Reproduction Handcrank Upgrade
 

Many of you use the relatively inexpensive reproduction hand cranks, which come with a very inexpensive plastic handle. A while back someone showed me a wooden handle upgrade which was available at the time on ebay for $35-40. I think I even mentioned it in a post once.

I finally did something about it (other than buy one). I found an old rats tail file I wasn't using and pulled the file out of the handle. I punched out the bar holding the plastic handle on the hand crank, and using a round headed screw with smooth shaft at the head end, and two flat washers, I attached the handle with a screwdriver, tightening it up just before it impeded the turning of the crank. The metal bar on the hand crank, holding the new handle, spins on the smooth part of the screw shaft when turned.

I haven't done any endurance studies on this set up, but I put it on a 66 and spun it around, no loosening. Replacement file handles are available in many shapes and sizes. Total time to convert was about 15 minutes.

(if there's already a thread about doing this, please ignore).

Caveat: once you punch out the metal rod holding the plastic handle, you've crossed the Rubicon.

Nice job. :thumbup:

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.

"you've crossed the Rubicon." love this line. I may give it a try. Yours looks great.

Here are a couple of pictures with it on the machine. I think it looks OK.

Doing something like this is what happens after not having had a new machine come in for months, and after having serviced the dozen or so loose motors I could find, and....