Shoddy Hardware (Was: Re: WW fixtures (was Re: "New" PDP-8))

From: Richard Erlacher <edick_at_idcomm.com>
Date: Wed Apr 3 09:56:21 2002

You don't have to buy a tap and die set unless you're really into tools for
their own sake. I've had a tap and die set, and, until a year or so ago, a
completely equipped machine shop, with equipment ranging from punch presses to
various lathes and milling machines. While I'm not an expert machinist, I
have managed, over the years, to learn how to make relatively small and quite
interchangeable parts, and very precisely fitting ones at that, without
hurting mysielf, and without creating too much scrap. I've even managed to
learn to limit the number of taps I break when I'm required to tap a 2"-deep
hole.

I personally have used a die for threading rod only once in the ~30 years over
which I've owned one. Normally, when I needed a tap, I simply bought one, for
about half a dollar. Now, I'm not quite ready to give up the tap wrenches I
own, but of the dies I've had, only one has ever been used, and that one only
once.

For what I've seen on this thread, a roll-tap and a tap wrench, the latter
being best bought at a used tool sale or pawn shop, would be quite adequate.
The lubricant of choice for sheet metal, tapped by the usual home user, would
be hand lotion. Special lubricants aren't necessary.

Dick

----- Original Message -----
From: "Christopher Smith" <csmith_at_amdocs.com>
To: <classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org>
Sent: Wednesday, April 03, 2002 8:27 AM
Subject: RE: Shoddy Hardware (Was: Re: WW fixtures (was Re: "New" PDP-8))


> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Doc [mailto:doc_at_mdrconsult.com]
>
> > As hard as it may be to envision, I bet _most_ of the subscribers to
> > this list do not own tap & die sets. Many probably own only
>
> Speaking as someone who doesn't own a tap and die, I can say that there's
> not a day I'm working on something (anything) that I don't think "maybe I
> should go out and finally get a tap and die set." ;)
>
> > Doc, who has a very sharp knife and a flashlight at all times,
> > or did until September 11....
>
> Doc, you can reply in email if you'd like since it's not really on topic,
> but why on earth have you stopped carrying them?
>
> Chris
>
>
> Christopher Smith, Perl Developer
> Amdocs - Champaign, IL
>
> /usr/bin/perl -e '
> print((~"\x95\xc4\xe3"^"Just Another Perl Hacker.")."\x08!\n");
> '
>
>
>
Received on Wed Apr 03 2002 - 09:56:21 BST