s Taiwan.

 

[The Critic]

I see no reason to support offshoring just because it’s Taiwan.

What if the folks off-shore can make a better product?

 

[Trav]

What do you guys think of the icon tungsten molybdenum tap sets?
I think they are Taiwan not china. Or should I just look on the secondary market for USA NOS ?

I have no idea. You cant go wrong buying USA, German or Japan cutting tools in the sizes you use most. I have found buying them in 3 packs works best all one size but three different styles of taps taper, plug and bottoming, working on engines you run into uses for all three, bottoming for blind holes where you need threads to the bottom of the hole, taper for ease of starting and through holes and plug for through holes, most of these sets use plug taps as like a universal tap but they are not really.

There are specialty taps like spiral flute taps which pull the chips out and are useful on things like oil pans. but that is getting far ahead.
Get HSS taps and dies, they last and stay sharp longer and are cheaper in the long run, use carbon taps for chasing threads. Look for tap and die holders used on ebay, Starrett make some excellent ones. bottom line if you do mostly Japanese or Euro cars buy the main metric sizes first and build from there as needed. M6x1, M8x1.25 and M10, M12 in coarse an fine will be a good start. These old Starrett tap wrenches are much older than the 40 years ago when I bought them used. Dies are another subject HSS hex dies are probably the useful style for automotive use. The link below is just an example for a set of three Morse M6x1 taps, very good stuff as are all of the top brands.
Morse M6

 

[The Critic]

I have no idea. You cant go wrong buying USA, German or Japan cutting tools in the sizes you use most. I have found buying them in 3 packs works best all one size but three different styles of taps taper, plug and bottoming, working on engines you run into uses for all three, bottoming for blind holes where you need threads to the bottom of the hole, taper for ease of starting and through holes and plug for through holes, most of these sets use plug taps as like a universal tap but they are not really.

There are specialty taps like spiral flute taps which pull the chips out and are useful on things like oil pans. but that is getting far ahead.
Get HSS taps and dies, they last and stay sharp longer and are cheaper in the long run, use carbon taps for chasing threads. Look for tap and die holders used on ebay, Starrett make some excellent ones. bottom line if you do mostly Japanese or Euro cars buy the main metric sizes first and build from there as needed. M6x1, M8x1.25 and M10, M12 in coarse an fine will be a good start. These old Starrett tap wrenches are much older than the 40 years ago when I bought them used. Dies are another subject HSS hex dies are probably the useful style for automotive use. The link below is just an example for a set of three Morse M6x1 taps, very good stuff as are all of the top brands.
Morse M6


View attachment 338458

For automotive it is a good idea to also have a full range of tap sockets. Those handles are generally too large to fit into tight areas.

 

[NYEngineer]

For automotive it is a good idea to also have a full range of tap sockets. Those handles are generally too large to fit into tight areas.

In a pinch you can press a hex nut onto the square end of a tap and turn it with a socket. Works great in tight places.

 

[Timmastertech]

I know the Snappy taps and dies were moved in house. We had a heck of a time getting warranties on broken taps and dies for a couple years as tooling and production ramped up and they moved away from irwin.

 

[Trav]

For automotive it is a good idea to also have a full range of tap sockets. Those handles are generally too large to fit into tight areas.

For sure use whatever you need, the long ones are great for exhaust studs that had to be drilled, they are very rigid making starting the tap straight more controllable. It is also a good idea to use a guide of some sort, even a cheap set up like this can be a big help.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0181RB8M2/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_1?smid=A1F0ZX9W2WURWY&psc=1

 

[AutoMechanic]

Tekton haul today. Old style 1-1/4 12 point socket not sure what the difference is in the new style versus these but decided to get it just because it was on sale lol. Then 37mm and 38mm deep sockets to complete my set of axle nut sockets. I could have gotten impacts but I prefer the look and feel of chrome sockets not a huge fan of impact sockets. A old style 15mm wrench I think the newer ones are longer. A stubby 28mm and a regular 28mm wrench. 28mm is used for the flats on Toyota inner tie rods sometimes it’s handy to have the wrench instead of the tie rod tool. And then a really angled pick which seems like it will be very useful.

 

[Sam_Julier]

Astro 1/4” Drive Low Profile Nano Impact Sockets - Metric; 4mm to 15mm, no skips
Astro 78345 Long Flex Head Ratchet Wrench for 1/4” Nano Sockets
Zoro, 20% off

 

[Tempest1]

Astro 1/4” Drive Low Profile Nano Impact Sockets - Metric; 4mm to 15mm, no skips
Astro 78345 Long Flex Head Ratchet Wrench for 1/4” Nano Sockets
Zoro, 20% off

View attachment 338686

I have yet to use my 1/4" set, but the 3/8" size has come in handy on occasion. Have also used the 1/2" size a few times as well. Including the 23mm!

This ratchet works with 1/4" Astro sockets as well as the Power Torque sockets:
https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/...file-ratchet-handle/ptt0/gm6183?q=1/4+ratchet

 

[D60]

Inexpensive set of E-torx plus from Amazon -- Casoman branded.

I can't say I've yet encountered a plus fastener and just couldn't justify high end money here. These were $27.

The set was fairly comprehensive in sizing and I like the more compact case. Some sets spread out in a larger case and that just eats up drawer space. I just cut the lid off and stick these in a drawer