General Tools 162R No. 12 to 1/2-Inch Reversible Ratchet Tap Wrenches, Silver

I am a big fan of General Tools in general (no pun intended) They are simple just work and at a good price. I bought these after a machinist friend of mine recommended them to me after having used his for 20+years. The design seems to be the same and the ones I got I am pleased with. After having used a harbor frieght tap set for many years , while the taps have been fine the holders are a let down . The holders are sturdy and well made. I did not get the ratcheting version because I like to tap slowly and reverse frequently and get feedback while tapping. I got tap holding sockets for limited access tapping applications.

Used for dressing female threads in bolt holes or nuts, cutting female threads in drilled holes. The chuck locks onto the corners of the tap, providing a firm grip. The ratchet function permits us in location with limited room.

Bought these specifically for the ratcheting feature, and of course because they had good reviews. I agree that the tool is well made and the ratchet does function correctly, although it took a second to figure out how to reverse it since they have zero instructions and it wasn’t instantly obvious. (Pull up the doohickey that bobs up & down as you ratchet it, turn it 180° and now it goes the other way). My only complaint is that it’s a very coarse ratcheting mechanism; you have to turn 60° to engage the next tooth! For reference, good ratchets engage every 3° to 5°. It works, it works well, it’s just not very convenient for tight spaces.

Good functionality, fit and finish. Not a Starrett but gets the job dine for a lot less $$$

Holds the tap well, good range of adjustment, just the right size. Good price

Finally got to use these wrenches last night.Well...the small one at least.Chucked up a Brown & Sharpe 599-792-30 Adjustable Spring Tensioned Tap Guide into my mill, to hold the tap wrench straight and solid.The guide and wrench worked very well together.

I was nervous to buy this after reading some of the reviews. I'm a professional and I need professional quality tools. I was referred to general tap handle brand and in tapping you have to back up a lot so the ratcheting style handles are annoying so I settled on this one. People need to read the product info. It says up to 1/2" "tap capacity" not opening width. It will hold half inch taps. I took pictures with two different half inch taps chucked up. I put a set of calipers to it and the large handle opens up to .470 respectfully. So it wouldn't hold a half inch reamer but a half inch tap isn't a half inch wide on the chuck end. It's very heavy duty and both handles hold taps straight and true. The box is very thick plastic and the chart is very handy especially if you run a mill. I've been using the handles for a week now and I'm very happy with the quality and use. There really isn't anything to complain about. So if your on the fence about this don't worry. These are the best your going to get for the price and are pro quality. Don't let the people who don't know how to read scare you.

I have an older 164 (larger size) and wanted to get this plus the larger one so I have a matching set. I'd bought some cheap imports (set less than $15) and they were really bad. Didn't want to shell out for the industry standard brand because I don't do much tapping - hard to justify $65+ per tap wrench. So I ordered these. Both this and the large one were made in India...and the quality just isn't there. The knurling is excellent and the threading is good, but the finishing across the board is inconsistent - the metal has different appearances and look to be made of different steels, but the worst is that the jaws that hold the tap are not finished well - they're not even and this one does not hold a tap firmly - it wobbles front to back. To make matters worse, there's significant swarf where the handle was pressed into the body of the tool. It will require a file to be removed. The larger one is better about holding the tap as there is more surface to grip, but again, very uneven finish across the tool and the jaws are finished poorly, and are again uneven. My older 164 has very crisp finishing on the jaws and holds taps perfectly. General used to make really good tools from a value standpoint - you got more than you paid for, and now with these I'd say the gap is closed and the value is not as great.

It's a tap handle .... It works great ... nothing to complain about

Cumple con las expectativas

Great quality. Handles very small taps - basically anything under 4mm. The specifications imply minimum is SAE size #0 but in fact it can almost zero mm. I used 2mm taps with 2mm square end, that were firmly held.Very pleased!

Very robust and good quality .

Works perfect for work