looking for an odd size machine screw

[Douglas Ingram]

I'm restoring an early 1920's Bailey/Stanely 5 1/2 plane. How hard do you think it would be to find a replacement machine screw for the front of the handle? Harder than you'd think, apparently. It's a #12 x 20, 1/2" round head slot drive. I can find all sorts of #12 x 24 thread.

Anybody have suggestions about where to find one? Thanks.

[Mario Proulx]

If these guys don't have one, you're only other avenue is to have a machinist make one. Or, tap the hole for a #12x24 thread...

http://www.blacksmithbolt.com/index.html

[Steve Senseney]

Or buy a broken plane and scavenge the part.

[Bob Gramann]

If the new part won't work: http://www.stanleytoolparts.com/knobscrew1.html
Try these guys: http://www.antique-used-tools.com/comparts.htm
I'm pretty sure I used the latter quite successfully several years ago when I needed to fix one of my planes.

[Douglas Ingram]

Thanks, Bob. Not the part that you linked, but this one seems to be it, for $1.00. However, the description does not mention if it is a 12-20.

http://www.stanleytoolparts.com/toescrew.html

The used tool site has the part listed for $8.95. "Vintage, not reproduction!"

Closer and closer! Thanks!

[David King]

Any machine shop with a Geometic die head could make this screw for you starting from a set of 1/4"-20 chasers. They can adjust the part diameter easily to get something that fits perfectly. That said it will probably cost you more than $8.95.

[Bob Gramann]

The used tool folks work used to work with a phone call. You call and describe exactly what you need and they send it. I suspect they have large stores that aren't listed on the website. For 8.95, I'd buy it and be done with the problem.

[Douglas Ingram]

For 8.95, I'd buy it and be done with the problem.

That's what I'm inclined to do. I have one more lead that I'm following up on, we'll see what that turns up, then make a decision.

[Bill Bell]

A #12-20 is basically a 7/32 - 20, just retap the hole to 1/4-20 and you have endless choices for hardware.

[Douglas Ingram]

A #12-20 is basically a 7/32 - 20, just retap the hole to 1/4-20 and you have endless choices for hardware.

Yes, but I can already hear the collector types protesting! In truth, though, I'd rather use the correct machine screw...just because.

I already have the right tap, and I have the right 1/4-20 machine screw...

Out of curiosity, I checked to see if the screw from my Record 4 1/2 fits. It does. Except that its 5/8" long not 1/2".

What an odd thing for Record to copy from the Stanley plane. So more options in are available for scrounging...

And more options of vintage parts: http://www.toolexchange.com.au/Stanley-Parts.html This one is $7!

[Arnt Rian]

Patrick Leach will have it for sure. leach at supertool dot com

[Douglas Ingram]

Looks like I may have secure a screw through the wonders of internet community. If this doesn't come through, I will certainly follow up with on of the old tool specialists. I knew that they would be out there.

Meanwhile, a few photos of the plane in question. Both of these are "Sweetheart" with "Made in Canada" below the SW logo. I inherited the 5 1/2C from my father in law, but I bought the 5 1/2 a week and a half ago for $8. I would have paid the full $10 asking price but I made an offer and it was accepted.

[Jason Rodgers]

I have an old 4-1/2" that my father-in-law gave me that I cleaned up for use as a scrub plane. When it came to finding a screw for the front handle, I also found that it was an odd size. Of course, I didn't really look much further than Ace and Home Depot. I found something close, with a thread that grabbed a little, then committed the unthinkable... I cut off the bolt head, screwed on an old glass doorknob, and epoxied it to the sole! It was a pretty rough unit, having been brazed once, was rusty as hell, and my brother sand-blasted it clean: not a collector's prize. Works great, and that doorknob handle is really comfortable!

[Douglas Ingram]

Any photos of the plane, Jason?

BTW, an M6 machine screw was pretty darn close to a proper fit. But not quite...

[Arnt Rian]

FWIW, my WWI era Bailey 5 1/2 is my "desert island" benchplane for guitarmaking (I have a full set of bench planes, including Stanley Baileys, Bedrocks, several LN, English infills, older and newer woodies, you name it). Mine has the (unique to that period) slightly narrower iron, and I use a Hock iron / chip breaker, which tightened up the mouth opening just right. Other than that, and some initial TLC and "fettling", it is pretty much as it was 100 years ago. IMO the perfect size and heft for thicknessing spruce and joining plates, which is what I use it for.

[Douglas Ingram]

FWIW, my WWI era Bailey 5 1/2 is my "desert island" benchplane for guitarmaking (I have a full set of bench planes, including Stanley Baileys, Bedrocks, several LN, English infills, older and newer woodies, you name it). Mine has the (unique to that period) slightly narrower iron, and I use a Hock iron / chip breaker, which tightened up the mouth opening just right. Other than that, and some initial TLC and "fettling", it is pretty much as it was 100 years ago. IMO the perfect size and heft for thicknessing spruce and joining plates, which is what I use it for.

Nice to hear that you have such a fine opinion of these planes, Arnt! I look forward to using mine.

A few more photos of the completed 5 1/2C. So, now I have two of these!

The C was pretty much a basket case, cracked bed, rust, paint splatters all over, etc. My intention was not to make a totally prissied up plane but to get working planes that look decent.

In addition to welding the crack ( not perfectly-my dad did it) I cleaned up the paint splatters and repainted the bed, other than that it was basically cleaning the metal and sharpening the blade. And replacing the front handle machine screw! Thanks to the wonders of the internet and the luthiers community, I now have a replacement screw making its way to me. Thanks to everyone who helped on my quest!

[Jason Rodgers]

Any photos of the plane, Jason?

BTW, an M6 machine screw was pretty darn close to a proper fit. But not quite...

Yeah, I'll post something soon. I put a doorknob on a DIY scraper plane, as well, and it gives a little weight to the front end, in addition to being comfy. And if I remember correctly, that might be the screw size that I settled on. Close, but not quite, hence the epoxy!

[Douglas Ingram]

Is it just an ordinary doorknob or one of those cool vintage glass knobs?

[Jason Rodgers]

It might be ceramic. It's not a crystal knob, but smooth and black with a set screw on the side to lock it onto a square threaded post. It came off of our old house, vintage 1928. I'll get a picture up soon...