Some joy. I ordered a split die and taper/plug tap from Drill Services Horley which arrived yesterday.
This appears to have solved most of my issues. I turned the stock to 4.98 and a finished thread came out at 4.97 which of course is a bit tight for the tapped holes, but at least I have some adjustment now. I am reluctant to say the first die was faulty because I don't know, it's possible that the helpful posts have caused me to adjust my technique, either way I can proceed and I think I may well remake the safety valve columns to ensure thread consistency and also try some Colphos. I do get the impression that the brass is a bit stcky and can clog the die. Never stop learning do you. Thanks to all of you who helped.
Regards
Martin
Edited By Martin Shaw 1 on 11/09/2022 18:43:24