Stanley 42x thread pitch?

[Fred Bryant]

I have aquirred a couple of stanley 42x, but without the knobs. I can make some knobs, but I am having trouble determining the thread pitch of the holes. Size-wise they are #10s, but they are not 10-32 nor 10-24 the best that I can tell. My guess is that they are 10-28 national special thread, but before I buy a die, can someone with a stanley 42x check for me.

Thx's, Fred ( jyblood@nwi.net )

[Jim Koepke]

Fred,

Welcome to the creek. You are correct, the threads are 28 to the inch for both knobs. Finding a die to cut those may be a challenge. If you find a source, please share.

Well, gee golly, just looked at one of my favorite go to places for such and they do have them.

victornet.com

Of course, I am also looking for a 12-20 die that Victornet doesn't have.

Have fun,

jim

[Fred Bryant]

place to get the die.

Enjoy, Fred.

[Jim Koepke]

You are welcome Fred.

One time my thoughts were to make a list of all the different Stanley threads and where used. Found there have been changes on some lines and that the fasteners were not always standard sizes.

Oh well, have fun.

jim

[harry strasil]

try a firearms supply Jim, guns use all kinds of special taps and dies.

[harry strasil]

most anyone with a metal lathe can cut 12-20 threads, 12 times .013 plus .060 is the OD of a #12 machine screw. its 0.216". Pretty easy to thread a rod on a lathe, then file the end to make a tap out of it and then use that to make a screwplate, like the gunsmiths of old did.

[harry strasil]

I have a drawer full of special taps I made over my career to repair faucet parts that are no longer available for the plumbing store that used to be across the alley from my blacksmith shop. Its amazing how bad a DIYer can mess things up by not knowing what to remove first and last. and with vise-grips or a pair of water pump pliers.
to figure out what size hole to drill for a specific tap, divide 1 by the # of threads, multiply by 2 and subtract that amount from the OD of the tap.

[Jim Koepke]

most anyone with a metal lathe can cut 12-20 threads, 12 times .013 plus .060 is the OD of a #12 machine screw. its 0.216". Pretty easy to make a thread a rod on a lathe, then file the end to make a tap out of it and then use that to make a screwplate, like the gunsmiths of old did.

I can find taps, it is the dies. I have been using a 1/4-20 little giant adjustable. It works, but is slow and has to be checked all the time.

Missed the part about the screw plate. I guess that could work for making a few. Not sure how to make one with my limited metal knowledge.

jim

[harry strasil]

Most lathe cut threads are cut with the lathe compound set at 29° as the threads are 60° included angle and your tool will take most of the cut off the left hand side as it feeds towards the chuck and it will scrape 1° off the right side, to determine how deep to cut the threads at 29°, divide 1 by the number of threads to the inch and you will generally be right in the ballpark.

[harry strasil]

find an old piece of car leaf spring, cut off an inch or so and heat it up to red and bury it in Wood Ashes for several days till it cools, this will anneal or soften it, then you can drill and tap it to make a die out of. After drilling and tapping the piece, center punch and drill 3 or 4 holes around it like a factory die for the shavings to work out thru, then heat it back up to red and quench it in water, then put in the wifes oven at 400° for a half hour to an hour and just turn off the oven, This should cut anything but hardened steel.

[harry strasil]

I have no idea how expensive they might be, but you might try here, http://www.natool.com/product-selector?filter2=25&filter3=23&filter4=%2312&filter5=&prev_units=25&prev_type=23&prev_size=%2312&results=true

[Eric Brown]

http://www.stjamesbaytoolco.com/

He may not have it shown online but he has most of the taps and dies that Stanley used.

Eric