Replacement Tote Screw for Stanley No.4

[Craigus]

Does anyone know where online I can order a replacement tote screw for the Stamley No.4?

Thanks

 

[RogerP]

Search for a Stanley No.4 rear handle screw (not tote). I think the Faithfull ones will fit or can be easily modified.

http://www.toolbank.com/0/p/FAIPLANE4RHS

 

[DTR]

If not then it's probably a standard imperial-sized screw? Having said that, I think they did use some wacky threads somewhere....

 

[bugbear]

Does anyone know where online I can order a replacement tote screw for the Stamley No.4?

Thanks

It's probably cheaper to buy a beater plane from a car boot, just for that part, at least
if you're going anyway.

BugBear

 

[Racers]

Ebay usually has some.

Pete

 

[rxh]

The thread is 7/32" x 20 TPI, which is an oddball size. If you can't find one I can make one for you. As it happens, I have just been making one for a Stanley No. 4 and my lathe is set up with the right change wheels and threading tool.

 

[Racers]

I have a 12/20 tap and die from a group buy that happened some time ago.

Pete

 

[rxh]

I have a 12/20 tap and die from a group buy that happened some time ago.

Pete

Where did you get them from, Pete? Was there a minimum order quantity?

 

[Racers]

Hi rxh

It was a group buy on the Old Tools list from St James Bay Tools http://www.stjamesbaytoolco.com/ quite a long time ago.
They collected enough orders to make a batch I can't remember how many it was.
If you need to borrow them just let me know.

Pete

 

[rxh]

Thanks Pete,
I'd love to know why they chose this particular thread.

 

[Vann]

I'd love to know why they chose this particular thread.

Way back then there were no standard threads. The Yanks did not yet have standard threads. About the only thing that had been standardised was the Whitworth form (55 degrees).

What surprises me is that these no-longer-standard threads lasted so long - into the 1990s, before Stanley changed to Metric threads.
I am also surprised that Record (and many others) also ran with these same threads. Record started making planes about 1930, by which time British Standard threads had been established. And others such as the Australian plane makers Falcon-Pope and Turner adopted these threads in the 1950s and 1960s respectively.

But look on the bright side: if you manage to strip a handle bolt out of your cast iron plane base, all is not lost. 1/4"BSW, having 20tpi, is effectively an oversize for the 7/32" 20tpi Stanley thread - so you can simply tap out the hole oversize, and fit a BSW thread in it's place.

Cheers, Vann.

 

[matt_southward]

Interesting stuff. I know nothing about threads and the nomenclature - something I'll have to remedy. I just bought a type 6 No 6 off eBay -are the handle threads unchanged back from the early years of manufacture? The top handle nut is not original and I'd like to replace it with a none waisted cylindrical nut like the original (not for originality's sake, I just think it'll be more secure). Are these available to buy or will it have to be made do you think?

 

[bugbear]

Interesting stuff. I know nothing about threads and the nomenclature - something I'll have to remedy. I just bought a type 6 No 6 off eBay -are the handle threads unchanged back from the early years of manufacture? The top handle nut is not original and I'd like to replace it with a none waisted cylindrical nut like the original (not for originality's sake, I just think it'll be more secure). Are these available to buy or will it have to be made do you think?

I don't see why a waist, one way or the other, would affect security. Can you explain?

BugBear

 

[Vann]

Are these available to buy or will it have to be made do you think?

Nope. Except secondhand through dealers or ebay.

Cheers, Vann.

 

[Racers]

But look on the bright side: if you manage to strip a handle bolt out of your cast iron plane base, all is not lost. 1/4"BSW, having 20tpi, is effectively an oversize for the 7/32" 20tpi Stanley thread - so you can simply tap out the hole oversize, and fit a BSW thread in it's place.

Cheers, Vann.

You can drill and tap to M6 as well.

Pete

 

[Vann]

You can drill and tap to M6 as well.

I've never checked to see how many tpi M6 is.

Cheers, Vann.

 

[bugbear]

Here's an earlier thread with more background on Stanley Threads

www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/stanley-pla ... 74491.html

BugBear

 

[DTR]

You can drill and tap to M6 as well.

I've never checked to see how many tpi M6 is.

Cheers, Vann.

M6 = 25.4tpi (pitch = 1mm)

 

[DTR]

But look on the bright side: if you manage to strip a handle bolt out of your cast iron plane base, all is not lost. 1/4"BSW, having 20tpi, is effectively an oversize for the 7/32" 20tpi Stanley thread - so you can simply tap out the hole oversize, and fit a BSW thread in it's place.

Great tip, thanks!

 

[bugbear]

Here's a tip for cutting the male threads, using a fairly common (depending on the circles you move in) tool.

http://web.archive.org/web/200711300908 ... ey_threads

BugBear