Handle hardware, make your own??

[steven c newman]

Recently, I've had a couple planes that needed new bolts for their handles. Seeing how I have a few taps and dies on hand, would it be possible for an "average guy" to make their own? Say some Bras rods, and some steel rods? Make your own brass nut on top of the steel rod? Cut a slot in the top of the nut? Hacksaw, or cape chisel? Might have to make a jig for the drill press, to drill the brass for a "bottoming tap"? Might even move away from the "Stanley" style threads, and make them a 1/4" x 20?? That way, I could use a #7 drill bit as well. How easy is it to find a 1/4" x 20 bottoming tap? Hardware store? BORG never heard of such a tap, in any size. Imagine that.... Maybe then I can get rid of a bolt..SDC13337.jpg doesn't quite fit in with..SDC13338.jpg as you can see....

[george wilson]

Take a regular taper tap and just grind away the tapered end until you have a tap whose threads go clear through to the end. You probably need a PLUG tap,not a taper tap,to start a thread in a shallow hole anyway. Grind away MOST of the tapered part,leaving just some of the beveled part showing on the tap so it can bite into the cast iron and not just spin. Tap as deep as you can,dumping out the chips to get as deep as possible with both taps. Tap the hole with the plug tap,then follow with the bottoming tap. The bottoming tap does not have ANY taper on it. It will cut because it is introduced into a hole that has already been threaded deep enough to get it in,and allow it to "bite" its way along. Dumping out the chips will get you an extra thread deeper,which is important in a shallow hole.

Many times I've converted taps to plug or bottoming as needed. Don't burn the tap blue. Use plenty of water dipping. Most borg taps are carbon steel,and you can ruin their temper by burning them dark brown or especially blue. HSS taps are better,and are usually marked HSS on their shanks. You don't HAVe to have a #7 drill. Select a fractional drill that will leave 70% of the threads in the hole. Hold the drill up in front of the tap and see that the drill doesn't quite make it to the roots of the threads. A tap WILL NOT tap a too small drilled hole,will only mess it up or break,so be careful.

[Jim Koepke]

I would suggest that you mention any such changes if you ever sell the planes.

Some people would be rather upset if they discovered this after purchase.

jtk

[steven c newman]

The two #4 in question stay in my shop. Talking about when I get a plane to restore, only to find both bolts broke off in the casting, or so rusted away that they snap right off. Or, a brass nut so green with corrosion that one can't even get it out of the knob , or tote, let alone off the steel rod that MIGHT be a bolt. These are some of the "repairs" i run into, trying to bring a rust bucket back to life. Bolt for the depth adjustor wheel is another "sore' spot. I have seen one with three bends in it, WITH the wheel still on it. How the ....? Cutting the slot for a straight bladed screwdriver? Hacksaw it in?

[george wilson]

Hacksaw it in. Use a needle file to clean up the hacksaw cut. Starrett made special hacksaw blades of different thickness and no set in the teeth for sawing neat screw slots. I don't know if they are still made. I have small circular saws to use in the milling machine,but most often I hack saw them in,and use a needle file to file off the hacksaw looking cut,especially seen in the bottom of the slot. For thinner screws like fine flintlock guns used,I use a jeweler's saw and very thin flat files to clean them up. If you can't saw and file well,they will look awful,though.

The trouble with what you want to do is,without a lathe,you are going to find it difficult to make decent,proper looking replacement screws ,and they won't be nickel plated either. Why not just buy planes in better condition? Those well rusted ones with the plating worn off their parts and missing or broken handles will never be worth the effort you'll invest in them.

[steven c newman]

SDC12771.jpgKK7 as shipped to me, andSDC12886.jpgand restored. SDC13263.jpgthis pile came to my doorstep, wanting to be restored, soSDC13289.jpg I restored it to it's Stanley #4c, type 11 condition. Sometimes, I'll take a basket of all spare plane parts, and clean them up into something I can use..SDC13336.jpg Frankenplane? Maybe, but I prefer "Workenplane". Stanley Victor 1104 base, Stanley #5 type 18 frog blade, and iron, Union low knob, and a Great Neck #4 Tote of bakelite. My new shop #4 is what it is. Planes I restore usually run about $5-10, restored, then run quite a bit more. Buyers are always informed of what I did to restore them. They also will produce Gossemer shavings out of the mailing box. My way, I guess.