Hi,
Can anyone tell me whther the steering sector gear was cast in steel or bronze for a 1909 Stanley. I have a very battered bronze one but don't know what year it is and the teeth are worn to nothing so will either have to get one cast or find one somewhere. Does anyone have one they are willing to sell to a good cause!?

Thanks

Jeff

Jeff
You did not say what car. On the E it was bronze. I’m no familiar with the other models but most likely bronze as well for that year. Photo of one I had cast.
Rolly

Thanks Rolly, nice job. This is for an R. Do you have a photo of what your pattern looks like - its a complicated shape!

Jeff

Jeff
Yes I looked at it and said to my self its more work to make a pattern then it would be to cast it loose for only one piece.
I have a very good Foundry Tony cast it loose from an original.
You can take yours and fill up the gear teeth with Bondo, build up enough so you can cut new teeth, also the hole and the threaded end, clean up the rest and a good foundry can cast it loose. Go talk to the foundry
Or, I think Stuart Herman in Connecticut has them new.
Rolly

This week I met with Alan blazick at the Bakersfield swap meet and he had a new bronze sector gear there for a Stanley. I quized him about your question. Allen said, The Model R is the last Stanley with a bronze sector gear.

Thanks - good to know - I don't suppose he mentioned where he got it - I'm resigned to getting one cast! Incidentally, the one I have is all one piece with the sector, bearing housing and arm all as one - is this correct for an R.

Jeff

Right. All one piece. I am pretty sure that he had his one piece example made for him. Im my R, I made up a one piece sector out of three pieces of steel. Since my R is assembled from parts, I didn't think that a steel gear would create any problems. Once it is covered with paint and grease, who would know what it was?

I've always thought that although bronze is fine for the gear sector it is quite the wrong metal for the arm to which bending forces are applied as you steer. There have been to my knowledge two or three fatigue failures of 100 year old Stanley steering arms. Fortunately these all were at low speed which is when the greatest load is applied so nothing dramatic happened.

Mike

Mike
Alloy bronze 421 and 423 are tuff stuff, with good wear quality and ductile.
421 is 65.000 tensile
423 is 90,000 & 424 is 110,000
I had mine for the little car cast in 421.
Rolly

Must be the age then! But clearly don't go down to the foundry and say make me one of these in bronze please - got to use the right grade.

Mike

In 1909 all models used bronze castings. In 1910 Stanley went to steel. If you are working on an R or H5 I have new machined steering parts available in bronze.