# Stanley brace jaw spring



## DanKrager

I have a Stanley No 965 10 in brace with the setup pictured. I believe there is a spring missing because the jaws just don't behave well. Does anyone have information about this chuck setup? Perhaps a picture of the spring if there is one? Thank you in advance.









DanK


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## JustJoe

Here's the jaws from 945. The spring is on the outside in that dark line down the middle. It looks like a C-shape, goes down the one jaw, wraps around the bottom and up the outside of the other jaw and pulls the jaws open. If your jaws have that indented line down the edge they probably had the spring at one time. If that doesn't help, let me know and tomorrow I'll go dig a 965 out of the pile.


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## DanKrager

My jaws do not have that "line" feature. 
DanK


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## DocBailey

Dan - here is an excerpt from an old Stanley catalog, note that there are two different styles of alligator jaws-one with, and one with out springs.


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## BigYin

Ebay sale number 160991829631
New Old Stock Stanley Replacement Bit Brace Jaws W/ Original Sleeve Type G


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## DanKrager

BigYin and Doc,
Thank you for the tips. I think you can see by my pic that I have jaws that look like J in the manual. The ebay jays are for "Unused, Fits Brace Nos. 813 - 923" and probably will not fit my 965.

I'm going to live with what I did. I found a compression spring in my collection that has the right travel and strength to push on the bottom of the jaws and retreats to a depression in the ratchet spindle. The jaws stay closed until you insert a bit by just pushing it on the jaws and then they snap closed around it ready for tightening. To remove, loosen the shell and the bit pulls out. Magic. It works so good it gives a real quality feel to the tool!
Thanks for the help guys.
DanK


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## Dinger

I'm in the process of restoring a brace myself. I have a similar setup (although my brace is still a mystery) and I don't have s channel for an outer spring either. Got any more info on the compression spring? What size is it? I like your solution and had wanted to try that myself. Thanks!


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## DanKrager

The paragraph above your post describes what I did and how it works. I like it. Just an ordinary compression spring of medium strength, i.e. you can squeeze it about 1/4" with your fingers before you have to give up and mine was about 1" to start, but I may have to trim that a bit. I haven't used it enough to decide yet. 
Thanks for the tip on Brit's blog. I've been all through it and contacted him privately, but neither provided the answer I needed. So I experimented and I'm glad I did. 
BTW, if you heed a tip on how to get the jaws out of the barrel, I can now say I know how it is done.

DanK


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## philo_beddoe12

Dan, I have a similar chuck in a Miller Falls 1410 brace I just got on EBay. I'm having trouble getting the bits to stay upright and straight, and I notice that when the chuck jaws are tightly closed, one side stands about 1/16" taller. I wonder, does yours have this issue? I'm considering filing it flat.


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## TobyC

If it holds the bit leave it alone.


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## DanKrager

+1 ^ TobyC. Mine are not machine shop equal either. They're close but the jaws themselves are not that precise. They are relatively soft, I guess so they don't tear up the bits. 
DanK


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## WodDawg

I too was wondering about the sloppy jaws of a Stanley No. 965N I bought from eBay. I have the type J, and this auction has a NOS for sale. Looks like ours - a groove and a stud, but danged if I see any spring. 261413570066. Maybe I can find a patent drawing?


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## Woodiewannabe

I know this is an old thread, but I just recovovered a 965 with jaws similar to type J (no teeth) with no spring. From other posts I'd say the 965 has no spring in general, but the original author's adaptation is exceptional.


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