Stanley No. 77 Update

[lptools]

    Hello, I posted a while ago about a No. 77 Dowel & Rod Turning Machine with a broken face plate. I located a foundry in Pennsylvania who agreed to take on this small job. The photo shows the broken one ( top left ), the complete original ( top right) , and the new casting (bottom). Still some work to be done, ( I had multiples made ), they will go to a machinist friend, and then I will do the hand work on the square holes. Regards, Lou

[p_toad]

Still looks like it came out pretty nice.   Good one!

[Plyerman]

Yes indeed, so far so good! So is it not a very big project to make up a "new" casting then? Doesn't somebody have to make a mold for it first? Or do they just make the "mold" out of sand?  (I know next to nothing about casting, as you can tell)

[lptools]

Hello, Bob. The foundry that I sent it to used the original one for the pattern, not sure of the details. They are an Amish company, no email, no texting, old fashioned phone calls, (which I prefer), and the USPS!!!!!  Very reasonable pricing, and about a month turn around. Regards, Lou

[Bill Houghton]

They are an Amish company, no email, no texting, old fashioned phone calls, (which I prefer), and the USPS!!!!!  Very reasonable pricing, and about a month turn around. Regards, Lou

Is this Cattail?  They're well respected over on the Old Woodworking Machines forum.

[lptools]

Hello, Bill. Yes, it is the Cattail Foundry. I got the name from one of our machinists at work, he had used them before. I also saw their name on the OWWM forum, good reviews from there, too. Thanks, Lou

P.S. When I go back to pick these up, I am going to take some photos of my friend's machine shop, old school, sole proprietor, turns out great work , big & small l!!!!!!

[wvtools]

I do not know how cheaply you can have those made, but you could have several made and sell them on Ebay for 50-75 each.

[jimreed2160]

Very clever. I have found many of these machines and those fragile stock guides are often broken or missing altogether. The sizes of the square holes need to be spot on for the machine to work correctly. But I am sure your foundry guys were careful and managed shrinkage appropriately. Let us know how they work.

[lptools]

Hello, I am not sure how all of this is going to turn out, yet. I just got the castings back from the machine shop. I had the center holes bored, and the outer rims turned/trued up. They will now go into the tumbler for de-burring, and then the handwork for the square holes. Regards, Lou

[p_toad]

I'd say for rough those turned out right nice.   Please make sure to post when they're "finished" up.