Seized lever cap screw

[The Bear]

Hi
I have a Stanley 4.5 which is about 100 years old. The lever cap screw is seized in the frog and wont turn either way. I have some penetrating spray, is this the way forward to releasing it or is there a better way. As you can imagine I am more than a little nervous about breaking something or stripping the head on the top of the screw.
Mark

 

[Blister]

Soak it on some diesel for week , if it does not come loose use a small amount of heat and gently warm up the frog , that should move it :wink:

 

[head clansman]

hi

just a gentle heat from a plumber torch , but not to much as it warms up gently turn the screw in both direction till it frees.hc

 

[bugbear]

Soak it on some diesel for week , if it does not come loose use a small amount of heat and gently warm up the frog , that should move it :wink:

Seconded on the diesel - remove the frog, and drop the whole thing in a pot of the stuff. Leave for a long time.

When attempting to remove, your goal is to break the "lock", so try turning in both directions.

I would use a screwdriver bit in an 8" sweep brace for the removal, with the frog held in a bench vise; a brace is a really good way of making sure the screwdriver stays in the slot, and thus doesn't slip out and muss anything up.

BugBear

 

[The Bear]

Thanks guys

I have now got the screw out, the penetrating spray did the trick.

However I now have another problem. I need to wind the screw further into the hole if you get my drift as the lever cap is too loose and doesn't hold the blade firmly enough. After a quick clean up and putting the screw back, I can't get it to screw in any further than where it was before. The thread on the screw looks OK and as far as I can tell so is the thread in the hole. Both probably have a small amount of gunk on them which doesn't come off too easily. However i am surprised if there is enough gunk to cause this problem.

So how to i get the remaining gunk off (especially in the hole)? Is this where the diesel comes in?

Is there anything else i need to look into, as I said the threads look OK.

This is otherwise a good old plane that i would like to get to a usable condition again.

Mark

 

[bugbear]

I need to wind the screw further into the hole if you get my drift as the lever cap is too loose and doesn't hold the blade firmly enough.

That's odd. I've never heard of that problem. Solving it would be easy - just grind the end of the screw, but I would be very nervous of doing that, because the problem is so rare.

Could you compare the parts with another (similar) plane - blade, cap-iron and lever cap. My gut says the problem isn't the lever cap screw.

BugBear

 

[Caruso]

Are you sure it is the original screw with the correct thread? It could be a replacement screw with a thread that is almost right but binds after a few turns.

 

[The Bear]

I think the screw is the right one but can't say for sure. It goes in about 1/4 inch before binding, which is more than a few turns.
The parts of the threads that were seized together are acually very clean. The other parts have the lightest film of gunk/oxidation which is what I wondered if was stopping them going together any more. What can I soak them in to try and clean the screw and frog hole up?
Are the threads on Stanleys of this age all the same as I don't have any other to compare it to? Anyone got a spare screw laying about they don't want?
Any ideas?
Mark

 

[Argus]

.

Probably the wrong pitch thread which would explain why you couldn't get it out in the first place.

Another screw of the correct thread and perhaps run a tap down it?


.

 

[PaulO]

If you get a spare screw and it still doesn't want to go down, a good trick is to use a hack saw to make grooves across the threads in a spare screw. then that screw can be used as a makeshift tap to clear the threads. Works really well to clear gunk from threads and any slight thread damage.

 

[The Bear]

I did wonder if tapping the hole might be the solution. However I own none. What is the correct size bearing in mind the age of this tool, and where can I buy one?

Mark

 

[Argus]

I did wonder if tapping the hole might be the solution. However I own none. What is the correct size bearing in mind the age of this tool, and where can I buy one?

Mark

If you are near Camberley, AHC in London Road will have a range of taps.

Usually helpful enough to try a few if you don't know which one.


.

 

[Anonymous]

Soak in WD40 for a few days

 

[The Bear]

Thanks for that I can get to Camberley
Before I try that I would like to make sure the screw is the correct one for the frog.
Big ask, but is anyone local to me with an old Stanley and would let me try the screw from theirs in my frog. I don't know if it needs to be from a 4 1/4 or whether they are the same size in all the range.
I live just outside Weybridge
Mark

 

[newt]

Some of the threads on Stanleys are unique and do not conform to any standard. DAMHIKT

 

[Setch]

I recommend the idea of getting a spare screw and cutting it into a self tapper. Often the lever cap screw goes into a blind hole, and tapping a blind hole with limited experience is a sure fireway to end up with a hardened tap snapped off in the frog. Which is no fun at all.