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The plastic hand crank handle on my compost grinder just broke, and the company that made it is long out of business. I'm trying to see if I can find some other replacement, but I'm having trouble searching for something that would connect correctly. The male metal part in the picture below is a semicircle 3/8" in diameter, and protruding about 7/8" out the side of the device.

I could just use a vice grips as a crank handle, but I'd like something a little more elegant.

Can you suggest some search terms that would help me find a suitable female part to match this? I've found some oven knob replacements that talk about "D-posts", but an oven knob isn't going to give me anywhere enough leverage (and won't be strong enough).

semicircular spindle

broken handle along bore hole

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  • exactly what broke?
    – jsotola
    Oct 10, 2020 at 17:32
  • The crack crosses the bore hole. I've pressed the two broken parts together in the photgraph.
    – Wandering Logic
    Oct 10, 2020 at 19:06
  • please post a picture of the two halves separated
    – jsotola
    Oct 10, 2020 at 19:10
  • I've posted a picture of halves seperated
    – Wandering Logic
    Oct 15, 2020 at 15:10
  • 1
    You could use a window winder from a car built in the 20th century.
    – FreeMan
    Oct 15, 2020 at 15:12

1 Answer 1

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I used the phrase "replacement crank handles" in google and saw lots of places to visit. One promising site lists handles like shown here:

enter image description here

Picture Source

A model EN 570.2-80-B3.0 sports a 3/8" bore hole and a lever length of 3.15". You may have to work out adapting the bore with a set screw or craft a D slot using epoxy.

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  • A circular bore hole with a set screw part hadn't occurred to me. Thanks!
    – Wandering Logic
    Oct 10, 2020 at 19:04
  • Good idea on the set screw.+1
    – JACK
    Oct 10, 2020 at 19:05
  • apparrently they have a steel insert, it may be possible to drill and tap them rather than messing with epoxy.
    – Jasen
    Oct 11, 2020 at 5:19

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