Screws/bolts for old hand planes

[Mike Holbrook]

I have a few screws for old planes that either got lost/cross threaded/bent.....
I found a guy who said he could make new ones, which handled a few but several do not work....long story. I tried to get him to replace the ones that did not work like he said he would but never could get him to do anything but suggest how I should repair the defective screws.

The issue with some of the screws was the threads were not straight, too wide, too few.... I am wondering what would be involved in making screws myself. If I buy appropriate steel rod and threading/tapping devices can I make these myself? I know some of you fabricate metal parts as well as wood, so I just thought I would ask.

I bought a couple at auction but it takes a good while and money to get them and they may or may not work.

[Jim Koepke]

The first thing you may want to acquire is a thread pitch gauge.

Then you may see why the guy had trouble making your old ones work.

Stanley used a thread size and pitch that wasn't common. It is always interesting when someone suggests you just go down to the hardware store and pick them off the shelf. Most hardware stores have been cleaned out of their old spare parts for hand tools for decades.

Believe me, I have visited many hardware stores and fastener supply businesses to know.

Finding the correct taps and dies will be a problem. There are a few sources of the common 12-20 thread taps & dies used for many of the Stanley items like frog screws, tote and knob screws. Here is one where my 12-20 taps were purchased:

http://www.victornet.com/tools/Special-Thread-Taps/199.html

Looks like the also have the dies:

http://www.victornet.com/tools/Special-Thread-Dies/198.html

My recollection is they have a $25 minimum order. My suggestion would be to order two taps. Then one could be ground a bit to reach all the way to the bottom of the hole to be tapped.

jtk

[John Crawford]

I realize you are asking about fabricating them, but if you are still open to purchasing, have you checked over Bob Kaune's "Stanley Basic Plane Parts" page? He does charge a few bucks for everything, but if you figure in the cost of tap/die, etc. it might be just the same. And it would get you going quick.

Of course if you get geared up to make them, you could make a big batch for the rest of us!

[Jim Koepke]

Bob Kaune's "Stanley Basic Plane Parts"

This is a good source to have bookmarked for many parts.

Stanley used to have a good replacement parts department. Now finding some parts is difficult at best.

Having the ability to fabricate a few parts or knowing how to make one from another is also a good way to save the wait for delivery.

I have been struggling with a 12-20 screw that I made using a Little Giant adjustable 1/4-20 die. It works but is just a hair off.

This is the first time in awhile that I have looked at the Victornet site and they have a 12-20 die, so I ordered one.

They have a $25 minimum order so I found a couple of other things I need. Now maybe I can make a proper screw for my #66 beading tool.

jtk

[steven c newman]

Might check out nhplaneparts.com and see IF Eric might have the bolts and screws you need?

[Gary Cunningham]

Might check out nhplaneparts.com and see IF Eric might have the bolts and screws you need?

+1 on nh plane parts. I bought a Stanley Sweetheart #4 that needed a few parts. Nhpp had them at a fair price and fast shipping.

That #4 is my best antique store find to date.

[Stew Denton]

Mike,

One of the problems you may be facing is a "make do" solution by a former owner, or "repairman" at some point in the planes past. I have seen planes on Ebay where someone obviously replace an original Stanley machine screw or threaded rod for the knob or tote with a machine screw or small "all thread" of standard English threads.

Whether they forced it in, re-tapped the plane body, or what I do not know. You may have one of those where such a "repairman" fouled up the threads simply because he either couldn't find the right part, or more likely didn't have a clue what he was about.

Either way, you may be dealing with the mess that resulted from such "repairs."

Stew

[Mike Holbrook]

Thanks for all the great suggestions. I have a few new bookmarks.

I actually tried to order a backup supply of totes and handles for my planes, which is where I got the backup screws from. So one issue is, I now have, totes in particular, that may require a shorter screw than came on a few of the planes. I like the wider totes, which are sometimes shorter.

Jim I ordered two taps and a die from Victor, as you suggested. Now I will see if I can figure out how to use them. I guess I need some sort of metal to make screw from too? I knew they were hard to find because I had seen someone somewhere (fleabay maybe) trying to sell "hard to find" Stanley taps.

Stew, yes, it occurred to me that a few of my planes might have the "wrong screw", have been taped for a different size....I have this old Sargent plane too and the screws may be different. I tried swapping screws around, trying to be very careful not to cross thread. The Sargent had a bent screw that just did not want to thread in the hole correctly which I believe buggered up the threads a little. I found a screw that fit better that seemed to improve the existing threads, which made me think it might use the same screws but just have gotten a problem from the bent screw.

Now I need to go figure out exactly what I need.

[Jim Koepke]

it occurred to me that a few of my planes might have the "wrong screw", have been taped for a different size....I have this old Sargent plane too and the screws may be different. I tried swapping screws around, trying to be very careful not to cross thread. The Sargent had a bent screw that just did not want to thread in the hole correctly which I believe buggered up the threads a little. I found a screw that fit better that seemed to improve the existing threads, which made me think it might use the same screws but just have gotten a problem from the bent screw.

A thread gauge is a valuable aid in this situation. They are available on ebay. Make sure to get SAE and not a metric version.

Before having one I used known bolts to gauge thread count. There are also small gauges for measuring the shaft size of screws and bolts tht can be useful with some of the odd size hardware Stanley used on their planes.

jtk

[lowell holmes]

[QUOTE=Jim Koepke;2556418]A thread gauge is a valuable aid in this situation. They are available on ebay. Make sure to get SAE and not a metric version. ]

In today's world, you need both. :confused:

[Jim Koepke]

A thread gauge is a valuable aid in this situation. They are available on ebay. Make sure to get SAE and not a metric version.


In today's world, you need both. :confused:

Yes if you work with modern vehicles or foreign made things.

I gave my metric thread gauge to the son of a friend who works on a lot of metric stuff. I am sure it gets a lot more use by him than me, but there are a couple of times I could have used it. Metric threads are fairly easy to pick off with a good metric ruler.

For old American made planes and tools, a metric gauge isn't as important.

jtk

[lowell holmes]

I've run into metric threads when I did not expect them. It's frustrating to keep going back to the BORG (big orange box store for those of you that don't remember the rec.woodworking newsgroup) when you don't know the size or thread.

[Mike Holbrook]

It looks like there are thread gauges that actually measure the distance between threads and ones that just check the diameter of the cylinder created by the threads. I use to have the kind with the simple holes, which worked fairly well but could be a little sketchy. Is the kind with all the little thin plates better?

I also see one that has an actual gauge...

[Jim Koepke]

It looks like there are thread gauges that actually measure the distance between threads and ones that just check the diameter of the cylinder created by the threads. I use to have the kind with the simple holes, which worked fairly well but could be a little sketchy. Is the kind with all the little thin plates better?

I also see one that has an actual gauge...

The type I feel is important is the type with multiple blades, leaves, thin plates (?) or whatever one wants to call them with what look like saw teeth to fit into the threads to determine the threads per inch:

336161

For shaft size I have one like this:

336160

It has a screw shaft gauge on the other side and also has inch markings of the slot for sizing round stock.

Both get used often.

jtk

[ken seale]

Why don't you just shorten the studs that are too long? Seems like a simple solution.

[Jim Koepke]

Why don't you just shorten the studs that are too long? Seems like a simple solution.

Shortening the studs without a way to clean up the threads can problematic for some folks.

Another solution I have used is to stack washers under the top nut.

Many ways to do the same thing.

jtk

[Mike Holbrook]

Because: the threads are on very crooked, the top threads on one end are all buggered and do not work, if I cut the ends off there does not appear to be enough threads to reliably hold, especially if, like Jim mentions above, I end up having to rethread or file the top threads to get them to start into the plane's body. The big reason is the first one though, the whole shaft of the screw circles in a crooked circle, due to the threading being crooked, just on the first thread or two. Trying to use pressure to get past a couple threads at the top risks buggering the threads in the plane.

[Mike Wasson]

I have a few screws for old planes that either got lost/cross threaded/bent.....
I found a guy who said he could make new ones, which handled a few but several do not work....long story. I tried to get him to replace the ones that did not work like he said he would but never could get him to do anything but suggest how I should repair the defective screws.

The issue with some of the screws was the threads were not straight, too wide, too few.... I am wondering what would be involved in making screws myself. If I buy appropriate steel rod and threading/tapping devices can I make these myself? I know some of you fabricate metal parts as well as wood, so I just thought I would ask.

I bought a couple at auction but it takes a good while and money to get them and they may or may not work.


I don't know the age or country of origin ( U.K. or U.S.) for your Stanley planes but some of them have Whitworth threads and that is a difficult thread to find taps or dies for. I saw some one else say get a thread gage, do that , it will help a lot. I am a retired mechanic that has worked on equip from all over the world and have had multiple thread issues over the years, get a thread gages. You could always contact Don W. at WWW.timetestedtools.com (http://www.timetestedtools.com) ,he might help.

[Borden Bleich]

Stanley #55 plane thumb screw with shoulder is 1/4-32 x 1/2"

[Patrick Chase]

I've never dealt with VictorNet, but their prices for US-made stuff are surprisingly good. For example they offer a set of US-made #1-#60 HSS taper-length twist bits for $129, while a similar Chicago-Latrobe set goes for over $500. Does anybody have a sense for how much of that represents real differences in materials or finish, as opposed to branding?