Recreating the vintage red plastic handle with a mold casting

mickyd · Post by **mickyd** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 12:56 pm

For any of you with a vintage Mark 5 that needs a replacement handle from
ShopSmith, you'll find that the plastic part on the new one is different from the old red vintage version

[ATTACH]3711[/ATTACH]

Since my 1955 Greenie Mark 5 didn't come with one of the two handles, I purchased one of the replacements.

I want to replace the black plastic handle by recreating the vintage style larger diameter red one. I thought that making a casting of the old handle is the way to go. My problem is ......I never made a casting before.

Before I blindly go out on the internet and start searching around for info on how to do it, I wanted to post this thread assuming that someone in this forum might already have some experience in this area and if so, I'd like to hear your suggestions on how I should proceed.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 1:32 pm

I think THIS is going to be a very interesting thread or a bust. Hope the former!:) I got three 'new' uns I would like to resemble old uns.

Shop_Smith_Poppi · Post by **Shop_Smith_Poppi** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 1:35 pm

I think the best way to make a cast for this type of project would be to use a very hard or dense wood or even a metal cast. I think the metal would be best but I also think the wood may be the easiest to do. That is if you are good at wood carving anyway.

Shop_Smith_Poppi · Post by **Shop_Smith_Poppi** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 1:42 pm

but then this make more since and could be easier even still.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWUre5qPhKI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQkzWvHRdZ0&feature=related

Shop_Smith_Poppi · Post by **Shop_Smith_Poppi** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 1:45 pm

you might be able to make a casting of the threaded inside of the handle and then make a a mold of the handle around the casting of the threaded part.

Shop_Smith_Poppi · Post by **Shop_Smith_Poppi** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 1:57 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP1Nij-elyQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9pIZXy_ ... re=related

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 2:07 pm

Shop_Smith_Poppi wrote:you might be able to make a casting of the threaded inside of the handle and then make a a mold of the handle around the casting of the threaded part.

WELL! You have indeed made this thread VERY interesting. Any body know what the non-threaded end(inside the handle) looks like?

Shop_Smith_Poppi · Post by **Shop_Smith_Poppi** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 2:10 pm

It could also be done by making a blank and then drill and tap. But I was wondering if you could not just insert the handle into the mold and make the plastic piece around that as well.

Shop_Smith_Poppi · Post by **Shop_Smith_Poppi** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 2:11 pm

JPG40504 wrote:WELL! You have indeed made this thread VERY interesting. Any body know what the non-threaded end(inside the handle) looks like?

that is a good point it might not be threaded maybe you could try and screw yours off JPG?

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 2:35 pm

Shop_Smith_Poppi wrote:that is a good point it might not be threaded maybe you could try and screw yours off JPG?

Been there done that(on a new one which I do NOT like! It is NOT threaded. It will rotate on the shank(if torqued enough). I asked the previous question in case SOMEONE has broken one off the shank.