There's a deep satisfaction in using taps and dies to make threaded fasteners that actually work.
There's an even deeper satisfaction to making the tap and die, and then using them to make fasteners with your own thread.
We will go through the moves to make our own matching tap and die (non-standard in both thread profile and and pitch).
Using wire as a guide, we will hand saw (then perhaps file) a thread on a rod, then taper, flute, and harden it, then use that tap to thread a hole which we will then taper and flute to make a die, and with that we will be able to cut the real thread on a new rod, and turn that into the real tap.
Will it be useful?
Hmmmm... practically speaking... well... no, not particularly so.
A lot will be learned, a much deeper appreciation for nuts and bolts will be gained, it should be satisfying, entertaining, educational, and possibly... fun.
Gift Certificates for A Shopmade Tap and Die are available.
12 hours in four 3-hour meetings dates×
Instructor: Carl West
Fee: $390 per student
Maximum 4 students, one per forge
Please wear proper clothing for visiting or working in the forge:
closed toe shoes (preferably leather, preferably high-topped. Sneakers are sufficient, sandals, crocs, pumps, mules... are not), natural fiber clothing, long pants that cover the tops of the shoes.
Click here for more safety information.
This class is either: If you're interested in taking A Shopmade Tap and Die and it's not on the calendar, please tell us using our Notification-List Page.
Dates and Times:
If none of the dates below work for you (or are already full), we suggest you
Add yourself to the Notification List for this class.
(The notification list gets emailed soon after classes are put on the schedule.)
- not upcoming on our schedule,
- or we've fallen behind in our clerical duties and not entered it in the database.
If you found it on our calendar page, we are planning to offer it on that date.