Quote Originally Posted by Frank S View Post
I paid $26.20 for the 7/8-20 UNEF tap and die combination on ebay
$16.99 for my 7/8-24 UNS tap and die
$20.18 for the 3/4-20 UNEF tap and die
$18.58 for the 11/16 UNEF tap and die
$20.28 for a 1"-20 UNEF die
$ 22.51 for a 1"-20 UNEF tap
When possible I like to buy tap and die together also if it is something that can be chucked in my lathe I usually single point the threads most of the way to completion then finish off with a tap or die. This makes for clean threads and less wear on my taps and dies
Thanks! Make sense to me. Some of the threads I've done could have used a bit of smoothing. And it's not like I've done all that much threading to begin with. I'm going to file the serial number off that idea, and steal it!

Funny thing, the very first thread I cut single point after my HS class in 1973 was as nearly perfect as anything I've ever done in my life. I made a stub spindle for my Atlas TH42 and brought the original chuck that came with it for my test piece. It was nice and smooth and pretty. My teacher was impressed. Especially as I didn't have to redo it several times. The next several examples were not nearly so good. Finally, I realized I needed to slow down, and take my time, like I did with the stub spindle. I'll never make it in a production shop, but that's not my purpose anyway. So it's OK if it takes me a lot longer to do something. I just need to not get in a rush, and tone down the ADD a bit.

Bill