"Pete C." wrote in message
...

Karl Townsend wrote:

On Mon, 25 Mar 2013 14:59:19 -0600, "Pete C."
wrote:


Physically they are a comparable size and material quantity as a similar
tap or similarly sized end mill, only the geometry of them is really
different. Since all these tools are presumably produced on the same
multi axis CNC grinders, why the cost difference? Is it just because
they are newer technology?

Your underlying assumption that sales price is related to production
cost is incorrect. Fortunately many machinists put expensive company
tooling in their pocket and sell on eBay.

Karl

Actually my underlying assumption is/was that the production cost was
about the same for all three and that the selling price of the thread
mills was jacked up because they're new-ish and trendy.

It's supply and demand.
They probably sell a million taps for every thread mill, the competition is
plentiful, and most of the R&D was done in the 19th century.
That keeps the price of taps down to not a lot more than the cost of
material, while the price of thread mills is whatever the free market will
bear.

Paul K. Dickman