This is a question about the cost of taps.
Recently I made myself a drill and tap index. While I was at it, I included spaces for taps I don't normally use, with the idea that I would have space for them if I needed them later.
Recently, with the idea of filling in some of the gaps for taps that I do use, I also looked up prices for #5-44 and #12-32 taps and found that not only are they somewhat hard to find, they are also about four time more costly than similar size taps.
So her is my question, why are #5-44 and #12-32 taps so costly? Is it just because they are rarely used, or is there some other reason?
And why we are at it, what are these tap sizes commonly used for? I am under the impression that gunsmiths use these, but that is mostly a guess.
P.S.
Here is a link to my index build, so you know what I am talking about:
https://sites.google.com/site/lagadoacademy/machining---lathes-mills-etc/build---drill-and-tap-index
Recently I made myself a drill and tap index. While I was at it, I included spaces for taps I don't normally use, with the idea that I would have space for them if I needed them later.
Recently, with the idea of filling in some of the gaps for taps that I do use, I also looked up prices for #5-44 and #12-32 taps and found that not only are they somewhat hard to find, they are also about four time more costly than similar size taps.
So her is my question, why are #5-44 and #12-32 taps so costly? Is it just because they are rarely used, or is there some other reason?
And why we are at it, what are these tap sizes commonly used for? I am under the impression that gunsmiths use these, but that is mostly a guess.
P.S.
Here is a link to my index build, so you know what I am talking about:
https://sites.google.com/site/lagadoacademy/machining---lathes-mills-etc/build---drill-and-tap-index