Tap Storage Ideas Needed

[RTPBurnsville]

I have been using those 'Plano' plastic boxes which have divides and a snap lid. They come in various sizes for less than $5 each. I also use them for my milling cutters.

[gzig5]

Most of my taps are small, under 1/2". I just put them in plastic cartridge cases. They hold 50 taps up 7/16". You can pick them up at most shooting supply stores.

Good idea. Ive got dozens of cartridge boxes and never thought of that. There are larger ones for shotshells too. Print a label map for the inside of the cover showing what is where. Anything that doesn't fit can go into a Plano box. Looks like I have some sorting to do this weekend.

[Ggerg1186]

Most of my taps are small, under 1/2". I just put them in plastic cartridge cases. They hold 50 taps up 7/16". You can pick them up at most shooting supply stores.

Awesome! I know what I am going to do with my taps now

Thanks

[Bob Fisher]

There is a plastic holder that holds the tap, tap drill, and clearance drill for all sizes from No 2 thru 1/2 in both NC and NF series. McMaster Carr has them ,and they are not expensive. Been using one for many years. Bob.

[Dr Stan]

I would love to own all those nice Huot boxes.

Ditto. I too have found fishing lure/fly boxes to be useful in organizing not only taps, but other cutting tools such as end mills and inserts.

For my smaller > 1/4" and under nuts, bolts, screws etc. I got lucky on a trip to Wally World and found a couple of organizers on clearance in the sewing dept. So guys, let your feminine side loose and tour the sewing dept every once in a while. (yeah I know its a sexist comment so let's hold the rotten tomatoes).

BTW, one can used a crock pot to melt wax, or machinable wax to protect them from each other. Quite easy to remove when you need to use the tool again.

[Rich Carlstedt]

How about an old printers' type setting drawer stand.

These were common years ago and may still be around. They kept their type in the drawers, which come in different widths. You can see some of the originals on the upper right side, showing the letters that were in that drawer.
What is neat, is when you get too many taps of one size, you get a bigger drawer, and they still stay in order. I keep my taps and dies in the same box.
They come in 1,2,3,4 inch wide as you can see in the photot and there is a slot for labels on the front.
If you can't find one, make a cabinet , but keep the drawer size flexible

Rich

[JCavalry]

I am looking for a way to organize/store (not put away in storage) loose taps in a drawer.

I buy a new tap for a project periodically, and I don't have a good place to put them. Sometimes they come in a plastic box, but that doesn't help for organized storage. These may be plug, gun, bottom, or form taps.

Well, if you like Altoids - I recommend the cinnamon - the little rectangular tins they come in are nice for tap storage up to 3/8", maybe a bit bigger. I put a label on the top with the size and one on the short end, so I can pick out the tin I want quickly. Inside, the taps are kept in short lengths of expandable mesh tubing. (MSC sells it -- dunno about McMaster Carr.) For most sizes, I can keep four or five taps, a few tapping drills and a die in one can. For some, like 1/4"-20 where I've got 8 or 10 different kinds of tap, I need two boxes.

For larger taps, I use expandable mesh tubing to protect the flutes and try to keep them ordered by size. And a few taps bought for one specific job get the flutes dipped in that meltable waxy stuff and then wrapped in foil, long-term storage against the day they're needed again.

JCav

[J Weber]

I took pvc pipe,split on the tablesaw and glued into racks to fit into tool box drawers. aka uuuuuuuuuuu. Works great for your most used taps kept at fingertips

[Deus Machina]

I should do the PVC pipe thing...
I just have one of those sets of plastic dividing drawers that I use for all the little bits and bobs. Taps and cutting tools get a quick wrap of aluminum foil so they don't get dulled or chipped against their brethren in storage.

[becksmachine]

There is a plastic holder that holds the tap, tap drill, and clearance drill for all sizes from No 2 thru 1/2 in both NC and NF series. McMaster Carr has them ,and they are not expensive. Been using one for many years. Bob.

+1 on that

Dave