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Shawn Clark
04-26-2010, 10:59 PM
Hello Folks:
I've been a lurker here on the neander group for a while and I've finally made the plunge. After all the inspirational restoration posts I started rounding up all the old family woodworking tools. So far I've gotten the wife's grandfather's No. 4 Handyman plane and my great grandfather's Millers Falls Jointer plane. I'm not having much luck fettling the Handyman. Adjusting the frog is soo touchy and the casting isn't very good to begin with. Not really sure what I can hope for with this one.

The Millers Falls has potential though. It does have a corrugated sole and the ubiquitous "hang hole". But it was my great grandfather's so I would love to put this thing back to work. The main problem right now is the depth adjusting knob is FUSED to the threaded post. I tried to do the jam nuts trick only to find it is a left-handed thread. So, if anyone has advice, I'd love to hear it. I'd hate to have to buy another plane just to rob parts from it. Does anyone know of a source of part for Millers Falls planes?

Thanks!

Shawn

jerry nazard
04-26-2010, 11:39 PM
Shawn,

I'd first try PB blaster and let it soak for several days. Apply a little heat and see if the knob will bulge. It might take a while.

I am a big fan of Millers Falls planes - they can be tuned up to do impressive things. Just go slow and gentle and you will be richly rewarded.

I'm sure Jim K. and some of the other rust-a-holics will chime in with some additional advice. Welcome to the slippery slope.....:D

-Jerry

Jim Koepke
04-26-2010, 11:52 PM
Hello Folks:
I've been a lurker here on the neander group for a while and I've finally made the plunge. After all the inspirational restoration posts I started rounding up all the old family woodworking tools. So far I've gotten the wife's grandfather's No. 4 Handyman plane and my great grandfather's Millers Falls Jointer plane. I'm not having much luck fettling the Handyman. Adjusting the frog is soo touchy and the casting isn't very good to begin with. Not really sure what I can hope for with this one.

The Millers Falls has potential though. It does have a corrugated sole and the ubiquitous "hang hole". But it was my great grandfather's so I would love to put this thing back to work. The main problem right now is the depth adjusting knob is FUSED to the threaded post. I tried to do the jam nuts trick only to find it is a left-handed thread. So, if anyone has advice, I'd love to hear it. I'd hate to have to buy another plane just to rob parts from it. Does anyone know of a source of part for Millers Falls planes?

Thanks!

Shawn


Shawn,

Welcome to the Creek and the Cave of Neanders.

One of the hardest parts of plane restoration is the parts.

The Handyman may not be a plane worthy of a lot of effort. It depends on when it was originally made.

The Millers falls may be a different story. Sometimes a good soak in WD-40 or other rust busters might do the trick. Then it might be necessary to bite the bullet and replace the part. That could require buying a plane for parts.

Do you have a thread gauge? If you can come back with the threads per inch and the stud size, that might be a help. Next time I go into town I could check the planes in the used tool shop to see if they are the same. I suspect some of them are unbranded Millers Falls made planes. Of course, this would require that you can get the stud out of the frog. That could be a problem if you can't.

Your profile does not give an indication of your location. If you live in the Portland, Oregon area I will be glad to help as much as I can.

I am not familiar enough with Millers Falls to know if they used similar threads to Stanley or not. I see some of the lesser second line Millers Falls for sale sometimes, but I am not ready to start mixing up my parts so I stick to Stanley.

Hope a soak in penetrating oil helps,

jim

jerry nazard
04-27-2010, 12:23 AM
I am not familiar enough with Millers Falls to know if they used similar threads to Stanley or not. I see some of the lesser second line Millers Falls for sale sometimes, but I am not ready to start mixing up my parts so I stick to Stanley.

jim


Jim,

Depending on just how far down the slope you want to fall in one rusty swoop, you should try a Millers Falls. Get one of the medium size fat ones first - a No. 10 (#4 1/2) or 18 (#6) - just so you can appreciate the solid feel as you take full width .00075 shavings. These are really nice planes! I'm still working a lot with white oak, and the glass smooth surface I get with my 4 1/2 is so beautiful. :)

Best!!

-Jerry

Shawn Clark
04-27-2010, 12:48 AM
Jim:
Thanks for the offer to help. I know from my browsing that you have a kind and generous nature. I appreciate it. But, I'm in Jackson, MS, so an "peeper evaluation" would involve at least an 8 hour flight:-).

The Millers Falls has been bathed in PB Blaster for the last 3+weeks. I was able to removed the stud, but the adjuster is welded to it. I did check the thread pitch. It is 24 threads per inch. But the diameter is weird. Between 1/4 and 5/16 and left-handed. So even my best local hardware store was no help. And I can't find a way to hold the stud to torque on the adjuster.

Thanks for the help guys! I really appreciate it. As lousy as the Handy Man is, I was able to generate some shavings. Though, my arms are really sore after working a 6"X18" piece of SYP!

Shawn

Jim Koepke
04-27-2010, 2:16 AM
Jim:
Thanks for the offer to help. I know from my browsing that you have a kind and generous nature. I appreciate it. But, I'm in Jackson, MS, so an "peeper evaluation" would involve at least an 8 hour flight:-).

The Millers Falls has been bathed in PB Blaster for the last 3+weeks. I was able to removed the stud, but the adjuster is welded to it. I did check the thread pitch. It is 24 threads per inch. But the diameter is weird. Between 1/4 and 5/16 and left-handed. So even my best local hardware store was no help. And I can't find a way to hold the stud to torque on the adjuster.

Thanks for the help guys! I really appreciate it. As lousy as the Handy Man is, I was able to generate some shavings. Though, my arms are really sore after working a 6"X18" piece of SYP!

Shawn

Interesting, I just checked a newer Stanley adjuster and it is 24 threads to the inch, left hand thread and my caliper measures the top of the thread at about 9/32". Check your set up on the Handyman and see if it looks like they could be interchangeable. If so, I can get an old Stanley adjuster and stud to you.

Sometimes it is possible to capture a stud between a couple pieces of wood cranked down in a vise. This will not hurt the threads but might hold it enough to get the adjusting nut to give.

After a while, you will get used to making shavings and if you do enough you might be able to burn off enough extra calories to enjoy your favorite beverage or dessert.

jim

Erik Manchester
04-27-2010, 4:59 AM
Shawn,

You have done the critical task which is to get the stud out of the frog casting so it doesn't break off in there. If you have access to a drill driver with an impact feature, clamp the stud in the chuck, add some heat to the adjuster knob and then clamp it in a vice (with padded jaws) and then let the impact tool work it. It should pop right off.

I assume that you have a wartime era Millers Falls with the steel adjuster, and thus it may be really stuck. This technique has worked for me.

Erik

Greg Wease
04-27-2010, 4:08 PM
Shawn, I removed the knob from a Millers Falls 900 and a Stanley knob threaded on perfectly. Looks like Jim K's offer of Stanley parts will do the trick for you.

Shawn Clark
04-27-2010, 10:31 PM
I just pulled the stud and adjuster from the Handyman and it does fit the Millers Falls.

Thanks Everybody. Now to find some Stanley parts.

Shawn

Jim Koepke
04-27-2010, 11:01 PM
Shawn,

PM sent.

One of these days it would be interesting to try and make a full list of tools and thread pitches used.

Now there is a book that could take a lot of my time and not make a dime.

jim

Lucas Crenshaw
06-18-2010, 9:23 AM
I see there's someone close to me... long time lurker, first time poster.
With that out of the way, I've got two old blue planes that are missing the blades and caps. They both fit the bill as either being some old 60's era craftsman or stanley planes. I've had a hard time finding out what they are, but I really have no intentions of repairing them. If you think there are some parts on these you might need let me know.

Roy Lindberry
06-18-2010, 9:28 AM
Hello Folks:
I've been a lurker here on the neander group for a while and I've finally made the plunge. After all the inspirational restoration posts I started rounding up all the old family woodworking tools. So far I've gotten the wife's grandfather's No. 4 Handyman plane and my great grandfather's Millers Falls Jointer plane. I'm not having much luck fettling the Handyman. Adjusting the frog is soo touchy and the casting isn't very good to begin with. Not really sure what I can hope for with this one.

The Millers Falls has potential though. It does have a corrugated sole and the ubiquitous "hang hole". But it was my great grandfather's so I would love to put this thing back to work. The main problem right now is the depth adjusting knob is FUSED to the threaded post. I tried to do the jam nuts trick only to find it is a left-handed thread. So, if anyone has advice, I'd love to hear it. I'd hate to have to buy another plane just to rob parts from it. Does anyone know of a source of part for Millers Falls planes?

Thanks!

Shawn

My advice for anything with frozen threads.....Kroil (http://www.kanolabs.com/google/).

Jim Koepke
06-18-2010, 11:18 AM
I see there's someone close to me... long time lurker, first time poster.
With that out of the way, I've got two old blue planes that are missing the blades and caps. They both fit the bill as either being some old 60's era craftsman or stanley planes. I've had a hard time finding out what they are, but I really have no intentions of repairing them. If you think there are some parts on these you might need let me know.

Lucas,

Welcome to the Creek.

My curiosity is getting the better of me, where is close to you?

jim

DOUG ANGEL
06-18-2010, 11:43 AM
Kroil is amazing. We use it on heat welded nuts bolts and screws on aircraft at the Boeing modification center here in San Antonio. If you need to get a good grip on a stuck phillips head screw try clover compound (google it), works nearly every time.

Kemil Pepin
06-18-2010, 12:24 PM
Shawn, I have faced exactly the same problem that you have with the fused adjuster knob. Now that you have it off of the plane, soak it in Evaporust for a day or two. This should break up the corrosion enough to remove the knob. You can hold the threaded stud safely in a metal vise by using a few layers of aluminum flashing as a padding material. If the knob is still frozen, use a torch to gently heat the knob, this works almost every time.

James Scheffler
06-18-2010, 12:58 PM
Shawn, I have faced exactly the same problem that you have with the fused adjuster knob. Now that you have it off of the plane, soak it in Evaporust for a day or two. This should break up the corrosion enough to remove the knob. You can hold the threaded stud safely in a metal vise by using a few layers of aluminum flashing as a padding material. If the knob is still frozen, use a torch to gently heat the knob, this works almost every time.

+ 1. I've freed up several very rusty bolts/screws with EvapoRust alone. If it doesn't come apart easily after the first soaking, try removing any remaining the visible grunge in the threads (using a stiff bristle brush or a dental-type tool) so that the EvapoRust can penetrate further between the fused parts in the second soak.

Jim S.

Zach England
06-18-2010, 1:24 PM
Lucky. The only woodworking tool I got from family was a Wards Master plane from the 1960s.

Lucas Crenshaw
06-21-2010, 2:45 PM
I'm in Clinton, MS. It's about a 10 minute drive east of Jackson....