Stanley No 71 Router Question

[Frank Zuccarini]

I have searched but cannot find an answer to what must be a common problem.

I own a Stanley No 71 Router. I enjoy this tool, and find myself using it pretty frequently. However, each and every time I use it, I find that the thumbscrew used to secure the cutter at it's depth LOOSENS very quickly. And by quickly, I mean pretty much on each and every stroke I take.

Can anyone tell me the trick of keeping the thumbscrew securely tight against the cutter?

Thank-you for any and all suggestions.

Frank

[Bill Houghton]

I haven't used my No. 71 much, but, when I have, I've never had this problem. I wonder if your thumbscrew, or the casting in which it works, is worn. Stanley still sells the parts (http://www.stanleytoolparts.com/planes-routerplanes.html). You might try getting the clamp and screw, and seeing if that fixes the problem.

You might also try some beeswax or violin-bow rosin (the latter from your local music store). But if it's worn threads, these will likely be temporary and marginal fixes.

[Frank Zuccarini]

Thank-you very much Bill.

That you do not have the problem certainly does suggest worn parts for me. I have already tried putting various materials on the threads, to no lasting effect. I may have to try replacing the screw and clamp, as you suggest.

Again, thanks................. Frank

[Bill Houghton]

One classic test for worn threads is to wiggle the bolt. Excess wiggling indicates worn threads. This is not 100% reliable either way, and all bolts will wiggle some in the hole, so it takes experience to know what's excessive. But the parts are cheap, and it'd be worth trying. Be prepared for slightly startling shipping costs, though.

[Jim Koepke]

One cause of this for my router plane is the column is slightly tapered. Moving the clamp closer to the bottom of the blade support post seems to have helped.

jtk

[Frank Zuccarini]

Well Jim, I checked and my column is tapered too. Wider at the bottom and narrower at the top.

And your suggestion got me to look at things in a way I hadn't before. It turns out that the inner surface of the CLAMP is also tapered. Wider at the bottom and narrower at the top, to fit the column.

I have been using the tool with the clamp installed up side down!!!

I feel like a dope, but it never occured to me that the column and clamp walls would be anything but parallel and 90 degrees to the base.

Anyway, by my admittedly uncalibrated fingers, my threads are not loose, but turning the clamp right side up has made a huge difference. The screw still loosens on its own, but more slowly and the iron does not move upward and fly off as it had been doing for all these years.

Gentlemen, thank-you both for your help. I am most appreciative.

Frank

[Jerry Thompson]

You feel like a dope. I sharpend my Hock chip breaker. Took off arm hair too!

[Frank Zuccarini]

I bet the chip breaker doesn't hold it's edge as long as the actual iron.

Thanks for sharing.......................

[Michael Ray Smith]

I recently bought a Millers Falls No. 77 that I haven't used yet. I checked it, and it also has a taper to it. And guess what? The clamp was on upside down.

[Jim Koepke]

If your router plane has a threaded blade advancement to control the blade depth you can do one thing that will make your work go a bit smoother.

Using a marker, mark the top side of the adjustment nut to divide it into quarters. Then divide those in half to show eighths.

The next step is to determine how many threads per inch are on the adjusting post.

If it is 20 tpi, then one revolution of the adjustment nut will move the blade 0.050". Divide that by 8 to get 0.00625".

When a smoother steps are wanted, just go half way between lines.

My router is a Sargent and has 18 tpi on the adjustment post.

232705

That makes it about 0.055" per revolution which works out to almost 0.007" of blade advancement from line to line.

jtk

[Don Dorn]

You feel like a dope. I sharpend my Hock chip breaker. Took off arm hair too!

It's a good thing I didn't have soda in my mouth when I read that or I'd be cleaning my screen. Thanks!