Thread: Stanley Spare parts

:mad: What !.... Tassies apart of Australia, yes ? Its as though they've had to go through customs or something like. Unless their still sitting on the post office floor here in Kyogle ?.....I'm sorry Mike.

Do sharp blades get pulled up when seen in X-ray machines ? Security stuff maybe....I don't know.

I'll have a look around for more. I don't mind, but you shore you want regular blades? You make mention of buying thicker ones.

Good quality blades will cost you. Hock blades are the first I can think of. He seems to make blades for all types of stanleys. Somebody else here will know more about them for shore.

I agree with you on that brunner guy. He seems to pull a lot of planes apart and up the price on each. Especially annoying when you buy a combination plane body or skate from him and the nickers missing, cause he's (allegedly) taken it out and selling it individually.

I've got a couple of brass heads and threads for planes you can have. We could try a fit. Sometimes the threads are wrong, but never know. It doesn't hurt in checking.

jeeez, real sorry about the blades. pisses me off, that.
annnnyway, gota go to work. Have a good day Mike

Mate,

For new stuff -

New parts: I have not found anything in Australia, but for new Stanley parts these people have a good stock list:
http://www.stjamesbaytoolco.com/
Go to the Tools page, then Stanley reproduction parts.

Blades:
to support an Aussie, Paul Williams at Academy Saws is very highly thought of. I've heard the comment that "you can't buy better". You can find his contact details on the hntgordon.com.au website. Great quality by all accounts, pricey though.
The thicker baldes fit well, just adjust the frog if needed.

To make the rods, Jake (apricotripper) knows the thread type, and I reckon that you will need to hunt around to find a Die/tap for it. Its a bit obscure apparently.

Mike
Try this website

http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/M...tegory_Code=TR

They're in the US. I've bought a few bits and pieces from them (totes etc) and I couldn't complain about either the product or the service.

Col

Thanks very much for the info fellas. Going out to check my mail Tripper. I don't hold out much hope though.
Cheers all.
Mike

sheddy

In my view you would do much better utilising your considerable EPay purchasing skills. As you probably have seen, you can buy lots of planes at $10 or so. I bought 4 plus 2 spokeshaves for about $40 I remember.

Just browse the soonest ending planes each evening and when you see an orphan at <$10, buy it.

Any stuff you have left over (you may want to keep a few for future suplies) post here for swap or $$ sale - just to cover your costs.

Apricot is immune from any $$ transctions of course, a Saint amongst men.

Originally Posted by Bodgy

sheddy

In my view you would do much better utilising your considerable EPay purchasing skills. As you probably have seen, you can buy lots of planes at $10 or so. I bought 4 plus 2 spokeshaves for about $40 I remember.

Just browse the soonest ending planes each evening and when you see an orphan at <$10, buy it.

Any stuff you have left over (you may want to keep a few for future suplies) post here for swap or $$ sale - just to cover your costs.

Apricot is immune from any $$ transctions of course, a Saint amongst men.

Yeah, that's a good idea mate. I've already bought 3 orphans for spare bits. and got 'em reasonably cheap. I just had a look at Paul Williams' replacement blades. I've decided that when I get the best of my collection finalised into a nice set I'll invest in his blades for all of them.

G'day Tripper
Good news mate the blades arrived at last. Posted from Kyogle 1 Feb arrived Hobart 15 Feb. Its got a weird lookin' one eyed dude on the post mark??? I think its an indigenous Martian.....
Ever since they computerised the Autralian mail system its gotten damn slower..I swear.:mad:

Thanks for sharpening them mate. What are they done on? must get whatever it is. Why the 2 bevels?
Cheers
Mike

http://www.thewoodworks.com.au/

Australian supplier of Stanley spare parts

Rule #1 for Stanley planes - the screws, threads, etc do not fit any other make. Sometimes they do not fit other Stanley planes either! (True - it depends on the years it was manufactured. For example, a pre-ww2 #78 depth stop screw will have a different thread to a post-60's version). The bottom line is that you cannot just pop into Bunnings and pick up some threaded steel and expect it to fit. Nor buy it elsewhere for that matter. It MAY be possible to find a tap-and-dye to match the old Stanley, but these are VERY, VERY rare and you will not find a modern version. THAT is why the vintage spares are desireable.

Rule #2 for Stanley planes - don't worry about matching items if the plane is just a user. If you have a rare, collectable item it is a different matter. Then you need to replace the worn/broken/missing part correctly. Again, that is why Hans Brunner can sell some parts for so much. They are not common-garden Stanley parts, but for vintage, collectable planes.

Rule #3 for Stanley planes - the performance of just about all can be improved with with appropriate tuning. Add to this a thicker aftermarket blade and you will move it to another level. Hock, LN, LV - all make excellent blades. If you do not want to file the mouth wider, then you must specify that the blades are for a Stanley. Post-ww2 Stanley blades are crap - thin and soft. They flex, vibrate and do not hold an edge for long. If you are not concerned about looks, then you can do whatever you like to the plane, even force-fit a tapered woody blade (such as a Mathieson), as Jake has done. Personally, I could not live with it, but I have done the same in the past, and still have a plane or two with these wonderful blades (and they are wonderful).

Rule #4 for Stanley planes - they are cheap enough so keep a few duplicates on hand with different blade settings, or keep a few different blades around set up with different back bevel angles. Stanley planes are essentially carpenter's tools, not cabinetmaker's tools, and they have are not suited for our Aussie hardwoods. They can be made to perform very well on hardwoods when set up correctly, but otherwise are better suited to softwoods.

Keep your blades sharp.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Thanks for that very useful info Derek. Greenie for you..

G'day all,
For those interested Lie Neilson Australia stock replacement Stanley blades and an improved chip-breaker. Don't know the prices yet though. I've asked for a Catalogue (which could be a big mistake from a Mastercard point of view)
Cheers

Originally Posted by Shedhand

G'day Tripper
Good news mate the blades arrived at last. Posted from Kyogle 1 Feb arrived Hobart 15 Feb. Its got a weird lookin' one eyed dude on the post mark??? I think its an indigenous Martian.....

Glad it made it. I was beginning to wonder if I actually did post them. Haven't lost me marbles just yet. Well, I don't think I have yet anyway

The indigenous Martian might explain the delay. Got sent to Mars by accident

Originally Posted by Shedhand

Thanks for sharpening them mate. What are they done on? must get whatever it is. Why the 2 bevels?

Thats ok. Be kinda rude to send them off blunt. I felt a little embarrised sending you my cra...I mean, my old unused blades, anyway ..No, their okay.

Sharpened on jap stones. 800 (or is it 1200 ? one of the two) grit then 6000 grit polishing stone....and ACTUALLY theres 3 bevels... gota squint, look real close and screw up your face and you might see it... pretty flash eh ? ..... about 25 degrees grind, 30 on the 800, and 35 on the 6000..

No big deal really. I just do it that way to speed up the process and to reduce wear to my stones. There are probably other reasons, but I couldn't care less about them ....

I feathered the edges lightly too. But only for a very fine shaving, or else you'll get blade corner marks in your work.

and no...I'm not going into a sharpening conversation....which can turn ugly I've noticed on this forum.....Sharpening talk starts off as a conversation, which quickly turns into a debate, then a yelling match.....

thank god we're talking through computers, or we'd be trying to belt the crap out of one another over it........

NO ! YOUR WRONG ! ... YOU DON'T NEED A GUIDE ! DO, IT FREE HAND.........

BULLL&&&& ! GUIDES ARE A NECESSITY, AND JAP STONES ARE USELESS !.....USE DIAMOND STONES INSTEAD ! ....etc .etc .etc.

I'm just happy to get any tips, hints and advice. I'll just try everything overtime and sort the wheat from the chaff. Its all good knowledge learned the hardway and given in good faith.
Cheers (and thanks again mate)

Shedhand,
I second Derek's advice re after-market blades. And I vote for Lee Valley blades as the best return for your dollar (No pecuniary interest in the company, etc, just a very satisfied customer ). They are thicker, but not excessively so (I have strong views on just how thick a blade needs to be before the law of diminishing returns and the nuisance of rebuilding half the plane cut in, but this could start a thread hijack!). I have LV, Hock and an Academy blade in various planes. The Academy blade is undoubtedly the hardest of them all, but for someone starting out in the world of planes, I'm not sure that's a good thing - it's much harder to sharpen properly. The LV blades are much tougher than any manufacturer's blades, and will hold a 'sweet' edge all day on the sort of cabinet woods I prefer to work with. Hock blades are easier to sharpen, yet still hold an edge much longer than most.
Watch out buying old planes for parts - the damn things breed in the dark! You end up with a bunch of old bodies, rusted bits and pieces, damaged totes and knobs that are useful as patterns, none of which you can bring yourself to chuck out in case someone like you comes along needing a bit, but there's never the actual part you need amongst it all.....
Don't ask me how I know this!