# Free gears---



## Brian Rupnow (Sep 6, 2010)

Since I build model engines, and things to run with model engines, I am always on the lookout for small gears. Back in the day, when I was a kid, we had this small gearmotor thingy (I can't remember what it was called) that mounted on the television antenna, and by operating a simple control box in the house, it would turn the antenna for better reception with a small internally mounted electric motor. I have always had a suspicion that they were full of gears, because the antenna moved very slowly. Today wifey and I were out for a drive, and lo and behold, there was one setting at the end of a rural driveway with their trash barrel, complete with a small peice of antenna still attached to it. To wifeys great embarassment, I stopped and threw it in the back of my pickup. After a half hour of disassembly (involving a lot of bash and crash) this is what it yielded. The largest gear is 3" diameter x 3/16" thick, the mating pinion is 1/2" dia. x 1/2" thick, and then all of the other gears get progressivly smaller diameter and thinner, right down to the drive pinion on the electric motor which is about 5/32" diameter. I never checked, but the overall ratio appears to be about a gazillion to one. I will save these for some future project. I just thought I would let you fellows know, in case you have one of these setting up in the garage rafters, gathering dust.---Brian


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## gmac (Sep 6, 2010)

Brian;
Looks like a great gearbox to power my Taig lathe leadscrew - a hunting I will go....
Thanks for the tip Brian!
Garry


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## itowbig (Sep 6, 2010)

i save every gear and rods too i find in copiers and printers :bow:


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## cfellows (Sep 6, 2010)

I love gears... the more the better. I love worm gears, bevel gears, helical gears, and even the lowly spur gear. Every time I need a gear, I make one or buy one because I hate using any of the ones in my larder...

Chuck


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## IronHorse (Sep 6, 2010)

Great Idea! Next weekend is the big Barrie Flea Market at Burls Creek, I will have to keep on the lookout for some of these.


IronHorse


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## Brian Rupnow (Sep 16, 2010)

So what do you do with a bunch of little free gears???---well of course---You add a couple of pulleys and brackets and make a gear reducer. Only thing is, the gear reduction is so massive, I have no idea what I'll do with it unless I build a steam engine powered model stump puller---


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## tel (Sep 16, 2010)

cfellows  said:
			
		

> I love gears... the more the better. I love worm gears, bevel gears, helical gears, and even the lowly spur gear. Every time I need a gear, I make one or buy one because I hate using any of the ones in my larder...
> 
> Chuck



 Rof} You're beginning to sound like me Chuck - and that is a serious condition.


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