[Micro Milling]

I'm going to be taping into aluminum.

I can buy "10" m1.6 taps on Amazon for $6 dollars,

Or I can buy a USA tap for $12

I would like to know how worth it is buying a USA tap over a much cheaper china tap? These are for small 1.6mm screws.

Thanks.

[alan_3301]

Buy 2 USA taps in case you break one.

Based on my experience with cheap taps, you are lucky if they will even start in the hole.
They look like taps, but they might as well be showpieces of how not to make a tap. The ones I have used are so dull, they would barely tap wood.

[hub]

I agree, don't get the cheap ones. You will just pay the $6 & then pay $12 for one that actually does the job.

[C*H*U*D]

The smaller you go, the more important quality is.

[victorofga]

a good tap looks polished
and they made of hss

lower quality taps the grinding very much visible.. they made most time some type of carbon steel..

also flutes most time not ground in lower quality tools..

regardless what country they originating
these things will show if it good or bad..

[arikaa]

I would recomend thread mill, If it's an option for you. You can buy coated tap for longer life span.

[dertsap]

Some things you just can't cheap out on , and for such a small diameter - your best bet is a quality roll tap .
Quality cutting taps can be enough trouble for such a small hole size . Emuge are 2-3 times the price but well worth the expense , especially if you weigh out the price against re-machining a new part because of a broken tap