I have a Stanley no 4 with a wooden handle that I have broken twice and glued up and a no 7 with plastic handles. I started to make a handle for the no 4 but it turned out so rough that I have to try again. The knob on the no 7 is loose because the threads on in the hole and on the screw are damaged. I need to find a tap and die to fix them but first need to identify the thread. It looks like a 7/32 " screw. Does anyone know what it might be supposed to be?

Tony

7/32" - 20Tpi Whitworth Form

source: www.recordhandplanes.com/parts-and-sizes.html

Note that is not BSW. Record copied Stanley planes right down to the non-standard Whitform form threads, so this is correct for all but the very newest Stanleys and Records (I believe they both went metric in the late 1990s or thereabouts). Jim Davey may be able to source the taps and dies from the USA.

HTH.

Cheers, Vann.

__________________
Gatherer of rusty planes tools...

Hi.. I've recently put up a post seeking one of these Aussie made plastic totes.. wasn't aware that it was such a widespread problem !.
I wonder why it was only the tote that was affected ?.. the front knob is pristine !!.. (as we speak )
Does anyone know if the English made ones suffer the same fate ?

Kenny

Attached Images

IMGP6268.jpg (259.1 KB, 14 views)

With mine, both tote and front knob are affected. They have shrunk and distorted to the extent that the plane can not be effectively used. Instead of the screw tightenining the handle to make it an effective lever, the handle flops around and the rod has bent., I have stopped using the plane and will need to make new handles. I tried some washers as spacers which works partially, but looks dreadful

I had plastic handles which were decomposing as described a few years ago. I mentioned it in passing on a violin making forum and someone which chemsitry knowledge said to very careful about touching the stuff, mentioning the Big C.

Having recently acquired a few Turners, I understand the handles are acetate - quite different to the black plastic Stanley used I assume. If the acetate is similar to the acetate used in photographic negatives as a support layer after nitrate and before safety film they will also decompose in time. Acetate negs going off smell like vinegar and give off acetic acid which is not good if you are an archivist storing photos (like me). Mind you, that's better than what nitrate does...

Regards,

Tim

PS - Don't suppose anyone knows where I can get an Turner handle - one of my 4's seems to have been left a bit close to a welder or something that gave off very hot particles.

Hi Tim,
I can probably help you out there.
There are two types of Turner number 4 handles. One has a small screw at the front just like the handles on larger planes and the other doesn't. Which are you after?
Send me your details in a PM.
Cheers
SG

__________________
.... some old things are lovely
Warm still with the life of forgotten men who made them.
D.H. Lawrence
Visit my BLOG

The problem with the size and type of screws can be a real problem as for instant the Frog adjustment screw is 1/4" - 24 TPI similar to American Unified thread but this is odd as this does not conform to UNC thread or UNF thread, it so happens that this size thread is used also on Harley Davidson bikes. The closest thread that you can get purchase a tap is 1/4"-20TPI UNC, the UNF thread is 1/4"- 28TPI
The other treads for fixing the handle ie 7/32"-20 Witworth is an odd diam size, and I doubt you would be able to pick up taps 7/32"-20W .
Malcolm Eaton

Here are two links on Stanley threads from the TTTG that may be useful:
LINK1
LINK2