Restoring Stanley #3, Questions

[Glenn Kotnik]

Recently my wife and I went on a 30th anniversary driving trip. Our plan was to eat at as many BBQ joints in southern states as possible in 5 days. We ate at BBQ joints in Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama. Lunch and dinner were Bbq for the whole trip. While in North Carolina we stopped at a Saturday flea market and of course I couldn’t resist checking out the tools, mostly junk. But I did manage to walk away with a beautiful old Craftsman version of a Stanley 161A block plane and a very well preserved older Stanley #3. Almost no rust, Ten bucks each. I decided to do a bit of restoration on the #3 so I disassembled it, cleaned it and put in a new Ron Hock iron. The knurling on the brass adjuster knob was pretty worn so I decided to make a new one on my LeBlond Regal lathe out of some 1” brass stock that was laying around. All went well until I realized to my horror that the thread of the stud was not 1/4-28 LH as I has assumed but is 9/32-24 Left Hand. Whose idea was that! So my question is, has anyone else dealt with this problem, is there anywhere I can get a 9/32-24 Left Hand tap, or should I try to replace the stud with something else like 1/4-28 or 5/16? My preference would be to find a 9/32-24 Left Hand tap but so far no luck.

[Richard Hutchings]

I believe what you have is a 5/16 thread that's been worn down. There's plenty of those left hand taps to be had.

[Mike Brady]

Why not just get a replacement adjuster knob? These should be easy to find on eBay or a forum sales site. I doubt that the steel stud is worn from having a brass knob run on it.

[Richard Hutchings]

I doubt that the steel stud is worn from having a brass knob run on it.
Yeah I didn't think that through but I'll still bet it's a 5/16 thread.

[michael langman]

Why not put a new knurl on the old knob?

[Greg Wease]

It is 9/32, not 5/16. Why not just get a replacement knob? Try Eric at NHplaneparts.

[Richard Hutchings]

I just looked these (https://www.amazon.com/DWTST9-32-24B-Special-Thread-Bottoming/dp/B01F390QVK) up and you can get them on amazon but you'll pay dearly. I was really surprised to find such a thing. I spent a lot of years in a machine shop and never came across it. I learned something new today and the bet is off.:rolleyes:

[Jim Koepke]

The adjusters are easy to find.

jtk

[Pete Taran]

A better coarse of action is to turn a shaft you can mount the old knob on and reknurl it. If you've got the chops to turn a new knob, I'm sure that you can make that happen.

[Glenn Kotnik]

The threads don’t look worn at all and the old knob threads are too small to take a 5/16 screw. My first thought was to turn a new knurl on the old knob but that involves making some sort of shaft to mount it on to chuck it. So I noticed that piece of brass stock sitting there and figured why not just turn a new one with a new bigger knurl on it and thread it 1/4-28 LH which I thought it was. But it ain’t. Besides I like the nice shiny new one I made and I’d rather make it work rather than buy one someone else made.

[Jim Koepke]

The threads don’t look worn at all and the old knob threads are too small to take a 5/16 screw.

Stanley seems to have always used odd size threads for everything. They are standard sizes, just not sizes that were used much at the time. In recent years there has been a move to get away from so many different 'standard' sizes.

Your best choice might be to purchase one on ebay from a later model plane that is 1-1/4". It makes for a lot easier adjusting.

If you want to do it the hard way, are you able to take a short stud of the proper threading and use it as a tap?

Surely there are a lot of members that are likely to have one or two of these laying about in a junk drawer somewhere. Who knows, one of them may even be in your area.

jtk

[Richard Hutchings]

Along that line, maybe you could use the stud from your plane as a tap.

[lowell holmes]

A friend with a lathe or a neighborhood machine shop might help.

[Jim Koepke]

Along that line, maybe you could use the stud from your plane as a tap.

There is usually a problem getting them out, without causing damage, or other problems when it comes to putting it back in place.

jtk

[Glenn Kotnik]

I can see a problem getting the stud out of the frog without damage. I think I could buy a 9/32-24 LH machine screw from McMaster-Carr, cut some flutes in it, taper it a bit on a grinder like a tap and then harden the heck out of it. Then I’d drill the proper size hole in the adjuster and I should be able to thread the new brass knob I made to the proper thread. That way the only thing I have to loose is the new adjuster knob I made. If that fails I’ll buy a new knob.
‘Thanks guys

[bridger berdel]

Can your lathe not single point thread?

[Stew Denton]

Glenn, +1 on what Jim (and others) said, Stanley used thread sizes almost no one else used. I have attempted to remove the stud you are talking about, and think I was successful, but it was a few years ago, and I don't remember for sure, but I can tell you I don't plan to try it again. Also, the hole size for the knob and tote are an odd size, so it is not only the thread size that is not typical.

Like some suggested above, I have thought about using one of the studs or machine bolts out of a Stanley plane and attempting to make it into a tap, but never have tried.

The knob you made does look good.

You can find Stanley plane parts on that auction site, but most of the time they are pretty pricy.

Stew

[Stew Denton]

Glenn,

One other idea. During WW2 brass was hard to come by, and Stanley made that adjuster knob with what appeared to be a threaded steel sleeve, and the rear knob portion that fit over the sleeve was bakalite, very hard rubber, or something of similar appearance.

You might be able to clean off the bakalite, or whatever, turn the sleeve true, and then turn a brass knob, milled to exactly fit over the diameter of the sleeve, and then expoxy the knob on, or something similar. (Silver solder?) Perhaps drill out your new knob to fit?

I don't KNOW if it will be possible to true up the sleeve or not, so let the buyer beware.

I just saw one of those WW2 knobs on that auction site for 8 or 9 bucks, or so. You will have to do some serious searching to find it, but as of a few minutes ago it was there.

Just a thought.

Stew

[Glenn Kotnik]

I think I’ll try making my own tap, the knob is only brass so it should be easy to tap. I’ve got some chrome/moly steel rod laying around so I’ll thread it to 9/32-24 on my lathe then cut some flutes in it like a tap has, grind a taper on one end and the harden it with a torch. If it works then I’ve learned something, if it fails I can still buy a new one and use my plane.
Thanks for all the ideas folks.

[Kyle Fries]

Victor Machine Exchange Inc. has a lot of the odd ball sizes. Not sure if they have a 9/32 LH. They do have some of the taps and dies for the other odd staney threads.

[Jim Koepke]

Victor Machine Exchange Inc. has a lot of the odd ball sizes. Not sure if they have a 9/32 LH. They do have some of the taps and dies for the other odd staney threads.

They didn't have one a few days ago. Their stock is always changing, especially on specialty taps and dies. They do have a minimum order, my last order it was $25. It is easy to find something on their site to make up any difference.

jtk

[Christopher Marshall]

Old anything is likely to have screws that aren't standard sized. The selection of screws and thread pitches that you will find in a well stocked hardware store are based on a standard the promulgated by the Society of Automotive Engineers in 1949. There were some earlier attempts to reduce the number of different screw sizes in use as well. Many of my planes are much older than 1949 and it is a bit much to expect something that might have been made in the early 1900's to follow a standard from 40 years or more later. Stanley established the sizes of screws they used early on and kept using the same sizes generally making the parts interchangeable.

I haven't had to deal with the knob you are referring to but have dealt with the threads for the screws holding on the handles. Most of the screws Stanley used are #12-20 and Victor Machinery Exchange has taps and dies for this. They also had #14-20 that I needed from one of my Ohio Tool Co. planes.

My general suggestion is you need to make a decision about whether you want to go on an adventure figuring out how to restore old stuff in which case it would be good to figure out where to get a tap. If you don't want to do that then buy one off of Ebay and be done with it.

Chris

[Mike Lemon]

You could also go up a size, retap the hole, and make a new stud.

[Jim Koepke]

You could also go up a size, retap the hole, and make a new stud.

Only if you are ready to run a bottoming tap into a cast iron frog.

So many choices:

- Buy a replacement adjuster from one of many sources including ebay, parts dealers or perhaps another SMC member. This will likely cost less than the price of the tap needed to do any of the other choices below.

- Hunt down the right tap for the adjuster that was already turned on the OP's lathe.

- Make a new stud of a different size, find a tap for that endeavor, retap the frog and drill and tap the adjuster.

jtk

[Pete Taran]

Or take the path of least resistance and use the original adjustment knob as is. It doesn't look that bad to me. Still think it would be easier to make a stud, clamp it between centers and reknurl the existing knob if it's that much of a problem.

[Jim Koepke]

Or take the path of least resistance and use the original adjustment knob as is. It doesn't look that bad to me. Still think it would be easier to make a stud, clamp it between centers and reknurl the existing knob if it's that much of a problem.

It wouldn't even need to have a threaded stud, a mandrel could do the job.

jtk

[steven c newman]

PM an address to me, so I know where to send this "Extra"..
389928389929389930389931
1" diameter, LH Threads, knurling in three lines.

Will send out in a SMALL Flat Rate Box, via USPS....let me know....

[steven c newman]

Yes, this came off of a Stanley plane....I was junking the parts out. It should fit that #3 plane.