Starter Tap - A starter tap is used to begin the process of creating screw threads in a hole or on the inside surface of a cylindrical object. Solid dies cut a nominal thread form and depth, whose accuracy is subject to the precision the die was made with, and the effects of wear. Adjustable dies can be slightly compressed or expanded to provide some compensation for wear, or to achieve different classes of thread fit (class A, B and more rarely, C). Adjustable taps also exist but are not common. These have a tip that is split through the flutes and an axial screw which forces the cutting edges slightly apart.

Plug Tap The final tap in the set is the plug tap. It has a shorter cutting edge and is used to finish the threads close to the bottom of the hole. Tap Wrench - Tap wrenches are essential tools used to turn hand taps during the threading process. They provide a secure grip on the tap's square shank and allow you to apply the necessary rotational force to cut threads into the workpiece. There are different types of tap wrenches, each designed for specific applications. where T D {\displaystyle TD} is the tap drill size, M D {\displaystyle MD} is the major diameter of the tap (e.g., ⅜ inch for a ⅜"-16 tap), and N {\displaystyle N} is the thread pitch (16 in the case of a ⅜"-16 tap). For a ⅜"-16 tap, the above formula would produce 5⁄ 16 as a result, which is the correct tap drill diameter for a ⅜"-16 tap. The above formula ultimately results in an approximate 75 percent thread.Tapping may either be achieved by a hand tapping by using a set of taps (first tap, second tap & final (finish) tap) or using a machine to do the tapping, such as a lathe, radial drilling machine, bench type drill machine, pillar type drill machine, vertical milling machines, HMCs, VMCs. Machine tapping is faster, and generally more accurate because human error is eliminated. Final tapping is achieved with single tap. Sherwood HSS Plug Taps are the ideal option for through hole tapping in most materials including steel, some stainless steels, cast irons and non-ferrous materials such as Aluminium, Brass and many others. US Tap and Drill Bit Size Table". BoltDepot.com. Archived from the original on 2006-12-01 . Retrieved 2006-12-03.

With soft or average hardness materials, such as plastic, aluminum or mild steel, common practice is to use an intermediate (plug) tap to cut the threads. If the threads must extend to the bottom of a blind hole, the machinist uses an intermediate (plug) tap to cut threads until the point of the tap reaches bottom, and then switches to a bottoming tap to finish. The machinist must frequently eject chips to avoid jamming or breaking the tap. With hard materials, the machinist may start with a taper tap, whose less severe diameter transition reduces the torque required to cut threads. To threads to the bottom of a blind hole, the machinist follows the taper tap with an intermediate (plug) tap, and then a bottoming tap to finish. Tap & Drill Sets - A tap and drill set is an essential collection of tools designed to create threaded holes for bolts, screws, and other fasteners. These sets provide the necessary tools for tasks involving threading holes in materials like metal, plastic, or wood.Taps and dies are tools used to create screw threads, which is called threading. Many are cutting tools; others are forming tools. A tap is used to cut or form the female portion of the mating pair (e.g. a nut). A die is used to cut or form the male portion of the mating pair (e.g. a bolt). The process of cutting or forming threads using a tap is called tapping, whereas the process using a die is called threading. Keenan, Julian Paul (2005). ASVAB - The Best Test Prep. Research & Education Association. ISBN 978-0-7386-0063-5.