Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
Thumb screw for Stanley #71
George Makowski
>Well Folks, I bought a #71 on e-bay and, caveat emptor, it came minus one thumb screw. Can anyone tell me what thread I might try in a modern screw? The three thumb screws are the same thread. One holds the bridle for clamping the blades, one sets the throat closing, and one sets the depth stop.
This is an older #71 with no fence and a one-piece spear point blade.
I hope this is enough to go on.
Thanks in advance for your help!
George in AL
Re: Thumb screw for Stanley #71 *LINK*
Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA
>Stanley still lists parts. See page 9.
Stanley parts page
Re: Thumb screw for Stanley #71
George Makowski
>Thanks for the tips guys. A trip to my corner hardware store and a talk with Mr. Hardware showed that the thumbscrews on my Stanley #71 are 1/4x28, national fine standard, I believe. Only problem, fine thread thumbscrews aren't easy to find compared to coarse thread. I'll keep looking. I may just turn the head of the hex-head screw I got to fix my problem round and then file grooves in it to get a grip.
George in AL
Re: Thumb screw for Stanley #71
Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA
>You might be able to use my non-patented technique, posted in a thread a couple of years back. I don't know how to post links to items in the archives, but search the hand tool archives for a 2003 thread called "Knurled Knobs, the Shade Tree Way."
I've never tried this with 1/4" stock, and the bushings I used are 1/4" - 26 or 27 (peculiar to lamp parts, so it's not just Stanley that uses weird thread pitches). But with a little Loctite or epoxy, it might work.