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Thread: Tap and Die storage
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15th July 2012, 05:05 PM #1Novice
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Tap and Die storage
Hi,
After many years of my taps and dies being stored in tins and boxes on a shelf (and taking forever to find what I want) I have built some draws under one of my benches to store them in an easy to find way.
I am looking for some ideas on laying them out and may be making up some dividers to keep the individual sizes apart.
What do you guys do?
Tony
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15th July 2012, 05:25 PM #2Philomath in training
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If you have a router and a ball nose cutter or two I'd suggest putting some grooves in some MDF pieces cut to the size of your drawers. If you had shelf space you could try a block of wood with holes in it to stand the taps vertically.
Michael
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15th July 2012, 05:37 PM #3
Mine are stored in small plastic multi-compartment storage boxes, one for metric, one for UNC, one for BA etc. Not ideal but suffices for now......
However, if you have made some drawers how about making some foam inlays? Buy a cheap 8mm thick camping foam "mattress" and cut out holes to suit your needs, then glue it onto a second sheet. Total thickness: about 16-20mm depending on what brand of foam you buy. Buy two different colours and have a contrasting base; looks pretty!
Find bits of tubing the same dia as the botton dies, grind a bevel on the INSIDE and you have a hole punch. Make another one about 1/2-5/8" dia and use that to make finger holes so you can get them out afterwards, put a single finger hole between two dies. Dies that are large enough to stick a finger into won't need them.
For the taps, put them into sets (threes or twos) and cut slots that allow them to sit alongside each other, then cut a single 5/8" slot across the centre of each set so you can pull them out.
If you have missing sizes cut them out anyway; an empty slot is a good excuse to justify tool expenditure!
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15th July 2012, 06:55 PM #4
Currently I do what you used to do but I plan on building a shelf/draw in my metalwork cupboard (Build posted in previous thread) with timber cutouts as mentioned by Michael. I inherited my fathers Tap / Die set a few years ago. It is I think P & N, older than I am and comes in a wooden box with cutouts. All original as far as I am aware. Unfortunately it it a bit too long to fit in my cupboard so I will have to take it out of the box. I will be keeping the box tho.
I plan on having a drawer that sits under a shelf so takes up little space. Just 2 bits of wood. One with cutouts one without, or maybe 2 seperate shelves or maybe 3. 1 for metric, one for imperial and 1 for holders.
I don't have as many as you.
Dean
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15th July 2012, 08:07 PM #5Intermediate Member
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Quite a fair bit of handy and free storage tubes can be had from your local path lab or clinic.
I have got a heap of little plastic tubes with a twist top, I think they are for blood collection and I have taps in these.
Use the styrofoam vial trays to hold drills, scribes and anything that you want held in its own compartment.
Check them out they next time you give blood
Mike
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16th July 2012, 11:16 AM #6
A lot of the taps and dies I have are for my penmaking and are generally rather specialised threads.
To keep them organised and easy to find I bought some parts cabinets from Aldi and have a small drawer for each size, labelled accordingly.
When I buy these taps and dies, they quite often don't come in their own container, especially the taps. I have bought quite a few small plastic tube type containers from craft shops, used for beads, they make good tap containers.
The larger taps get put in the plastic vials used by pathology labs for collecting blood etc.
Some of the taps come in their own plastic container.
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16th July 2012, 11:34 AM #7GOLD MEMBER
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GregQ brought these to our attention a while ago. I've been meaning to get one and try it out:
INREDA CD rack - IKEA
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16th July 2012, 04:40 PM #8
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16th July 2012, 06:06 PM #9future machinist
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I use the same thing as Big Shed.
Those Aldi boxes are great I keep a drill with the tap so it's always handy saves 15 minutes looking for the right drill (this time would be greatly reduced if I had my drills organised and not all in one boxBETTER TO HAVE TOOLS YOU DON'T NEED THAN TO NEED TOOLS YOU DON'T HAVE
Andre
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16th July 2012, 06:37 PM #10Senior Member
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I've been using the Ikea c.d. racks for tap storage for a while now. they come in 2 sizes, C.D. & D.V.D. Also its easy to remove a division for larger taps with a sharp wood chisel. Have to go out, but will post a pic either later tonight or tomorrow.
Ian.
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16th July 2012, 06:40 PM #11GOLD MEMBER
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Shouldnt take 15 minutes to locate the correct tapping drill if drills are kept in a stand and charts are available.
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17th July 2012, 12:02 AM #12Novice
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Thanks for all the feedback guys, lots of good ideas.
The Ikea CD racks look interesting might suit my draw application.
On the subject of drill storage, I got a bit carried away when I made a shelf for storing stuff near the drill press. (hate to think what its going to cost to fill all the holes).
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17th July 2012, 02:05 AM #13Senior Member
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Here are the pics I promised, The taps aren't labelled, but I know that Metric is on the right, next is BSW then UNF then BSP. Anything else are taps I wouldn't use very often. Also a pic of the tool bit drawer, the dividers are 3 mm mdf & just cut 1/2 way through with the table saw. That's the first one I have done that way & it works O.K. The drawers are made from cover sheets from a kitchen manufacturer.
Ian
IMG_2IMG_2110a.jpg108a.jpgIMG_2111a.jpg
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17th July 2012, 01:16 PM #14Senior Member
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Same thing except with aluminum sheet folded like zzzzzz's ...Bob
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17th July 2012, 01:50 PM #15Philomath in training
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One thing I have seen used in the past is a section of mini-orb corrigated iron. The only problem that I see with using metal is potential to scuff up teeth.
Michael
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