Hand-over-hand turning is no longer necessary.
The auto-locking feature makes it possible to safely remove the tap adapters.
The use of a spring-loaded cap allows for the rapid release of a large tap adapter.
The die adapter is compatible with both round and hex shaped dies.
It comes with a blow mold case for storage and organization.
Description of the Produc.
With the ratcheting wrench design, GEARWRENCH has created a tool that can be used with tap and die applications. The ratcheting handles and adapters make it simple to move back and forth between taps and dies, which is necessary when cutting threads with either. The 5° ratcheting arc with reversing lever eliminates the need for hand-over-hand maneuvering. The hex die adapters can be used with either round or hex shaped dies, depending on the design.
The Manufacturer’s Statemen.
4-piece large ratcheting tap and die drive tool set, 1/2-inch drive, with gear wrenc. The set includes the following items: 82800 large ratcheting “T” wrench, 8280 large Locking tap adapter (which accommodates taps up to 9/16″-3/4″ and 14mm-18mm), 82802 large hex die adapter (which fits up to 1-7/16″ diameter hex stock and hex dies sizes 9/16″ to 3/4″), and a 4 millimeter hex key. The auto-locking feature of the gear wrench ratcheting tap and die tools allows for the quick release of the tap adapter when using the tool. To quickly release the large tap adapter, twist the spring-loaded cap to the left. When used in conjunction with ratcheting “T” handle that has a 5 degree ratcheting arc and reverse lever that eliminates hand over hand turning, the result is a smooth and quiet operation. The large hex die adapter can be used with both round and hex dies. The die adapter is compatible with the pass-through ratchet and socket system as well as vertex socket accessories, among other things.
The overall quality of this set exceeded my expectations. All of the pieces have been polished and chrome plated, and they all look fantastic. Even the case that it came in is superior, with real latches and hinges on the sides (as opposed to “living” hinges and latches, which are just flexing plastic and eventually break – but admittedly only used by some inferior brands, e.g. Snap-On..). GearWrench appears to be committed to high quality, as evidenced by their meticulous attention to detail.
Their marketing needs to be improved, however, as I was unable to determine what size die their die holder is compatible with – they only specify “medium” or “large,” which is confusing. Nowhere did I find any indication that my dies would fit either their “medium” or “large” die holder, despite the fact that my dies are 1″ hexagonal and 1″ round. I had to finally contact their customer service department to get that information (“medium” was the right size, as it turned out). Because of this, I ended up devoting significantly more time to research than was absolutely necessary. If you ask me, this is not a particularly effective method of selling a product.. but they did make a sale, so what do I know…
A number of reviews have mentioned the possibility of the ratchet direction lever falling off. I have yet to experience this, but I will be extra cautious to avoid it happening in the future. When you apply more than a little pressure to the ratchet handle when starting a thread, you will notice that the die holder will pop out of the handle. I agree with this complaint as well. Even though it is possible to work around this, having the die holder lock in place rather than being held by a ball detent would improve the tool’s overall performance.
So I give three stars to a beautifully constructed tool that 1) has the potential to spit out its ratchet direction lever and spring across the room, 2) has a die holder that does not securely lock into the handle, and 3) employs marketing that conceals critical information such as compatible die size from the customer.
If anything out of the ordinary happens, I’ll make sure to update the review.
