where to buy tool

[chrispare]

I am going to have to cut some gears eventually,so what tooling do I need to buy and where to get it (preferbly in canada)

I know I will need a rotary table right? what size and do I need the indexing plates?

thanks chris

 

[Stan]

What tools do you have to work with?

 

[Brian Rupnow]

You need a mill, a rotary table, the indexing plates (unless you get really lucky and your gear teeth don't end up between divisable angles), and the circular gear cutting tools themselves.
http://www.esgitools.com/

 

[chrispare]

I have a lathe and mill to work with

 

[GWRdriver]

Chris,
It depends upon how much work you have to do now, how much you'll do in the future, and what other work you plan to do in the future and what tooling you will need, however in general you will be far better off with a dividing head for gear cutting. If you have a lot of such work to do and possibly more in the future the $300-400 (new) investment in a dividing head will be more than repaid. If you only have a few pieces then you can probably make do with a dividing rotary table but it looks like one of those will cost you about the same as a dividing head. For general modeling and shop work I use my my dividing head, which is an old Yuasa, about four times as often as my rotary table - for every 4 times I use the dividing head the rotary table has been used 1 time.

You will need something with indexing plates and posative detent stops. Eyeballing the divisions on a rotary table dial won't get it done. If you have a gear of the same number of teeth as the gears you plan to cut you could cobble up a detent dividing mechanism using that. It appears most of the dividing heads and rotary tables these days are Chinese, and all about the same, so you buys yer ticket and takes yer seat. I happen to know that Plaza Machinery has a used L&W Chuck Co. (Ohio) dividing head listed for $300. L&W is still in business but no longer makes dividing heads but while they did they were one of the best and most useful for small machining ever made.

 

[cessna]

Chris, the answers your getting are right, however if your like me on a limited budget, I just completed the Hoglet, I cut my own gears using a Sherline rotary table mounted vertically on a home made mount, I made a gear hob with info on this site and cut both the cam and crank gears, they turned out really well. Hope this helps.
Terry

 

[steamer]

Hi Chrispare,

You can divide with a home made indexer. There are a lot of plans out there.

Existing gears make great division plates.

Lot's of articles have been written about cutting gears with home made equipment.

If you on a tight budget, you can still do it....

Check for my PM

Dave

 

[Brian Rupnow]

This is a thread I started some time ago---I did cut my own gears. Captain Jerry did too, and his were nicer than mine.---Brian
http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=9665.0

 

[Loose nut]

Windsor factory supply

KBC

SOWA

Are some available in Ontario, there are many others but you didn't say where you are at. Look up gear cutters in the web it will give you some ideas.