Craftsman has come out with a new 5pc ratcheting tap and die set.
Well, it’s new but not “new.” I’ve owned a Gearwrench version of this set for years now. I don’t pull it out often, but there are times when it comes in handy. I don’t think I would want this as my one and only tap and die tool set. Here’s why:
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How do you reverse a ratcheting tap and die handle?! Answer: you don’t.
The set comes with the ratcheting handle, small and large tap sockets, and a die socket that accepts hex-stock dies. There’s also a sliding handle that allows you to use the tap sockets without the ratcheting handle.
BONUS: The ratcheting T-handle can be used with Max Axess and Gearwrench pass-through sockets.
It comes with a red Craftsman tool case. There’s quite a bit of storage space at the bottom, but be sure to protect the cutting surfaces of taps or other tooling you might want to toss in there.
Price: $50
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First Thoughts
I bought my set a few years back, after it was on my wishlist for what seemed like forever. As mentioned above, I don’t think this is a good “first” tap and die tool set.
I don’t remember the last time I used a thread cutting die, but I use taps fairly regularly, and this is almost never my tool of choice.
I suppose I might use this with spiral taps, but my recent experiences with spiral taps have shown me that I could use them safely and effectively in a power tool at low speeds.
With other hand taps, ones that aren’t designed for power tool use as my spiral taps are, cutting threads is a 2-step operation. Rotate clockwise to cut the thread, and then rotate counterclockwise to break up the chips. Don’t break the chips, and you could jam up your tap and break it in the hole. This is more of a concern with smaller size taps.
You could use the sliding handle with the tap holders, but it’s not quite as good of an experience as with a “real” tap holder – the handle shifts around too much.
Well, I suppose this can be one’s first and only tap and die tool set. The sliding handle helps to step in when the ratcheting handle is inconvenient, such as for 1/2-turn forward and 1/4-turn back sequences and the like.
It’s a good set of tools, even better if you own Apex Tool Group-made pass-thru sockets. (3/8″ equivalent size.)
$50 is a little pricey – I think I paid a bit less.
Compared to the Gearwrench set, it looks like the Craftsman ratcheting handle is different, with a slightly different shape and the absence of grippy material insert.
Funny story – I bought my Gearwrench set from a local Sears store years back. I had a coupon, I believe $10 off $50 tool purchase coupon, possibly from when Craftsman still had tool calendars. I picked it up and the tool set rang up a lot lower – maybe $25? $30? Sears ran a lot of Gearwrench sales every now and then, so 40% or 50% wouldn’t have been unheard of.
So I continued shopping for more tools.
Once I had $50+, I went back to the cashier. This time, the Gearwrench tap and die tool set rang up at its full price. What?!
The cashier didn’t know what was going on, so we called a manager.
The manager was arguing with me that it must have been something else, or I must be mistaken, and that there’s no way there would be 2 different prices in the same day.
The cashier went to bat for me, and insisted that he saw it with his own eyes. The manager approved the override and I left, happy with my Sears shopping experience.
I’m not comfortable recommending that anyone buy this, but the tools are quite good, assuming the only differences between Craftsman and Gearwrench sets are the ratcheting handle styling and the cases.
This is the type of tool I can’t recommend, I can only tell you about.
I don’t regret my purchase, but on the other hand these tools aren’t as useful as I really thought they would be. It wasn’t an impulse buy either.
Long story short – Craftsman came out with a version of Gearwrench’s tap and die tool set. But after owning the Gearwrench set for a while, I’m of the opinion that it’s a solution to not enough problems.
Mike aka Fazzman
I have the Gearwrench set as well. Dont really use it all that much. As a machinist there isnt a day that goes by im not cutting threads of somekind. I much prefer my Starrett and other various handles because you have a better “feel”.
Where this set has excelled for me is in hard to reach areas,being able to use extensions is nice when needed. This set usually sits in toolbox in garage. Also cant believe they still try and get $50 from this kit.
Gordon
It feels like Craftsman is more interested in the gimmicky tools than making solid essentials. I was at a Sears the other day, for a different terrible experience, and noticed all the end-caps in the tool section were advertising 12v Cordless, and their Mach line. The tool section was significantly smaller than normal, and it was just a lot of plastic crap.
It’s sad to see a brand that I grew up thinking was the king of tools become a little more than toys.
Rod Norton
100% agree… I have tons of Craftsman stuff, now stopped buying anything from Sears and have went to M12 & M18…
The yeti
When will we see a blue tooth capable open end flat wrench . Come on craftsman . Someone needs it
Brett
Some reason direction toggle lever doesn’t work to let you back the tap out & break chips? Looks like the Gearwrench has it too so I figure there’s probably a reason. Maybe it’s not a direction toggle at all?
Stuart
It gets old, real fast.
1/2 turn forward
Toggle direction switch
1/4 turn back
Toggle direction switch
You won’t want to rely on the ratchet mechanism direction switch for tapping operations.
Patrick
Wow, opposite experience for me. While changing direction sucks, I’ve found I can safely and accurately tap a lot more than a half turn before breaking chips even with the cheap carbon steel GW taps, and the ratcheting functionality comes in very handy. This is my preferred way to tap, and the quality of the tap handles and tap holders is GREAT.
I have never used the dies, so can’t comment on that… only thing I really would do would be clean up threads and I have the Lang kit for that.
Tom
I get the $50 price, but this is Sears, so you know that this is going to be at $25 within a few months. Would getting this for $25 change your feelings?
Adam
Stuart, you are listing the ‘sale price’ (I’m not sure Sears knows exactly what a sale is), as it is normally $99, if we ever see it there.
I have to imagine with their sale tactics, they would not be ranked high in the BBB. The MyPillow company got re-ranked really low after they offered their Buy 1 Get 1 offer for too long (all of last year?), as that semi-confuses the customer to what the “real” price is. I was wrong, A+. wtf
Stuart
Yes.
I saw no reason to repeat Sears’ BS pricing. “Regular price” of $99.99? Nope.
The Gearwrench set retails for $50 to $60. I’d bet that we’ll NEVER see the Craftsman set at $100.
The last time I checked, a few years ago, the BBB had logged something like 16,000 complaints against Sears for a 3-year period or something like that.
I had to file a BBB complaint against Sears for a refund issue, and was contacted by a special Sears customer service rep who could actually do something to remedy the situation.
fred
My 40 year old Starrett tap wrenches and Greenfield die stocks do me fine. I generally use round split (adjustable) dies or GTD “Acorn” dies much more than hex dies. But the hex dies do come in handy for awkward spots where they can even be held in a deep socket (here’s a case where a shouldered – rather than full-depth deep socket is handy) and used with a T-Handle.
We also had ratcheting tap handles from General Tools that were decent,
https://www.amazon.com/General-Tools-161R-Ratchet-Wrench/dp/B00004T7SF
Mike aka Fazzman
The General tool tap handles are fantastic. Probably some of my favorites.
fred
I put some additional comments over on the Community Forum site:
https://discuss.toolguyd.com/t/ratcheting-tap-wrench-die-stock/742
pencil neck
When they bundle this with a impact tap driver, I might be interested… I want more than one way to screw up something simple.
Toolfreak
I remember seeing this Craftsman set awhile ago, either in a promo for new tools or in one of those surveys they send out to certain customers that asked which tool you would buy. I think this is actualy the one I picked out.
I saw this on the sears site a few weeks ago, and just figured they finally started selling it.
I have the Max Axess ratchet set, and while the quality of the sockets isn’t the greatest, I do like the pass-through feature to have a set of just in case, and I prefer the handle design of the Craftsman to the Gearwrench, since it’s so similar to the Craftsman thin-profile ratchets.
The ergonomics of the handle seems to be the main benefit, the smooth rounded curves are going to feel a lot better on your fingers and palms that a small diameter rod or the usual tap-die holder. The ratcheting doesn’t seem like it’d be much use for tapping threads, but since it uses the same design as the Max Axess sockets, this is really just a ratcheting T-handle with tap and die attachments.
I agree the fake “full retail” $99.99 price is steep, but that’s how Sears does business, putting the MSRP high, constantly having it on “sale” for 50% off, and occasionally slightly less or more.
I do want to try it out. Kinda makes me want a ratcheting T-handle for regular drive sockets, too. I have slide bars and the Max Axess square drive adapters will work on this, but there’s been a few times a ratcheting T-handle would have been just the thing to have.
fred
Motion Pro makes a 1/4 inch drive – T-Handle ratchet – their part # 08-0231
You could also use a regular T-Handle with a ratchet adapter like the ones made by Proto and others.
fred
I think that Gearwrench sells an adapter to fit the handle and turns it into a 3/8 inch drive. Take a look at part #82805 or set #82805
Toolfreak
I have the Max Axess socket adapters that let you use the Max Axess ratchets with regular square drive sockets, which will also work on this since it’s the same drive mechanism.
I was mainly just hoping for a “regular” T-handle socket since I don’t think the adapters are very strong, the anvil will likely snap before getting much torque out of it.
fred
So maybe a Proto J5447 ratchet adapter on a Proto J5485 sliding t-handle would give you enough torque capability
KL
As a machinist I agree this is an idea that looks best on paper. It reminds me of what the wife and I call “stupid leashes” – ie dog leashes that spool out and retract. The problem is you lose most manual control – sometimes you want to reign in your dog quickly and likewise with tap wrenches you want absolute control – 1/2 turn forward, 1/4 turn back and repeat.
Similarly I’ve tried ratcheting wrenches on my drawbar and it’s just kinda dumb – any time savings or convenience is offset by fiddling w the reversing lever.
Sometimes KISS rules.
Patrick
Lol. I also love the retractable leashes. The dogs can go around and explore, but when I need control I hit the button and it’s whatever length fixed leash I want it to be. The Flexi’s are Made in Germany and I’m on the same one I bought for my 9-year old, 85lb Husky/Shepherd/Lab mix when he was just a puppy.
Mike aka Fazzman
So i was looking at my Gearwrench kit and it appears I have the large master kit version.
According to Amazon I paid $50 bucks for it in 2012. Currently its around $160 on amazon. $50 for the larger kit was the cheapest I ever saw it for I believe. No way id pay $160 for it. Having the two different handles is nice especially if you have some of the pass thru sockets. Had that set in my wishlist for nearly a year watching the prices before I got it.
GearWrench 82807 11 Piece Large Master Drive Tool Set https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001GMVA5A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_WfmQybNCEGWR7
Addicted2Red
I just bought the gearwrench 40 pc metric set on ebay. $65 shipped. Same set as above.
used it already on 25 m5.08 holes. Worked great.
John Hooper
I bought a Metric only 81 piece Chinese set about 10 years ago for $89.00 delivered.
It came with two handles. The bigger one is OK but the smaller one is junk. If I used it everyday I’d have replaced the small handle long ago!
I am sure this Craftsman tool would not suit me. Maybe version 2 will!
Brian
I actually really like my Gearwrench handle. It’s a little tricky to start it straight but once you get it, it flies through tapping. I keep my thumb near the switch so I can easily hit it…I’d rather it wasn’t ratcheting or there was a lock but the handle itself is really nice.
fred
In our metal / pipe fabrication shop we had a Bosch tapping gun. It was a decent tool – now discontinued. You pushed in to start the tapping and pulled back to reverse/clear chips. Once you got the feel for it you could tap a whole long line of holes pretty quickly.
Mike aka Fazzman
Fein makes one of these,recently saw them showing it off on instagram.
fred
Yeah – Fein actually has more than one model.
We used to make custom spray headers, spray rings and spargers . Drilled and tapped hundreds of holes along the length of SS pipe into which we threaded nozzles with different orifices. Hand tapping would have been prohibitively slow and costly – but setting up machinery and jigging to automate the process was also not cost-effective.
Jack brown
Seems like it would not be that hard to invent an automatic tapping gun that actually did the whole process while you hold down the trigger.
Basically you’d want to be able to set the maximum torque (depending on the rating of the tap you’d stick in it). It would turn right until it hit that torque max (indicating it’s time to clear chips), then reverse a half turn, then start spinning right again until it ran up against it’s torque limit, then reverse again…
As I understand the way the Bosch one works (I’ve never tapped anything except manually myself), you are supposed to push positively to spin right, then pull up when you want it to reverse to clear chips…
I’m curious why a torque limiting scheme with auto reverse wouldn’t do the trick perfectly.
ACalz
Was at Sears yesterday ALLLLLLLL that over priced china tools made me want to throw up. How sad that the Craftsman name has hit such a low point.
At those prices I rather buy HB tools.
Jack brown
It’s a classic of these leverage buyout scenarios. They buy the brand, but then hollow it out by riding on previous reputation for a while even while they cut out the quality that built the reputation in the first place. Ride it right down into the mud.