Plastic/brass gear cutting

Hi all

i own a Myford Super 7 and a Seig X1L and would like to be able to cut small gears in plastics and brass. (The ability to cut in other metals, would be welcome if it doesn't add significant extra cost.)

In order to do this I'd line some recommendations for a dividing device suitable for (preferably) both machines. I realise that, given the vertical space available on the X1 that this may not be feasible, so suggestions for each machine are welcomed. Any indication of cost for your suggestions would also be helpful.

Many thanks in advance

Knurler

Give us some idea of the size of gear Tooth count etc Are they for Watches, Clocks, Traction engines or what?

Roy

Hi Knurler,

as you say you need a dividing device - dividing head. If you want to buy one they are rather expensive if you want one with a worm and wormwheel. An indexer is of course cheaper but more restricted inits dividing capabilities. A cheaper way is to make your own. I made my own dividing head, and on the web you can find several descriptions, here are a couple:

Dean's simple dividing head, Tony's is based on a Taig headstock. I think they should fit your milling machine.

Thor

Edited By Thor on 25/07/2013 17:00:38

Hi Knurler,

I have cut several gears using my X1 mill in aluminium, plastic and steel. For indexing I use a 100mm rotary table mounted vertically on the mill table. This rotary table has an MT2 socket so I use an ER32 collet chuck in the MT2 socket, and the gear blank is mounted on a shaft in the ER32 socket. This set up works well.

There more information, including making gear cutters on my website:

**LINK**

http://mikesworkshop.weebly.com/improved-gear-cutters.html

**LINK**

**LINK**

Mike

I have just seen that one of my links in the previous post is bad. Please try this one:

**LINK**

Mike

Hello Mike,

Many thanks for that post. I have posted elsewhere on this site about advice for making gears. The method you show for making the form tool cutter using cone drills is ingenious. You have given me much food for thought!

This forum is truly a mine of information what with all you talented Ladies and Gents and I'm very pleased I subscribed.

Carl.

Hi, all

Many thanks for the replies - and for the links, Thor & Mike - I hadn't considered making something myself, but the information in the links has whetted my appetite, especially since I know the whereabouts of a 'spare' Peatol lathe that I can probably lay my hands on fairly cheaply

Roy - it'll be mainly small, fairly fine-toothed gears - the sort of thing you'd probably find in small clocks, or inside , say, a modern printer or scanner -maybe up to 100 or 120 teeth

Once I've delved into the links I'll probably have lots more questions - so watch this space

Regards

K