how to turn Stanley PLANE KNOBS

[Jay Kir]

HI guys,
As I am fairly new at turning, I wonder if there are step-by-step instructions on how to turn Stanley plane knobs anywhere? I searched this forum and the Internet but came up empty. (I am looking for the sequence of chucking / screwing / steps, given that the knobs have a depression inside the base (to fit into the plane casting boss), which is larger than the through-hole. Thank you in advance.
Jay

[Curt Fuller]

Do you have a photo of one of the knobs? I have a vague mental picture of what they look like, but with a photo and dimentions I might be able to tell you at least one way to do it.

[Dale Miner]

I believe there is also a counterbore in the top end for the nut that holds the knob on.

Never turned one, but here is how I would go about it.

Cut a piece of wood into a square that is large enough to clean up at the largest diameter of the knob, and with sufficient length for the knob.

Cut both ends of the piece square, and at about 1/16 to 1/8 inch longer than the knob needs to be. This will be your blank.

In the drill press, use a forsner bit to drill the counter bore to fit the plane casting, making sure that the hole is at least deep enough for the casting. After drilling the counter bore, drill the blank the rest of the way through with the correct size hole for the mounting screw/stud, using the center divot left by the forsner bit to center the smaller bit. The above drilling could be done by chucking the blank and using the tailstock if a drill press is not available.

Chuck up a piece of fairly hard waste wood about 1.5 to 2 inches square, and turn a short stub that will fit very snugly into the counter bore in the blank. Make this stub as long as possible, and take off only enough to allow the blank to fit. This will mount the blank to allow for finishing, so the friction fit will be what does the driving.

Once the blank is mounted, use a forsner bit in the tailstock to drill the counterbore for the nut that holds the knob on. This will leave a flat bottom in the counterbore that the tailstock can be placed up against. Tailstock support will prevent the blank from coming off the mounting stub, and the pressure from the tailstock will increase the driving force for turning.

Turn the knob to the profile desired and clean up the top end (extra length at tailstock end), apply finish if needed, and remove from the mounting stub when the finish is dry.

There are several different shapes for the knobs for Stanley planes, and there might be some that are threaded in the bottom end to screw onto the casting directly. The above is for those that mount with a through stud and nut.

I think most of the older Stanley planes had rosewood or cocobolo knobs. I'm almost certain that the Bailey planes have rosewood knobs.

[Randy Privett]

Jay,

Depending on which knob your going to turn, depends on the height of the block. I used to make quite a few of these knobs and totes for the Stanley planes. Start with a 2"X2" by how ever the height of the knob you want. All of the Stanley knobs look like a hot air balloon, being larger at the top, then quickly into the radius. The top has a 7/16 flat bottom hole 1/2" deep, the through hole is 9/32 and the counter bore on the bottom is 9/16"X 1/2" deep. Stanley used a a special thread known to them. I had to have taps and dies made for the threads on the hardware. I use and arbor to mount the square block on the counter bore on the bottom, screwing a 1/4" SHCS to tighten the block to the arbor. I've turned so many of these it had become a natural thing to do.I have enclosed a picture showing a # 2 Tote and knob with the hardware that I used to sell. You can see the shape of the knob.

Randy

[Jim Koepke]

Stanley used a a special thread known to them. I had to have taps and dies made for the threads on the hardware.
Randy

Nice work on the tote and knob. Do you sell these? A few folks over in Neanderthal Haven have made inquiries in the past as to where they can find good replacements.

I was able to find the 12-20 tap here:

http://www.victornet.com/cgi-bin/victor/index.html

Not sure about the #1 and #2 threads, I bought a few of these when a larger plane had some stripped threads for the tote.

For the die, an adjustable 1/4-20 was used and just cranked down a little. Greenfield "little giant" dies are the ones, if my recollector is working.

jim

[Randy Privett]

Jim,


I used to sell a lot of all the different totes and knobs to fit the Stanley planes, #2 through#8 and some of the specialty planes. I still have a few hundred of different totes and knobs setting around here in all different forms of finish. Some done, but mostly not finished. I used to collect the planes, but I don't have the time to mess with them anymore.

Randy

[Jay Kir]

Curt, Dale, and Randy,
Thank you very much for the quick and detailed response. The stub in the bottom counterbore was the trick. I had been trying to figure out how to use a woodworm screw to make the knobs, and couldn't figure out the chicken and egg problem. This solves it. Thank again. Curt, as soon as I can, I'll post a picture of the original knobs, for posterity's sake.
Jim

[Jay Kir]

Randy,
I forgot. Those totes look great. You didn't make them on a lathe, did you? Stretching this thread, would you mind describing your procedure?
Jim

[Jay Kir]

Here are the promised picturesstanley knob 1.JPG

stanley knob 2.JPG