Stanley 140 Skew Block Plane

[marcros]

Long ago I was given one of these, long before I had much interest. In the meantime, it has got a bit rusty. I have dipped it in some bilt hambler deox-c, and it will make a reasonable user, but in the process I fear that I have lost one of the screws that retains the removable side plate. Does anybody know what thread it might be- I have seen one source of them online but it is in the USA. I am not desperate to return it to as new condition- it will never make a collectable piece and whilst not that common it isnt that rare either. Its value to me is that it saves having to buy another!

The knob at the front screws onto the body, but was missing. Again, anybody know the thread, or is there a way of making a knob and making it cut its own thread?

Finally, the blade needs a grind. Anybody got a jig to do skewed blades on and willing to help me for a beer token- I am not greatly talented at doing normal ones and I imagine this needs a reasonable degree of precision!

Cheers
Mark

 

[merlin]

Hello Mark,

In my opinion the 140 is a great little plane, it is what I call one of my "govebox tools" I always have it in the van ready to use but it is not in the tool box getting knocked about.

I have just tried a knob from an old Stanley 130 and it fits so maybe you could find a old one of them?

The side plate screw is an odd thread so you might be better to import a few as they are easy to loose (after one of mine fell out I now screw them back in when the plate is off)

If you struggle to grind the blade drop me a pm as I do mine on a Sharpedge, I have a new but split blade to use as a guide.

Cheers , Merlin

 

[marcros]

Thanks Merlin, I will have a look for a more common block plane to use as a donor. The alternative on the side fence screws is to retap them, but it seems a shame and isnt something I have ever done. for the sake of 3 dollars and a bit of postage, probably the easiest option. damn non standard threads!

I will let you know on the blade.

 

[Eric The Viking]

I think it probably is a standard thread.

My #20 compass plane had the locking screw missing - the one that locks the curvature adjustment. It's 3/16 Whit. Whitworth is a good thread form for cast steel or cast iron, and was pretty common, so it's probably that.

I used an Axminster "de luxe" honing guide recently to do my side rebate plane irons with great success. It's basically a flat aluminium plate with a roller underneath and an aluminium clamping bar on top. Crucially, the clamp has a rubber pad that grips really well, and it's quite wide, so you can hold a skewed blade quite well.

It might be too narrow for your blade but it's got room to spare for a standard wide iron (19/8"), so might accommodate it. I think Rob S. (Woodbloke) modded one to take wider blades, too.

Hope that helps,

E.

 

[marcros]

is there a way of telling threads, short of having a nut and bolt of each size? is there a swiss army knife looking thing that could fold each size out? I have the other one to measure it against.

 

[Eric The Viking]

Can you measure ten or even five turns of the thread with a vernier? If you can get that and the clearance diameter it may be possible to have a stab at the thread from tables. And yes, there are thread gauges, a bit like penknives or feeler gauges. I don't have one though myself, but probably Chronos or similar have them.

 

[dickm]

Problem with thread gauges in this application is that the "blades" are at least 6mm+ from front to back, so won't go into a small hole. A possible way of doing the measurement is to get/turn a piece of dowel slightly larger than the core of the thread, and screw this gently into the hole. Then unscrew it and measure as many as possible of the marked threads on the dowel. Lots of folk on here with Zeuss or similar charts who could then give you a lead as to likely threads.