Metric die

Looking to purchase a M6 x 0.75 left hand die. Loads in China. Does anybody know of a UK supplier ?

Tracy tools tools do them I believe

David

Can't see any listed by the usual suspects such as Rotagrip, Tracey, Drill Services, Tap & Die Co, Cutwell etc so it looks like wait for a slow boat or screwcut.

I can't speak for the quality, buy try Amazon
https://www.amazon.co.uk/sourcing-map-Metric-Machine-Threading/dp/B08HY4P6WF/ref=sr_1_6?th=1

Bill

Ebay item No. 284962889566 from Rotagrip ??

(Not 'split' though)

Edited By Weary on 25/04/2023 21:17:34

I cannot understand the need to split dies. It should be just like a tap - you get it out of its box and use it to cut a correctly-sized thread without having to adjust it before it does so. You don't adjust taps - so why dies? When it stops cutting the correctly-sized thread due to wear, throw it away and get another one. You might get away with re-sharpening it if you have the kit, but life's too short.

I've seen too many cheap split dies that have ended up a helical shape after splitting so that they can never be made to cut a correctly-sized thread.

I would always choose a solid die if I had the choice. If you buy one that doesn't cut to size, clearly it's a manufacturing fault and you can return it, and not, "Well obviously you haven't adjusted it correctly sir - tough."

Well you may not be able to buy adjustable taps but most makers sell a range of "oversize" taps which are typically used if a part is to be plated so that may be one reason you would want to tighten up a die if the threaded part is to be plated. I also like to make things like carb fuel needle screws a bit tighter so they are less likely to unscrew or leak fuel. Then there is always the designer who puts a non standard tollerence on a drawing rather than the usual g6.

Simple answer: lower torque is required to achieve the cut - useful with the bigger sizes, and it reduces the risk of bending things with the smaller ones.

A die without a split is what we called a die nut. Used to repair damaged threads not to cut a new thread. Basically a repair tool rather than a manufacturing tool.

I think that because you can’t adjust taps that’s why being able to adjust a die is so handy.

Not so, Peter. Many manufacturers, particularly Continental ones, supply solid dies for creating threads. Guhring is one such; all the ones I can see in their catalogue are solid. Die nuts in my experience are generally made from hexagon material.

I have a number of solid BA round dies, about 5/8"OD which are excellent for creating threads.

I appreciate Jason's point that you may need a tighter thread fit sometimes, however you can often achieve that by using the undersize tap that you get in the modern tap sets, or using a second tap but leaving a bit of tight thread.

True. Series taps are also available, rather than a set of taper, second and plug. A unique model could have (and some likely have had) non-standard threads included.

Taps do not cut to the finished thread size as fast as the average die, which is only a few threads thick. Cutting small diameters is far easier than the ‘larger-than-most model-engineering’ range. Nigel perhaps needs to (try to) cut a coarse thread on a 25mm, or larger, bar.🙂

Big threads just need a suitable wrench/stock this one of mine is about 2ft long

My spiral flute taps have no more length of thread than the same size die maybe even less so not sure why they should not cut as quickly?

As he says the likes of Dormer do more solid dies than they do split ones and they also do hexagonal dienuts for cleaning up old threads.

I've several solid dies and they are quick and easy to use as there is no faffing about closing them down if the thread when first cut is too large

Edited By JasonB on 26/04/2023 14:33:50

A consequence of CNC I think. Split dies don't make much sense on auto tool-changing machines. I guess the market for manually set split dies is now tiny compared with CNC requirements, where machines detect when a new die is needed by measuring torque, and then replaces them from a magazine.

In the past solid dies were for cleaning up threads: not so now. Solid dies are faster, more accurate, and easily replaced in a few seconds when they go blunt. Paying skilled men to fiddle with split dies isn't smart when the competition knock stuff out with fast machines.

Dave

Edited By SillyOldDuffer on 26/04/2023 18:21:35