Re: All that time... I was doing it wrong. (Tapping discussion)
Carbon steel taps are like the ones sold at Lowes or Home Depot. About all they're any good for is getting you out of a jam. Or getting you into a jam.
You should always use spiral point taps for through holes and spiral flute taps for blind holes.
There's another thread on here called tapping where I wrote an example of the procedure I use for tapping holes and I haven't broken a tap in 5 years. And with the hardware I make for remote control boats and trucks I tap a LOT of holes.
You can buy GOOD PARTS or you can buy CHEAP PARTS, but you can't buy GOOD CHEAP PARTS.