ME Beam Engine - GEARS

Having now seen our Magazine articles on building this.

I now find that there a number of GEARS to be turned, and Cut for the Teeth.

A job I have NEVER done. Can anyone tell me if there is a swource to obtail these ?

I have the Reeves castings, but am afraid to try doing this myself.

I am very happy to provide the Reeves casting to anyne or supplier who can help me. I will of course pay for any work done !

Thank you, Malcolm Farrant

Reeves list the gears as well as the gear blanks, you may also be able to find them elsewhere for less as stock gears that could either be grafted onto the blanks or have suitable looking spokes cut. looks like HPC would have the 90/30T pair for about £30 plus VAT.

Hi Malcolm,

Be not afeared! The workshop is full of noises...

Seriously, gear cutting is not as difficult as you may think. Get Ivan Law's book 'gears and gear cutting'.

Alternatively I believe these gears for the ME Beam engine from Reeves are finished:

www.ajreeves.com/5912.html

Neil

Malcolm,

As Neil says, gear cutting is not that difficult. Depends on what kit you have as to what method you might wish to follow. The book is doubtless a good insight to getting the job done.

I have only, so far, cut spur gears. I use a rotary table, with dividing plates, and bought-in involute cutters on the mill.

But one can grind one’s own cutters or make them to documented directions.

One can use a lathe instead of a mill, usually with a milling attachment.

Blanks are easy enough to turn up on the lathe, but may need keyways cut and teeth have to be concentric to the bore!

But then there is improvisation! Printed radially segmented circles, generated by the computer can be used as dividers - and even using on-screen magnifiers for extra refinement. Or simply make your bits to divide up a circle. A spin-indexer will likely suffice perfectly well - at least for some gear counts?

There are doubtless others on youtube, but Xynudu is one who has a few enlightening gear-cutting vids up from years ago.

To be honest straight cut spur gears are easy if you have a mill and something to index with, be it a BS0 semi universal or a rotary table with plates.

Just remember once you have worked out which plate & hole count to use you can check it by doing a dry run with a scriber instead of the cutter, if you don't arrive back at your origin then something is wrong.

Don't forget to clamp the rotary table or BS0 during the cut.

Good morning to you all and a Happy New Year..

My apologies for not replying sooner, but Christmas etc. has blocked my brain !!.

Anyway thank you all VERY much for your responses. I think at my age (82+) I will not attempt gear cutting....1 error and I would have to start agin. Therefore I will, when needed, get the gears from A J Reeves. An expensive option, but safe.

Thank you all again. best wishes. Malcolm Farrant