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Stanley 71 Screwed!

Dr.Al

Dr.Al

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Al
I've managed to get hold of the fence for my Stanley 71, but unfortunately, it's missing a bit. I can buy replacement screws online for exorbitant prices, but given I have a lathe, I thought I'd just make my own.

screwhole.jpg

The problem with that idea is identifying the thread, which is always a lot more difficult with small internal holes than it is with anything external. Before I get frustrated and just drill & tap M5, does anyone have one of these screws they could measure for me? I know it'll be something fairly close to 4 mm OD as an M4 screw will go a little way in, so it could be UNC #8-32 (which is 4.17 mm OD and 0.79 mm pitch), but being Stanley, it could also presumably be anything else under the sun...
 
I can't help you directly, but as an aside, whenever I've run into these frustrating thread-measurement issues, I've wondered whether just casting something into the thread then unscewing it would actually be the best approach. I've thought of wax, air-drying "clay", two-part epoxy putty, soft-melt plastic, hot glue (much the same thing), or even lead. I never pursued the matter because I wasn't sure of the role of shrinkage in the process, but there must be people out there who know this sort of stuff who could say whether this approach, with the right material, might have some merit.
 
Mike G":2hri36bc said:
I can't help you directly, but as an aside, whenever I've run into these frustrating thread-measurement issues, I've wondered whether just casting something into the thread then unscewing it would actually be the best approach. I've thought of wax, air-drying "clay", two-part epoxy putty, soft-melt plastic, hot glue (much the same thing), or even lead. I never pursued the matter because I wasn't sure of the role of shrinkage in the process, but there must be people out there who know this sort of stuff who could say whether this approach, with the right material, might have some merit.
Click to expand...

That's a really interesting idea. It wouldn't necessarily have to be that accurate: if the TPI is correct (and even Stanley are unlikely to have used anything that isn't an integer, so a close-enough measurement should do), then it's not that hard to guess the OD and then just keep cutting the threads until it fits. :eusa-think:
 
I have one with the original fence and screws.

Happy to measure it for you. But it's down in the Borders, so it won't be until the weekend (snow and ice permitting).

If nobody comes to your aid before then, I'll do that.
 
3/16" BSW if I remember correctly, it's a common screw size across the Stanley and Record ranges of hand planes.
 
I've just checked mine and it's 3/16" 24tpi, which is a standard Whitworth size.

Shout if you hit any snags and I can send you a die.

Or a ready made screw if you want an easy life... ;)
 
Re tap the hole to the next size M and get on with your life.
It’s not as though it’s an ultra rare tool is it?
 
Thanks both. I'm really surprised it's that big: 3/16" is 4.76 mm and I offered up an M5 screw (which I measured to have an OD of 4.87 mm) - it was much too big for the hole.

It's much smaller screw than the one on the Record 71 I bought at the same time (but have since sold on ebay so I can't check what that thread is).

If I can face the temperatures in the garage tomorrow evening I might have a go at making a 3/16"-24 TPI screw and see what it looks like.
 
Mike G":5wq45s5e said:
I can't help you directly, but as an aside, whenever I've run into these frustrating thread-measurement issues, I've wondered whether just casting something into the thread then unscewing it would actually be the best approach. I've thought of wax, air-drying "clay", two-part epoxy putty, soft-melt plastic, hot glue (much the same thing), or even lead. I never pursued the matter because I wasn't sure of the role of shrinkage in the process, but there must be people out there who know this sort of stuff who could say whether this approach, with the right material, might have some merit.
Click to expand...

A bit of suitable size dowel and a smear of dirty black oil works. Or the end of an artist's paint brush handle. It only needs to show a series of parallel lines to give the pitch.
 
Pete Maddex":2cekdu1i said:
Aren’t they 12/20 like frog screws? If they are I have a tap and die.
Pete
Click to expand...

I checked mine, which is a 1960s, Sheffield made one, and it's definitely 3/16" 24tpi. I've given spare screws to a few other forum members over the years and they have fitted ok.

It's possible that Al has a US-made one with different threads, I don't know if they were the same or not.

Al, could you confirm?
 
AndyT":3k6mvwma said:
Pete Maddex":3k6mvwma said:
Aren’t they 12/20 like frog screws? If they are I have a tap and die.
Pete
Click to expand...

I checked mine, which is a 1960s, Sheffield made one, and it's definitely 3/16" 24tpi. I've given spare screws to a few other forum members over the years and they have fitted ok.

It's possible that Al has a US-made one with different threads, I don't know if they were the same or not.

Al, could you confirm?
Click to expand...

How can I tell?
 
jimhanna":2lbqke5u said:
I found a UNC 10-24 thread bolt fitted the fence on my English 71.
Click to expand...

A UNC 10-24 is practically identical to a BSW 3/16", the main difference being the UNC has a 60-degree angle thread and the BSW has a 55-degree angle, both will fit in each other's tapped holes usually.
 
Thanks for everyone's help. I can now confirm it is definitely the aforementioned BSW 3/16" 24 TPI thread. I turned a bit of brass down to 4.76-ish mm and put a 24 TPI thread on it, then knurled and parted it et voila:

IMG_2022-12-15-17-04-48-125 - Copy.jpg

IMG_2022-12-15-17-05-57-284 - Copy.jpg

It's not obvious in that second picture, but there is about 0.5 mm clearance between the underside of the knurled bit of the tightened screw and the surface of the fence.
 
Result! And less chance of losing a nice big shiny thing! :)
 
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