# Making Gears



## Oldmechthings (Feb 2, 2008)

After posting a couple baby pictures this morning I went out and machined the teeth on a couple pinions. This is the last two of twenty three gears required for the model steam shovel presently under construction. These two will work in unison to push the dipper stick out and in.







I do not know how many viewers of this forum machine their own gears, but it is not a difficult task. When you look at all the charts, tables, math, etc. it is scary. But I have taken the attitude that if the early settlers could make working gears for their grist mills and sawmills, etc. by pounding pegs in a log, then shame on me if I cannot make a gear on my milling machine. Over time I have collected a few commercial gear cutters, and they are nice, but most of the time I do not have the right one and end up grinding a lathe tool bit for a single tooth cutter. You can use a gear of the same pitch and very near the same number of teeth as a template to fit the cutter bit to. Most often I make a layout using the drafting table, and grind a bit to fit my layout. The small paint brush is wetted with cutting oil and held next to the cutter so the bit wipes through the brush providing a film of lubrication each round. It is a lot cleaner than a flood system, for such little jobs.
   Birk


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## Bernd (Feb 2, 2008)

TWENTY THREE GEARS!  Wow, talk about patiance. That shovel is going to be a nice piece of equipment there Birk.

I can remember cutting gears back in high school shop class using the index plates and counting the number of turns and holes to make a gear. It was great fun. Then later in life I worked for a major gear manufacture for 30 years. I learned how to cut all kinds of gears. Did a lot of masters of ring and pinions for the automotive industry. One of these days I'm going to get back and try my hand at making gears.

Keep up the great work and I want to see more pics of that shovel. Please. :-*

Regards,
bernd


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## deere_x475guy (Feb 2, 2008)

Oldmechthings I have made a few gears and tried grinding my own cutter...but alas I gave in and bought a cutter off ebay and I got another one for Christmas. I am cutting my own gears for the Webster engine.

Here are a few shots of my set up.
















I finally mounted the dividing head and tailstock on this plate, now the setup time is pretty much nothing. When I need to cut a gear I can move the vice jaw back and clamp the plate right on top. Everything is lined up and ready to go.


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## Powder keg (Feb 2, 2008)

I hope Birk will show us how he makes helical gears on his manual mill. Got any pictures of the contraption you made for that Birk?

Wes


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## Oldmechthings (Feb 2, 2008)

Yes, I'm planning on posting when it can be worked in.
       Birk


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## compound driver 2 (Feb 3, 2008)

Hi Birk
Have you thought about a hobbing machine? Theres a set of castings for one available here in the UK. I started building my hobbing machine a few months back. THe big advantage is you only need one hobb per DP set. And that can be machined as an Acme thread form! yup i thought that wont work but it does cut involute gears perfectly.

Gear sets wise im on about my 30th set for traction engines mostly cut in thye mill. I find it to be one of the most enjoyable jobs especialy the last tooth on each gear.

Again thank you for thye post.

Cheers Kevin


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## gilessim (Feb 3, 2008)

When I made my Liney RV2, I had ordered the 2 gears not feeling up to making them, even though I have a RT and a couple of small gear cutters I spotted on a market stall, anyway I was studying the smaller gear when I dropped it on the floor where it promptly vanished into thin air!, weird!, I searched for about an hour with a pal who turned up, I even tried dropping a similar piece of metal about 10 times to see where it would roll and that, of course ,just stayed exactly where it fell every time!, anyway considering that it would take a good couple of weeks to have another one sent, I decided to make one, one of the cutters seemed to be a fairly close fit and I was surprised how easy it was!, a little touch with a needle file and it worked a treat!, now I'm looking for excuses to make some more!.....Giles


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## Bernd (Feb 3, 2008)

Bob,

Ever think about putting two keys in the bottom of that plate so you can bolt it to the table? Looks like you could eliminate a fews inches in the "Z" direction. Probably make the setup a bit sturdier.

Bernd


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## deere_x475guy (Feb 3, 2008)

Bernd yes I did because I wondered around it flexing. I have just cut aluminum gears so far and it sits nicely on top of the vice. It may not be an option when I need to cut steel. I will have to see.


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